The past is never truly buried… something more sinister?
As the descendants of those buried in the church yard begin to experience bizarre “accidents,” Jillian tries to uncover the cause. Deeply empathic, she does not make friends easily, or lightly. But to fend off the terror taking over her town, she must join forces with artist Dante DeLuca, whose sensitivity to the spirit world has been both a blessing and a curse. The two soon realize Jillian’s murky family history is entwined with a tragic legacy tracing back to the founding of Hode’s Hill. To set matters right, an ancient wrong must be avenged…or Jillian, Dante, and everyone in town will forever be at the mercy of a vengeful spirit.
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Beware of powers that push the boundaries of time!
In this second installment to the Hode Hill mysteries, we learn of a horrific crime committed over two centuries ago that still holds a town in its fearsome grip today.
Jillian Cley follows a long line of ancestors whose duty it is to tend the burial plot of Hode’s Hill Cemetery’s first ‘victim‘, Gabriel Vane. But when Gabriel’s remains are stolen just days before All Hallows Eve, it unleashes a string of macabre accidents all tied to the town’s early descendants.
Coincidence? Or is something, or someone wreaking havoc on Hode’s Hill citizens?
Jillian must use her empathic powers as she joins forces with Dante DeLuca to end a curse centuries old.
Ms. Clair does a stellar job building tension and atmosphere as she guides the reader between events of the past and the consequences to be faced when greed uncovers murder and brings mayhem to the town.
The book is filled with expressive passages that let the reader immerse themselves in the world Clair has so perfectly created.
Here are a couple of my favorites:
Gabriel Vane wiped sweat from his face and zigzagged deeper into the woods. A sliver of moon shadowed him, ghost-white behind the frantic scuttle of spider clouds.
The old hickory tree overshadowing the grave rattled its branches with a sound like bones clacking together.
I give End of Day 5+ lovely kisses- a must read mystery!
End of Day is the second book in the Hode’s Hill series by Mae Clair. I’ve previously read the first one, which can be read as a stand-alone book. Although many of the same characters are included, the primary story is different and contained within each book. You might learn something in a later book which would’ve been better not to know in the first book, but that’s the only true risk. This series is a suspense thriller with elements from the mystery, fantasy, and science-fiction genres.
A cemetery is where someone goes when they die. The first person in a new cemetery is responsible for preventing evil from lurking further and reaching future buried inhabitants. What if the person who was intended to be buried first is no longer the first one to be buried? What if the line between human and beast is blurred ever so slightly? What if you found out who else you’re related to and how that DNA might just change your future? Jillian Cley has been tasked with protecting the town’s cemetery, but she never new exactly why… until the truth comes out. It’s scary and intriguing, easily capturing reader attention and providing the perfect balance in a story.
I enjoy books with multiple time frames. We flip back and forth to discover what happened to Gabriel Vane, the first body buried in the cemetery. We learn about the killing of Jillian’s brother-in-law and the near catatonic state it left Jillian’s sister in. In modern times, we know Gabriel’s bones have been purposely dug up. Dante returns to hold a seance, and the members of the After Life that he conjures are not as nice as the one’s from last time. In the past, Gabriel chased a wild beast to protect the town and win his beloved’s heart. Something went wrong though… and now… generations later, the family he wanted to belong to has tentacles everywhere… some good, but some not so good. Who can you trust?
Clair has an elegant and visual writing style. I happily read along, wondering where everything would intersect, eager to trace the genealogy of a few characters. I reflected back to the first book where some of the characters we met had secrets, realizing the whole town doesn’t know what happened… nor do some of their family members. Balancing the curiosity and the morbid, this story shakes up the traditional mystery with excellent peaks and valleys to keep us glued to the pages. We suspect love could blossom. We know a murder will be solved. We worry another one will occur.
I highly recommend Mae Clair’s books. I’ve read two in this series and will be reading the third next month. It was released at the end of 2019, and I’ve secured a copy. I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store.
I’m excited to share the second book in the series, “End of Day” by Mae Clair. It also is a paranormal suspense novel written with a dual timeline alternating between the year 1799 and the present. And yes… I’m raving about this book, as well!
In 1799, the village of Hode’s Hill and the surrounding community are ravaged by a beast who systematically starts killing off all the livestock.
The situation is so dire that the young Gabriel Vane, a hardworking farmer who has fallen in love with his best friend’s sister, decides that if he is to marry Dinah, he must hunt this creature to make the town safe. He also hopes to increase his chance of marriage with Dinah by undertaking this brave deed. Once Gabriel states his intentions, a few other men accompany him on his quest to hunt down and kill the beast.
Under Mae Clair’s expert guidance, we slip into the present where we reconnect with Jillian, a character from book one, who is an Empath, trying to deal with the intense feelings of everyone she comes across.
To make matters worse, Jillian’s sister, Maddy, witnessed the brutal murder of her husband Boyd. Maddy’s institutionalized as the horror of her ordeal has left her stuck in the memory of that horrible experience. Jillian will do anything to help her sister.
As Gabriel’s story twists into the present, it’s revealed that Jillian and her family have guarded Gabriel’s grave for years. When a pair of grave robbers dig up his remains, they do not understand what they have unleashed upon the people of Hode’s Hill.
Desperate, Jillian turns to the psychic, Dante DeLuca, another character from book one, to help her uncover the horrible secrets of the past.
“End of Day” coaxed me along with breadcrumb facts that deepened my connection to the mystery. The author weaves each character’s narrative into the plot with descriptions so real that I imagined myself standing with a thumping heartbeat in several scenes! It takes skill to write scenes that invoke a sense of foreboding in a reader, and Mae Clair’s gift blares across the page.
“End of Day,” is full of mystery and suspense. It will leave you on the edge of your chair (or bed) reading into the wee hours of the night (I did).
It’s hard for me to say this, because I loved book one, “Cusp of Night,” but this book was as good or better than the first book in the series. This book could stand on its own, but reading the first book gave me an understanding of the characters and the connective tissue of the town of Hode’s Hill that glues all these mysteries together. I’ve already started the third book, called, “Even Tide,” but that discussion is for another day. If you love paranormal fiction, you’ve got to read this series!
Delicious and appropriately creepy, this second book in the Hode’s Hill series merges the macabre with warmth and compassion. The story is peopled with characters you want to know. Fragile Jillian is strong when it’s needed. Elegant and artistic Dante is masculine and aloof, yet nurturing and thoughtful. For me, it seemed like his artist’s eye was painting the colorful descriptions. No spoilers here, but it’s always a relief when there are no threads left hanging at the end of a mystery, everything is perfectly tied up with an unexpected, satisfying conclusion. Looking forward to the next book with more of Hode’s Hill familiar citizens.
I adored Cusp of Night, the first in the Hode’s Hill series. End of Day surpasses it by a long shot. The author stays with her dual timelines, and it really works for this series. The tragic story of Gabriel Vane and how his demise affects the present story is wonderful. Like all of Clair’s stories, the character interactions are wonderful too. All of them are fully fleshed out, and their points of view are unique. Boys are presented like boys, budding romance is presented as kind of awkward, as it is in real life. We aren’t supposed to like the bad guys, but I enjoyed Clive. He reminded me of Lenny from Of Mice And Men. If you’re looking for a supernatural tale with a few monsters, some hair-raising scenes, and characters that are believable give this one a try.
Mae Clair is on my “must read” list, and END OF DAY is an excellent example of why. She has an unparalleled ability to grab a reader’s attention with the very first word and keep it until the last. In this case, we’re back in Hode’s Hill. And by “back” I mean BACK. This is another dual timeline story (a device I find fascinating and engaging) and both present day and historical events are handled masterfully.
END OF DAY introduces us to new characters and allows us to visit familiar ones—and get to know them even better. Her portrayals are realistic and nuanced; these are not one-dimensional clichés but rather well-developed, multi-faceted individuals. The heroes are people any reader would love to meet in real life, and the antagonists are ruthless and frightening.
Clair is a talented wordsmith who sets a scene artfully. Her descriptions draw a reader in as much as the characters do, with the setting becoming a character itself. While nothing is too gory or horrific, there is a definite sense of eerie foreboding that increases with the tension of the story and culminates in a dramatic climax a reader won’t soon forget.
Clair has (once again) taken supernatural lore and made it believable, weaving legend through emotional character arcs, fascinating plots, and brilliantly-crafted description to create another remarkable story. And I can’t wait for the next one.
Author Mae Clair demonstrates rare skill in this second book of the Hode’s Hill series. Particularly noteworthy is the ease with which she travels between the late 1700s and the present. The seamless intertwining of the storylines is, at times, breathtaking.
End of Day not only grabs at the heart, it opens doors to alternative ways of seeing. Readers face questions and possibilities, at times unsettling, at times reassuring. The story is a mystery that is full of contrasts — of time, of characters, of reality itself. And interwoven throughout is the supernatural – sometimes heart-stopping, sometimes calming, but always well-captured through Clair’s able hands.
I’m left wondering about my ancestors and the secrets buried through time. I suspect other readers might feel the same. Bravo author Clair. This was an amazing journey!
End of Day is the second book in the Hode’s Hill series. I read them a little out of turn, but I can honestly say doing so did not in any way diminish the story of each.
End of Day pretty much picks up where the first book left off. I was happy to see a character that I thought had a lot of moxie re-appear in the second book. I’m referring to the artist Dante DeLuca, a pain in the side of the Hode family. His dad worked at a lab owned by the Hodes and died there. He is no fan of the prominent Hode family.
Through tradition, Jillian Clay and her sister were responsible for watching and tending after the grave of their ancestor, Gabriel Vane. Vane was the first buried in the ancient cemetery instead of the traditional dog sacrifice, so it fell to him to take the watchdog role to ward off evil spirits.
Jillian’s sister watched the brutal murder of her husband and has not spoken in the last three years. The men who killed him are still at large. When Gabriel’s remains are stolen, decedents of those buried in the cemetery begin having accidents.
I have described only the tip of the mysteries and intrigues that are going on in Hodes Hill. The author does a great job at building suspense by flashing back to the 1700s and then returning to the present day. The reader comes to understand that actions taken back then have consequences now. Mae Clair has also created a cast of characters that are interesting and unique to the story.
The story is compelling, the characters well developed, and a very satisfying ending. I would recommend The End of Day to those who like these elements and excellent writing in their reading.
I loved the first book in this series (and have the third one pre-ordered) and was so excited to read End of Day, I made it my choice for book club.
This is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold, dreary night. Some scenes will send chills up your spine and have you glancing over your shoulder to make sure no one’s there. With book club members, it spawned spirited conversations ranging from genetics (an odd choice, I know) to our beliefs in ghosts and mediums. For this horror fan, it was a highly enjoyable meeting.
As with the first book in the series, I especially enjoyed the alternating timelines and how Gabriel’s fate was gradually explained. I remembered Dante from the previous book, and looked forward to learning more about him. He’s now one of my favorite characters in the series, and his scenes with Elliott in the role of a substitute father figure warmed my heart. Jillian’s tragic circumstances immediately pulled me in, and I count her therapy dog, Blizzard, as one of the best bookish furry friends I’ve read.
End of Day is a compelling blend of paranormal, thriller, and mystery, and although part of a series, can easily be read as a standalone. I highly recommend this well-written, atmospheric read.
End of Day by Mae Clair is Book Ii of the Hode’s Hill series. It is told from two points of view, jumping from the past to the present, keeping the mystery from both perspectives alive throughout the story.
Gabriel Vane, an emerald, and…death.
Gabriel’s death…it is so terrifyingly horrific that it gave me the shivers and had the hair on my arms and the back of my neck standing up. Mae Clair does a wonderful job of showing, not telling, as the words bring the scene to life and I couldn’t help but picture it in my mind’s eye.
Jillian Cley is an empath and that explains why she is a loner. She works for herself, designing websites. She has Maya, her one and only friend, and Blizzard, her therapy dog. I love having critters added to stories, especially dogs. It adds a ittle something extra that I like to see authors do.
Her family is responsible for the upkeep of the grave of Gabriel Vane at Hickory Chapel Cemetery. The grave has been disturbed, but they cannot allow him to die…again, the Third Death.
Elliot, her neighbor and newfound friend is going to become super important to her and she to him.
Sherree had never gotten over Boyd, her boyfriend who was murdered and she never quit looking for the secrets locked in Madison’s head. Since Gabriel Vane’s bones had been disinterred, people are dropping like flies. No two deaths are the same, no pattern. she finds a friend in Dante. She doesn’t need to convince him of anything, he already knows.
Monsters are real in Mae Clair’s world. We will definitely see them raise their ugly heads.
For whom does the bell toll? If you hear it, it tolls for you…or someone close to you.
There is a subtle hint of malice throughout the entire book. I have a feeling of doom. When will it happen? How will it happen? Who will survive the meeting?
There is an introduction to Book III, but I am not going there. It will make me agonize over the wait.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of End of Day by Mae Clair.
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I enjoyed the first book in the Hode’s Hill series, Cusp of Night, and liked this one even better. Though characters from the first book are present in the periphery of the story, Clair switches the main focus to Dante and Jillian for this second book. Reading the first novel in the series is helpful for some of the details, but End of Day can easily stand alone. The story is straight forward and wraps up tightly in the end.
The book is a nice blend of paranormal, thriller, and mystery genres. Clair intersperses the present-day story with glimpses into the past (1799) and the grisly murder of Gabriel Vane. It’s the desecration of Vane’s grave that kicks off the book’s paranormal activity including a string of deaths. Two parties attempt to obtain an emerald taken from the grave, one committed to returning it along with Gabriel’s bones, while the other plans to use the gem’s magic for personal enrichment and power. A secondary plot related to a brutal murder runs parallel and in time the two intersect.
I found the action believable, the characters genuine, and their relationships authentic. I was particularly riveted by Gabriel’s story – tragic, full of emotion, and beautifully written. Secondary characters are also well-drawn with distinct personalities. End of Day is an engaging read and highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars Eerie, Suspenseful, and Very Well Done
Mae Clair has returned to the weird little town of Hode’s Hill, where things aren’t always as they seem, and where the terrible sins of the past continue to impact the present, often in undesirable ways. Once again, Clair has used her excellent writing skills to pull readers into this mystery within a mystery. She layers chills upon heartbreak upon budding romance, and the result is a seamless story that works beautifully, and reminds us that what we think we know of our own history just might not be the entire truth.
If you love eerie, paranormal tales filled with well-developed characters and a touch of romance, I highly recommend this book. It’s every bit as good as, if not better than, Book 1, Cusp of Night. I can’t wait for the next one!
This is a paranormal suspense novel with a dual timeline alternating between a contemporary timeline and the year 1799. A centuries-old curse grips a small town. There are thugs, a sweet dog, monsters, a supernatural talisman, a no-nonsense policewoman, likable characters, despicable characters . . . this book has it all.
THE PROS:
Dual timelines are hard to write and can be clunky to follow, but Clair’s writing makes for easy transitions between the timelines. I never got lost or felt jarred.
The main character, Jillian, is an empath, and when she gets overwhelmed by others’ emotions, Clair’s descriptions of Jillian’s state of mind feel real and quite plausible. Jillian is also unusual for a protagonist. She chews on her lower lip and worries. She’d lose in a bar fight. Yet she’s strong in her own way, and she’s brave enough to use the paranormal in order to help those she loves. It is easy to root for her.
The child characters are well-drawn, not just props. Young Finn and Elliot are clever and (mostly!) likable boys.
One of the cemetery scenes is so gut-wrenching that I clenched my jaw the whole way through. Awesome.
THE CONS:
Can’t think of any. Of course, this is not a horror novel. It’s paranormal suspense. So if you’re looking for a Chainsaw Massacre or another Salem’s Lot, you’ll be disappointed.
OVERALL:
An eerie, suspenseful book full of other worldly fun.
Having read and loved “Cusp of Night” I’ve been waiting for the second book of the Hode Hill series. I enjoyed this book as much, if not more than the first one. The budding relationship between Jillian, a reclusive empath, and Dante, the wealthy artist who does seances, was the perfect fit. Several stories were going on and told from two different timelines. It was an ideal balance between now and then. Learning about Gabriel in 1799 and how it affects Jillian and the town now, made it hard to put the book down. As sweet as some of the relationships were, many parts were terrifying. Ms. Clair gave the reader a close-up look at human fear, greed, and cruelty. This beautifully-written paranormal thriller has it all including a powerful emerald, deadly church bells, murder, therapy dogs, grave robbing, monsters, relationships, love, and truth. I highly recommend this book and author!
All I can say is “Oh, wow!” I’ve been waiting and waiting for this book, and it was even better than I expected it to be! The story was wonderful. The characters were wonderful. And the reason behind everything was…you guessed it, WONDERFUL. I kept wondering why the plague hit Hode’s Hill. And I never saw the neat twist coming. I liked every single character so much! Well, everyone but the villains. And even then, Clive tugged at my heart. The conclusion of Warren and Clive’s story was so perfect, it choked me up. I loved this book so much! I can’t wait for book 3 to come out.
Mae Clair has an incredible ability to draw readers in and keep their attention. I’ve read several of her books, and like the others, End of Day kept my interest until the end.
The first of her Hode’s Hill Series, Cusp of Night, was the first book I had read with parallel storylines. Mae takes you back in time to tell the story of Gabriel Vane. His life is closely intertwined with modern day character, Jillian Cley, whom we meet briefly in Cusp of Night.
Jillian has a unique gift, and her family has been guarding Gabriel’s grave for hundreds of years. But when modern-day grave robbers unearth his remains, they unleash more than they bargained for. She enlists the help of Dante DeLuca to expose a long-buried secret to save the town of Hode’s Hill.
Clair’s vivid descriptions, her tales of supernatural folklore, and spine-tingling suspense make this book hard to put down.
I eagerly look forward to the third book of this series.