Medium and clairvoyant Simon Kincaide owns a Myrtle Beach boardwalk shop where he runs ghost tours, holds séances, and offers private psychic readings, making a fresh start after his abilities cost him his lover and his job as a folklore professor. Jaded cop Vic D’Amato saw something supernatural he couldn’t explain during a shootout several years ago in Pittsburgh and relocated to Myrtle Beach … Beach to leave the past behind, still skeptical about the paranormal. But when the search for a serial killer hits a dead end, Vic battles his skepticism to ask Simon for help. As the body count rises, Simon’s involvement makes him a target, and a suspect. But Simon can’t say no, even if it costs him his life and heart.
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I really enjoyed this book. The two main characters, Simon and Vic, are great together. Both were betrayed by previous partners and suffered major professional setbacks. They had to work hard to learn to trust each other. Vic had a harder time trusting himself to make the right decision. Deep down he believes in Simon and his abilities but has a hard time balancing that with his logical police mindset. I will definitely continue with the series. I can’t wait to see where Simon and Vic’s story leads.
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3.5
An awesome, thrilling, mystic love story. I loved it!
This story was a thrilling chase against a psychic serial killer, stealing the powers of low-level psychics and mystics around Myrtle Beach. Somewhat damaged and jaded, Vic must stop this serial killer but is confronted with the fact that this is not a normal case and if he really wants to solve it he must stretch his mind and accept that there is a whole nother world of ghosts, magic, and psychics.
Simon Kincade (such a great name) is a psychic medium and clairvoyant and has been burned in the past. I really liked Simon and found his character very real, strong and kind. I enjoyed ‘reading’ about his gifts and found that Morgan’s approach to this world was wonderfully detailed and even whimsical without being overdone. I was taken into this world and was along for the ride!
I love the passion and chemistry between Vic and Simon and while they had their roadblocks I’m glad they could overcome them and find their way back to each other.
I look forward to many more story of this duo, Myrtle Beach and the world Morgan has created. I loved it!!
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Morgan Brice, the pen name used for Gail Z. Martin when writing M/M romance, work shares an interconnectedness with Gail’s incredible Deadly Curiosity series. There are several series that are linked through a network of characters that rely on each other’s expertise in battling paranormal predators. In the ‘Badlands’ series we meet Sebastian “Simon” Kincaide who has a doctorate in ancient folklore and is a medium and clairvoyant. He is the gay cousin of Cassidy Kincaide, who owns Trifles & Folly, an antique/curio store and high-end pawn shop in Charleston, South Carolina. The shop is more than what it seems, serving as a repository for dangerous magical and supernatural items that sometimes find their way into mortal hands or onto the market. She is part of a shadowy Alliance of mortals and mages whose job it is to take those deadly curiosities out of circulation and mitigate the damage they cause to persons and property. Whenever Cassidy and other members of the Alliance or members from the other monster-fighting groups of their network (as represented by the different Gail Z. Martin and Morgan Brice series: Night Vigil, Witchbane, Treasure Trails, as well as Deadly Curiosity series) have questions concerning folklore, Simon is consulted.
After being encouraged to leave the university when a rich donor disapproves of his curriculum and losing his university professor fiancé in the fallout, Simon moves to Myrtle Beach to make a brand new start. He purchases a vacation home owned by an uncle and aunt whose health prevents them from visiting and spends the next three years restructuring his life and priorities. He owns a Myrtle Beach boardwalk shop where he runs ghost tours, holds séances, and offers private psychic readings. A malfunctioning coffee pot drives him from his shop to the local coffee shop where he has the occasion to meet homicide detective Vic D’Amato.
Detective Vic D’Amato is as attracted to Simon as Simon is to him but the detective is preoccupied with a serial killer who is able to evade law enforcement’s efforts. He decides to consult the local psychic only to discover it’s Simon. Vic pays for a psychic reading that results in a genuine lead and also a reacquaintance with a victim of a paranormal homicide case that resulting in his relocation to the Myrtle Beach police department and the end of his relationship with another police detective. When Vic gets past being spooked by Simon’s talents, they band together to find the clues necessary for tracking down the murderer who is targeting persons with low-level psychic abilities. Using those with psychic gifts as batteries to increase his own magical power, Simon discovers that the killer is planning to retaliate against the financially beleaguered company that fired him.
In addition to all of the deliciously scary details in the narrative, the writer takes time to describe the developing love affair with all the preoccupation that occurs during a burgeoning relationship and the quality of the interaction between two men with disparate characters and professions. This aspect of the book is so very plausible and credible, lending an authenticity to the entire novel–no small feat given the fact that the novel is urban fantasy! Morgan Brice proves herself to be a ‘mix-master par excellence’ with perfect pacing (the rate at which the writer introduces key elements in the story) and beautiful balance (the distribution of varying types of elements in the book)! In addition to impeccable world-building and considerable character development, I am NOT surprised that this series is so very well recommended.
Badlands is the first book in a paranormal, mystery series by the same name as the title. I actually had read book 3, Loose Ends before I went back and read this series, so it felt like I was finally getting all the backstory. It was fun to see how Simon and Vic first met and the way their relationship developed. Some parts of the relationship seemed to have moved a bit fast, but I still liked the romance. The mystery was interesting and had a dramatic climax. All in all, this was a fun read that definitely entertained me.
Badlands by Morgan Brice is tge first book in the Badlands aeries and I am already a superman of these characters and their adventures of the paranormal crime kind. Simon and Vic are amazing characters and I love the cop and a psychic theme. I love the crime mystery aspect and was often on the edge of my seat and anxious to see who tge villain was. Lots of emotion, suspense, andvromance. Can not wait to continue to get to know Vic and Simon as the help ghosts, fight crime, and navigate that crazy thing called love.
A delightful urban fantasy full of romance, mystery, suspense and so much more! I couldn’t put this book down from the beginning. I loved the characters and enjoyed watching their relationship develop through the course of the book as well as solving the mystery!
A truly original twist on the serial killer theme, along with a great romance. Love this series!
Audio review.
Performance 5
Story 5
Overall 5
Great story, excellent narration.
I’m not sure why I ever thought that I wouldn’t like fantasy type MM romances. I’ve listened to several lately and have loved them all. Kale Williams did a fantastic job with his performance of this book. It was easy to distinguish the different voices. Morgan Brice’s writing and Kale Williams’ performance kept me glued to my headphones all day today.
I don’t have time for a long review so I will just say that I am moving right on to the next book in this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted the audio copy of this book.
Simon has run to Myrtle Beach after he lost his job and his love. Vic is there after he saw something he could not explain. There have been some murders in town, and Vic, a homicide cop, comes across Simon’s ghost tours and seance shop and figures it can’t do any harm, right? To ask? But as Simon and Vic get closer to each other, so the killer gets closer to Simon. And Simon doesn’t think anyone can stop him, except Simon, or that he will walk away alive.
I liked this! A lot!
Simon is disgraced by a disgruntled parent who says he was teaching the occult, and leaves his Folklore professor job and runs to Myrtle Beach. He finds relative happiness in town, with his shop and ghost tours. Meeting Vic makes him realise he is lonely though. Helping Vic with his murders seems a natural thing to do, but that puts Simon in the cross hairs of the murderer. And also makes Simon a suspect so Vic has to take a step back from Simon and become objective in his job. It breaks his heart that he might lose Simon before he can have him, though. Simon solves the case, and has to hope that he can stop the murderer and maybe, just maybe, he can survive.
Both Simon and Vic have a say, and I loved that was they are drawn to each other, right from the start, so powerfully! The attraction both men feel is off the charts, and it doesn’t take them long to give into that attraction. Simon’s abilities are a bit of a sticking point, but they do come through for Vic and his case. Vic doesn’t want to believe, look how much trouble it caused him when he voiced what he saw in Pittsburgh, for crying out loud! But he knows, deep down, Simon is for real, and maybe, Simon is FOREVER for Vic. They just need get through this.
It’s a bit gruesome in places, because the crime scenes are described in some, but not great, detail. Just enough to make you cringe, and wish you could un-see the picture that comes up in your head.
Sexy in places, scary in others. First of Brice I’ve read, and would like to read more.
Kale Williams narrates. I *thought* I had listened to something else by Williams before, but I can’t find what, but no matter. I really did like his narration here. There are a lot of characters with foreign accents, and Williams delivers them very well. His reading voice is clear and even, and all the voices are distinctive enough for me to follow who was speaking, without out being told. As a person with some hearing loss, this is VITAL for me to enjoy a book!
I loved the way Williams gets the emotions of Simon and Vic across. Even when things were going down, and things were getting scary, Simon’s love for Vic shone as the brightest emotion. Fabulous narrating!
4 solid stars for the book
4 solid stars for the narration
**same worded review ill appear elsewhere**
5 Stars!!!
Witchbane was my introduction to Morgan Brice and while I loved it, I felt it had this Supernatural (the TV show) feel to it. Badlands, while still keeping with the paranormal theme, had a more adult vibe. Both Vic and Simon are older and they have real jobs and friends and houses and I loved it.
Simon was definitely my favorite, he was just so resourceful and nice. I felt bad for him that he thought his gift made him less deserving of Vic’s love. I liked Vic, and I understood his motivations, but there were a few instances in which I wanted to strangle him. What I can’t deny is that these guys were electric together, and they seemed to complement each other quite well (when Vic wasn’t being difficult, that is. 😉 )
The case was well thought out and developed. I had no clue who the bad guy was or what his motivations were until Ms. Brice was ready to let the readers know and the final showdown was very action-packed. I’m very glad this is the start of the series because I definitely wasn’t ready to let Simon and Vic go.
Kale Williams did a great job with the narration, his voice is very pleasant and he imprints the necessary emotion to the different scenes and while I felt that Simon and Vic’s voices were too similar in certain scenes, they were still distinguishable for the most part.
A captivating supernatural murder mystery, Badlands is the first novel I’ve read, well – listened to, by Morgan Brice and I’m completely entranced! With an exciting and creative plot, plus a stellar romance, Badlands held me captive from start to finish. I’m glad there are more episodes in this series, plus a whole additional series available by this talented author. I can’t wait to get started!
Narrated by Kale Williams, his rich voice adds an alluring atmosphere to this spooky tale, and his skill with accents is perfect for the wide variety of regional characters. As is his way, Mr. Williams makes the most of the erotic moments in this story; the sex scenes are supremely hot and the dirty talk is spectacular.
What an appealing pair these two characters make. Vic, a hunky, heavily tatted, motorcycle riding cop, and Simon who rocks the nerdy professor with his man bun and glasses. Both men are in their thirties, have moved on from past mistakes, and are ready to make a fresh start. Unfortunately, a persistent serial killer (and Vic’s skepticism of Simon’s abilities) keeps getting in their way.
The mutual attraction is clear and it’s fun to watch the tension build between the two men. It’s endearing to see how anxious they both are to make a connection, and thankfully it doesn’t take long. These guys have great chemistry, and once they get started, we’re treated to some first-rate lovemaking.
The mystical atmosphere of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a great setting for this series and Morgan Brice keeps it entertaining with all the ghosts, folklore, and legends of the Grand Strand. Badlands is a fun and fast paced mystery and it was all over much too soon. Luckily for me the second audiobook in this Badlands series, a novella called Dirty Town, also narrated by Kale Williams, is already loaded on my device and ready to go.
I had to marinate on this one for a bit and then go back and listen to parts of it again to make sure I could write this review correctly. I flip flopped between 4 and 4.5 stars, but in the end, decided to give it the higher rating because once I started listening, I didn’t want to stop.
Story: 4.5 stars
Simon and Vic are attracted to each other, feelings are developing, but something could come between them. On top of that Vic has to find a killer and Simon is caught in the middle. The story is good and full of intrigue, especially with the psychic abilities thrown in. Add to that a cast of colorful characters, and you have a great story that pulls you in and you don’t want to put down. At least I didn’t.
Narration: 4 stars
I always think that the narration adds to the story, and it did in this case. However, there were a few times I got confused as to who was talking. I don’t know if it was the way it was written (I’ve only listened and not read) or Kale Williams as the narrator. Usually, the voices were distinct and I could pick them out, but sometimes it would slip. That said, I enjoyed the narration and the spin Kale put on this story. He did make it his own. The intonations and inflections, plus the emotion he put into it, brought the story to live, and for the most part, I could hear Vic, Simon, and the other characters.
Overall: 4.5 stars
I’m giving Badlands by Morgan Brice, narrated by Kale Williams 4.5 stars and highly recommend you either listen to it or read it for yourself. The story is great and keeps you entertained and Kale will bring it to life. One click this one today.
This is my second foray into urban fantasy and a first time reading this author’s work and I can say that enjoyed it immensely. It had the perfect balance between murder mystery and love story. The characters were well written and their background – solid. The plot line of psychic and a policeman is not new but this has such twists that immerse you into the story and you can’t stop reading it. It’s very good.
I loved Simon from the start. He is compassionate, friendly and loyal. He is like the godfather of all the psychics of Myrtle Beach. He is very genuine in his feelings to others and always willing to help even to the detriment to himself. His folklore knowledge is amazing (author did a very thorough research here). But he is also lonely and wary to become involved with anyone due to being betrayed in the past.
Vic is our skeptical detective. Don’t get me wrong, I know for some seeing is believing but the way Vic behaves in the beginning is a little boorish. He upsets Simon a lot and if I were him I would have given Vic the boot! I can understand why he acts that way to a certain point considering his own past. But the murders and constant attacks on Simon keep drawing them together and it’s inevitable that they fall for each other. The chemistry is explosive, the intimate moments are well written and very enjoyable.
I loved the psychic part of the book. It sounded authentic and not theatrical at all. It felt like the real deal. All those people with gifts in the community supporting each other – I liked how protective Simon was of them. The murder was not exactly complicated albeit gruesome and vicious but the way Simon uncovered it I think was brilliant especially with the clues that he had available. The whole magic aspect was fascinating as well as the execution of it in the end. I loved how everything turned out – it was edgy, gripping, dark and slightly violent – just how I like it so it was a real treat for me! I really hope that this will turn out to be the beginning of a new series. There are some very riveting characters that I would love to know better. I highly recommend it!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
I liked the mix of mystery and paranormal in this story, they had a good balance. I liked Simon and Vic, even with the speed of their romance it didn’t feel fast. Although I liked that Vic didn’t instantly believe in the paranormal aspects, I did find the constant hot/cold a bit tiring by the end. I also like that the ghosts were woven into the story without dominating the plot. There were some points that seemed to drag a bit, but overall there was a good flow. I’m hoping we’ll get more books with these guys.
There were several mentions to other events that had happened in the past that made me wonder if the book was part of a series (I was beginning to think I had missed a couple of previous books in a series), but it turns out that the author’s other books are part of the same world as are some of the books she writes as Gail Z. Martin. There are some characters that make an appearance, I’m curious to read more about them.
OOO!! This one is very good. A serial killer, a medium and a cop. Intense and exciting. It’s hard to put down and go to bed. I will so I can get up and finish the story in the morning. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Pain from the past drives these two men in their everyday lives but with a serial killer on the loose, they’ll need to work together to stop them. It’s never as simple as becoming a team, though, because circumstances are against them at every turn. They’ll need to get to the bottom of it all before their pride and a killer drive them apart with deadly intent.
Simon and Vic were both great characters. Not only did they have different backstories, duh, but they had distinct personalities and two distinct voices. Often you get stories where each character has their own unique history but their speech and affectations aren’t dissimilar enough to get a clear sense that the two men are very different. We end up relying on their backstory to paint two obviously different men but the whole narrative reads somewhat smoothly because it kind of feels like all the same voice. Not so with these men. They’re written well and are discernible from one another in a way that enhances the story.
I liked that Simon wasn’t willing to make excuses or apologies for his talents when faced with Vic’s skepticism. But really it wasn’t Vic’s skepticism that was a problem, it was his fear and regret. All of this is resolved satisfactorily even though we see Vic’s struggle between career, perception, and love.
The villain was slightly over-the-top but believable…mostly. The magic part on behalf of the villain felt like a stretch. How did they know to use it? How did they get introduced to it? Why turn to magic when explosives would have done the same thing? There were also the questions of Vic’s past that alluded to a connection deeper than the overarching idea/practice of magic.
I liked the two men, the way they came together wasn’t all “hot sex can fix anything.” Instead, we got two men with two very different lives that they tried to blend together despite the difficulties. There was more to their relationship than passion and I could absolutely respect that. At times the details overwhelmed the flow of the story and made it feel like it was dragging. And a couple of details should have been described right away but were left unexplained for another couple chapters that left me with a nagging/wondering feeling that distracted me from what was happening. Other than that, the story was very good and I enjoyed it, my favorite aspect being the two men and their relationship.
Oh, and a side-note, doesn’t the guy on the cover look like a tatted-up version of Shia LeBeouf?
I love books about psychics, so I was excited to read this one. Simon is in Myrtle Beach, living openly as gay and psychic after upsetting events cost him his college professorship and his lover. He is lonely but happy to be living with no secrets. Vic is a homicide detective who relocated after a paranormal event created chaos at his prior post. Vic just wants to solve murders and put his past behind him.
When Vic and Simon meet, there is an immediate connection. Vic wants to be with Simon, but he’s worried that Simon might not be telling the truth about where he’s getting his information on the murders taking place in town. For his part, Simon isn’t sure he can be with another person with doubts, who doesn’t fully support him. Meanwhile, there is an evil serial killer choosing victims who have something in common, and he begins to turn his focus to Simon.
This was a terrific story. I was fully engrossed from page one. Simon and Vic were each so likeable, and they were both so afraid of being hurt again. They were beyond hot in the bedroom (or on Simon’s couch), and they had moments of sweetness that made me smile. I loved Simon’s friends, but I often wanted to slap Vic’s partner. And the killer was truly creepy. I loved the author’s writing style and imagination. The book was excellent, and I recommend it to others like me, who love a bit of supernatural mixed with mystery and romance.