From the Bookshelf of 2-3-4 Challenge…

Stealing Shadows (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit, #1; Shadows, #1)

Kay Hooper

Start date: February 1, 2024

Finish date: February 29, 2024

Discussion: Buddy Reads

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Buddy Reads

* Cousin O'Dwyer / Nora Roberts (March 2024)
By Lauren · 61 posts · 10 views

last updated Apr 09, 2024 09:39AM

* Bishop/Special Crimes Unit - Kay Hooper - June 2024
By Michelle · 289 posts · 30 views

last updated Nov 15, 2024 02:32PM

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What Members Thought

Feb 12, 2024 Anita rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, romance-paranormal, suspense, kindle-libby

I am not a paranormal reader, but I've had this series on my to read for a long time and when a Goodreads Friend wanted to do it as a Buddy Read, I thought I would join in. This book is quite the ride, bumpy and twisty, but a fun ride. I have to say that up to the point where Bishop made his appearance in town, I wasn't inspired by the book, I skimmed a lot to get to this point, but things pick up from here, about halfway into the book. But I have got to say, in spite of all that, I did enjoy th ...more

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Aug 03, 2015 Sandra Hoover rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance-erotic, pnr-other, romance-suspense, suspense

Very intense, chilling read. 4.5 stars

8 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2018 Sharon Kallenberger Marzola rated it really liked it

Shelves: buddy-read, mystery, series, suspense-thriller, favorites

Update: My second read is the audio book. The audio adds tension to an already tense story. The narrator is OK but not one of my favorites. It isn't the narrator's voice so much as the long breaks at various points. While listening, the pause breaks the natural flow of the story. I believe it is to emphasize the change in point of view or the change in the activity. For whatever reason, it is annoying.

Stealing Shadows is the first book in Kay Hooper’s Bishop/Special Crimes Unit. I thought I Update: My second read is the audio book. The audio adds tension to an already tense story. The narrator is OK but not one of my favorites. It isn't the narrator's voice so much as the long breaks at various points. While listening, the pause breaks the natural flow of the story. I believe it is to emphasize the change in point of view or the change in the activity. For whatever reason, it is annoying.

Stealing Shadows is the first book in Kay Hooper’s Bishop/Special Crimes Unit. I thought I read this book before, however, looking at my bookshelf, I read one of the later books in the series. I didn’t realize it was a series at the time. I have several of Hooper’s standalone books and love her thrillers.

Cassie Neal is a woman with a special gift. A gift she attempts to put to rest when she moves to a small town in North Carolina after inheriting her aunt’s house. Cassie’s can get into the head of murderers. She has a history of working with the police to find the villain. Unfortunately, there are times when she doesn’t get it right before the killer strikes again.

That is what happened to Cassie in California. She misreads the killer. Escape is her solution. What criminal will move to a small town where everyone knows everyone else? Before long Cassie has a vision. She tries to warn the Sherriff who calks her up as a kook. Not to be deterred Cassie goes to plead her case to Ben Ryan the towns district attorney. Ben is the town’s hot, sexy, unattainable heartthrob. He also believes Cassie.

What I like best about this mystery is Cassie’s gift. Her ability to see the killer’s thoughts and through his eyes build tension and anxiety. The author makes me nervous. Who is going to die next? Will the police get there in time? Is there more than one killer? It is hard to know who to trust. There are a couple times that I questioned the main characters.

What doesn’t play out as nicely is the relationship between Cassie and Ben. They start out as friends. Cassie needs a friend and confidant. Ben has some issues that keep him from staying in a relationship for too long. For me, the friendship turned to more before I could believe it. I want to understand Ben more. His reasons for being non-committal in the past seem more like excuses for jumping from one woman to the next. I like him though I never feel like I know him.

My favorite character is an ancillary character, the sheriff, Matt Dunbar. There is something about his protective nature that touches me. He has the right amount of skepticism to not trust Cassie, but willing to do whatever is necessary to serve his community. His love story is more realistic to me.

Stealing Shadows is an excellent start to a series. Hooper takes more than half of the book to introduce Bishop. A novel technique since it is Bishop’s series. What I like about the way Bishop’s storyline is developed is that I have so many questions about him, but I don’t feel cheated or like the story is incomplete. I need to read the next book now to figure this man out. The ESP aspect of the story is handled believably which makes the story more enjoyable. I didn't give an eye-roll once. Bishop has some extrasensory skills that’s for sure. He is also looking for something. We don’t know what that is and I’m looking forward to finding out soon. ...more

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