Waverley Mansion, a unique and lovely antebellum home in northeast Mississippi, offers the most dangerous challenge yet to Raissa James and her partner in the Pluto’s Snitch private detective agency. They specialize in hauntings, possessions, and the occult.In the isolation of Waverley, Raissa’s special gift, her ability to see and communicate with the dead, puts a target on her back. The entity … The entity that resides at Waverley Mansion covets Raissa’s sensitivity. But Raissa is not the only one in danger. She and her partner Reginald Proctor must save eight-year-old Amanda Sheridan from the dark forces roaming the grounds of Waverley.
The bitter past plays a major role in the nightmare of the present—and Raissa and Reginald must find the answers to who—or what–was Nora Bailey, a woman reputed to be not only a Union spy in the heart of the South, but also one whose promiscuity put the men who loved her at risk.
Raissa and Reginald can trust no one—especially not the dead–because the dead lie.
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Carolyn Haines is a great writer, and this book just proves that fact again. Specter of Seduction is the third book in her Pluto’s Snitch series, and each of the books stands alone but have a combined Wow-punch when read in sequence. Set in the Deep South, this a moody, evocative, and endlessly complex novel about two detectives–one of whom can see the dead–set in the 1920s. Great stuff.
Can’t wait for the next in the series
Good suspenseful mystery plot, fascinating characters up against powerful ghosts. I enjoyed it, and will read more by this author.
It was an excellent mix of characters and the specter made me sleep with the lights on. I like the plot & ending too!
THE SPECTER OF SEDUCTION by Carolyn Haines
The Third Pluto’s Snitch Mystery
Waverly Mansion was a marvel of architecture and a glorious old plantation until the Civil War and the actions of a Southern Belle destroyed everything. Called to the mansion to help the current owners, Raissa and Reginald travel to Mississippi. It seems the couple’s daughter is acting more mature than her eight years. She also has an imaginary friend who may not be so imaginary. Dealing with college students trespassing on the property to fool around and a child acting older than her years is just the start. Raissa will have to uncover the truth of Union spy Nora Bradley. Was she really the evil temptress who wrought the destruction of the Norquist family and who still seeks to claim Waverly as her own? Or is there something older, something even more powerful, that seeks to possess not only Waverly, but Raissa, body and soul.
Set in the 1920s THE SPECTER OF SEDUCTION is a historical mystery, but it’s a double historical in that Raissa has to delve further into the past, solving what for her is a historical mystery to go along with her modern one. What I found thrilling is that she spoke with two characters who were actually alive during the Civil War, one of whom was once a slave. Instead of relying on legend, Raissa talked with people who actually knew Nora and witnessed what happened, the veritable destruction of a family.
Carolyn Haines is a master of creating a Gothic ambiance in her Pluto’s Snitch mysteries. Oppressive heat and bloodsucking insects add to the stifling unpleasant atmosphere that surrounds Waverly. Despite the amazing architecture and current renovations the mansion makes you want to flee. The lack of electricity and telephone service along with its remote location adds to the isolation which increases both anxiety and danger. I love old abandoned buildings and have enjoyed exploring old mental institutions and haunted locations, but I would give Waverly a wide berth! Carolyn Haines has created a house tainted by its past, possessed by its present, and I don’t even care to be part of its future! It’s a location I’m glad is fictional.
The juxtaposition of evil spirits versus the evil done by man is at the heart of this book. There’s much more to Waverly than meets the eye and it’s fascinating to see Raissa peel back the layers. While a powerful entity seems to be the root of the problems, it’s much more than that. Something human is equally as evil as the demon. In order to find peace, the truth must be revealed, the whole truth.
I absolutely loved THE SPECTER OF SEDUCTION. Ingeniously plotted, it’s a haunting, eerie, and pulse pounding mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
In Specter of Seduction, Carolyn Haines brings readers on the continued adventures of psychic detectives Raissa & Reginald, partners in the Pluto’s Snitch agency. They’ve been called to Waverly Mansion, an isolated former plantation home in Mississippi, where Anne & Royal Sheridan are concerned about their 8-year-old daughter, Amanda. Her “imaginary friend,” Nan, seems a little too real for them, & she seems to be leading Amanda in behaviors that are very concerning. When they arrive, they find all of Waverly Mansion is shrouded in death & mystery, with long-dead Confederate soldiers still trying to make their way home through the woods, & former Southern Belles having “gossips” in the upper rooms. For the very modern Raissa & Reginald, circa the 1920’s that is, Waverly with its lack of electricity & telephones, not to mention decent roads, creates many issues. But they are determined to help this family, and even to help any spirits that they can if they need to be “released” from this realm. What follows is part ghost story, part mystery, and all vintage, marvelous Haines. As always, the writing is superb, the story enthralling, the mystery is complicated enough to keep you guessing without making the reader think the writer took a wrong turn somewhere. Partway in to the story, Raissa, Reginald, & the reader learns the story of what brought such misery to Waverly— a Union Spy in the form of a beautiful belle, affianced to one of the sons of the house. Who, like so many young women who come to these grounds, appears unable to control her “appetites.” Her secret lover, promised to a daughter of the house, was also found out as a spy, & both were hung by a lynch mob one fateful night, but it was too late to undue the damage. But are the facts all facts? Can the ghosts walking Waverly be released? And what do they have to do with the real-life murders that occur during the days of the novel? The twists & turns will keep you guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book.
Carolyn Haines never disappoints. Love her writing and characters.
I love this author usually but was very disappointed in this one.
Wonderful ghost story
The Specter of Seduction by Carolyn Haines was an enthralling book. Although I hadn’t read the previous books in this series I never felt lost as Ms. Haines narrative gave me enough of Raissa and Reginald’s story that I felt like I knew them as the story progressed.
This was a complicated story with action, intrigue and some creepy entities that kept me turning the pages to find out exactly what and “who” was behind the unusual and deadly events that are transpiring at Waverly Mansion. As the danger escalated I found myself totally gripping my Kindle tightly as Raissa and Reginald face their most dangerous foe yet! With complex twists and characters that are more than they seem the dramatic reveal left me breathless.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
WOW, this third installment of Pluto’s Snitch Series had me from the gates of the mansion, to the exceptional end. As with all of Carolyn Haines books, the writing captures the reader and engulfs them in the story. I felt like I was watching Raissa Reginald and all the characters as they battled for life and fought the spector of the lady that was once a Union Spy. I found that my heart went out to little Amanda, possessed and turning into a frightening creature.
I love paranormal stories, mysteries, and Southern Cozies. This book is the enmeshment of all those and so much more. I think the literary world will need to come up with a new “category” for Ms. Haines Pluto’s Snitch Books. I have enjoyed Carolyn Haines works for some time now. However, this one had me wanting to read and savor every single word. I took the book with when I had to go to work and couldn’t wait for breaks so I could read more. I do have one little warning. If you read this book before bed, you a want to make sure you have a night light that works!
I was the lucky recipient of an advanced copy, a Beta Reader for this book. However, this “review” is true…I enjoyed this book immensely. If you haven’t read Carolyn Haines books…be kind to yourself and try her books…you will be very happy you did.
Spector of Seduction is the third in Carolyn Haines Pluto’s Snitch series. In this book, Raissa and Reginald travel to West Point, Mississippi to the Waverley Mansion on the Tombigbee River. Once the mansion had been a majestic jewel of the Confederate States. They’ve been hired by the Sheridan’s to help their daughter Amanda.
Amanda has made friends with a ghostly companion and claims there is another entity, more sinister than a child ghost. Finding out the entity’s purpose for not moving and its origin takes many twists and turns plus some help from Rassias uncle and Madame Petalngo to conquer and set it on it’s way.
This is by far the spookiest and chilling book yet in this series. The combined hauntings of malevolent and benign spirits keep Raissa and Reginald guessingthe the secret keeping each one tied to the house.
The telling of the history of the house and the tales of the soldiers during the Civil War is eye opening. The descriptions of just traveling on the roads to go to town makes you appreciate living in today’s times.
I’m not ashamed to day this one really gave me the willies.
I read this book as a beta reader, I don’t usually read spooky books, but I like Carolyn Haines other books and I was lucky enough to be chosen. Wow! all I can say is wow! It was so good, I couldn’t put it down. There needs to be a new category called horror/cozy mystery ’cause that’s what it was. I don’t usually read horror or spooky stories because I scare easily but this was scary yet compelling, not gory and had a great mystery involved as well. The characters were well drawn and you became involved with them right away. There was never a time when I felt like, oh, I’m just going to put this down for a while. Hell no! I couldn’t put it down!
This is the third book in the Pluto’s Snitch series. I read it on a plane and it was a good thing the flight was long because I had no intention of stopping to put the book down until I finished reading it. It was an amazing book!! Raissa and Reginald are called to Waverley House in Mississippi to help an eight year old girl at the request of her parents. Seems Amanda has a friend, Polly the ghost of a little girl who died there during the Civil War. The Sheridan family has moved to Waverley Mansion and they are working on bringing it back to its former glorious state. It is very isolated and haunted there by a woman that is an evil force. Raissa and Reginald need to dig into history to get answers and banishing Nora is going to be harder than they thought.
I could feel those yellow flies and that Mississippi heat and hear the hoof beats as I read.
Suspenseful, spooky, twists and turns, surprising and totally kept me engrossed.
Can’t wait for the next adventure of Raissa and Reginald!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.