A big storm is brewing, there’s a killer on the loose, and the ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless. Psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his sexy cop boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato have their hands full helping the Grand Strand brace for rough surf, driving rain, and high winds as a winter storm roars toward shore. Everyone’s on edge, and rumors are rampant about sightings of Blackcoat … Blackcoat Benny, a ghostly omen of danger, and worse, the Gallows Nine, the spirits of nine infamous criminals hanged back in the 1700s, a harbinger of disaster. Rough tides wash the wreck of an old pirate ship into shallow waters, high winds threaten to damage an old mansion with a dark past, and the citizens of the beach town hunker down to ride out the storm.
As the skies grow dark and the sea turns wild, several men from prominent local families end up dead under suspicious circumstances. Simon’s premonition confirms Vic’s gut feeling—the killing is just getting started. As Simon tries to reach out to the spirits of the murdered men to help the investigation, he’s attacked by malicious ghosts that don’t want anyone getting in the way of their long-overdue vengeance.
With the storm hammering the coast, and new victims piling up, Simon is certain that the sins and secrets of the past are coming due, and that the murders have a supernatural link. Vic and Simon race to stop the murders against an unholy deadline, but as they battle rising tides and risen ghosts, can they save the intended victims without getting trapped themselves?
The Rising is the second novel in the Badlands series. It is a MM romance intended for readers 18 years of age and older.
more
I loved this installment of Morgan Brice’s Badlands series. In this book, Vic and Simon are an established couple and are coming to terms with the dangers of each others’ jobs. Vic has a particularly hard time with this. It takes him a while to realize that Simon fears for him just as much as he fears for Simon. Vic has fully accepted Simon’s gifts and the help he provides with his police cases. Miss Eppie and Gabriella play an active roll in this book, providing on the ground assistance in addition to talismans and advice. I recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries and ghost stories. I hope Morgan Brice writes more in this series.
I’m loving all the murder plots with a supernatural twist. It makes the books fun to read. Both Simon and Vic are so cute and fun to read about them. I like that in this book they are navigating things in their relationship and also solving crime. The pirate theme and history was very intriguing to read. I really hope there will be more books with these two in it.
*I received a free copy of this book via the Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
In the first book of the series, Sebastian “Simon” Kincaide solves the case of the serial killer and leaves the evidence for homicide detective Vic D’Amato and his partner to follow up on as he decides that tackling the perpetrator is his job to do. He goes head-to-head with the madman and only manages to survive when the ghosts of the murderer’s victims band together to exact vengeance. The captain of the Myrtle Beach police department, in addition to several others on the police force, is convinced that the paranormal exists and that Simon’s psychic talents are authentic. Simon is offered a position as a consultant for the police department, making it possible for him to work more directly with Vic for those murders linked to supernatural activity.
In ‘The Rising: Badlands Book 2′, the folks of Myrtle Beach are whispering about the sightings of the spirits of Blackcoat Benny and also the Gallows Nine that was hung in the 1700s for murder and piracy. As a presage of disaster, folks are expecting winter storm heading for the Grand Strand to be one resulting in extensive property damage, personal injuries, and some mortality. When the rough tides wash an old pirate wreck into shallow waters, murders start to occur around the town. Working as a team, Vic’s standard and Simon’s paranormal investigations determine that the victims are descendants of the officials responsible for having the Gallows Nine executed centuries ago. The malicious spirits were exacting revenge for the officials’ willingness to overlook the man that the members of the Gallows Nine worked for–a rich, entitled, and well-connected crook who went unpunished all those years ago.
In addition to all the other very scary and delightful frightful content, the writer includes a connection for Simon with a male ancestor who is a weather witch who is able to make use of Simon’s corporeal existence to do battle with malevolent spirits. As was the case with Badlands, this novel features great world-building, spectacular character development (even the ghost does some growing, for goodness sake!), with extraordinary pacing and outstanding balance making this another page-turning addition to the series. Give yourself plenty of time to read the book from start to finish in one sitting as it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to put it down!
The Rising is the next full book in the Badlands series. While a storm brews, murder and mystery follows Simon around. Once again, Simon and Vic’s jobs overlap and they need to trust each other in order to get through the dangerous storm. I thought this installment in the series was fun and entertaining. There was a lot of action and we got to see some interesting ghost fighting scenes. I also truly enjoy the relationship between Simon and Vic and the love and tenderness between them is wonderful.
The Rising by Morgan Brice is the third book in the Badlands series. Vic and Simon are back with another paranormally charged case to solve. Suspense, ghosts, and danger kept me glued to the pages and the amazing love story made me smile. This is definitely being added to one of my favorite series.
Vengeance, murder and pirate ghosts! A fantastic addition to the series full of suspense and mystery. I loved uncovering the mystery and solving the murders with our beloved medium and sexy detective.
Audiobook review – Performance 5, Story 5, Overall 5
I’m a fairly newcomer to Morgan Brice’s writing. In all honesty, I didn’t really think I would care for urban fantasy/paranormal stories. But earlier this summer I was offered the chance to review a copy of another book of hers (Treasure Trail) and I loved it. So, when a review copy of the audiobook of The Rising was offered, I was happy to agree to listen to and review it.
But The Rising is book two in the series and I wanted to read or listen to the other books first. So, over the last few days I’ve binge listened to The Badlands series – #1 Badlands, #1.5 Lucky Town and #2 The Rising. All I can say is I’m really glad to have listened to all of them. Kale Williams performance of the stories was great; these are the first audiobooks of his that I’ve listened to.
Morgan Brice’s writing style flowed well for me. The stories each grabbed me right from the beginning and didn’t want to let go. All three of these books are about the same couple, Simon Kincaide (a psychic medium) and his boyfriend, Vic D’Amato (a homicide cop). Book one is about the beginning of their relationship and a pretty rocky beginning it was.
Books 1.5 and 2 focus on cases that they end up getting involved in. While I love reading/listening to series in order I think I would have been OK if I had just jumped in at book 2 because Ms. Brice does a great job of giving you information from the previous books that is pertinent to the story.
It was kind of fitting that I listened to The Rising during the first week of September. The story has Myrtle Beach waiting for a big storm and the effect that it has on ghosts in the area. I live in SW Florida and we were on pins and needles for a bit to know whether or not hurricane Dorian was going to affect us (fortunately we were spared).
There is a lot going on in this story and the blurb does a much better job of describing things than I can. I was totally captivated by Kale Williams performance of the story and I’m looking forward to listening to more books performed by him. There are a couple of short stories in the series that I haven’t read yet but I’ll be doing that soon. I don’t know if there are more books planned for this series or not but I’d sure like to read more adventures with Simon and Vic.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
This review will be posted to Xtreme-Delusions dot com on October 11, 2019.
** spoiler alert ** Simon is determined to stop those who mean harm. Vic is determined to protect the innocent. Can they work together to solve the mystery?
I liked the different spin to this book. I liked the fact that both characters had to adapt to the fact that both of their careers put them in danger, but that they loved each other enough to stand by their sides. I loved the fact that the characters were different, but at the same time their goals were the same. Good read!
OOO!! I love these stories with Simon and Vic. They hit it off from the start and now they are living together. It’s so cute. A medium and a cop who would have thunk it. This story is about a skunking ship coming up from the bottom of the sea. There is a lot of deaths and extra ghost and visions for Simon. An excellent story, it is exciting with danger around the corner plus a bad winter storm coming in. I do believe it will all come to a head when the storm hits. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
Intense and mysterious this story that had me reading a little excited. Ghost, spirits and the things of the beyond is not my thing but, I was impressed with the first book I read by this author, liked the characters, they partnership and how they worked with the supernatural. A psychic and a cop, Simon and Vic, were still adjusting to be together and each one was struggling with his fears about their partner’s safety. Handling the strong emotion was a must to face to keep their relationship and face the suicide-killing streak. Action, suspense, scary scenes with ghosts and evil spirits, mystery, violence and hot passion.
Simon and Vic are back, and now they live together. When Simon is asked to help get rid of bad mojo at a haunted house that’s being renovated, and Vic begins investigating suicides that might be something else, it doesn’t take long to realize that the two cases are connected.
I really enjoy this series, and this story has the same great blend of creepiness and romance the first one had. Vic and Simon support each other completely, and they are working on not smothering each other with their worries about each other’s job. The supporting cast of characters are terrific, and I love how they all take care of each other. The author tells an intriguing tale, which kept me on edge at times. Add in the sexy and loving connection between Vic and Simon, and you have another great read. I look forward to more adventures for this couple!
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3.5
What a ride! A psychic thrill with, love, humor and a few twists thrown in! A great read!
This was the first book of Morgan’s that I’ve read and I loved it! Really well written, easy to read, detailed and thrilling! I didn’t really feel at a loss not having read the first/other Bedlands novels but now that I’ve read this one I want to see how Simon and Vic got together and read all the other Bedlands Novels. I love the characters and the world Morgan has created!!
The first book’s story is alluded to (with an unfortunate spoiler) throughout this book, but without that, I may have been lost. This book focuses on Vic and Simon as a somewhat established couple, a cop and a psychic. There are murders, mayhem, visions, ghosts and witches, all interconnected to create a dynamic story with danger at every turn.
I enjoyed the ever-present love and unique connection between Simon and Vic and their banter was great and ‘fun times’ were hot! I liked the trust and family Morgan has portrayed with Simon and Vic and their made family/skeleton crew of Myrtle Beach. The secondary characters were great and I will be reading more about then in Morgan’s other works. All in all, a great world created, with dynamic and lovable characters! I look forward to seeing what else they uncover or tackle as a team in future stories. I look forward to more of Simon and Vic!! A great read!
Thanks for reading! For great stories, reviews and more please visit https://bookstattoosandtea.wordpress.com
“The Rising” by Morgan Brice follows detective Vic D’Amato and psychic medium Simon Kincaide as they deal with a series of mysterious crimes plaguing Myrtle Beach. Danger escalates as the weather deteriorates and the death count rises and both men struggle to find a solution that doesn’t require paying the ultimate price.
This gay urban fantasy thriller is part of the ‘Badlands’ series and provides chills and heat as the main characters continue to explore their intense connection and cope with the inimical spirits that are plaguing the town. I’m delighted that these two are adjusting to each other and deepening their relationship but for some reason I felt there was too much repetition as they came to terms with the fact that each has a dangerous profession, and for me, a couple of the intimate encounters, while sizzling, seemed almost gratuitous. Despite that, the mysterious deaths, hostile work environment, troubling visions, and gradual unfolding of the history behind the shipwrecks and the events on land all combine to provide a shivery and fascinating story that also provided cameos by the striking Gabriella and Miss Eppie as well as folks from one of the author’s other series.
These stories provide both an intriguing look at a picturesque and historical town and a believable foray into the world of the paranormal. I think those who enjoy exploring the possibilities of using psychic powers to assist in police detective work with the added bonus of following a couple of charismatic guys should definitely give this tale a try.
A copy of this title was provided to me for review
Far more ghostly and web-like than the first book in the series, The Rising takes us on a trip full of revelations, connections, historical reaching for the jugular of the present, self-realizations, relationship stumbling blocks, and foundation strengthening. To say this was a crazy ride is probably an understatement. While it took the whole story to finally bring everything together, it was a rather enjoyable journey that took turns bringing out the passion of the characters as well as the anxiety. It’s clear that this is a series to watch for a really great relationship that is built on both passion and real strength while having the driving force of the series still be carried on the supernatural threads.
Simon didn’t carry himself as well in this book as he did the first, but I didn’t like him any less. There were quite a few pieces to this particular puzzle that weighed heavier on him and I liked the way he rose to the challenge and made smart choices in terms of communication and knowing who to include with the supernatural elements. What was less appealing was his tendency here to let certain clues drop or be shelved for a longer-than-reasonable time. Those moments seemed more intentional by the author so they could mean something later in the story, but I didn’t think the way they were glossed over after their introduction spoke well to Simon’s character. If there had been a better integration and carry-over throughout the story I would have found all of it a bit more believable. Well, as believable as a supernatural-themed story can be.
It was Vic that surprised me in a good way here. He felt like a smaller role, unfortunately, even if he got as much page time as Simon, but his concern, his care, and his growing acceptance of all that Simon’s gifts truly meant for their relationship was really great. I liked that he sought advice from people he knew had good advice to give and didn’t hesitate to put it into practice, he didn’t let his pride stand in the way of what he knew was the right thing to do.
We’re meeting new characters that will, hopefully, be around in more visible roles in the future and both Simon and Vic are well on their way to really becoming a powerful couple that I can’t wait to read more about. Drama in this story was big, much bigger than I anticipated, and it didn’t all come together in a cohesive way, but it was definitely exciting to read. I do wish things were connected along the way so the big picture wasn’t so much of a constant barrage of new information in a relatively short period of time. That would have kept the point of this particular story much more focused and less scattered. Overall it was a great read and I’m really wanting more from this world sooner rather than later.
I discovered this author and series this fall via a freebie collection of Halloween short and quickly added the first book to my to-be-read list. Of course my TBR being what it is means I haven’t gotten round to reading the first in the Badlands series yet, but The Rising reads just find as a standalone with the author giving sufficient background on the characters and their relationship to follow along. The Rising was one of those entertaining mystery/suspense novels that kept me engaged from start to finish. Not only are the characters likable, but also the unique storyline kept me guessing and was a lot of fun to read.
When I first discovered the Badlands series, I was drawn by the smooth writing style and good action scenes, but it was the lively dialogue that really caught my attention. That was especially apparent in The Rising. The author weaves the narrative and dialogue together easily, managing to bring the characters to life and quickly hook me as a reader. And though the paranormal suspense trope starring a character who can see/interact with ghosts isn’t all that unique, this one never felt predictable with unique scenarios and resolutions I hadn’t predicted. I also really liked Simon and Vic together. They’re still finding their stride as a long-term couple, but the chemistry is palpable while leaving room for their connection to develop and deepen as the series continues. If you enjoy paranormal suspense, I’d definitely recommend the Badlands series. I’m very happy I discovered it and even happier I didn’t wait to dive right in and read The Rising, even if it was out of order.
*eARC received via LesCourt Author Services. The author and PA had no influence over this review*
Morgan Brice did it again! She brought pirates, magic and spirits into a wonderful story full of suspense, humor, legends and love! Simon and Vic race against time to stop evil beings from wreaking havoc on innocents lives. It was thrilling and kept me on the edge of the seat! I loved pirate lore, the friendly atmosphere of Myrtle Beach, sweet moments that Vic and Simon had together.
Simon and Vic are settling into their life together. They are so cute sometimes, but what I liked the most was how they both struggled to accept the dangers of their jobs, how they sought out their friends’ help, how they communicated and talked things through with each other. They have so much respect and trust in each other – it is humbling.
The case they are investigating this time goes far back in the past and interconnects with seemingly random acts of violence happening around Myrtle Beach and it’s residents. It was all so fascinating, so well-written. Even with so many details everything was always clear and easy to follow, there was never a dull moment. Ms Brice spun her tale like a master storyteller and I enjoyed every page of it! This is a very good series about psychic who finds love and uses his talents to bring justice to those who no longer have voice. I love Simon for his caring nature, his need to help other and general attitude. I love Vic for his faith in Simon, his support and his loyalty to the book of the law. The ending is superb! It was a marvelous read, and I highly recommend it!