The Broken Chain: The Ravenwood Haunting Book 2

FANTASY: Following her abduction, Tamika Little has nightmares. Soon she develops the skill of psychometry, inadvertently seeing the horrible pasts of people she touches. Her (almost) step-sister Serena and Serena’s boyfriend, Luis, are there to protect and guide her, bringing her to Morgana, their magical advisor of sorts. Butch, in trouble with the law, connects with Tamika during his court mandated community service. When a string of murders spreads through the area, seemingly connected to a necklace Butch picked up off the ground, Tamika’s mother and Butch both become linked to the crimes and become top suspects.  As Morgana prophesied, Butch will make a life-altering decision before it all plays out.

N.J. Hanson’s spell-binding story expertly ties together the fantasy and mystery genres. Each character is distinct with well-defined back stories, adding to their charisma. The dialogue is distinct as well. The second book in a series, this story is easy enough to hop into before reading the previous book, though some context will be lost when characters delve into past events. The plot moves along at a perfect, compelling rate. The story takes an unexpected twist at the end, adding to the thrill and excitement. Overall, the conflict and mystery are wrapped up neatly, though there are some questions left unanswered surrounding the origin of the necklace and the backstory of the book’s antagonists. The missing details, however, are small and do not detract from the enjoyment of the overall story. “The Broken Chain” is a heart-rending story that will keep readers on their toes with suspense—and when it’s done, longing to jump back into the world to see more of the enticing characters.

Shailyn Rogers