5 Star Review - Mind Games by Nora Roberts

 

 The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them―and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

 

I loved this story.  I am a fan of small-town romantic suspense because the characters are so connected.  I am also reading Kay Hooper's Bishop series and exploring the various psychic gifs.  Thea, the heroine, and her grandmother Lucy also have psychic gifts.  The gift of sight is a fascinating component of the story.  The atmospheric elements of the story add insight and make the town and its inhabitants endearing. 

At the story's beginning, Thea Fox and her brother Rem are off to visit her grandmother for a fun summer vacation, which turns into a nightmare for these twelve and ten-year-old children.  Over the years, Thea's unique gift of sight has often been a hindrance rather than a help, and she works hard to deal with it and the fear it sometimes causes.  As the story moves forward, the characters develop beautifully.  We feel all their emotions, fears, love, and successes.  By the end of the story, we know the characters as friends. 

The family dynamics enhance the suspense, and when the love interest comes on the scene, the level of joy and trepidation increases.  It wouldn't be a respectable romantic suspense if the lovers didn't have a flair-up, which is very tense in this case.  Their disagreement is my only negative, as I thought the issues were resolved a little too quickly to be realistic, but then it is fiction. 

Reading Mind Games reminds me of the riptides in the Florida waters lately.  It pulled me in from the start and would only let me go once I reached the end.  I can't say enough how much I loved all the characters: a kind and loving heroine, support characters that add dimension to the story, a wonderfully evil bad guy, a loving and protective grandmother, and a sexy love interest.  All these elements work together perfectly to make a wonderfully enjoyable story.

#Netgalley #NoraRoberts #romanticsuspense #paranormal

5 Stars