Between Worlds

by Jacqueline E. Smith

Someone always dies… Someone is always left behind…

Now that his secret is out, Michael Sinclair finally agrees to join paranormal superstar Luke Rainer and the Cemetery Tours crew on an investigation. Not just any investigation. The biggest investigation of their career.

Once home to the wealthy Sterling Hall and his beloved wife, Joanna, Stanton Hall Manor in Maine is famous for the love story that inspired it… and the ghosts who now inhabit it. For Luke and the crew, Stanton Hall is a dream come true.

Unfortunately, some dreams turn out to be nightmares.

I was starting to get a little burned out on the Halloween novels; I mean, look how many I have reviewed in the last month!  But I told Jackie that I would read Between Worlds, the second novel in her Cemetery Tours series, and provide a review this week.  Boy, am I glad I made that promise because I couldn’t put it down yesterday!  Between Worlds was exactly what I needed to pull me out of my reading slump.

Between Worlds picks up just three months after the conclusion of Cemetery Tours.  Michael is struggling with his new life; a life where his carefully guarded secret is now national news.  He has the dead and not so dead begging for his assistance.  It is such a request that prompts him, Kate, Brink, and Gavin to join Luke and the Cemetery Tours team on a visit to the haunted Stanton Hall Manor.  Here they must uncover the truth behind an interesting love story and help a heart-broken ghost.

I LOVED IT!  Reading Between Worlds felt like catching up with old friends with each turn of the page and I have to say that Jackie’s writing has only improved with book two.  She discusses some pretty serious, and sometimes heartbreaking, issues but still maintained a light, and often humorous, atmosphere.  Brink kept me laughing, Luke exhibited a surprisingly complex personality, and I loved the developments between Michael and Kate.  I definitely did not have a problem connecting with Michael this time around!   I even loved the haunting of Sterling Hall.

I do wish there had been more about Emily.  I quickly figured out her secret but I was hoping that Michael and Brink would do more to help her with her reality.  I know she was doing better when the group left but I personally wanted more closure for the poor teen.  And I really got frustrated with how Kate’s mom treats her like a rebellious and incapable teenager.  (This has nothing to do with Jackie’s writing 🙂 this is me being annoyed with the actual character)  I understand that the nearly loosing her daughter would make her so cautious, but I was just waiting for her to realize that Kate is a strong woman and that her overbearing behavior is only pushing Kate away.  Oh well, maybe she’ll have an epiphany in book 3 :).

Thank you for the excited story Jackie!  It was nice having a paranormal book that I didn’t want to put down and I can not wait for the next installment!  What do y’all think of Between Worlds?

Lindsay