Waking Hours (The East Salem Trilogy) by Wiehl - Pete (2011) Hardcover

Waking Hours (The East Salem Trilogy)A gruesome murder has rocked the affluent, quiet little New York town of East Salem. A teenage girl is killed, apparently in a violent and bizarre ritual during a party. The only suspect is another teen--but the more prosecutors dig into the case, the more confusing it becomes. Forensic psychologist Danielle Harris is assisting the DA's office in solving the crime--when she gets an offer of assistance from the last person she'd expect.
The author, Lis Wiehl, is a legal analyst for Fox News. She teamed up for this book, the first in her East Salem series, with Pete Nelson, author of Left to Die. It's a winning combination. The writing, plot and characters all deliver in this story of a small town and a big murder.
The plot is full of twists and turns, with a few red herrings thrown in just to confuse you. The large cast of characters in this story keep you on your toes. The simmering romance between Dani and former football star Tommy Gunderson makes things interesting. As in her previous novel, Heart of Ice, Wiehl depicts psychopathic characters with stunning accuracy.
Heart of Ice (A Triple Threat Novel)
Satisfyingly creepy without being over the top, the book explores the struggle between good and evil--not just in the physical realm, but in the supernatural as well. Highly recommended.

The sleepy little town of East Salem is startled into fear by the gruesome murder of a teenage girl (note: it's probably safer to avoid small, East Coast towns called Salem: I'm started to think the five letters are shorthand for `and now, everybody dies!'). Criminal psychologist Dani Harris must find the killer before he strikes again. Meanwhile, former NFL player Tommy Gunderson is finding himself embroiled in a strange series of events that just might be connected to the killing. As Dani and Tommy join forces amidst an atmosphere of increasing paranoia and inexplicable encounters, the world takes another step toward the worst-

-Well, I can't really tell you what, because you have to find out for yourself.

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The plot is intricate and deftly woven, managing neither to fall into the pit of campy horror nor to careen off the other side into hackneyed thriller. Yes, the story is centered around a murder, but Wiehl doesn't force her readers to wallow knee-deep in gore and mutilations (unlike some other authors I could mention in this genre). The characters are likable and have lives of their own. And the book's clean-no sex, no cursing-so it's a bright spot in a genre usually loaded with both.

I'd highly recommend it-with one caveat: I said earlier that the book isn't as graphic as it easily could have been, but don't take that to mean there's no violence. If books had movie ratings, I'd give this one a PG-13. We hear plenty about the nature of the girl's death that's just disturbing, there's no other way to put it. But even so, it's not as graphic as some of Ted Dekker's later works or Kathy Reichs, definitely not as much as a James Patterson.

In accordance with Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, I am disclosing that I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My opinions are my own, and I am not required to write a positive review.

Set in East Salem, where wealthy living meets gruesome murder and ancient evil, Waking Hours is a fascinating and thrilling read. After many years, Tommy Gunderson and Dani Harris meet again in the midst of a horrific crime; a crime possibly committed by teenagers. This investigation may very well do more for their relationship than a high school kiss could.

I simply couldn't put this extremely interesting, highly captivating page-turner down. Apart from the general suspense of the murder investigation, a supernatural element is added. Mysterious dreams, unnatural images on security cameras, a tattooed angel, and biblical references are just some of the enigmatic supernatural elements in this story. Speaking of Biblical references, I loved the very tasteful inclusion of religion in this book.

The characters are brilliantly realistic and well fleshed out. Honest, ethical Dani has a few demons from her past to lay to rest. Though brave enough and willing to sacrifice herself when absolutely necessary, she knows when to call for help.

Tommy Gunderson, the other protagonist, with some past demons of his own, however, is my favorite character. Having become a perfectly mature adult after surviving a personal tragedy, he is ready to move on with life. His wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor truly lightens the serious vibe of this book.

The step by step detail of how the crime is solved makes this a highly stimulating and interesting read. Though the romance in the story keeps a low profile, it is nevertheless sweet, tender and touching.

I recommend Waking Hours as a must-read to all who love a good, well-researched murder mystery. (Ellen Fritz)

This book frustrated me. In large part not because of the story itself, but the sheer cross-genre/cross-marketing. For instance this book has been tagged as Suspense, Horror, Fantasy>Paranormal, Fantasy>Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Christian Fiction, and Thriller. Based on the book blurb, it reads like a horror with a mystery.

Quite frankly it doesn't feel much like any of those, except well, mystery.

first, I want to talk about the Christian element. It's barely there. Characters pray once or twice, they say they believe in God once, they mention church once. The biggest "Christian" element is the regular insistence that "everything happens for a reason". It's less destiny and more "God wants it to happen" "It's a sign" "it was meant for me".

As to the mystery: It mostly revolves around the murder, at least about 65%. As a procedural murder mystery I suppose that element is actually fine, and I don't have any complaint about that.

I would say 30% is romance, which is part of what frustrates me about the book. I wasn't under the impression it was romance, but it was just clear. The characters were so squeaky clean, so nice, had no real conflict going on with themselves - sure, Dani is unhappy with her parents' death, Tommy has a bad past but he's Over it. So they are sugary sweet and it grated on me.

Finally, the last 5% is implied supernatural elements, but it's so minimal I found it too frustrating. There's the impression of Something when a camera is viewed, dreams that are in sync among several people, talk of angels, but it's all mere suggestion - the supernatural elements have zero to do with the murder, and really amount to nothing. There's certainly no fantasy, no urban fantasy, and it wouldn't even amount to an X-File or any supernatural show. This frustrates me the most. The book blurb talks about Evil, EVIL, but there's just nothing there. It's Humans Doing Bad Things.

I personally thought this was going to be horror, that's what I expected going in, and I was sorely disappointed. I think the author needs to be clearer when marketing/writing the blurb, what the actual book is. The cross-genre element doesn't help it - as someone who doesn't like romance, I got 30% of what I Don't Like right off the bat, and while mystery is okay, I wanted horror, not mystery, so 65% didn't give me what I want, and quite frankly the 5% of "supernatural" was utterly not what I was looking for. So I got 0% of what I wanted, even though a little over half of it was "Okay" in my mind.

Maybe you will like those parts more.

Murder. Mayhem. Mystery. That it is October and nearing Halloween makes it spooky. That all of this is taking place in a town called East Salem means that the spook factor is going be notched as high as possible.

A high-school girl is murdered in a park. The way she was murdered seems like something out of a crime TV show. Forensic psychologist, Dani Harris, is on the case, aided by former NFL linebacker Tommy Gunderson (who has dreams of being a Private Investigator). The only group of suspects is some teenagers who were at a party with the murdered girl, only they seem to have no recollection of what happened. To top it off, Dani is waking up at 2:13 every night with nightmares, and Tommy has an encounter with an elderly woman babbling in Latin. Something evil is afoot, but is it something from this world?

I have previously read two of the Triple Threat novels by Lis Wiehl, and noticed an improvement from the 1st to the 3rd book (I skipped the 2nd). I had thought they included too much extra detail which didn't add to the characters or the story. I was pleased to find that writing in Waking Hours was much more succinct and served to drive the story forward. This caused the story to go by at a reasonably fast pace.

There was also a greater sense of mystery for me. Many times I feel like I get an idea of how the story ends several chapters before the big reveal. While it can be exciting to discover that I'm right about the ending, sometimes it seems so obvious that the story feels like a letdown and the twist loses some impact. I was glad that in this story the mystery remained for much of the story. The story contained enough turns to keep me from arriving at a certain conclusion.

Thankfully, the story kept me going, because the lead characters didn't. They were likeable enough, and each had some small character arcs throughout, but I didn't sense a lot of depth from them. Dani is the stereotypical tough cop chick and Tommy felt like the sidekick trying to make it a team effort. Nothing Wiehl did really helped these characters deviate from this.

Perhaps the most disappointing element was the supernatural one. At many instances throughout the story, Wiehl hints at supernatural influences in the case, but these side elements are largely dropped in favor of the whodunit story. Perhaps these will continue through to the sequel, but right now they felt largely unnecessary.

3/5 stars

A departure from the style and genre of the successful Triple Threat novels written with April Henry, the first book in this new series written by Fox News Correspondent Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson is no less of a thrill.

It's probably no surprise that there is a supernatural undertone throughout this book since it is set in a sleepy East Coast town named Salem, and at first glance that concerns me (thinking the book is going to be a rehashing of tales from similar settings). Fortunately the plot doesn't end there. This has a real element of suspense with just a bit more than a touch of the supernatural evil that is popular in publishing today.

I really enjoyed the book, and though it is not quite as good as Lis' other series, it has me waiting for the sequel--which by the way the book ends, looks to be even better than the first in the series. I am giving this book a strong 4 stars.

See for yourself what the book is all about (no spoilers):

The DA has called Forensic Psychiatrist Dani Harris in to help unravel the mystifying case of a gruesome
murder that apparently took place at a high school party. The twisted circumstances surrounding the case leave everyone including Dani wondering how a seemingly normal teen could have pulled it off.

Tommy Gunderson, former NFL player and local boy come home is having his own set of unexplainable circumstances across town at his very secure estate. How could his state of the art security system have been breached by an elderly woman mumbling what seems to be Latin phrases, and where did she get the strength to attack him like that?

Soon Tommy's own problems are eclipsed when a boy he has been helping is accused of the party murder. Insistent on proving the boy's innocence, Tommy inserts himself into the case and back into the life of Dani, the girl he found quite interesting back in High School.

When Dani and Tommy team up to figure out what really happened they are going to get much more than they bargained for...with the case and with whatever it is that is going on between them. And just how does the attack at Tommy's house fit into the answer?

Others have brilliantly summarized the plot, so my review will focus more on my overall impressions of the book.

In all honesty, when I was 100 or even 125 pages into it, reading it felt more like a chore than an enjoyable endeavor. Though the action begins early on with a murder that is gruesome and disturbing, I felt as though the action took quite awhile to build up to levels that really captured my interest. Making matters somewhat worse - and this may just be a personal preference of mine - the writing style was not exactly smooth; by that, I mean that there were many instances in which it felt stilted and self-conscious. Additionally, other reviewers have mentioned the alarm clock that was discussed more than once, and it really was unnecessary to the point of being a little irritating. For another example, the better part of a whole paragraph dealt with the protagonist's preparation and subsequent consumption of an omelet. Then, too, while the authors included several witty lines throughout the piece, there were also numerous one-liners that fell utterly flat (and I'm not referring to those that were deliberately created to have that effect).

However - and this a big "however" - once the book kicked into gear, it held my interest and then some. That is largely due to the fact that, while there were definitely stock, two-dimensional characters, Dani and Tommy happily did not fall into that category. Though their life experiences were not necessarily those to which many people can relate, their mindsets, thought processes, and feelings were. They were actually pretty well-drawn characters, and their high school connection of years past turned into a budding romance in a fashion that felt realistic and contained just the right amount of slow-build.

At the end of the day, the initial crime, the forensic and psychological details, the other occurrences that ranged from peculiar to downright frightening, and what all of it meant for the future of the protagonists, their town, and the whole world, wound up being incredibly interesting. To the authors' credit, everything came together quite well, in that some questions were answered, while a certain amount of foreboding and intrigue were nurtured and increasingly imbued in the text as it neared its end, which provided a great set-up for book two.

On a final note, Christian fiction can sometimes by viewed by some readers with a certain stigma - sort of along the lines of how books in the romance genre face can be met with a sort of quasi-disdain in the minds of some. As someone who - with a few exceptions - does not generally gravitate toward this particular genre, I really hope that those who may not necessarily seek out novels from this publisher see fit to give this book a chance, because I truly feel that they will be pleasantly surprised.

In short, though my initial thoughts of this novels were not exactly kind, the authors' collective talent definitely changed my mind and made me eagerly anticipate the next installment in this series.

"Waking Hours (East Salem Trilogy)" is a suspense novel with a little bit of romance thrown in along with a supernatural/theological component. A teenage girl is murdered during a party at a park. One boy's cell phone is found nearby but he doesn't remember much other than waking up at one point and going home. It appears that all the party goers can't seem to remember what happened that night which makes the investigation very difficult. Adding complexity is the fact the murder took place in Westchester County, New York and many of the kids involved are children of the rich, famous, and powerful. Dani Harris, a forensic psychologist, is called in early on to consult on the case and she is quite nervous since it's her first assignment being the lead psychologist. Not helping matters much is that one of the other people trying to figure out what happened that night is Tommy Gunderson, a retired football star who captured her heart and imagination many years ago when they were the high school homecoming queen and king. Tommy has had some interesting happenings occur at his compound near the murder scene and they may be connected to all this.

The murder mystery part of the novel is its strongest component. Being told from the point of view of a psychologist gives it an interesting twist. Trying to get inside the head of the killer, not just solving the murder, is a very interesting device. The supernatural aspect is also strong - Why does Dani keep waking up at 2:13 every morning? How do objects move location and doors get locked? It is a religious/Christian themed aspect so if you find references to the bible and it's teachings a problem, you may want to skip this. The budding romance between Dani and Tommy is the weak link in my opinion. A bit stilted and clunky it didn't add much for me and created some moments that were odd enough to pull me out of the story.

All that being said, I think the book is entertaining and thought provoking. I enjoyed it enough that I will be reading the second in the series as well as picking up the first in the Triple Threat series by the same author - "Face of Betrayal".

Dani Harris is a forensic psychiatrist who is about land the job of a lifetime. Tommy Gunderson is a local, retired professional football hero. When a teenage girl shows up dead in a horrific, ritualistic-style killing, Dani and Tommy come together to try to solve the murder. Dani uses her professional skill to lend her expertise to the young students who were with the murdered girl on the night of her death. Tommy on the other hand senses that there is a deeper, more sinister evil that is a part of the mystery because of the strange goings-on in their sleepy little town.

Did I mention that Dani and Tommy went to high school together and that they kind of dug each other but did nothing about it in high school as they ran in different circles? Once Dani is convinced that Tommy is more than a jock, that in fact he is studying to become a private investigator, she sees the wisdom in having Tommy work with her to investigate the crime. It is at this point that "Waking Hours" gathers momentum and takes off until the end of the book!

Dani and Tommy start to uncover some increasingly strange clues about the murder. Why was there blood found in a hollowed out log at the crime scene? How could so many young people simply stand around and watch a young girl die? What's more, Dani and Tomy are each experiencing supernatural phenomena as well. They dream the same dream, for example, and Dani wakes up at the same time very night. What the heck is going on?

As they continue to investigate and become more comfortable with each other, as well as unabashedly attracted to each other, they get closer to solving the mystery, closer to the evil, and decidedly closer to personal danger. This is a quick-paced clever mystery/thriller. I am looking forward to the next installment.

Lis Wiehl along with Pete Nelson have written a thriller that I couldn't put down! This contemporary fictional story is set in East Salem, New York, which is about 50 miles from New York City. East Salem is a small town where the wealthy retreat to escape from the city for the most part. There are some not so wealthy residents as well.
Danielle Harris or Dani is a 29-year-old forensic psychiatrist. She is single and lives alone in her parent's house. Her parents were killed in an airplane trip while on a missionary trip in Africa. Dani was also serving on an internship there to help reintegrate African kids, who had been forced to become soldiers, back into society. Now she is back in the states serving with a practice that works with the district attorney's office. She is called to serve on a case and for the first time she is without her boss along to guide her. She must investigate some members from the local high school who may or may not have participated in the killing of one of their classmates. She also teaches at a college and while there runs into a former classmate from high school, Tommy Gunderson. She felt like the two of them had experienced a connection while dancing together as king and queen. Does Tommy remember her? Did he feel the same connection? Why has she been having these strange dreams involving her parents and waking up every night at 2:13 a.m.? Who killed Julie Leonard?
Tommy Gunderson is a former professional football star, who has more money than he can spend. He does indeed remember Dani, and he has had a secret crush on her since their dance together. He is training and studying to become a profession investigator and then volunteers his help to Dani to help her investigate her case. Tommy is a Christian and puts his faith in the Lord. He also is taking care of his ailing father, who lives with him. Tommy takes no chance with safety and has state-of-the-art security and "toys" for protection. He has friends on the local police force, who give him the inside scoop. He also has a good Christian friend, who mentors him. Tommy also has the same strange dream Dani has. What are the chances of that happening? The town is on edge with the murder and other strange happenings going on. Tommy senses the evil present and prays for protection. Can he and Dani solve the case and stop the evil before someone else gets hurt?
A great start to what looks to be a captivating series. I've already got the second book and can't wait to get started on it! I definitely recommend this book if you like suspense/mystery. Look for my review of the second book right here.

"Waking Hours" is a supernatural thriller/mystery. When a gruesome murder takes places in East Salem, New York, forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris is called to assist the DA. Tommy Gunderson, an old friend from high school, formerly a pro-football player, now studying to become a private detective, is also drawn into the case when one of the teenage boys he mentors is called in for questioning.

Dani invites Tommy to be her assistant and the two go to work together in an "X-Files" kind of way. Tommy is a growing Christian who suspects there's a spiritual battle going on, not just a physical crime. Dani is all science. If you can't see it and prove it, it shouldn't be a concern.

Because of the gruesome nature of the murder and supernatural elements introduced at the beginning of the book, I at first thought I'd walked into a horror story. But it doesn't go that direction. The supernatural element is almost a side story--and will be continued in the next book. The mystery itself gets solved satisfactorily within the human realm.

I'm happy to recommend "Waking Hours" to you and will be watching for the next book in the East Salem series! Thank you, Thomas Nelson Publishers, for sending a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

Westchester County, New York is a wealthy community, guarded and often envied by others. No one would have expected that a murder would be committed of a young high-school girl. It wasn't just a normal murder, if there is such a thing. No, this one had all the ear-marks of something sinister, evil and dark. When forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris teams up with NFL linebacker, Tommy Gunderson to solve this crime, they were plunged into a supernatural nightmare, one that has only begun just when they thought it had ended.

I have read countless books and enjoyed many, but this one packed such a punch in so many areas that it was a thrill to read. Our author, Lis Wiehl, brought you into every aspect of the investigation. She took you deep into the lives of all the characters that played major roles. Her locals were expertly described to the point that you could feel the darkness of the night, the comfort of a home and the intense drama of an interrogation room. In other words, you were there each step of the way. I loved how she brought Dani and Tommy into the mystery by giving them dreams that were somehow related to what was happening and also to each other. The fact that Ms. Wieh added a touch of romance between Dani and Tommy just increased the pleasure of the read. She didn't take this too far, at least not yet, but she laid the foundation for the future. I know what I'm hoping for.

This mystery just keep growing, when one question was answered another appeared. It seemed as if the closing of one door opened two more and led you down corridors that were seldom traveled, at least not for a very long time. The mystery expands as hints of 'The End Times' is craftily exposed. Was this a foreshadow of the future? How does this figure in with the murder of a young girl and all the other weird happenings in this town? Wow! What a ride!

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down, but spent every free moment I had reading it. I can't wait for the next one and truly feel this is the best book I have read so far this year. Bravo!

Waking Hours (The East Salem Trilogy, Book One)
By Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson
Published by Thomas Nelson

Waking Hours, book one in The East Salem Trilogy Wiehl's newest supernatural crime thriller series, takes place in the town of East Salem in Northern Westchester County. Forensic Pathologist Danielle "Dani" Harris is brought in as the DA's lead when a grisly, ritualistic murder of a teenage girl rocks the otherwise quiet hamlet. Her first case as a solo lead, Dani has to be at the top of her game. But nerves are heightened when an old highschool acquaintance ingratiates himself into the investigation.

Tommy Gunderson--former high school prom king and professional footballer, now owner of the local fitness club and aspiring private investigator--is brought into the case when a teenage boy he trains at his gym is called in as a suspect and requests his presence. Tommy is certain the boy is innocent and suspects something more sinister afoot; especially after the strange and violent encounter he had with a demented old local woman. Having escaped a nearby convalescent home, she was found by his pond sifting through the innards of a frog and speaking in mixed old world Latin.

As Dani and Tommy combine their efforts to track down the killer or killers, they have no idea the magnitude of the evil they are about to uncover. Disturbing in its manipulative power over the towns youth and the sense of fear invoked in not only the towns' people but also in themselves; the real author of this unfolding malevolence is not what they believe, and the case is far from being closed.

A first rate thriller, Waking Hours is perfectly paced, establishes a strong trilogy foundation, masterful character development and psychological twists, and conveys the herald of evil to come. Having never read a novel by Wiehl before, I found the ending of this book quite abrupt; however, I look forward to reading book two and three of the trilogy to satisfy my curiosity.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

It seems everyone has always loved a good crime and/or mystery novel, right? The current reading trend has paranormal romance and supernatural horror also flying off the shelves. This new novel I'm reviewing, Waking Hours: An East Salem Novel by Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson, couples both genres together into a fiction novel of suspense that will leave you hanging at the very end and wanting more.

Former NFL player Tommy Gunderson, turned Private Investigator-in-Training, and Dani Harris, psychologist working for the District Attorney's office, take on a shocking murder case of a teenage girl. With the murder stemming from a local high school party, it seems odd that none of the other party attendees seem to be able to remember what happened that night.

Tommy and Dani were once Homecoming King and Queen, but things were left unspoken and they haven't seen each other since. When they meet again on this case, both are unsure of each other's feelings. As this case draws them closer, they both discover supernatural elements occurring all around them. For instance, why does Dani awake every night at 2:13 a.m.? Why are her dreams so apocalyptic? And why does Tommy feel like he is being watched at certain times? What incomprehensible forces are at work in this town?

The novel does a great job intertwining crime with a mystic story line. The paranormal element will leave you spooked and wanting to know more. It was an easy read, yet I found myself not really getting interested until about Chapter 19, almost halfway through the book. At that point the crime, and the paranormal elements, got much more interesting. Though the author took time to introduce the characters, I felt it wasn't fast paced enough for me, or maybe in relation to other books I've read recently. However, many people might love the book the way it is and I try to realize that sometimes authors take it slow to build up suspense. The later half of the book was pretty decent and a quick read. The ending saved the book for me, as I finally started to get spooked, began to wonder about the supernatural occurences, and saw the proverbial fight against good and evil come in to play. The theme of the heavenly versus the demonic always interests me and it's why I love some of these Christian books that Thomas Nelson publishes. I am extremely intrigued now to read the second novel, as this book totally left a huge cliffhanger regarding the events happening in the town of East Salem. I'll want to read the second novel due to this. It would be an easy entertaining read for you to settle in with and might spook you a little if you aren't used to reading horror or paranormal already.

Honestly, I never read Lis Wiehl's other books (the Triple Threat novels), because I can't get into paralegal crime stuff (or whatever the name of the genre is), but when I read this one would be a supernatural murder/mystery, it got my attention.
What I didn't understand at first, I read on for the hopes of clarity. And clarity I got. And I have to admit, I loved the subtle humor in the snappy dialogues between all the other characters (especially the extremely deep Tommy Gunderson who doesn't let the fame of being an ex-football player in the Big Leagues get to his head, but could find advantages in using it when needed). I'm not always a fan of romance, but with the development of Tommy and Dani, their histories, memories, feelings about each other, and how long it takes, it actually caught my attention.
All that aside, the supernatural side to the story did not dissappoint in the slightest, from a strange woman who knows a lot about the Devil and his trickery and having abnormal strength that should be impossible to a doctor that appears strangely dressed (and seems to dissappear) to a few bizarre happenings that test people's ability to reason how they could've happened naturally. Gladly, nothing feels preachy, so it wasn't hard for me to pay attention to what the biggest Christian characters said about God and the supernatural. Also, it was interesting to see the story element about 2:13 and its connection to patternicity, and trying to figure out what that had 2:13 was truly part of the mystery and what was actually random, if any. A deeply complex murder with one sadistic villain I hadn't seen coming (very good twist on that one's part) and very chilling parts, I couldn't take my eyes off this book for five hours straight at all. Yes, it's that good. No, I can't wait for the 2nd book to come out.

Dani is a forensic psychologist in the small town of East Salem when a gruesome murder of a teen girl shocks the community. She teams up with ex-football star Tommy who she crushed on in high school.

It kept my attention but still took me a couple of weeks to read and I didn't exactly have any trouble putting it down. The writing style was a bit graceless but okay and you get the feeling the author wasn't that comfortable with the supernatural elements of her own story. The characters' reactions to the occurances are off. Like something strange occurs and they believe the answer is paranormal too easily when there could be another logical answer(she's a forensic psychologist after all) and then alternitively when it's clear that something supernatural is definitely happening she refuses to buy it. Also, the paranormal bits are tacked on to the murder mystery and in the end are arbitrary and don't seem to have anything to do with the resolution. It did seem like maybe it was setting it up to play a more integral part in the future books in the series though.

Even though Tommy is smart and studying to be a PI, Dani doesn't know that when she agrees to partner with him to solve the crime and it seems very unlikely and pointless that a forensic psychologist who works for the district attorney would do that. And the "romance" that develops between the two is pretty much non-existent. The characters don't have a personality and they can't muster up any real passion for each other either.

It definitely wasn't bad, but I don't think I'll seek out the coming books in the series as they're released. And it could just be that this kind of crime drama isn't my cup of tea.

Welcome to East Salem. In this deceptively quiet town, old supernatural forces are awakening.

And they cannot be controlled.....

An East Salem high school girl is found murdered in a park amid horse farms and wealthy homes of northern Westchester County, New York. The manner of her death shocks the town and intrigues Dani Harris, forensic psychiatrist, who becomes determined to solve the mystery. All of the suspects were teenagers at the same party, yet none remember what happened. Is one of them the killer, or is the death linked to a darker, more ancient and sinister evil?

However, Dani is being plagued by her own nightmares. Each night at 2:13 Dani is awakened by troubling noises and dreams. Dreams of blood, water, and destruction. Is it a clue, or a supernatural sign?

Meanwhile former NFL linebacker Tommy Gunderson finds an elderly woman who has somehow breached his state of the art security system. Cursing at him in Latin, the woman attacks him with uncanny and unnatural strength. Before Tommy even has time to process the attack, someone close to him is implicated in the girl's murder at the park. Tommy agrees to help solve the murder, then finds himself working with Dani, the only girl who did not respond to his charms in high school.

Will Tommy and Dani be able to put past differences aside and solve this murder? And will they realize in time that they are a facing a deeper and darker evil than a mere human killer?

Waking Hours was a thrilling and scary roller coaster ride of a novel, filled with demonic murmurs and cold blooded killers. The tone of the novel was expertly done to leave the reader on the edge of their seat just waiting for the next unexpected turn or twist. The plot line of the novel was written very well and kept the reader guessing until the very end on the identity of the killer and whether Dani and Tommy would realize it in time. The undertone of the demonic forces at work in East Salem was very disturbing and brought to mind books on spiritual warfare. In the end, though the killer was found, the supernatural forces were still right under the surface, biding their time. These forces created a perfect cliff hanger for the next East Salem novel. Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl was an excellent, though dark read, and I cannot wait for her next novel.

I received this novel for free from Booksneeze.com and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

It seems like fall brings out my hunger for strange tales of all things supernatural, and "Waking Hours" by Lis Wiehl did not disappoint! It really hit the spot for the type of story I wanted to read right now. "Waking Hours" is the first of a series set in East Salem, New York, which according to the back of the book is "a deceptively sleepy town where ancient supernatural forces are being awakened."

Dani Harris and Tommy Gunderson went to high school together and once felt a connection to each other that was a bit supernatural itself, though they never dated. They went their separate ways, she becoming a forensic psychologist and he, a pro football player. Both have now re-settled in their hometown of East Salem for different reasons. They are thrown together when Liam Dorsett, a kid Dani used to babysit and who now trains under Tommy's instruction, is accused of murder. A young girl is killed in what appears to be a ritualistic murder. On the same night, an old woman appears on Tommy's lawn ranting in Latin about curses, Satan, and evil happenings. Working together to clear Liam's name, Dani and Tommy set out to find the real killer, but all is not as it seems. Dani's sleep is disturbed by troubling dreams and sleepwalking, while Tommy is visited by beings not from this realm. The killer is found, but the puzzle is not solved. Evil is still determined to conquer.

I truly enjoyed this book, my favorite part being the psychological aspect of Dani's job. I loved how she had learned to read body language and actions to get inside people's heads and know what they were thinking. The romance between Tommy and Dani started out as friendship and is building slowly, and I liked that about the book too. No quickly falling in love upon seeing each other again, and I was very glad for that. If there was one thing I didn't like about the book, it is that Tommy seemed too good to be true, yet I still liked both he and Dani. His sense of humor was sometimes hard to grasp and I had to read several passages a couple times to get what he was saying. There was sometimes too much detail about what was happening or what the characters observed, rather than the reader being shown what was happening. All in all I give the book four stars, and I am anxiously looking forward to the next installment in this series! I want to see how Dani and Tommy's relationship grows and changes, but I also want to explore the supernatural element more.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This book while Christian wasn't particularly Christian - in that you could tell that the characters had a faith but not quite sure if it was in the True God or in themselves but that they were asking the right questions and going in the right direction toward finding the truth. I like to read the ocassional book that deals with righting the wrong and if it can be done without gruesome details and cussing then that makes it better. There is a murder of both a teenage girl and a dog - and while some description is given - it isn't as graphic as what one would find in a secular book of this nature.

I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book - I kept flipping the virtual pages and would have easily finished this sooner if I had had the time. There is some research that was very well done on paganism and witch craft and of course it was from a Christian perspective and it was made clear that witchcraft and other such beliefs goes against God and His Word.

There are also some romance hints between two of the main characters but in keeping with the clean, Christian nature of the book it didn't have any behavior that was inappropriate for an umarried couple. If you're looking for a book that will put paganism/witchcraft, spell casting, etc in a positive light, this isn't it and you should look elsewhere. Be warned this is a book written by Christian authors and published by a Christian publishing house and the content will reflect that. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more East Salem, Dani and Tommy - especially as I hope to see their faith deepen and come to depend more on Christ.

**I was provided an ebook copy of this book from BookSneeze (Thomas Nelson) in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was given.

Waking Hours (Book 1 of The East Salem Trilogy)
Lis Wiehl
Thomas Nelson
Christian Suspense
5 Stars

When a teenage girl is found brutally murdered it has all the scenes of a ritualistic killing. This is the scene setting up the plot for Lis Wiehl's first book in her newest trilogy. When a local boy is picked up as a suspect, this brings two old friends together, Forensic psychologist Danielle Harris and former football star Tommy Gunderson. With Dani helping the locl police and Tommy helping Dani they soon find out there are more involved in this than first thought. With supernatural happenings going on, a group of teenagers now all suspects and Dani having nightmares waking her up every night at 2:13 am the reader is taken on a journey with many twist and turns throughout. As the investigators dig further into this case the plot thickens as suspects list narrows and Dani and Tommy may be in more danger than they realize.

I have read the previous series by Lis Wiehl and I feel like she has made an excellent start to this second series. The plot is suspenseful, thrilling and with that little bit of supernatural thrown in makes it a combination one cannot resist. The supernatural aspects are not so far out in the plot to make it seem unreal. The characters all stand out in the book and even the secondary characters lend to the plot. Excellent book to the starting of this series and now cannot wait till the next one is out to be able to continue on.

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher through the Book-sneeze Bloggers program. No compensation was received and a positive review was not required. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own views of the book.

I received this e-book from booksneeze.com for free in exchange for my honest review.

Book Description:
Welcome to East Salem: A deceptively sleepy town where ancient supernatural forces are being awakened.

A high-school girl is found murdered in a park in Westchester County, New York. The shocking manner of her death confounds the town and intrigues forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris, who is determined to unravel the mystery. All the suspects are teenagers who were at a party with the girl--yet no one remembers what happened. Could one of them be a vicious killer? Or is something more sinister afoot--something tied to an ancient evil?

But it's not just Dani's waking hours that challenge her. Each night, her eyes open at 2:13 due to troubling dreams--dreams filled with blood, water, and destruction. Is it a clue--or a sign?

Across town, former NFL linebacker Tommy Gunderson finds his security system has been breached by an elderly woman who attacks him with preternatural strength. Before he can process the attack, someone close to him is implicated in the high-school girl's murder. He agrees to help--and finds himself working with Dani, the only girl who could resist his charms when they were in high school.

It will take astute analysis and forensic skills to solve the crime. But Dani and Tommy suspect there's more to the mystery than murder, more to their growing friendship than chance . . . and more to the evil they're facing than a mere human killer.

My Thoughts:
Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson is the first book in East Salem series. I am addicted to Lis Wiehl's Triple Threat Series so I was very excited to see she was writing another series and HAD to read it. Of course it did NOT disappoint. Waking Hours is a story about true evil that has descended on the town of East Salem. A girl is murdered, not just murdered but sacrificed. The storyline is intense and I found myself with goosebumps reading some of it. The suspense and intrigue grab you from the start and just keep going. The story was not predictable and it keeps you guessing until the end. The characters of this book are very well written and are real people. All the characters are connected to one another in all different ways. The history of witches and rituals was very well researched and well explained in the book. This book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and intrigue. Cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out.

The story began with Tommy Gunderson, a former pro ball player that is now a wanna-be PI, discovering an elderly lady in his backyard holding a mutilated frog and yelling at him in Latin.

I thought it was a great start to a book focusing on the brutal & bizarre murder of a teenage girl at a party. The only suspects are people who were at the party with her. They do not remember a thing about the party or the murder.

Dani Harris is a forensic psychiatrist called in to help solve the murder. She teams up with Tommy Gunderson. Together they begin to realize this murder has more to it than meets the eye. To their astonishment it seems this murder is "other worldly".

I am not the type to read a normal mystery /who done it story but this appealed to me because of the supernatural element. It was not overwhelming enough to turn off the normal mystery fan nor was it underwhelming to the fan of supernatural reads. It blended the best of both worlds into a good, solid, fast paced, tale.

The feeling I got from Dani & Tommy is one of former teenaged crush's grown up and rediscovering each other again and liking the new things they are finding. They seem a little hesitant but not uncomfortable with one another. Their past makes their relationship flow a bit more than if they were total strangers tossed together in this scary & difficult situation.

I love the town of East Salem and the author brings you there with her descriptions of it. It seems to be the place one would want to live and raise a family or settle down as an adult without children.

It would seem "odd" that such a "perfect" place would be the scene of such a terrible murder. Or would it? Using plain old good detective work, common sense, insight, and the Bible, they began to piece together what happened to Julie Leonard, the murdered teen, that night of the party & how it revealed more sinister things to come.

The books ending definitely made you turn the page looking for a continuance. It left the story off at a perfect place to be continued in the series next book.
An overall good read perfect for this time of the year.

The town of East Salem is shocked over a ritualistic-appearing murder of a teenage girl, and become paranoid with the strange things that they've noticed since then. Former NFL linebacker Tommy Gunderson becomes involved when a kid he mentors at his fitness center is being brought in for questioning since his cell phone was found near the body. Dani Harris is the forensic psychiatrist working with the DA's office; the first time she's acting as lead in this role. Both Tommy and Dani knew each other from school but had been too afraid to let the other know they were interested.

There is a supernatural element to the story--some of it is downright creepy. The murder gets solved but it's not until the end of the book that it's understood by Tommy and Dani that something evil is happening and they could be facing an end-of-the-world scenario. So in a sense, this book is the introduction and set-up for something much larger.

The story does well in carrying its own weight as a third of the trilogy. We're given plenty of clues, twists and scary situations to make the book difficult to put down. Don't expect a hot and heavy romance in this book; they've just become reacquainted and are learning to be trusted friends. This is my first book by the author so I can't compare it to other books the author has written. I did get a little nervous when God and prayer were mentioned, but the story is more about faith than a religion and you'd don't get any sense of preaching from it.

My only complaint is that the story felt a little choppy at times. For example, Tommy is talking to someone in one paragraph and travelling on his motorcycle in the next. But on the whole I enjoyed the story and I'll definitely be looking for the second book.

"Waking Hours" is one of those page-turners that are difficult to put down. I found myself up until the wee hours because I didn't want to stop until I reached the end. Then to my surprise, I found that matters were only partially resolved. I have been left hanging high and dry until the sequel is released. Of course I have mixed feelings about that. On one hand I am delighted that there will be another book in this series to enjoy. On the other hand I have to wait for it!

When a gruesome murder is discovered, the townspeople of East Salem are on edge. Dani Harris, a forensic psychiatrist is determined to find the killer. Tommy Gunderson, former football star and PI in training, is equally determined to help Dani in her quest. When evidence places a group of teens at the scene, none of them can remember being there. Not only is the case increasingly confusing but Dani and Tommy witness some other bizarre incidents and Dani is haunted by nightmares that wake her at the same time each night. With conflicting evidence and red herrings that throw them off track, Tommy and Dani wrestle with a sense of impending doom that threatens to derail their investigation. Will they find that elusive piece of evidence and identify the killer before someone else dies?

Wiehl's easy-to-read writing style and a plot that progressed at a brisk pace pulled me into the story and wouldn't let go. The budding romance between Tommy and Dani added a bit of relief in the midst of the darkly intense narrative. Not only is "Waking Hours" a gripping murder mystery but the supernatural undertones added a dark atmosphere that served to increase the suspense. Although there are fairly detailed descriptions of the murder victim and a violent encounter or two, "Waking Hours" is free of the offensive language and intimate scenes that are common in books of this type. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy this genre. I would advise against sharing it with your children for obvious reasons.

This book was provided for review by BookSneeze.

I've enjoyed Ms. Wiehl's "Triple Threat" series of books, and obtained this because I believed that it would be up to the quality of that series. I was correct, and I really liked this first book in a new trilogy that takes place in an upper class town in New York state.

The story begins with a grisly murder that has tinges of satanic ritual connected with it. The heroine works with the DA's office on crime, and looks into what might have happened, and who could have done such a horrible thing. There are young potential suspects who were at a party with the victim but who claim that they can't remember anything, even though their bloody shoe prints are found at the scene. A former professional football player teams up with the heroine as her "assistant" because one of his young clients (he owns and runs a fitness center) may be implicated in the murder.

Things tend to get very strange when odd occurrences happen to both the investigator and her assistant. The numbers 2:13 play an interesting part in the plot, and there are quite a bit of references to religion and faith. There also may be some supernatural presence involved, but that isn't made particularly clear. It's an exciting story, and it ends with the not so subtle hint that there is more to what is happening in East Salem than was revealed in this book, leaving the opening for the next book in the series.

The writing is crisp and moves the plot along quite well. One quibble, though; at one point both protagonists are eating in a diner. The female orders food and a chocolate shake, but shortly she is "stirring her coffee" and in the next few lines drinking her shake! Odd, but not so irritating that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. I liked it and I think that you will also.

Waking Hours is so amazing! I absolutely love mysteries and then when you add a supernatural element such as this one I just cannot resist.

This is the fourth book I have read by Lis Wiehl and I must admit I wasn't sure how this one was going to be considering this one has a supernatural element whereas the other books of Lis' didn't. I didn't have to worry though as I feel this one is far better than the other three books. I feel like the supernatural element just added this whole extra layer that made it all the more interesting.

As far as characters go, I really liked Dani. I felt that she was interesting and realistic. A lot of the time I tend to ignore characters as I focus on the mystery and other aspects but in this book I noticed Dani and loved reading about her.

I started this book just thinking, I'd read a quick chapter and then get on with other things, however, this did not happen. I started the book and felt so compelled to continue reading because I just HAD to know who the murderer was and what was up with the weird events surrounding Dani and Tommy.

I did have some ideas about the murderer's identity and I was a little surprised at the end to be honest and well, as someone who reads mysteries all the time this doesn't always happen.

Overall, I feel I could gush about Waking Hours for a really long time. However, all I want to say at this point is that if you love mystery and love supernatural elements then you will absolutely love this one!

This book mixes the genres of crime novel and supernatural thriller together in a way that creates a story that is truly a great read. The plot, pacing, and characters are all well developed.
The story line revolves around a brutal murder of a high school girl in a ritualistic way in a small town in New York where things are usually quiet. Danielle Harris (Dani) is a forensic psychiatrist who, due to the actions of her superior being arrested for driving while intoxicated, is put as head position by the DA on this case. Her very first case as lead investigator turns out to be a crime of incredible magnitude. In this small town there is also an ex-football star named Tommy Gunderson, who is very close to the young people in the community thru his help in sports in local high school and owning a fitness center where he trains both school athletes and townsfolk. His other goal is to be a PI, to that end he is enrolled in classes to get his license. Both Tommy and Dani have known each other since youth and there is a romantic chemistry there that is still unresolved.
Add to this mix a new Detective named Philip Casey, who was transferred from Providence for getting into some 'hot water'. Together Dani and Casey are working officially on the case, and Tommy is hired as an 'assistant' by Dani to help in an unofficial way. Together they all follow their own paths to finding out who killed this young girl.
This is book one of what is called the 'East Salem Trilogy' and I can say that I am most definitely keeping my eye out to when the next one is released. But keep in mind this is a trilogy and reading the other books seems to be part of the experience.
A note, this book is published by a Christian publisher, so there is no graphic sex, or foul language or even extreme gore, but the story does not suffer for the lack of these elements. It is just a very good thriller, and that is what matters.

The story takes place in quaint East Salem; a lake side, close knit community where everyone knows everybody. I loved the way the author portrayed this town, its buildings, people and places. It's the type of New England town you dream of living in or visting. A brutal ritualistic murder of a young woman occurs and sets this sleepy little town on edge. All of the suspects in this crime are teenagers who attended a party the night of the murder. Crime scene evidence suggests they were all involved, but all of the kids are suffering from memory loss.
Forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris, a member of the local DA's office, finds herself taking the lead in this case when her boss in unavoidably detained. Dani has always been a hard working overachiever in her professional life but in her personal life, not so much. She seems confident, like a woman with a plan, but she is often filled with self doubt and questions her every move.
PI in training, Tommy Gunderson is a formal pro-football linebacker and local celebrity. He left football after a tragic accident and opened his own gym. As a teen he had a crush on Dani but felt he was way out of her league, and still does. If only he knew that cool confident Dani felt the same way.
The two end up teaming together to solve the murder. I enjoyed the chemistry between the them. I found myself laughing at the hilarious things they would say, like two awkward teens on a first date. I sometimes thought they pulled pieces of the puzzle together a little too quickly, but overall the storyline was genuinely believable and kept me engrossed.
Strange dreams, biblical references, supernatural occurrences and this overwhelming sense of evil made the story spooky and an ideal fall read. The ending set the stage perfectly for book two of this trilogy and I found myself searching for clues to its release.
A special thank you to netGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Waking Hours is my first novel by either Lis Wiehl and Pete Nelson. Knowing someone who has read Wiehl's books before, I decided to give it a try. I am happy that I did.
I loved getting to know the characters throughout the novel, especially Tommy. When I read that he's an ex NFL football player, I was not entirely sure that I was going to like him as I am not a big sports person and I thought that was going to be a big part in the book. Happily, I was wrong and Tommy ended up as a totally different person than I thought he was going to be. I enjoyed his interest in becoming a private investigator and his thought process. His struggle with an incident in his past was also something that was interesting to see him go through and the way that he came to understanding with it.
Dani was also a great character yet not as interesting as Tommy, but I was definitely excited to get to know her more.
The interaction between Dan and Tommy felt completely natural and not forced. Their feelings for each other were spread out through the whole novel, not taking over any part of it, dulling it down.
Regarding the lot: I thought it was very well thought out and that the authors did very well with keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. A few times throughout the book, there were events that took up a couple or so pages that did not seem relevant, which annoyed me at first, but then those events were brought up again later in the novel, quenching the annoyance.
I am glad that I picked this novel up, and I recommend it to those who are fans of the mystery genre.
Note: I received a copy of this novel for an honest review by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Was the ritualistic murder of a lonely high school girl in New York's tony Westchester County the work of a sinister band of teens, a supernatural force of evil, or a collaboration of both? The only thing certain when Waking Hours opens is the identity of the victim and the fact that eerie, downright creepy events quickly and continuously unfold that may or may not be connected to her death.

I had committed to provide a review of Lis Wiehl and Pete Nelson's first novel in the East Salem series by today, October 3. Because I was out of town when my copy arrived from the publisher, I had very little time to read the book.

NOT a problem. Waking Hours--a blend of suspense and supernatural stories, with a dash of romance--grabs the reader at once and doesn't let go until the very last word. Even then, it's quite clear more trouble--and adventure--is yet to come in future installments in the series. I say bring `em on. Both main characters, forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris and former football star Tommy Gunderson, are witty, intelligent, and fallible enough to feel real. Wiehl and Nelson have done their homework, and the psychological, forensic, and geographic details create scenes both visual and intense.

If you like to read before bedtime, you might want to keep a copy of People magazine or something similarly frivolous nearby to clear away the heebie jeebies before you turn out the lights. Recommended.

Thomas Nelson provided me with a review copy of this novel.

Through her work with the District Attorney's office, forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris is thrown into a case involving a female youth who is brutally murdered. Dani's former childhood acquaintance, former pro-football star Tommy Gunderson, offers his help as an upstart private investigator. Soon the two of them are racing to uncover the truth of what happened, before someone else dies.

Waking Hours was a fantastic read, a very promising start to a new series taking place in East Salem. The supernatural suspense was chilling, the plot tightly woven, and the dialogue swift. The relationship developing between Tommy & Dani was highly entertaining, and some of their dialogue had some memorable lines that were very humorous. I thought that all of the characters as a whole were well-developed and believable, and I am very thankful to know that I can look forward to meeting these characters in future works. I have to say that this is my favourite Lis Wiehl book yet, and while I've never before had the pleasure of reading a book by Pete Nelson, it is clear he is a talented author. I honestly found the plot to be flawless, and I have been left craving for more.

Waking Hours will definitely appeal to readers who love mystery and supernatural suspense. I highly recommend this book, giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

This book has been provided courtesy of the publisher via the Booksneeze program and netgalley for the purposes of this unbiased review.

When a teen is brutally murdered in a small town, forensic psychologist Dani Harris is called in on the case. Working with an old friend and old love interest Tommy Gunderson, former NFL star, Dani finds herself working on more than just a murder mystery. Each morning, she is awakened at 2:13 a.m. by weird dreams and strange events. Is more going on than just a murder...something supernatural?

The murder investigation is a good storyline, but when you add a supernatural occurrences and a budding romance, you have a suspenseful thriller. The characters are intriguing, and as a football fan, I enjoyed the back story of Tommy's football career and why he walked away from it. The pace of the book is a little slow at first with several loose ends, which are finally tied together about halfway through.

My favorite part of the book was the angle of the forensic psychologist. Many times a murder mystery is told from the detective's point of view, but bringing in the psychology of a murderer as a part of the storyline made the novel more interesting and even thought-provoking at times.

Fans of mystery, especially ones without graphic details, will enjoy this book.

I look forward to reading the second book in the series.

I was given this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is a little different from the usual genres I read, but I it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. I enjoy a good mystery with likeable characters, and this one didn't disappointment. I felt the addition of the supernatural elements were exciting, and not over the top. I rarely read books in the supernatural genre, but this one appealed to me as being well balanced, not exaggerated or extreme.

The murder under investigation could have also become too gory for my taste, but like the supernatural element in the story, the author didn't exaggerate or overemphasize the gore. I enjoyed the insights into the character of the main players in the mystery added by the forensic psychiatrist, and the way Dani's seriousness is balanced by Tommy's light touch and humor.

As this book is intended to be one of a trilogy, I could sense the overall plot would deal more with the supernatural in the future books of the series. So it didn't bother me that not all the loose ends were wrapped up at the end. I enjoyed the pace and tight writing style so much that I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, and searching for more books to read by the same author(s).

Waking Hours by Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson

The book starts with a high school girl being brutally murdered in East Salem, a small town in New York. Dani Harris, a forensic psychiatrist, is called in to assist in the investigation.

At the same time of the murder an elderly woman wanders onto the property of Tommy Gunderson, a former NFL linebacker. What is so strange about that is his property has a state of the art security system. The elderly woman is mumbling words in Latin and is holding a disemboweled frog. She ends up grabbing him around the throat.

Someone Tommy works with at his gym is implicated in the young girls murder and he finds himself working with Dani to try to solve the murder. Dani wakes up at exactly 2:13 am every night with dreams about her deceased parents. Is this connected to the murder? They both feel something dark and evil is going on in the town. Will they discover what it is before there is another murder?

I found the book to be a good mystery. I did find it a little too involved with the psychology explanations. Also, it was a little hard to follow in some places. As a Christian, I know there are demons. This book brings it out into the open with the evil that is happening in East Salem.

This book was given to me by booksneeze.com for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.

Dani Harris is a forensic psychiatrist. In previous cases she's been the wing man to her boss, but not in this case. A homicide that has the sleepy town of East Salem scared. A group of teens have a party one night and one of them ends up dead in a grotesque fashion. The problem is the teens say they can't remember what happened on the night of the murder. Dani is reunited with the one person from High School she liked, Tommy Gunderson. Tommy was a Pro-Football player that walked away from the game after an accident. He is well known and pestered by the paparrazi frequently. Can these two solve the mystery surrounding this homicide?

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very well developed and the storyline was easy to follow and interesting. It was a little creepy at times, but seemed to fit into the season of Halloween.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...]

In small town East Salem something frightening is coming to life. When a teenage girl is found brutally murdered, forensic psychologist Dani Harris is called in to unravel the mystery. With the help of her old high school crush, Tommy Gunderson, they set out to find out just who - or quite possibly, what - could have commited such a nasty crime.

I loved everything about this novel. From the author's voice, to her interesting characters and suspenseful plot, you are not left wanting for anything but for them to solve the murder. I also found it fascinating that, despite being very devout, Tommy never thought twice about considering a more paranormal culprit behind the murders. In a similar vein, even though Dani is a psychologist and lives her life based in the reality of the facts at hand, she is only a tiny bit reluctant to take things on faith and `go with her gut', so to speak. It was a nice and realistic view of how people of both faith and science can make room for things they normally wouldn't for a common cause.

This was my first novel by this author, but I can guarantee that this won't be my last. I'm hoping to read more about Dani and Tommy in the very near future.

Disclaimer: As per FTC regulations, I was offered a complimentary copy of the above novel from BookSneeze® in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Review by Jill Williamson
When a local high school girl is found murdered, forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris is put on the case. It's a strange case for Dani in more ways than one. First, these students went to the same high school she did. Second, the murder was terribly gruesome and possibly ritualistic. Third, bizarre dreams are waking Dani each night at the exact same time. And fourth, Tommy Gunderson, her high school crush, has decided to help Dani with the case. Is this a straightforward homicide or something much more sinister?

I love a good murder mystery, and Lis Wiehl is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes incredible characters. In this book, the case built bit by bit in a manner that kept the book glued to my hands until I finished it. I had my theories as to who had committed the crime, but I wasn't positive. The supernatural element was intriguing, and I can't wait to see how the rest of this series develops. A great read.

*I received this book free for review from the the store Vine program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

East Salem is a cozy little town where something unspeakable has happened. A high school girl is found dead, murdered in a remote part of the local park. Everything about her death is strange and doesn't seem to make any sense. Dani is a forensic psychiatrist working on the case and it's getting to her, keeping her up at all hours of the night.

Dani and her new assistant Tommy need to sort through the clues and get into the mind of the killer in order to solve this case. The problem is, there seems to be something supernatural going on as well...and it's hard to rid a town of an evil that can't be seen.

This was one of the few books I've read that literally made me hold my breath. I loved it! It's a real psychological mystery/thriller with supernatural elements. It was gripping, realistic, and...creepy. There are a lot of things going on in this story, but all the elements blend together real well, especially at the end. There's some real danger and some supernatural danger as well and I think that's what really made the story captivating. It's not your everyday mystery novel, that's for sure.

There are Christian themes and talk about faith and God. It was very well done. There's a sense that some characters are wrestling with faith in the supernatural, but it all meshes with the plot. I can't wait for the next book in this series, there IS a next book, isn't there? cliffhanger! Seriously, if you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?

* Thanks to the publisher Thomas Nelson and BookSneeze.com for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

omething evil has infiltrated East Salem. The ritualistic murder of a teenage girl sets the stage for a frightening series of events that plunge Dani Harris, a forensic psychiatrist, and Tommy Gunderson, a retired football player and wannabe PI, into an investigation of a high school party gone seriously wrong.

I found this book hard to put down. Dani and Tommy make a great team. They're savvy and funny. Dani brings insights about human behavior. Tommy's love of gadgetry brings the use of advanced technology to the investigation. The underlying romantic tension is a bonus that leads to some snappy exchanges. I particularly enjoyed the intertwining of Christianity with the aura of evil. It makes the story more satisfying than a simple murder mystery.

The only criticism I have is that some of the important investigation takes place off stage, and we see only the results. Although annoying to the serious mystery reader, it's not a major concern. The fast pace moves the reader quickly past the point of questioning what happened behind the scenes.

I highly recommend this book if you love a chilling murder that may be only the first manifestation of the evil that has invaded the town. I was sorry to finish the book and am looking forward to the sequels.

I reviewed this book as part of the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze Program.

In "Waking Hours" by Lis Wiehl we meet forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris. Dani is brought in on a case involving the death of a local high school girl, Julie. The awful way that she died leaves the town in an uproar. Dani has help with the case from her former classmate Tommy Gunderson. Tommy was a NFL player and after a tragic accident he quit playing and moved back to his hometown with the goal of becoming a private investigator. Dani and Tommy question several of Julie's classmates and discover that they were all involved in a passage party. The problem is none of them can remember what happened the night Julie died. Dani and Tommy know one of these kids knows the whole story behind her death and may have even been the one to kill her.

"Waking Hours" is the first book in the East Salem Trilogy. This is a very fast paced book full of suspense. This story has many twists and plots that will keep you guessing, and when you think you have everything figured out it will leave you with a cliffhanger. Lis Wiehl quickly became one of my favorite authors with her Triple Threat novels and she does not let her readers down with her new book. I received a complimentary copy of this book to review from Thomas Nelson.

love Liz Wiehl. Plain and simple. I've never seen her in her role as News Commentator on Fox News, but I adore her writing. Waking Hours is no disappointment! At first, when I found out she had a co-author, I thought "OH NO!" After reading her Triple Threat novels, I was accustomed to Liz's writing style and really wasn't looking forward to making adjustments for a co-author. I shouldn't have been worried. Pete Nelson makes a great compliment to Liz's style.

Waking Hours is a great suspense novel about the brutal murder of a teenage girl. With notes of supernatural forces at work, the star of this novel is Dani Harris, the town of East Salem's forensic pathologist is charged with finding the killer of this young girl. Everything is leading to another teen being the killer. Is it possible one of the murdered girl's friends killed her? Dani teams up with Tommy Gunderson to investigate in this thrilling, roller coaster of a ride. Waking hours keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat, as you turn each page expectantly.

By Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson
Published by Thomas Nelson

The story begins in a town called Salem. A teenage girl has been brutally murdered and a psychiatrist and old high school class mate that is wanting to be a private detective are on the case. The story keeps getting deeper as more evidence of spiritual battles take place. Is it her peers? Is it a psycho? Is it a demon? Is it all the above? You will just have to read it and find out.

I love detective stories so this was a great read for me. But it has a lot of detailed gore that might gross some people out. If you have a strong stomach and love detective stories give it a try. The writer's style makes it an easy read but challenges you to really think about the details.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com [...]book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Waking Hours by Liehl and Pete Nelson is a thriller book about a murder and odd occurances happening in East Salem, NY. Dani is a foresenis phychiatrist working for the DA office when the murder of teenage girl occurs During her investigation is runs into her teenage crush Tommy. Together they try and solve the crime and all of the other odd occurances around town before anyone esle getshurt.

I really liked this book. I thoguth the characters felt real and well thought out. The relationships between them and the minor characters were well thought out and written. I must say this was a book that made it hard to put down. I also like the way the authors wrote about Tommy's faith. It was honest and well handled. They didnt make him a saint nor a hypocrite. He was a very real person with a strong faith and smart head.

I would definately reccomend this book to friends and family. I am glad to have a copy of this in my library to read again.

Note: I was given a e-copy of this book free through [...] for free to review. I was not compensated for a positive review and the opinions above are my own.