No one said being a medium would be easy.Rain Christiansen, former FBI agent and current cold case detective, is starting to think it’s the hardest job he’s ever had—and the most important. He’s determined to accept all the changes in his formerly well-ordered life, but that means embracing a whole lot of weird. There’s no instruction manual for meshing his work with his medium duties, and he’s … he’s painfully aware that he’s flubbing the job. So are the ghosts, who are becoming increasingly impatient. And stronger.
To complicate matters, he’s not sure what these spooktacular developments mean for his relationship. It certainly seems like Daniel McKenna, his partner in work and life, is in it for the long haul. But Rain can’t help but wonder how long that patience will last…and what he’ll do if Danny decides the intrusive ghosts are just too much.
Rain thought accepting his supernatural gifts would be the solution to his troubles. But he’s starting to realize his problems are just getting started.
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I fell deeply in love with Rainstorm when I read the first book about him and Daniel, P.S. I Spook You. It turned out to be a real favorite of mine. I mean hot detectives, paranormal activity, mystery/suspense, gay romance…what is not to love.
I had no idea that there would a second book, which might be a good thing because I would have been anxiously waiting the whole time. Now it just came as a big pleasant surprise.
This one should not be read as a stand-alone though, so if you haven’t read the first book yet….off you go 😉
Rain and Danny are finally back together..where they should be and they are solid. Much more solid than the ghosts surrounding Rain 😛
Who are starting to be an issue really…the ghosts. More and more seem to be seeking Rain out , and they don’t seem to care for boundaries much. Rain really wants to help them all out, and he has a nice crew helping him out, the PTU (Paranormal Tactical Unit), but not all is going as it should…
He is working “cold cases” as best as he can, while also trying to listen to all the ghosts wanting…no demanding.. his attention.
They also seem to be getting stronger and stronger and they have no issues invading his privacy and therefore intruding into his relationship.
He really needs to find a way to control his gift, but all the gurus around him seem to be nutjobs, so what now…
I love this series so hard!! I can only hope there will be more and if not, that the author will come up with something just as good. I have high hopes !!
If you are a fan of the paranormal, mystery/suspense and some sweet man on man lovin’, then you should definitely give this series a go. You won’t be sorry!!
Highly recommended!!
Even though I read the first book a while ago, I knew from the first page that I would love this one even more. S.E. Harmon nailed the snark and sarcastic humor. It was so spontaneous and fit Rain and Daniel so well. There were moments that I couldn’t help it *snorts, chuckles, laugh out loud* – this was so much fun to read. I liked that all the characters had backbone, were sharp and well written. The only thing I had a problem with was that it only had single POV, Rain’s. I would have given my pinkie to know what Daniel thought and how he saw Rain before and now.
The case of a single missing person appeared to be simple on the surface but snowballed into such a suspenseful convoluted cold case mystery! I loved all the twists and turns, all the dead ends and all the ghosts that lead Rain to discoveries. The ghosts themselves as much as they brought annoyance to both Rain and Daniel were an important part of investigation and helped Rain see his own purpose, how important was what he could do.
I hope there will be more Rain and Daniel stories. While both men at times can be aggravating and difficult, at their core they are both decent men who love deeply, serve and protect diligently, and are a great team. I enjoyed this so much. I highly recommend it.
Love Rain and Daniel’s ongoing romance and the fact they banter with each other – and loved the mystery – recommended 🙂
4.5* of great second book
I dove into this book as soon as I had finished book one and this is just as good. Rain and Danny are slowly feeling out their rekindled relationship, while Rain tries to figure out how to handle all the intrusive ghosts that keep popping in at the most inopportune moments.
I most definitely recommend this series and I can’t wait for there to be a book three.
“Principles of Spookology” is a wonderful and perfectly satisfying sequel. I adored it.
I’m so glad I’m reading this series: it’s the perfect respite from the other, angst-y and painful, series I’m in the middle of. I do love drama and angst but it’s also nice to read something that I know won’t cripple me afterwards.
I loved Rain even more here: he’s hilarious and prickly, with a side of silly I can only appreciate. He’s also a bit of a self-sacrificing idiot, but that’s my favourite kind of character trait. His relationship with Danny literally blossoms during the events of the book: it was lovely and tooth-achingly sweet to see them try again at re-building trust and re-descovering their habits and flaws, and themselves, together.
I also loved the new developments with Rain’s unique ghost-whisperer skill-set: it was hilarious to see him try and appease his ghost audience, but also kind of scary at times.
The side characters were all equally wonderful, especially the PTU team, and I’m so looking forward to reading the third book, especially after that intriguing ending.
Soooo Amazing!
This book is a perfect melding of three storylines.
It’s the straightforward detective story with catching the murderer (well, it’s as straightforward as a cold-case investigation relying on the paranormal abilities of one of the investigators can be).
Then it’s the way Rain’s trying to cope with his ghostly sightings, how it’s affecting him and the people around him.
And finally, it’s the story of Rain and Danny.
And I loooove Rain and Danny.
Their dynamic, their hot AF chemistry, and their banter. And what’s so amazing is how there’s no relationship drama – which is otherwise way too common when revisiting the same couple – but it’s still entertaining as heck to see how they evolve. And yes, there’s plenty of the warm fuzzies. But also lots of sarcasm and smut. So it’s pretty much the perfect story!
I generally prefer dual POVs, but I’m totally fine with only getting into the head of Rain. He is snarky, sarcastic and perfectly hilarious. And even though Danny can hold his own, he’s not as prickly and he humours Rain in the sweetest way.
I’ve highlighted the f*** out of this book. 38 highlights is definitely a personal best. And all of them are hilarious exchanges between Danny and Rain, or simply Rain’s priceless inner monologue.
Harmon just writes the most amazing characters. It’s truly impressive how she manages to portray these complex individuals and make them so utterly perfect in their imperfections. They’re lovable and funny and I think that’s probably what makes all her books stand out so much. Her warm portrayal of people combined with the most awesome humour.
So, basically, this is a fabulous story.
However, I need to mention two things that didn’t make sense to me. One of my objections about the previous book was that I got the impression Harmon couldn’t keep the timeline straight, and that she sometimes forgot certain things supposedly happened many years ago. In a way, that happened in Principles of Spookology too.
*Warning, slight spoiler ahead*
It’s a cold case, a ten year old murder, yet when Rain can’t get a hold of a guy he wants to interview for the first time, he speculates about that guy laying low because he doesn’t want to talk to the police. Also, I couldn’t reconcile the age of the murderer with his murder-spree. Eight victims, killed 3-5 years apart… It doesn’t add up.
Many murder-mysteries tend to have a short summary of the case in the end. Maybe it’s the MC who lays it all out there and connects the dots in his head. I would have liked that in this book (and in the prequel). It might be that I just missed those details that would have explained the timeline. But I guess I’ll need to do a re-read to figure out if that is the case. And I will be reading this book again, once I’ve forgotten the details of the mystery. Because Rain and Danny are just that great.
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blog.se/principles-of-spookology-the-spectral-files-2-by-s-e-harmon/
I am a big fan of SE Harmon’s writing and this book does not disappoint. It is important to read the first book in the series, PS, I Spook You, before this book so you fully understand the characters/background though the storyline for this book stands on its own.
Rain and Danny are getting used to being back together and working together. Rain is trying to come to terms with his abilities now that he has embraced them. The new paranormal unit at the police department is on some shaky ground (though I don’t really understand why) and Rain is being inundated with ghosts.
There is one primary cold case that the team is dealing with and the victim’s ghost is not being particularly helpful. Danny is insistent that Rain get some help with understanding his abilities and a series of comic misadventures with gurus is entertaining. There is Harmon’s usual snarky and witty writing and the character development is well done so we get to understand the MCs even better. The secondary characters are interesting (I really want more Tabitha!!) and there is a lot of fertile ground here for this series to continue. The story arc moved a little slowly for my liking but it wasn’t stagnant. The epilogue was both amusing and sweet.
The writing is top notch with very few proofreading errors. Strongly recommend.
*I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review *
A rating. This book was just as good as the first one (that I loved). I hope this series continues and continues and continues. I could read stories about these two for years…yes, please!
Principles of Spookology is a good continuation of The Spectral Files series.
The cold case(s) is delivered much better this time around, with lots of twists and turns and a few surprises thrown in for flavor.
I got a better understanding of Rain’s gift this go-round. With things changing in Rain’s dealings with the ghosts, Danny convinces him to seek out someone who can help him to get a handle on the whole process. This search turned into a comedy of errors that kept me in stitches.
The romance between Rain and Danny has progressed to the point where I am confident in a HEA, and I continue to root for them to commit 100% to each other. Their passion is just as strong as ever.
The snark and sass from the first book are back with a vengeance. These two play off each other beautifully, and they don’t spare anyone else who dares to join them.
The cold cases evolve into something heartbreaking and disturbing. The facts uncovered had me on the edge of my seat, and I shed a few tears for those poor souls.
I enjoyed this. I look forward to more from this author.
Rain and Dan works and lives together… well almost, there’re some few details to deal with.
Rain is still trying to help ghost, but when they start to be more demanding and invade his life with Daniel, Rain needs to find a way to have a balance between the dead and living humans.
This book was as good as the first one if not better.
I adored this sequel, I forgot how Rain and Daniel are hilarious, especially Rain. They are in tune, even when they pretend to not be, they totally are.
The plot was well written and captivating. Between their investigations, Rain and Dan try also to find a balance in their life.
It can’t be read as a standalone, and I gladly encourage to read both books, they worth it.
This second book in The Spectral Files is so much more than the first one. I’ve so much fun watching Rain being bombarded with request from a variety of ghosts this time around. Although the poor guy is stretched rather thin, between his responsibilities, the increasing demands of his ghostly visitors and the strain all of it puts on his relationship with Danny. They’ve lost their privacy and they don’t seem to get a brake or helpful assistance.
It was awesome to watch them juggle all of it, while the dangers and mysteries pile up. I laughed out loud, got spooked, I awed and swooned. Danny and Rain are amazing, and I really can’t get enough of them.
Now,if only the author would consider adding more books to the series, and I’d be the happiest reader.
Salvation & Moonbeams
In this week’s Washington Ghost…I love the unique and eclectic cast of characters (there’s definitely one I’m dying to know more about) and the humor that constantly runs throughout each book, but must admit that Rain has way more patience than I do. My favorite thing in this series, aside from Danny and Rain, are the ghosts. These aren’t your standard meek and placid ghosts. They have attitude and dare I say, spirit.
“I love you because my heart says so. I like you because I say so.” The back and forth between Rain and Danny is entertaining and makes me laugh. What gets me each time though is how much they love each other. They never fail to make me feel and it doesn’t hurt they have scorching chemistry either. I adore Danny’s protectiveness and his heart-meltingly sweet gestures but nothing surpasses the amazing bond they have together. Together they make a chaotic but beautiful puzzle. An engaging mystery combined with a fantastic paranormal tale, this book and series will grab hold and not let go.
As the second book of this amazing series, the story followed the same outline than book 1 so the plot again is about cold cases and ghosts. I found endearing how Danny and Rain kept growing into their relationship while struggling with all the ghostly activity around their lives. More action, danger and mystery but also more romance, hot scenes and love declarations than ever. I am expecting a book 3 to follow on the pending issues left at the end of this one. Pretty please with a lot of sugar on top???!!! I can’t wait!!!
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.