#BookReview–> Moriah’s Landing #2 : Howling in the darkness by B.J. Daniels

Kat Ridgemont is a P.I in the seemingly ordinary town of Moriah’s Landing. But all is not what meets the eye and Moriah’s Landing as well as the people in it have secrets of their own. 

Have you ever felt like there is someone with you in your room but unable to find anyone?

Have you ever smelled the favorite smell of your loved one years after they are dead?

Have you ever had nightmares where you can see your loved one dead as if you are witnessing a first hand scene?

Kat’s mother was the first victim of a serial killer in Moriah’s Landing some twenty years ago and though the killer was never caught, Kat still has nightmares where she can see her mother as on her dying day and sometimes can even smell her perfume!

Jonah Ries, now a FBI agent working under cover who has returned to Moriah’s Landing to investigate a secret shipment of illegal goods as well as the disappearance of a fellow FBI agent, had vowed never to return when he had first left Moriah’s Landing in his freshman year. Partly because he wanted no ties with his family and partly because he wanted to escape the town and the legends associated with his family.

The Ries were supposed to be the direct descendants of the witch Saema, who had taken refuge in the town in the 1600s. It was because of this that the Ries lived on the outskirts of society and were considered outcasts. It was believed they had psychic abilities from their ancestors.

But now he is here and immediately senses danger to Kat’s life who it seems is the target of the same man who killed her mother twenty years ago and now is after her. The striking resemblance between Kat and her mother, the mysterious flowers, the strange perfume smell with no sign of anyone wearing it and the mysterious footsteps following Kat everywhere in the dense fog all are the signs of coming danger which Jonah feels he cant ignore.

But can he confide in her the reason how he knows that she is in danger?

Will she believe him if he told her his dark secret?

The secret which he had vowed never to let govern his life and in order to hide it he had left town!

Will he be able to save the woman he loves?

Can he make himself accept his psychic gift, which he had shunned so long ago, to save her?

Will they be able to outsmart the killer who had killed many women but never got caught?

What is the mystery of the secret shipments ?

Are they somehow related to the murders of the past?

Are the stories of secret societies of scientists performing covert genetic experiments true?

I have always been a big fan of mystery novels and, if I say
so myself, not so big a fan of romance. All this was the case before I came
across the book Howling in the darknessby B.J. Daniels. 

This book was the first
of many things for me like my first modern gothic novel, first romance and
mystery combined book , first book by Harlequin and most importantly the first
book by B.J. Daniels that I read. Ever since I have become a big fan of B.J.
Daniels and make it a point to read as many of her books as possible.

Howling in the darknessis the second book in the four book, multiple author series named Moriah’s Landing and though this book can also be read as a standalone book unlike the other books in the series, still it is best to read them in their order.

B.J. Daniels knows how to inject fear and a bone chilling thrill in the reader. She creates a mystical atmosphere with dense fogs, strange shadows, haunting sounds and gut scary, mysterious events.

The book is fast paced where there is action, romance, thrill, emotions, conspiracy, myth, history and legends. There is a very smart murderer on the loose and an even scarier sense of deja vu in certain events which give you the creeps. 

Moriah’s Landing is shown as a mysterious place where anything is possible. Although people seem to think they know everything about each other but often its not the case. 

The romance between Jonah and Kat is sincere and set in a thriller movie like setup. The characters are physically ordinary people but the author lends them a sinister virtue through their characterization like the evil looking Dr. Leland Manning with his searing eyes and cold, clipped voice etc.

A through and through enjoyable read which keeps us guessing till the end as to the identity of the killer. A book you can’t keep down until you have read it completely. I give Howling in the darknessa 4.5 out of 5 and a strong recommendation to read the book as well as the series.