Major Book Hangover

Several years ago I began reading the PsyCop series by Jordan Castillo Price. I grew so busy that I only was able to read two of them, but I loved the stories and the characters.

What a concept! The world has discovered that psychic talents are real, and law enforcement has found a way to utilize those skills by teaming up a psychic and a "stiff", someone with no psychic talent. Psychics are ranked on a scale, with 2 and higher certified for their talents, the highest known example being an 8. Talents range from a human lie detector to a woman who can accurately answer yes/no questions and empaths strong enough to both read other's emotions and change them.

PsyCop Victor Baine is ranked as a five. His talent? He communicates with the dead, as in, he can see them, sometimes initially mistake them for the living, and provides valuable testimony from the victims themselves as a homicide detective.

He meets "stiff" Jacob at a retirement party, the beginning of a hot, but tumultuous relationship. "Tumultuous" mainly because Vic has serous trust issues, as well as a self-medication habit he developed to help him tune out the chattering dead, and "repeaters", those spirits fated to relive their final moments, over and over.

Fast-forward a few years, and though I still don't have time to read, an awful commute leaves me with a lot of time for audiobooks. I went on a PsyCop binge, but sadly, after plowing through the nine currently available Audible books, I have a serious case of book hangover.

What a roller coaster ride! There is never a dull moment, and the narrator brings the story to wonderful life.

Just like PsyCop Victor Baine, I constantly formed opinions, only to have them turned on their ear. This world is full of imperfect, but oh so relatable characters.

Kudos to the author for playing the line out slowly, providing small bits of information, keeping us constantly in suspense, and keeping us riveted through each installment. Slowly, slowly, we untangle Vic's past, connecting it to the present.

I've zipped through books 1-9, which star Vic and Jacob, except for volume 8, told from the point of view of a secondary character. While I loved learning more about Crash, I'm afraid that story, told from his point of view, colored my view of Jacob, and it took me plowing through story 9 to start liking him again and trusting him to do right by Vic. Actually, the jury is still out. I'd love to read something from Jacob's point of view.

Yeah, I've become protective of Vic. He's such a talented and respected medium, but he's also endearingly vulnerable and seems so much younger than his years, mostly due to missing memories and stunted social skills. 

It's lovely to see him take baby steps into trust and making friends.

I'd love to see more about Lisa and Con, and hope they make a reappearance soon. I'd also love to see more of Crash. At first I thought Jacob would forever be his "one that got away", but the author proved me delightfully wrong. As with Jacob though, I'd love to read more about Red.

I cannot recommend these books highly enough. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I cannot wait until the next installment!