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Deadly Night

(Flynn Brothers #1)

Heather Graham (Goodreads Author)

4.05 · Rating details · 6,355 ratings · 385 reviews

The Flynn brothers have inherited more than a New Orleans plantation. They've inherited a ghostly presence -- and a long-kept secret.

Aidan Flynn, a private investigator and eldest of the Flynn brothers, scoffs at the haunted-house rumors -- especially since Kendall Montgomery, a tarot card reader who has been living in the mansion, is the one to tell him the tale of a ...more

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Paperback, 389 pages

Published October 1st 2008 by Mira (first published December 1st 2007)

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Oct 26, 2016 ✨Susan✨ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audible, ghost, romance, mystery, paranormal

I like to pick up one of Heather Graham's books every now and then. I think at times she writes like Nora Roberts and this is one of those for me. I really enjoyed the brothers and it had a nice romance that did not get too sappy. Good plot and a nice start to a series that I would continue with if it crosses my path again. Great Daily Deal.

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Feb 22, 2016 Eve (Between The Bookends) rated it really liked it

Another great read by Heather Graham!

This one takes place mostly at a haunted plantation that the Flynn brother's have inherited.

Both characters where likable, though it took me awhile to warm up completely to Aidan. I still think the author should lay off the overly flowery sex scene descriptions..

"The taste of her was intoxicating, the feel of her supple flesh writhing beneath him exquisite and damning."

I'm not even sure what the heck that means?? Was she having a stroke?? Was she an evil ...more

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Mar 19, 2019 Latasha rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, audio-books, ghosties

i got this during an audible sale. little did i know, Heather Graham writes paranormal romance. well, if i had known that i wouldn't have got it. this would've been better without the romance. but to be honest, the ghost story part wasn't that good either. she had a great setting for the story but nah. i doubt i'll be reading anymore Heather Graham, she just isn't my cup of tea.

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Jul 20, 2014 Robin rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, 2013

When Aidan Flynn and his two brothers inherit a mansion outside of New Orleans, they soon hear the stories about it being haunted. Tarot card reader Kendall Montgomery fills them in on the legends of the old plantation house. But when Aidan discovers a thigh bone from a human female, he starts looking into the possibility of a murder. The authorities in town are not very concerned, believing the bone is a remnant from one of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. But Aidan digs into some missing ...more

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Oct 18, 2016 Purple Country Girl (Sandy) rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, suspense, fiction, guilty-pleasure, library, supernatural, paranormal-romance

3.5

I was in the mood for a guilty pleasure read so I checked out a copy of Deadly Night. Overall, I enjoyed this mysterious, paranormal romance set in New Orleans.

The Flynn Brothers have inherited an old plantation from their recently deceased aunt, Amelia, a woman they did not know existed until a lawyer reached out to them about the property. One brother, Aidan, wants to be rid of the plantation, which is in need of some serious TLC, and get back to their P.I. business in Florida. His younger
3.5

I was in the mood for a guilty pleasure read so I checked out a copy of Deadly Night. Overall, I enjoyed this mysterious, paranormal romance set in New Orleans.

The Flynn Brothers have inherited an old plantation from their recently deceased aunt, Amelia, a woman they did not know existed until a lawyer reached out to them about the property. One brother, Aidan, wants to be rid of the plantation, which is in need of some serious TLC, and get back to their P.I. business in Florida. His younger brothers, Jeremy and Zach, toy with the idea of fixing the place up and selling it but then get the idea to restore the Flynn Plantation to its roots and turn it into a historical attraction, something to benefit the community, which is still suffering in the wake of Katrina. Aidan initially is not interested in his brothers’ vision but eventually, and reluctantly, decides to give it a chance.

Added to the mix is Kendall, who has an attachment to the house and to its previous owner: she lived in the house while she served as a caregiver to Amelia. Kendall does not believe that ghosts roam the property, explaining unusual things away there and in her gift shop where she reads tarot cards. The ghost story’s origin is told through flashbacks to the property’s antebellum days and as Kendall relates the tale to the brothers: two Flynn cousins, Sloan and Brendan, fighting on opposite sides of the war, shot each other to death over a woman, who, following their deaths, threw herself off a balcony. To some, such a tragic story could only lead to these restless spirits haunting the plantation...

After an initial distrust of the brothers, Kendall warms to the younger two but not so much to Aidan, who is a jerk. I did not care for him for much of the book. The other brothers were fine but a little on the bland side without much to distinguish one from the other. This is the first in a trilogy with each book featuring a different brother so maybe they are filled out more in their respective stories. Anyway, as one would expect, Aidan and Kendall gravitate, rather uneasily, to one another. I do feel that their relationship to be kind of forced but still entertaining.

There is an eerie feel to the story from the beginning. While on a separate P.I. case, Aidan finds a bone on the banks of the Mississippi. After he calls the police to investigate, he is met with a lack of cooperation, bordering on animosity. Later, he finds a bone on the Flynn Plantation, leaving him to wonder if the bones are connected or if, as the testy local authorities keep telling him, they are from graves disturbed by the devastating flooding caused by Katrina. Aidan is skeptical. He decides to look into unsolved cases of women who have gone missing in the area and begins his own investigation with little help from the authorities. At the same time, Kendall is reading an old diary that may shed light on what really happened between the Flynn cousins back in 1863.

What I like most is the New Orleans setting. Graham really brings the city to life with her descriptions of not just the city but the great characters inhabiting it. What I liked least is the way Graham tends to end a chapter on a suspenseful note for character A then jump to character B so you have to wait to find out what the heck is going on with character A. It’s a bit confusing and irritating. I understand it’s a way to drive a story and build up tension but when the chapter in between fills more like filler than plot, it just creates annoyance. I like my books to tell the story and not meander aimlessly to stretch it out. I used to read Nora Roberts as my guilty pleasure but I’ve found her later books to do just that, a prime example is The Obsession where she spent about 200 pages on DIY of the house the main character purchased. It's not that noticeable in this book but is it there to a lesser degree.

Deadly Night was entertaining and fit the guilty pleasure bill but, though I may read them at some point, I’m not in a rush to read the next two books in the Flynn series. ...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Jill Dunlop rated it it was ok

Shelves: rt-2012

Aidan Flynn and his two brother have inherited a southern plantation from an aunt they didn't even know existed. There have been rumors that the house is haunted by a lady in white. When Aidan visits the house he discovers a human thigh bone. Aidan is a private investigator and wants to know where the bone came from. Kendall Montgomery stayed with Aidan's aunt the last few weeks of her life. She claimed to see ghosts at the end and that there was something evil on the grounds. Kendall at first ...more

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Jun 03, 2010 { U n s o l v e d M y s t e r y } rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Horror/Romance lovers

Shelves: favorites, romance, mystery, i-m-in-love-with-a-book-cover, 5-stars, horror, secrets, halloween, suspense, favorite-authors

- My Description -
This is about three brothers who inherit a haunted plantation house from an aunt in the Louisiana bayou.

With ghost tales & a serial killer milling about, there are plenty of things to keep the Flynn brothers busy.

This is book 1 of 3.

- My Review -
I really enjoyed this haunting Halloween book.

At first, it was hard for me to get into, but once I did, I ran with it.

I was first disappointed there was a romantic aspect between the two main characters.
Only because it's ...more

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Sep 15, 2013 Wanda Hartzenberg rated it it was amazing

This book reminded me of something Karen Rose would write. The story line is an almost even split between romance and tension and on the other side murder and mayhem.
I loved it. The characters are well formed and grow well throughout the story. The mystery and mayhem keeps you glued to the book and the result is nice and tidy.
I loved the setting and the author did an amazing job with world building.
I will definitely read the next book in this series and I suspect that this author now has a new ...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Yodamom rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, romance, ghosts

It was ok. The second half of the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat, the drama was intense. But the ending was too neat, wrapped up too easily, it felt like a formula book. I liked the basic story , loved the New Orleans ghost story just not sure I enjoy this authors style enough to continue with the other two books. Something was missing, I not sure what.

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Jan 12, 2014 Glamdring rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, 2014

*3,5 stars - 5 stars for the narration <3<3<3*

The culprit totally took me by surprise...

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Feb 15, 2017 Marie added it

Shelves: library-borrowed-to-read, mystery-heather-graham, did-not-finish

I am not going to rate it as I just could not get into it - very slow trying to get into the book - going to go on my did not finish shelf - got up to chapter 9 and the book still wasn't grabbing me. Normally Heather Graham books will grab you from the start but this one kind of fell flat for me. No rating.

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Jul 05, 2019 Jess rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2019-all, library-ebook, 2019-new, romance, romance-suspense

Weird book. The poor ebook formatting didn't especially help matters, because scene breaks were non existent, so you had to guess sometimes who was narrating or go back. But I found a tarot book!

**Read for Ripped Bodice Bingo 2019, Tarot**

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Nov 06, 2008 Gina rated it really liked it

Shelves: romantic-suspense, own, suspense, mystery, paranormal-supernatural, thriller

A ‘hauntingly’ good mystery.

Aidan and his two brothers, Jeremy and Zachary, have inherited an old plantation in New Orleans from an aunt they didn’t even know existed. The Flynn plantation has a hauntingly sad but beautiful back-story. Their ancestors have been depicted in the history books as two cousins who killed each other over a woman. Later, the story is cleared up do to an old diary. Seems they hadn’t killed each other over a woman, but rather a case of mistaken identiy while defending A ‘hauntingly’ good mystery.

Aidan and his two brothers, Jeremy and Zachary, have inherited an old plantation in New Orleans from an aunt they didn’t even know existed. The Flynn plantation has a hauntingly sad but beautiful back-story. Their ancestors have been depicted in the history books as two cousins who killed each other over a woman. Later, the story is cleared up do to an old diary. Seems they hadn’t killed each other over a woman, but rather a case of mistaken identiy while defending said woman.

But Aidan doesn’t believe in ghosts or hauntings. He’s found two different thigh bones, both belonging to different women, one on the grounds of the plantation, the other down by the river. Aidan, a private investigator, is a man who prefers to deal with facts. What he wasn’t prepared for was Kendall.

A tarot card reader, Kendall has a degree in psychology, and she doesn’t really believe in ghosts or hauntings either. Until the Death card starts to literally laugh at her. Every time the Death card has ever laughed at her, the women whose cards she’s reading seems to disappear without a trace.

Aidan doesn’t like Kendall; he believes she’s a quack right from their first meeting, not knowing her background. Kendall doesn’t like Aidan; he’s arrogant, a jerk, and because he believes she’s a quack when she really isn’t. He doesn’t approve of tarot readers - he believes they are nothing but frauds. And that gets her back up.

Thrown together, albeit reluctantly, both are determined to find out what’s going on.

**There’s a reason why I like Heather Graham’s novels. She’s an awesome writer. She intrigues a reader with a mystery that’s not always easy to figure out. I, for one, was surprised at the end when I found out who it was. I hadn’t suspected him whatsoever. She writes with simply, incredible details to her scenery so that you can picture everything vividly. Her characters always seem real and interesting. And when she adds her ghostly presenses, they seem real, even when the characters don’t believe what they’re seeing.

I loved the sad history of the plantation. The mistaken identity while both cousins are defending one’s wife.

Aidan and Kendall; while I did feel like they were attracted to each other, I didn’t really feel that spark that should be there. I think that could have used a little ‘oomph’, just a little more of a spark between them. They argued, they irked each other, and I think I’d have felt a bigger spark if they’d had a huge fight, a monumental argument between the two.

And there is an error in the book, one that shouldn’t really make a difference but it does sit uncomfortably with a reader. When one victim is supposed to be vacationing in one place, and yet the investigation is routed somewhere different (a huge difference between Ireland and Venezuela.)

I also found it a tad slow. I think there should have been more action, whether on the heros’ part or the villain’s. Disfigured and dismembered voodoo dolls and being plunged into the dark wasn’t enough. The end of the story almost makes up for it. Would I recommend it? Yes! ...more

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Aug 06, 2010 Angela Wade rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranormal-romance, suspense-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Maybe a 2.5. There are aspects I liked, namely the few scenes that took place between only the h/H. But there were too many other characters in the story, and it felt like the only reason they were there was to throw off the reader from guessing who the real killer was.

The romance aspect felt forced. I love a good love/hate relationship, but it never seemed to move beyond that, and while I'm sure the sex was explosive between the two, I don't buy that they 'fell' for each other mentally.

They ...more

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Aug 07, 2009 theghostwriter rated it it was ok

ugh paranormal romance. yeah you heard me right. i promised myself i'd never EVER venture down that path but, well, i went ahead and did it anyway, so there you have it. and now i feel dirty. unclean. still... it was rather engrossing. and it DID have a ghost in it, two in fact. and a killer. and three irish brothers flynn! and one sassy, spirited lass named kendall montgomery (of course) who was constantly fighting her DESIRES for aidan, the roguish oldest brother flynn. *rolls eyes* yeah, you ...more

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Nov 26, 2016 Portia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read this story years ago, and enjoyed it. I loved the audiobook of this title and already have plans to buy the next book in the series.

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Nov 01, 2017 Bec rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, romance, adult, historical-fantasy, i-see-dead-people, urban-fantasy-paranormal, contemporary, dark-and-twisty

So this was my Halloween read, figured I'd go with a mystery that had a ghost story worked in. The ghost story part takes us back to the Civil War while the mystery part tracks a serial killer running amok in New Orleans. Graham did a decent job of not giving away who the bad guy was with quite a bit of misdirection and the romance in this story was not overpowering. The writing was pretty typical for Graham and if you've read any of her other works this is inline with the quality and editing ...more

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Jul 27, 2017 Nancy Ellis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, kindle

A haunted New Orleans plantation, ghosts popping up all over, gruesome murders, romance.....what more could you ask for in entertaining escapism! I really enjoyed this and will definitely read more of her books.

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Nov 06, 2017 Linda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Deadly night

This was a good read. The characters were well written. I had trouble figuring out the culprit of the crime. The book started out slow but picked up its pace.

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Dec 05, 2017 Rebecca rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, complete-series, first-in-a-series

Probably more like a 3.5 because it took me a while to like Aidan but I did come around, and I liked the story and I want to read the next in the series, so I'll give it 4 officially.

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May 08, 2019 Terry rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bought

Descent supernatural story

I've read a few of her books. I have to honestly say this wasn't my favorite. I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the series.

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Mar 18, 2019 Nancy Thornton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wonderful read! Heather has done it again.

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Apr 10, 2017 Ann Hatfield rated it really liked it

So I have this odd habit of reading Heather Graham books even though I don't really enjoy them. It's weird, like a compulsion. Normally I roll my eyes, sigh disgustedly and complain while I read them because I always know who the killer is within the second chapter. This time though, I was SUPER surprised because I didn't know who the killer was until it was revealed at the end. I think this particular book was a lot better than her others, for some reason it just flowed and seemed more ...more

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Feb 25, 2017 Janice rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, z-read-in-2017, mystery

This had all the ingredients - atmosphere, New Orleans, ghosts, a haunted mansion, fortune telling, music, and a serial killer. What it really needed was a spicy jambalaya. Okay, I'm being cheesy here. What it really needed was some spice.

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Jun 28, 2015 Katherine P rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016, mystery-read, library, audio

This is the first book in the Flynn brother series from 2008. I'm glad we got Aidan's story first because he's the brother that would be the hardest to get to know if he was a secondary character and I really don't think I'd be all that interested in reading his book. He can be a bit standoffish and brusque and at the beginning isn't particularly likable. But I liked Kendall from the beginning and I really wanted to find out what was going on at the old Flynn Plantation. I wasn't very far in This is the first book in the Flynn brother series from 2008. I'm glad we got Aidan's story first because he's the brother that would be the hardest to get to know if he was a secondary character and I really don't think I'd be all that interested in reading his book. He can be a bit standoffish and brusque and at the beginning isn't particularly likable. But I liked Kendall from the beginning and I really wanted to find out what was going on at the old Flynn Plantation. I wasn't very far in before Aidan started to grow on me as well. He's a good guy but very cautious and not as outgoing as his two younger brothers.
I liked Aidan and Kendall's relationship. It wasn't insta-love and while they were strongly attracted to each other early on it took them a bit longer to really begin to like each other. It's still pretty quick but it is romantic suspense so I expect some speed and it felt thought out. Graham creates a really strong community feel. I loved the talk about how New Orleans was faring after Katrina and seeing characters in different settings - at work, at Kendall's shop, and in the bar. I did guess the "who" part of the mystery but was unsure of the "why" and "how" and I couldn't wait to see how the story unraveled.
Phil Gigante did a good job with the narration though it did take a little time for me to get used to his version of Kendall's voice. His accents weren't over the top and most were pretty accurate. The beginning was a little choppy in audio format because you're in 1863 for a few pages, then modern day, then back to 1863, then back to modern day but the choppiness only lasted a few minutes and I suspect it wouldn't be a problem at all in print form.
This was everything I have come to expect from a Heather Graham book - likable characters, a beautiful setting, a fascinating historical twist, and just the right amount of paranormal. I felt like this was one of her better mysteries in terms of everything making sense and a good dash of misdirection. This is a good listen or read and perfect for when you're in the mood for a little bit of spooky fun.
Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot... ...more

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Apr 24, 2014 Laura Agnella rated it really liked it

I love most genre but sometimes I'm just in the mood for a good ghost story and if I want to be sure I am going to be satisfied, I grab a Heather Graham book. They usually come in sets of three and this is the first of the Flynn brothers trilogy.

The New Orleans setting was fun and the back story of the civil war cousins fighting on opposite sides was intriguing. The plantation, cemetery, and voodoo references really brought New Orleans into focus, both past and present, from the lure of Bourbon ...more

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Apr 09, 2015 Kate rated it it was ok

This book was difficult for me.

The characters weren't as compelling as I hoped they'd be. The main character, Kendall, was like sandpaper underwear. How did she live to the ripe old age of 30-ish, take care of an elderly woman on a giant plantation and run her own business all this time, but once a big strong man walks into her life, she is perfectly helpless? It was really disappointing. I can understand love making you want to be with someone constantly, or depending on them, but she ended up ...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Chibineko rated it liked it

This book was entertaining to read, but I couldn't help but feel at times that I've seen better from Graham. Maybe my opinion is tainted after reading the truly horrible "Picture Me Dead" prior to reading this book. In any case, the book was entertaining to read & there's quite a bit of promise for this trilogy.

The story in this book focuses around the Flynn brother Aidan & the sexy shop owner Kendall. After a not so spectacular meeting, sparks fly between the two as Aidan tries to solve ...more

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Jun 22, 2014 Jodi rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015-read, kindle

This took me a while to get into but it was definitely worth the read. The Flynn brothers have inherited an old plantation in New Orleans from a relative they never knew existed. The plantation has a storied history. Supposedly, two cousins on opposite sides of the Civil War shot each other over a woman who threw herself over a balcony in grief. Needless to say, that isn't exactly or even close to what happened. Solving that mystery is critical to solving the more recent mystery of the two human ...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Sandy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: heather-graham

I just finished, "Deadly Night" by Heather Graham.

Deadly Night (Flynn Brothers, #1) by Heather Graham

This story begins during the Civil War, but fast forward it to present day. It's a thriller set in the south that includes a family's old plantation house outside of New Orleans. One of the main characters is a young woman that owns a unusual shop in the quarters and she, along with an employee, does tarot card readings. The other main characters is a former FBI agent, who formed his own private investigation firm, along with his 2 ...more

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About Heather Graham

Heather Graham

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Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some ...more