[Book Review] In The Air Tonight By Lori Handeland & San Marco Coffee Strawberry

Title: In The Air Tonight
Series/Universe: Sisters Of The Craft, Vol 1
Author: Lori Handeland
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: June 2nd 2015
Page Count: 352 pages
Age Rating: Adult (language, violence, and semi-to-explicit sexual scenes)
How I got my hot little hands on it: Received an ARC to review
Publisher’s page: In The Air Tonight

Four centuries ago, in a small Scottish village, three baby girls escaped the wrath of a witch hunter. Today, one young woman will learn about her secret history, her heart’s destiny, and the sisters she never knew she had…

With her blue-black hair and dark eyes, Raye Larsen has never fit in with the Scandinavian community of New Bergin, Wisconsin. Being adopted is part of the reason she feels like an outsider, but what really sets Raye apart is her ability to see dead people. Everywhere. She’s learned to keep her visions to herself…until she stumbles onto the ghost of a murder victim who needs Raye’s help. Enter Bobby Doucet, a distractingly handsome homicide detective who has been tracking a killer all the way from New Orleans. Could this be the break in his case he’s been looking for all along? Meanwhile, the deeper Raye gets involved with the case–and with Bobby–the closer she comes to unlocking the mystery of her own origins. What she discovers about herself could destroy everything she knows…and everyone she loves. Is finding the truth worth the risk??

Filled with dark magic, dazzling romance, and dire suspense, In the Air Tonight is the first book in a thrilling new series by New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland.

My Review

Charmed meets Ghost Whisperer in the first book of the Sisters of the Craft series, a trilogy following three gifted sister witches as they learn the secret of their origins, the truth of the powers they inherited from their parents, and the evil that stalks them in their current time.

In the Air Tonight is Raye’s story. After being found abandoned as a baby, Raye was adopted and raised in New Bergin, Wisconsin, a tiny Scandinavian community in the middle of nowhere, where she’s never really fit in, and not just because she’s the only non-blonde in town. Ever since she can remember, Raye has been able to see and talk to ghosts. Usually the spirits come to her for help, but when the ghost of a recent murder victim seeks her out, it’s to deliver a chilling warning before disappearing.

The circumstances of the murder sends up a red flag to New Orleans homicide detective Bobby Doucet, who travels to New Bergin on the trail of a serial killer he’s been obsessively pursing. The trail leads Bobby right to Raye and he’ll need her help if he’s going to bring the murderer to justice. Along the way, with devastatingly handsome but belligerently skeptic Bobby at her side, Raye discovers more about who she is (a witch), where she comes from (born to witch parents in the 1600’s, then magically sent to modern times for her safety – that doesn’t work out too well) and just what she can do (hint: it’s not just see ghosts) – and, oh yeah, she has sisters! (she doesn’t meet them in this book, just learns about their existence, but I have hope for a reunion in the future).

The story is told in the alternating third person perspectives of Raye and Bobby. It’s not insta-love exactly, but the two have an immediate physical attraction that they give into fairly quickly (with some semi-explicit steamy encounters) and then… yep they’re ready to pick out china patterns. A little odd, but apparently Bobby has a history of falling hard and fast, so at least there’s a precedent I guess? But hey, a homicide detective and someone who can talk to the dead? It’s kismet – those two are meant for each other.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. Charmed and Ghost Whisperer are some of my favorite shows and this book was the perfect combination of both – witches and magic and ghosts and a search for a serial killer – what’s not to love? I’m already fascinated with this universe and can’t wait to read the next book in the series – I’m seriously hooked.

When Raye and Bobby share their first kiss, Raye has this to say about it: “He tasted of coffee and strawberries, sugar, heat, the night.” Sound like one tasty kiss! To capture a little of that magic yourself, I suggest trying San Marco Coffee Strawberry – it’s a great medium roast coffee laced with just the right hint of strawberry flavor.