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Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #9
Sleeping with Fear
Fear has never been so close...
New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper returns with a relentless thriller that brings her readers face-to-face with fear itself. In this terrifying new novel, a psychic special agent finds herself caught up in a tangled web of secrets, lies... and evil.
Riley Crane woke up fully dressed, a gun under her pillow, and covered in blood. Even more frightening, she didn't remember what happened the night before. In fact, she barely remembered the previous three weeks.
An ex-army officer, now a federal agent assigned to the Special Crimes Unit, Riley was a chameleon --a clairvoyant who could blend in with her surroundings, be anyone or anything she chose to be. The SCU's expert on the occult, she'd been sent to the beachfront cottage on Opal Island by her enigmatic chief, Noah Bishop, to investigate reports of dangerous occult activity.
But that was three weeks ago. Now she';s awoken to discover that she's got a sexy new man in her life and an unreliable memory, and that the clairvoyant abilities she's always depended on to protect her are MIA. Worse yet, with SCU resources stretched thinner than ever before, Riley is alone and without backup, feeling her way through a deadly game of blind man's bluff, where no one around her is quite who or what they seem. And a bizarre murder is only the first jarring reminder of how high the stakes really are.
Bishop wants Riley off the case. So does powerful local D.A. Ash Prescott. Both her old retired army buddy Gordon Skinner and Sheriff Jake Ballard believe she can catch a vicious killer. But one of these four men knows exactly what's going on in this coastal community, and that's knowledge Riley desperately needs. For what Riley can't remember is more than enough to cost her her life. This time evil isn't just closer than she thinks -- it's already there.
From the Hardcover edition.
New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper returns with a relentless thriller that brings her readers face-to-face with fear itself. In this terrifying new novel, a psychic special agent finds herself caught up in a tangled web of secrets, lies... and evil.
Riley Crane woke up fully dressed, a gun under her pillow, and covered in blood. Even more frightening, she didn't remember what happened the night before. In fact, she barely remembered the previous three weeks.
An ex-army officer, now a federal agent assigned to the Special Crimes Unit, Riley was a chameleon --a clairvoyant who could blend in with her surroundings, be anyone or anything she chose to be. The SCU's expert on the occult, she'd been sent to the beachfront cottage on Opal Island by her enigmatic chief, Noah Bishop, to investigate reports of dangerous occult activity.
But that was three weeks ago. Now she';s awoken to discover that she's got a sexy new man in her life and an unreliable memory, and that the clairvoyant abilities she's always depended on to protect her are MIA. Worse yet, with SCU resources stretched thinner than ever before, Riley is alone and without backup, feeling her way through a deadly game of blind man's bluff, where no one around her is quite who or what they seem. And a bizarre murder is only the first jarring reminder of how high the stakes really are.
Bishop wants Riley off the case. So does powerful local D.A. Ash Prescott. Both her old retired army buddy Gordon Skinner and Sheriff Jake Ballard believe she can catch a vicious killer. But one of these four men knows exactly what's going on in this coastal community, and that's knowledge Riley desperately needs. For what Riley can't remember is more than enough to cost her her life. This time evil isn't just closer than she thinks -- it's already there.
From the Hardcover edition.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 27, 2006
177 people are currently reading
2819 people want to read
About the author
Kay Hooper
171 books2,439 followersKay Hooper (aka Kay Robbins) was born in California, in an air force base hospital since her father was stationed there at the time. The family moved back to North Carolina shortly afterward, so she was raised and went to school there.
The oldest of three children, Kay has a brother two years younger and a sister seven years younger. Her father and brother are builders who own a highly respected construction company, and her mother worked for many years in personnel management before becoming Kay's personal assistant, a position she held until her untimely death in March 2002. Kay's sister Linda works as her Business Manager, Events Coordinator, and is playing a major role in the creation and operation of The Kay Hooper Foundation.
Kay graduated from East Rutherford High School and attended Isothermal Community College — where she quickly discovered that business classes did not in any way enthrall her. Switching to more involving courses such as history and literature, she also began to concentrate on writing, which had been a longtime interest. Very quickly hooked, she asked for a Christmas typewriter and began seriously working on her first novel. That book, a Regency romance titled Lady Thief, sold to Dell Publishing in 1980. She has since published more than 60 novels and four novellas.
Kay is single and lives in a very small town in North Carolina, not far from her father and siblings. Deigning to live with her are a flock of cats — Bonnie, Ginger, Oscar, Tuffy, Felix, Renny, and Isabel — of various personalities who all like sleeping on manuscripts and whatever research happens to be spread across Kay's desk. And living amongst the many felines are two cheerfully tolerant dogs, a shelter rescue, Bandit, who looks rather like a small sheepdog, and a Sheltie named Lizzie.
The oldest of three children, Kay has a brother two years younger and a sister seven years younger. Her father and brother are builders who own a highly respected construction company, and her mother worked for many years in personnel management before becoming Kay's personal assistant, a position she held until her untimely death in March 2002. Kay's sister Linda works as her Business Manager, Events Coordinator, and is playing a major role in the creation and operation of The Kay Hooper Foundation.
Kay graduated from East Rutherford High School and attended Isothermal Community College — where she quickly discovered that business classes did not in any way enthrall her. Switching to more involving courses such as history and literature, she also began to concentrate on writing, which had been a longtime interest. Very quickly hooked, she asked for a Christmas typewriter and began seriously working on her first novel. That book, a Regency romance titled Lady Thief, sold to Dell Publishing in 1980. She has since published more than 60 novels and four novellas.
Kay is single and lives in a very small town in North Carolina, not far from her father and siblings. Deigning to live with her are a flock of cats — Bonnie, Ginger, Oscar, Tuffy, Felix, Renny, and Isabel — of various personalities who all like sleeping on manuscripts and whatever research happens to be spread across Kay's desk. And living amongst the many felines are two cheerfully tolerant dogs, a shelter rescue, Bandit, who looks rather like a small sheepdog, and a Sheltie named Lizzie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
October 30, 2023
Enjoyable brain candy with a paranormal flavour!
I'm not generally a big fan of the paranormal but this one started off with a great creepy bang, I'll admit!
FBI Agent Riley Crane, a clairvoyant member of Noah Bishop's Special Crimes Unit (SCU) has been asked to look into some possible occult activity on a quiet undercover ex officio basis. When she wakes up in the middle of the day covered in blood, with an intense headache, no recollection of the past three weeks' activity or her ongoing investigation, not to mention a total inability to tap into her normally active psychic senses, she's understandably concerned and completely mystified. The SCU being severely strapped for manpower and tied up in other investigations elsewhere, Noah Bishop has given Crane his trust and a free hand to carefully deal with the ambiguities of her situation, to try to re-crystallize her memories and to press the investigation forward.
As Crane puzzles her way through satanism, black masses, dark magic, human sacrifice, evil energy, continuing memory blackouts and a torrid romantic liaison with someone who she can't even remember meeting let alone making love to, SLEEPING WITH FEAR is perhaps a little over the top even by Hooper's standards. But, that said, when I gave into the story and allowed myself to totally dispense with any credibility issues, I'll confess I enjoyed the story. For a few easygoing hours, I was transported to a land of horror brain candy that was quite entertaining.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
I'm not generally a big fan of the paranormal but this one started off with a great creepy bang, I'll admit!
FBI Agent Riley Crane, a clairvoyant member of Noah Bishop's Special Crimes Unit (SCU) has been asked to look into some possible occult activity on a quiet undercover ex officio basis. When she wakes up in the middle of the day covered in blood, with an intense headache, no recollection of the past three weeks' activity or her ongoing investigation, not to mention a total inability to tap into her normally active psychic senses, she's understandably concerned and completely mystified. The SCU being severely strapped for manpower and tied up in other investigations elsewhere, Noah Bishop has given Crane his trust and a free hand to carefully deal with the ambiguities of her situation, to try to re-crystallize her memories and to press the investigation forward.
As Crane puzzles her way through satanism, black masses, dark magic, human sacrifice, evil energy, continuing memory blackouts and a torrid romantic liaison with someone who she can't even remember meeting let alone making love to, SLEEPING WITH FEAR is perhaps a little over the top even by Hooper's standards. But, that said, when I gave into the story and allowed myself to totally dispense with any credibility issues, I'll confess I enjoyed the story. For a few easygoing hours, I was transported to a land of horror brain candy that was quite entertaining.
Recommended.
Paul Weiss
December 8, 2015
Sleeping with Fear, (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #9) by Kay Hooper is really a page turner!!
First line in the book…………
Riley Crane, member of FBI SCU unit of psychics and an expert on occult rituals is working undercover in Opal Island investigating rumors of occult activity in that area.
She wakes up one morning having no memory of the last three weeks in her life. She also discovers that she has lost her psychic powers, something that worries not only her but Noah Bishop, her boss.
As her memories slowly begin to surface, she discovers that she has been having an affair with the local DA, Ash Prescott.
She will have to trust her instincts about who she can trust as she tries to solve the mystery in Opal, a small coastal island of the coast of Georgia.
It soon becomes apparent that someone with evil psychic powers is trying to take control of her own powers.
As Riley tries to find the cause of her problem and the strange happenings in the small town, she will have use all her power to overcome the malevolence of a remorseless and ruthless killer bent on revenge and killing Riley and Ash, who have a connection to the killer.
I adored Riley. Kick-ass, fearless and cute and cool under fire.
Riley and Ash’s romance was believable and I liked their connection and their chemistry. I thought they were perfect for each other.
The revelation of the villain at the end blew me away. I had no idea that would be the killer and the reason for the killings.
Suspense…mystery…..unexpected twists…..romance….love….engaging characters….leaving you wanting more!!!!
First line in the book…………
Even before she opened her eyes, Riley Crane was aware of two things. Her pounding head, and the smell of blood.And from then onwards…I was totally hooked!!!
Riley Crane, member of FBI SCU unit of psychics and an expert on occult rituals is working undercover in Opal Island investigating rumors of occult activity in that area.
She wakes up one morning having no memory of the last three weeks in her life. She also discovers that she has lost her psychic powers, something that worries not only her but Noah Bishop, her boss.
As her memories slowly begin to surface, she discovers that she has been having an affair with the local DA, Ash Prescott.
She will have to trust her instincts about who she can trust as she tries to solve the mystery in Opal, a small coastal island of the coast of Georgia.
It soon becomes apparent that someone with evil psychic powers is trying to take control of her own powers.
As Riley tries to find the cause of her problem and the strange happenings in the small town, she will have use all her power to overcome the malevolence of a remorseless and ruthless killer bent on revenge and killing Riley and Ash, who have a connection to the killer.
I adored Riley. Kick-ass, fearless and cute and cool under fire.
Riley and Ash’s romance was believable and I liked their connection and their chemistry. I thought they were perfect for each other.
The revelation of the villain at the end blew me away. I had no idea that would be the killer and the reason for the killings.
Suspense…mystery…..unexpected twists…..romance….love….engaging characters….leaving you wanting more!!!!
February 22, 2018
Sleeping with Fear is book nine in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit by Kay Hooper. Riley Crane took leave to help a friend find out what was going on in his hometown. However, things started to happen to Riley, and a body was found that looked like a human sacrifice Riley came out of hiding to help the local law enforcement. The readers of Sleeping with Fear will continue to follow the twist and turns in Riley investigation and start to wonder will Riley fall in love with Ash or Jake.
I enjoyed reading Sleeping with Fear. I love Kay Hooper portrayal of her characters especially Riley and Ash and the way she entwined her characters with each other throughout Sleeping with Fear. Kay Hooper knows how to engage me from the beginning and to ensure that I will be unable to stop reading Sleeping with Fear until the last page. Sleeping with Fear is well written and researched by Kay Hooper. I like the way, Kay Hooper, describes her plots and settings.
The readers of Sleeping with Fear will learn about being a psychic and the benefits they can be to law enforcement. Also, readers of Sleeping with Fear will learn about Satanism and other occult rituals.
I recommend this book.
I enjoyed reading Sleeping with Fear. I love Kay Hooper portrayal of her characters especially Riley and Ash and the way she entwined her characters with each other throughout Sleeping with Fear. Kay Hooper knows how to engage me from the beginning and to ensure that I will be unable to stop reading Sleeping with Fear until the last page. Sleeping with Fear is well written and researched by Kay Hooper. I like the way, Kay Hooper, describes her plots and settings.
The readers of Sleeping with Fear will learn about being a psychic and the benefits they can be to law enforcement. Also, readers of Sleeping with Fear will learn about Satanism and other occult rituals.
I recommend this book.
September 15, 2015
This is my first Kay Hooper novel. So the MC is a female FBI agent who also happens to be a psychic. Now usually that whole paranormal thing is not my thing. That part of this book really didn't capture me and pull me in. I was disinterested in that part, but there was plenty of other things going on that did interest me. So 3 stars.
January 29, 2023
Sleeping with Fear
4 Stars
SCU agent Riley Crane awakens covered in blood and with no memory of the past three weeks. As she attempts to piece recent events together, Riley learns that the small community of Opal Island, South Carolina, is being plagued by a series of occult-like rituals, the latest of which is a bizarre murder. Riley also discovers that all four men in her life - her boss, Noah Bishop; her army mentor, Gordon Skinner; the handsome local sheriff, Jake Ballard, and the enigmatic DA, Ash Prescott - are keeping secrets that may be deadly. Who can she trust?
For some reason, I keep procrastinating with this series, which is unfortunate as Hooper's writing is well-paced, and her characters are very engaging. Perhaps it is simply a case of too many books and so little time.
In any event, this addition to the Bishop/SCU series is gripping from the start. Riley's short-term memory loss sets the stage for the intriguing revelations surrounding the strange events on Opal Island and keeps the reader, and Riley, guessing. Nevertheless, once the clues begin accumulating, it is possible to guess the identity of the culprit and the motive.
The romance is a significant improvement from the previous book. I will refrain from identifying the hero so as not to ruin the big reveal. Suffice it to say that he is incredible, and his interactions with Riley are sexy and sensual. It is fun seeing them discover one another again following her amnesia.
Overall, this installment has reminded me that I really enjoy this series and I will definitely continue sooner rather than later.
4 Stars
SCU agent Riley Crane awakens covered in blood and with no memory of the past three weeks. As she attempts to piece recent events together, Riley learns that the small community of Opal Island, South Carolina, is being plagued by a series of occult-like rituals, the latest of which is a bizarre murder. Riley also discovers that all four men in her life - her boss, Noah Bishop; her army mentor, Gordon Skinner; the handsome local sheriff, Jake Ballard, and the enigmatic DA, Ash Prescott - are keeping secrets that may be deadly. Who can she trust?
For some reason, I keep procrastinating with this series, which is unfortunate as Hooper's writing is well-paced, and her characters are very engaging. Perhaps it is simply a case of too many books and so little time.
In any event, this addition to the Bishop/SCU series is gripping from the start. Riley's short-term memory loss sets the stage for the intriguing revelations surrounding the strange events on Opal Island and keeps the reader, and Riley, guessing. Nevertheless, once the clues begin accumulating, it is possible to guess the identity of the culprit and the motive.
The romance is a significant improvement from the previous book. I will refrain from identifying the hero so as not to ruin the big reveal. Suffice it to say that he is incredible, and his interactions with Riley are sexy and sensual. It is fun seeing them discover one another again following her amnesia.
Overall, this installment has reminded me that I really enjoy this series and I will definitely continue sooner rather than later.
December 30, 2024
This is a book from one of my favorite series about psychic FBI agents. I've read it 10 times at least. Enough to have creases in the binding and I'm a very gentle paperback user.
Riley Crane is an FBI agent working for Bishop's Special Crime Unit, which is a team of psychic FBI agents that get the worst of the worst crimes when ordinary investigation isn't yielding results.
Riley is ex-army and joined the unit three years prior in order to investigate a serial killer. we get flashbacks to these moments throughout the book. Then she wakes one day to find herself in bed but covered in blood and missing all of her memories for the prior three weeks. She feels very strongly that if she's recalled to Quantico she will forever lose those memories so she talks Bishop into letting her stay for a bit longer. As she tries to piece things together she discovers that she's uncharacteristically become romantically involved with a man that she may not remember but her body certainly does. (I just had to word it that way)
So this is primarily a crime novel where Riley, who is the unit's specialist in the occult, is trying to solve the mystery of what appears to be a series of satanic rites that are specifically used to generate a great deal of energy. The kind of energy that it should be absolutely impossible to absorb and direct. But this series is also written with a romantic sub-plot where the characters always find the perfect someone. Someone who compliments them romantically and psychically.
I'm a sucker for psychics and I'm a sucker for crime novels so this series is practically made for me. I've read them all many times and I expect to read them many more.
Riley Crane is an FBI agent working for Bishop's Special Crime Unit, which is a team of psychic FBI agents that get the worst of the worst crimes when ordinary investigation isn't yielding results.
Riley is ex-army and joined the unit three years prior in order to investigate a serial killer. we get flashbacks to these moments throughout the book. Then she wakes one day to find herself in bed but covered in blood and missing all of her memories for the prior three weeks. She feels very strongly that if she's recalled to Quantico she will forever lose those memories so she talks Bishop into letting her stay for a bit longer. As she tries to piece things together she discovers that she's uncharacteristically become romantically involved with a man that she may not remember but her body certainly does. (I just had to word it that way)
So this is primarily a crime novel where Riley, who is the unit's specialist in the occult, is trying to solve the mystery of what appears to be a series of satanic rites that are specifically used to generate a great deal of energy. The kind of energy that it should be absolutely impossible to absorb and direct. But this series is also written with a romantic sub-plot where the characters always find the perfect someone. Someone who compliments them romantically and psychically.
I'm a sucker for psychics and I'm a sucker for crime novels so this series is practically made for me. I've read them all many times and I expect to read them many more.
February 23, 2012
I really liked the first two in the series, but this one was a disappointment. Just never really felt a connection to the characters or an interest it what was happening in the book.
July 30, 2016
Sleeping with Fear by Kay Hooper
Series: Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #9
The "Fear" Trilogy, #3
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Psychological Thrillers / Paranormal
Even before she opened her eyes, Riley Crane was aware of two things. Her pounding head, and the smell of blood.
Riley Crane, member of FBI SCU unit of psychics and an expert on occult rituals, woke up fully dressed, a gun under her pillow...and covered in blood.
Even more frightening, her special abilities seem to have vanished, along with her memory of the past three weeks, including how she comes to wake up covered in blood.
She appears to be actively involved with the local authorities in the investigation of the several crimes, and turns out that she is intimately involved with the local D.A,. Ash Prescott.
Things get even more complicated when decapitated man is discovered hanging near what seems to be a "ritualistic" crime scene...
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. As the book is told from Riley's point of view, then the reader is left to question who can Riley trust and what's going on. I liked that the reader can feel the same sense of confusion that the heroine does and that gives the book real mystery (I hate stories that give too much away with different POV, so there's no mystery left). The ending seemed a little abrupt, but it’s a good story and a good read.
This is book #9 in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit but it can be read as standalone.
Series: Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #9
The "Fear" Trilogy, #3
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Psychological Thrillers / Paranormal
Even before she opened her eyes, Riley Crane was aware of two things. Her pounding head, and the smell of blood.
Riley Crane, member of FBI SCU unit of psychics and an expert on occult rituals, woke up fully dressed, a gun under her pillow...and covered in blood.
Even more frightening, her special abilities seem to have vanished, along with her memory of the past three weeks, including how she comes to wake up covered in blood.
She appears to be actively involved with the local authorities in the investigation of the several crimes, and turns out that she is intimately involved with the local D.A,. Ash Prescott.
Things get even more complicated when decapitated man is discovered hanging near what seems to be a "ritualistic" crime scene...
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. As the book is told from Riley's point of view, then the reader is left to question who can Riley trust and what's going on. I liked that the reader can feel the same sense of confusion that the heroine does and that gives the book real mystery (I hate stories that give too much away with different POV, so there's no mystery left). The ending seemed a little abrupt, but it’s a good story and a good read.
This is book #9 in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit but it can be read as standalone.
September 12, 2016
Love this series of unusual crime investgators, that use their paranormal gifts to fight crime, a special unit of the FBI. One member goes off on her own to check on possible occult activity (her specialty), and goes under the guise of a vacation, but really doing a favor for an old army buddy. Of course, it gets a lot more complicated than that. Very good, fast paced mystery.
July 3, 2020
Finally, somewhat of a deviation from the norm in the series. Really interesting plot twist. Though the book didn't really elaborate on the "chameleon" powers Riley supposedly has. But a good one all the same.
July 12, 2009
Maybe this is better to other people, I found it rather boring.
January 21, 2023
"Wenn das Grauen kommt" ist wirklich ein wahnsinnig passender Titel für dieses Buch. Riley gehört der Special Crime Unit des FBI an. Diese spezielle Unit ist voll von Agents mit besonderen, paranormalen Fähigkeiten und sie ist die Beste im Bereich Okkultismus. Sie wirkt zwar süß und zierlich, aber so schnell haut sie nichts um.
Als sie allerdings mit blutverschmierten Händen in ihrer Ferienwohnung aufwacht und keinerlei Zugang zu ihren Fähigkeiten hat und auch ihr Gedächtnis Lücken von drei Wochen aufweist, ist das erstmal nicht ganz so cool. Ich muss ihr ja hoch anrechnen wie ruhig Riley trotz dieser Tatsachen ist. Allein in einer ungewohnten Umgebung wäre ich in Panik ausgebrochen. Sie schafft es die letzten Wochen zusammen zu bekommen und ist wegen einem alten Militärkumpel auf der Insel um okkulte Unregelmäßigkeiten bei Vandalismusvorfällen zu erörtern.
Doch wer ist der Fremde mit dem sie das Bett teilt. Warum kann sie sich nicht erinnern, was sie überhaupt schon recherchiert hat und wieso sind ihre Sinne und Fähigkeiten offline. Sehr oft dachte ich wie kann man in dieser Situation bitte nicht verzweifeln und automatisch Jedem Misstrauen. Die Geschichte ist super spannend und hat viele Wendungen die einen immer wieder neue Theorien aufstellen lässt, wer mit Riley Katz und Maus spielt.
Was mich ein bisschen gestört hat, war das Bishop so überhaupt keine Nötigkeit sah, sein Teammitglied besser zu unterstützen, wie ich es aus den Bänden davor gewohnt war. Außerdem fand ich den Showdown zum Schluss relativ unspektakulär, dafür das die Spannung über das ganze Buch so krass aufgebaut wurde. Kann die Reihe aber absolut weiterempfehlen und freue mich auf weitere Geschichten zur Special Crime Unit unter der Leitung von Bishop.
Als sie allerdings mit blutverschmierten Händen in ihrer Ferienwohnung aufwacht und keinerlei Zugang zu ihren Fähigkeiten hat und auch ihr Gedächtnis Lücken von drei Wochen aufweist, ist das erstmal nicht ganz so cool. Ich muss ihr ja hoch anrechnen wie ruhig Riley trotz dieser Tatsachen ist. Allein in einer ungewohnten Umgebung wäre ich in Panik ausgebrochen. Sie schafft es die letzten Wochen zusammen zu bekommen und ist wegen einem alten Militärkumpel auf der Insel um okkulte Unregelmäßigkeiten bei Vandalismusvorfällen zu erörtern.
Doch wer ist der Fremde mit dem sie das Bett teilt. Warum kann sie sich nicht erinnern, was sie überhaupt schon recherchiert hat und wieso sind ihre Sinne und Fähigkeiten offline. Sehr oft dachte ich wie kann man in dieser Situation bitte nicht verzweifeln und automatisch Jedem Misstrauen. Die Geschichte ist super spannend und hat viele Wendungen die einen immer wieder neue Theorien aufstellen lässt, wer mit Riley Katz und Maus spielt.
Was mich ein bisschen gestört hat, war das Bishop so überhaupt keine Nötigkeit sah, sein Teammitglied besser zu unterstützen, wie ich es aus den Bänden davor gewohnt war. Außerdem fand ich den Showdown zum Schluss relativ unspektakulär, dafür das die Spannung über das ganze Buch so krass aufgebaut wurde. Kann die Reihe aber absolut weiterempfehlen und freue mich auf weitere Geschichten zur Special Crime Unit unter der Leitung von Bishop.
December 20, 2020
Honestly this whole concept of memory gaps and blackout is so interesting and horrifying.
It took me slightly longer to read this than usual because I kept on fearing how messed up all of it is, I mean imagine Satanism, occult activity, murder and short term memory loss that started with a 3 week loss but then carried out of having hours lost in functional blackouts, all together in the same goddamn novel?
It was insane in a way.
I loved Riley, how she dealt with memory losses without letting others know and Ash is added to another of my favorite male protagonists list, because he's just so good and thoughtful. Absolutely loved him.
The suspense was amazing too!
It took me slightly longer to read this than usual because I kept on fearing how messed up all of it is, I mean imagine Satanism, occult activity, murder and short term memory loss that started with a 3 week loss but then carried out of having hours lost in functional blackouts, all together in the same goddamn novel?
It was insane in a way.
I loved Riley, how she dealt with memory losses without letting others know and Ash is added to another of my favorite male protagonists list, because he's just so good and thoughtful. Absolutely loved him.
The suspense was amazing too!
August 10, 2024
Hooper writes fast page turners. She puts so much detail into her book that you feel like you are right there. This trilogy of her was one of my favorites. The people she has written into the story are so easily pictured in your mind. Each time you think you might know who is killing or kidnapping people, she comes at you with a twist.
November 19, 2017
Love this series. Another great read by kay hooper.
September 17, 2019
Riley Crane works for the Special Crimes Unit in the FBI with Noah Bishop. She's a chameleon, which means she can pretend to be anyone she needs to, as well as a clairvoyant. She's on vacation in South Carolina unofficially investigating some occult-appearing behaviors at the request of a former army buddy. She wakes up one morning covered in blood and with no memory of the past two weeks, including her very intense and passionate relationship with D.A. Ash Prescott. That same morning, a body is discovered, apparently killed in what looks like a Satanist ritual. Riley is called in by the local sheriff to investigate, but she has no memory of who any of these people are, except for flashes of memory and she's scrambling to piece together as much information as she can to hide her lack of memory. To top it off, she's unable to access her clairvoyance too. She'll have to figure out who she can trust and what's going on if she's to figure out what's happening to her mind, whose blood she was covered in and whose committing these occult-related crimes.
This was pretty good. Very, very suspenseful. This jumps straight into the mystery and suspense as we follow Riley along on her day trying to figure out who the characters are and what the heck has happened to her. I mean, it's gotta be frickin strange to wake up and realize you've been living in a town for 2 weeks and have no memory of it. The author does a great job of conveying this without having Riley all-out panicking...she is after all, used to faking it to make it in her line of work, so she casually hides her memory loss and picks up clues as she goes. It was a very interesting concept and very well executed. And while this starts to get normal as Riley loses time once again and then you're really at a loss to what's happening...but then the author throws that twist at you when she remembers something happening and Ash says it never did. My brain kind of exploded at that moment realizing what a quagmire our heroine had gotten herself into...was Ash lying or was Riley's memory really that far gone. Wow. And as usual with this author, the villain is the least expected of them all and one you just didn't see coming .
The romance here is especially intense and starts almost from the get-go. Upon entering the crime scene Riley realizes that she's having a sexual relationship with Ash Prescott and she has no trouble keeping it going because their chemistry is off the charts. And the author manages to convey it pretty well. Eventually, Riley trusts Ash with her problem and the connection between them grows on the page. This worked well because Ash had already been invested from the week or so before this story started, so I had no trouble buying into their relationship. I did kinda think the ending lacked some solid explanation of what the villain was doing to Riley's mind (was this person able to direct dark energy at her mind and decide what to do or was it just the effect of the dark energy?). Also, was it Ash and Riley's connection or some particular psychic ability on Ash's part that allowed Riley to overcome her barrier? That wasn't totally clear either...nor why Bishop would want to recruit him if he wasn't.
This was pretty good. Very, very suspenseful. This jumps straight into the mystery and suspense as we follow Riley along on her day trying to figure out who the characters are and what the heck has happened to her. I mean, it's gotta be frickin strange to wake up and realize you've been living in a town for 2 weeks and have no memory of it. The author does a great job of conveying this without having Riley all-out panicking...she is after all, used to faking it to make it in her line of work, so she casually hides her memory loss and picks up clues as she goes. It was a very interesting concept and very well executed. And while this starts to get normal as Riley loses time once again and then you're really at a loss to what's happening...but then the author throws that twist at you when she remembers something happening and Ash says it never did. My brain kind of exploded at that moment realizing what a quagmire our heroine had gotten herself into...was Ash lying or was Riley's memory really that far gone. Wow. And as usual with this author, the villain is the least expected of them all and one you just didn't see coming .
The romance here is especially intense and starts almost from the get-go. Upon entering the crime scene Riley realizes that she's having a sexual relationship with Ash Prescott and she has no trouble keeping it going because their chemistry is off the charts. And the author manages to convey it pretty well. Eventually, Riley trusts Ash with her problem and the connection between them grows on the page. This worked well because Ash had already been invested from the week or so before this story started, so I had no trouble buying into their relationship. I did kinda think the ending lacked some solid explanation of what the villain was doing to Riley's mind (was this person able to direct dark energy at her mind and decide what to do or was it just the effect of the dark energy?). Also, was it Ash and Riley's connection or some particular psychic ability on Ash's part that allowed Riley to overcome her barrier? That wasn't totally clear either...nor why Bishop would want to recruit him if he wasn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2013
I do not recall that I ever read any of Kay Hooper’s books in the past. This one called to me as I stood in the library carrels with exactly one minute to go before the library closed; I had already found that there were no books by the author I was looking for, so I reached up and grabbed this one. Although there is absolutely nothing in the publisher’s text inside or outside to reveal it, except that there is a small banner at the bottom of the front cover saying it is a Bishop/Special Crimes Unit novel, this turns out to be part of a 9-book series, and it was good enough that I’ll look for others in the series, which apparently are based on a storyline that there is a special section of the FBI consisting of agents who are psychics, who use their special abilities to solve crimes. This time there was no problem with reading an out-of-sequence novel, as this appears to be the only (or first) one dealing with the central character, one of the members of the unit, who is combining a well-earned vacation with a minor investigation of apparent occult happenings, which happens to be her specialty. While I am bad-mouthing the publisher (Bantam), let me point out that the cover illustration shows a blonde in bed, holding an automatic—which would be fine, except that the character happens to be black. Do publishers/illustrators/editors/proofreaders ever read what the produce?
There are several twists in this plot that make it interesting, in addition to the central theme of a psychic group of detectives. Unfortunately, I cannot talk too much about the story without giving away too much of the story involved in these twists. The major one, right from the first sentence, is that this particular psychic wakes up to find that she has lost her psychic ability and cannot remember what happened in the preceding three weeks of time. Being of stern stubbornness, however, she resolves to continue investigating whatever it was she was investigating, which leads her to new discoveries, including a lover she does not remember having met.
The ending seems a little abrupt, but it’s a good story and a good read.
There are several twists in this plot that make it interesting, in addition to the central theme of a psychic group of detectives. Unfortunately, I cannot talk too much about the story without giving away too much of the story involved in these twists. The major one, right from the first sentence, is that this particular psychic wakes up to find that she has lost her psychic ability and cannot remember what happened in the preceding three weeks of time. Being of stern stubbornness, however, she resolves to continue investigating whatever it was she was investigating, which leads her to new discoveries, including a lover she does not remember having met.
The ending seems a little abrupt, but it’s a good story and a good read.
July 19, 2013
Maybe to compensate for the lack the romantic relationship in the previous book in this series, here the heroine knows that she is involved with someone right from the beginning. Unfortunately she doesn't know who that might be because she wakes up with amnesia and covered in blood.
After my complaints about the previous book I was a bit worried about starting this one. In Sleeping With Fear the SCU agent is a woman - Riley Crane. When the book starts she wakes up alone in her bed but covered in blood and with no memory of the previous weeks. She also seems to have lost her psychic abilities... Unsure about what has happened to her and who to trust Riley tries to hide her memory loss from everyone else. But the fact that she may have been involved in a crime and that she knows that she is in a relationship but not with whom will keep her guessing for a while.
I really enjoyed this one. There was less psychic stuff going around and Riley is a sensible and level headed woman who does her best to discover what really is going on without the help of her paranormal gift. I wasn't totally happy with the final disclosure of who the bad guy is but I did like the step by step investigation and I even enjoyed the fact that Riley has to work alone when usually there are 2 SCU Agents working every case.
I also liked the romantic plot. It was interesting to see how Riley dealt with the fact that she didn't remember her lover but, once she did find out who it was, didn't want to reveal that to him and had to cover for that. They certainly had an intense relationship and I was worried, for a bit, where Hooper was taking them. But I was quite happy with how she worked things out. I just thought the ending was a bit abrupt and I wasn't ready to close the book yet. Now I am wondering if they will show up in the next books of the series. It's one of the things I like best about series but Hooper hasn't let us see many glimpses of the past characters.
Grade: 4/5
After my complaints about the previous book I was a bit worried about starting this one. In Sleeping With Fear the SCU agent is a woman - Riley Crane. When the book starts she wakes up alone in her bed but covered in blood and with no memory of the previous weeks. She also seems to have lost her psychic abilities... Unsure about what has happened to her and who to trust Riley tries to hide her memory loss from everyone else. But the fact that she may have been involved in a crime and that she knows that she is in a relationship but not with whom will keep her guessing for a while.
I really enjoyed this one. There was less psychic stuff going around and Riley is a sensible and level headed woman who does her best to discover what really is going on without the help of her paranormal gift. I wasn't totally happy with the final disclosure of who the bad guy is but I did like the step by step investigation and I even enjoyed the fact that Riley has to work alone when usually there are 2 SCU Agents working every case.
I also liked the romantic plot. It was interesting to see how Riley dealt with the fact that she didn't remember her lover but, once she did find out who it was, didn't want to reveal that to him and had to cover for that. They certainly had an intense relationship and I was worried, for a bit, where Hooper was taking them. But I was quite happy with how she worked things out. I just thought the ending was a bit abrupt and I wasn't ready to close the book yet. Now I am wondering if they will show up in the next books of the series. It's one of the things I like best about series but Hooper hasn't let us see many glimpses of the past characters.
Grade: 4/5
November 13, 2012
I, for one, love the Bishop/FBI SCU stories, and thought this book was an excellent addition to the series.
Riley Crane wakes up in bed at her rental cottage in Opal Island, only to realize she's covered in dried blood and has no memories of the last three weeks. Apparently, she was on the island to investigate supposed black magic/occult activities while claiming she was on vacation--but she has no recollection of that fact. She also doesn't remember that she's become romantically involved with Ash Prescott, Hazard County District Attorney.
Bishop and the rest of his agents are spread thinly across the United States working on their own investigations, so Riley is on her own, without a partner or any back-up. As situations turn deadly and a body is found tortured and mutilated in a small woods, Riley knows that she must uncover what has been happening to her the last three weeks, and uncover it quickly.
As her mind plays tricks on her, even leading to blackouts where she loses hours of her day (besides the very important memories she's already lost), Riley knows that something evil is happening on Opal Island. It is up to her, and her blind trust in Ash, to figure out what that evil is, and stop it before it ends up killing her.
SLEEPING WITH FEAR is an excellent addition to the SCU series, and I, for one, am glad I picked up a copy of the book. I can't wait to see what Ms. Hooper has in store for Bishop and his team next.
Riley Crane wakes up in bed at her rental cottage in Opal Island, only to realize she's covered in dried blood and has no memories of the last three weeks. Apparently, she was on the island to investigate supposed black magic/occult activities while claiming she was on vacation--but she has no recollection of that fact. She also doesn't remember that she's become romantically involved with Ash Prescott, Hazard County District Attorney.
Bishop and the rest of his agents are spread thinly across the United States working on their own investigations, so Riley is on her own, without a partner or any back-up. As situations turn deadly and a body is found tortured and mutilated in a small woods, Riley knows that she must uncover what has been happening to her the last three weeks, and uncover it quickly.
As her mind plays tricks on her, even leading to blackouts where she loses hours of her day (besides the very important memories she's already lost), Riley knows that something evil is happening on Opal Island. It is up to her, and her blind trust in Ash, to figure out what that evil is, and stop it before it ends up killing her.
SLEEPING WITH FEAR is an excellent addition to the SCU series, and I, for one, am glad I picked up a copy of the book. I can't wait to see what Ms. Hooper has in store for Bishop and his team next.
October 5, 2011
Kay Hooper ties crime, romance, and paranormal together in the Bishop/SCU series. This particular book is the third of a mini series that the Bishop/SCU series consists of. The main character, Riley Crane, is a clairvoyant FBI agent assigned to the Special Crimes Unit under Noah Bishop. She was called by a friend to investigate a series of crimes in Opal Island. The book begins with her waking up with amnesia and proceeds with her trying to figure out what happened to her, what is going on on Opal Island, and find an assailant. There is a small romance in the novel as well as a twist when the assailant is reveal. Overall I feel Kay did an awesome job describing the characters and the plot of the story. There was a bit of "extra" information that could have been left out, but that just adds to the depth of the book I guess. Kay is a good writer to the point that the two books that prequel this novel do not need to be read in order for the reader to have an understanding of what's going on. That is a plus with Kay Hooper, you can read each of her novels as if they do not belong to a series.
November 9, 2012
This was my first Kay Hooper book & after reading "The Second Lady" by Irving wallace I thought that this book will also give me some erotic nightmares. But I was wrong, the cover of the book imply so many things but there was nothing. I don't know anyting about Psychic & their abilities on what they can see or how they can hear but after reading this book I'm sure that my knowledge increased a bit.
The story is good nothing extraordinary, I finished it in a day or two. After reading first few pages I couldn't understand what was happening. The actual plot start in the middle & from there on the story gets little interesting. The end was good. Will see if I don't have any other books in my basket I'll pick other kay hooper's book.
Thanks.
The story is good nothing extraordinary, I finished it in a day or two. After reading first few pages I couldn't understand what was happening. The actual plot start in the middle & from there on the story gets little interesting. The end was good. Will see if I don't have any other books in my basket I'll pick other kay hooper's book.
Thanks.
June 14, 2014
The first of this generally top-notch series that I've been displeased with. The main character is a psychic FBI agent who wakes up in the middle of an investigation with no memory of the past two weeks, no backup, and none of her usual psychic abilities. She then spends more than half the book basically stumbling around and bemoaning her inability to figure anything out. I'm sure this was intended to be a situation fraught with danger and suspense but, for this reader at least, it was fraught with whining and monotony. Finally, of course, she prevails over evil--far too late and too quickly for it to be much fun.
January 4, 2010
Read this one for a library assignment. Paranormal-Romance-Suspense book that is best suited to reading on the beach where you won't think too hard about why you never find out why she is covered in blood in the opening pages, where the head of the murdered man is, or how a clairvoyant is able to disarm the murderer by channeling the black magic lightning bolt of power originally aimed at her back at the murderer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2012
This was okay. I really thought I had it figured out early in the book and was completely wrong so that was good. I just had trouble connecting with the characters - I did listen to the audiobook so that may be the problem. The characters didn't seem very developed and the memory problems of the main character didn't help. I have not read any other books in this series so perhaps that is part of the issue as well.
September 29, 2013
Riley Crane, ex—army officer, now assigned to the FBI's Special Crimes Unit, is sent to a small seaside town to informally investigate an occult group. She has lost all of her recent memory, including her relationship with the local DA, but discovers she was tasered. She has to piece together what's happening to her, a heinous crime which appears to be cult-perpetrated, and solve the crime. Not as good as others in this series.
January 6, 2008
I read heavy academic material every day, so I like to be entertained when I read for fun. A serial killer, a psychic detective, mystery, romance...great fun. I look forward to reading others in the Bishop series.
April 19, 2012
Honestly, I'm surprised Hooper is a bestselling author. Dreck. At each successive mention of a Powerbar I had the urge to throw the book across the room. I have one more from this series I picked up for a beach read. When that's finished I won't be reading anymore Hooper.
February 19, 2013
Loved this book. Not only has the paranormal but Hooper adds in the occult as well. This mystery kept me on edge the whole time I was reading it. As Linda Howard says it kept me guessing "until the very end".
June 16, 2010
I listened to the Audio version of this book. While I liked the begining of the story, by the fouth disk (about the twelfth chapter) I found the book got very repetitive and the story dragged.
Read
September 21, 2012this was my first time reading any book Kay Hooper and it was actually good i had it feeling who the bad guy was but i was totally wrong. But Kay Hooper is now on my now to read shelve
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