Through His Touch (Mind's Eye, Book 2)

DEBORAH CAMP 

Synopsis from Goodreads: Sexy, suspenseful #2 novel of the Mind's Eye Series by Deborah Camp. Psychic detectives Levi Wolfe and Trudy Tucker face an unknown foe who is determined to destroy everything beautiful in Levi's life -- including Trudy. Will Levi's love claim her or kill her?

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, published by Amazon, 2014.

How acquired: Bought.

My thoughts: If you've read the first book, THROUGH HIS EYES, you know it ended on a WTF cliffhanger that just came totally out of left field. Fortunately, the author resolves that cliffhanger in the first few pages here, and I was able to let out the breath I'd been holding since last February.

Levi Wolfe and Trudy Tucker are psychics who fell in love while working together on a serial murder case in the first book. Trudy has, not visions necessarily, but episodes where in her mind she is looking through the killer's eyes, seeing what he sees, and experiencing his emotions. Levi can channel the victim, seeing and experiencing the murder through her eyes.

The first book had quite a bit of action as they teamed up to catch the killer. In this follow up, there isn't as much of that. Levi is home in Atlanta, dealing with a stalker, catching up on his office work, dealing with his busy schedule, and missing Trudy, the first woman he's ever pledged himself to be faithful to. Trudy and her little dog Mouse have gone back to her home in Tulsa, where I'm not really sure what she gets up to, other than missing Levi.

In the first book, I connected with both Levi and Trudy quickly, and the author did a wonderful job of detailing their characters, making them realistic and taking us inside their minds. She continues that here, particularly with Levi. Learning to be in a relationship, to trust in love, to open himself up...it's a journey of self-discovery for him. There is a lot of angst in this book, and it's mostly coming from Levi. They don't stay apart for too long, and Trudy has her own insecurities of course, but she is more secure in her own feelings than Levi is with his. I definitely felt this story was much more Levi's than hers.

There is a new murder case for them to help solve, which leads to a very intense scene. And there's Levi's stalker to contend with as well. But more than that, the story is a very good character study of a man who knows he's broken and isn't sure if he's fixable. And I especially enjoyed some of the scenes with Gonzo, the head of Levi's security team, and with Wes, his cook/housekeeper, both of whom were interesting and charismatic in their own right.

And while the ending wasn't quite as cliffhangery as the first book, the words “The End” came rather abruptly, and I'm glad that the wait for the third book, due in January, isn't quite as long as the wait between books one and two was,* because I'm ready for book three. Now.

*Technically, the wait is about the same, as the first book was published in April, but I read an early advance copy graciously given to me by the author in February, so I had to wait an extra two months for this one.  

Through His Eyes

DEBORAH CAMP

Synopsis from Goodreads: Two psychics – one serial killer.

Someone is stalking women and murdering them in Key West.

Levi Wolfe and Trudy Tucker join forces to help identify the murderer and stop him. Levi can channel the deceased victims and Trudy can tap into the mind of the killer. As a psychic detective team, they’re formidable. As lovers, they discover that they’re insatiable.

But if Trudy can see through the killer’s eyes, can the killer see her?

Stats for my copy: Ebook received from the author; anticipated publication date Spring 2014.

My thoughts: Trudy Tucker is a psychic who recently began using her ability professionally to help law enforcement track down murderers. When a vision comes over her, she finds herself seeing the world through the eyes of the killer, and experiencing his thoughts in her head. Levi Wolfe is also a psychic, and having embraced his own abilities long ago he's a celebrity, appearing on television and radio, in magazine, and lusted after by millions of women. His connection to a murder is through the victim's eyes. When a serial killer begins a spree in Florida, Trudy reluctantly teams up with Levi to investigate.

I discovered author Deborah Camp when I picked up an old (1985) Silhouette, Love Letters, a couple of months ago. I then began following the author on Facebook, and when she offered copies of her newest book, the first in a planned series, to review, I jumped at the chance.

We meet Trudy first, and I connected with her character quickly and easily. She is still not completely comfortable with her new profession, but then who would be? I imagine it would be incredibly unsettling to be going about your day, doing mundane little chores, and then to suddenly find yourself inside the mind of a madman while he murders someone. And while you might want to try to find a way to shut that ability off rather than offer your services to help find and stop said madman, how in good conscience could you turn away?

When we meet Levi, we get Trudy's impressions of him first. Her mentor, Quintara, trains young psychics like herself, helping them learn to control their ability and not allow it to control them. Levi is close friends with Quintara, and occasionally puts in an appearance at her workshops. He makes Trudy uncomfortable, and she is a little disdainful of his womanizing reputation and fame seeking ways. Of course, as we get to know Levi better, we, and Trudy, learn there is much more to the man than what's on the surface. And as I connected with Trudy from the beginning, I just as quickly fell for Levi. He's charming, arrogant, demanding, determined, reticent, funny and sexy. All traits that I very much like in a hero.

The supporting characters are also fleshed out and have their own distinct personalities. And the serial killer plot is absolutely chilling.

The attraction between Levi and Trudy is palpable. She resists it at first, as one should with a man who doesn't believe in relationships or happy ever after. But inevitably she gives in, and there are some scorching scenes after that point. And I'm still a little surprised at myself for this, but frankly, there was too much of that. I'm not a prude, I don't have a problem with sex in a book, explicit or otherwise. In fact I like explicit and erotic and pushing boundaries and I certainly don't avoid it and often seek it out. I think I just liked the story so much that the sex scenes felt over the top and extraneous to me. I would have enjoyed the book just as much if the sex had been tamer or less evident on the page. I don't entirely understand my own thoughts on this aspect, but in today's market, in the wake of that book I refuse to read, I don't doubt that others readers will feel differently.

So what it comes down to is I really really liked this book. I got very caught up in and invested in the story and the characters, and was often on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put it down and go to bed.

And then. Then I reached the last paragraph. And I literally sat up and exclaimed “what the fuck?!” And now my entire perception of one character has been confused and turned completely on its head, and I have to WAIT to find out what happens next! Seriously, Ms. Camp?!