Jan Walters, Author 4.67 out of 5 based on 3 ratings. 3 user reviews.
The plot is a surprising blend of a modern whodunit cop story and a fantastical, paranormal thriller!
Walters adds to her fluid storyline by alternating a nice mix of clichéd and unexpected scenes punctuated with good-versus-evil spiritual themes. There is so much going on in Walters' narrative, but additional information will only make for spoilers.
York Street - A Ghost and a Cop Series "The story left me ready for more adventures with all the characters. I look forward to the next book from this author."
"How am I going to get out of this mess?"
Events go from bad to worse for Detective Brett O'Shea when Lisa Winslow, the love of his life, leaves for St. Louis to check out a job offer, and his new case involves a string of women murdered by a supposed vampire running loose in Des Moines. Dragos Eldridge meets Brett and his childhood friend Candy on Halloween night. Candy and Dragos hit it off immediately. One thing leads to the next and Brett learns that Dragos is not your ordinary vampire. In fact, he wants to help Brett and Michael O'Shea, the ghost of Brett's great-grandfather, find the vampire who is responsible for his altered form and the murdered women. What could possibly go wrong with a detective, a ghost, and a vampire on the case? More than they anticipate, especially when Candy gets involved.
Walters' latest tale takes readers on a quirky detective adventure into the paranormal. The second book in the A Ghost and A Cop series, Walters' plot is once again brimming with a colorful cast. As with her first book, York Street, Walters' style of noir is a unique blend of mystery and thriller peppered with just the right amount of comedy and romance. Equally important are her choice of characters and the way she adds human qualities to her protagonists, antagonists, and a flurry of foils. Combining her one-of-a-kind writing style with detailed character development creates an engaging and riveting storyline. Walters also makes sure to keep her narrative flowing by alternating character scenes and closing chapters with cliffhangers. Red Sunset Drive is action-packed and filled with unexpected everything—a perfect read for mystery and paranormal enthusiasts.
The situation in this particular novel is a doozy - vampires in Des Moines. Yes, not satisfied with the gothic atmosphere of New Orleans, the foggy mists of London, or the sinister Carpathian Mountains, the evil night creatures have turned up in flyover country, right in the heart of Iowa. If you can buy that premise, you're in for a wild ride.
Walters makes sure her hero, Detective Brett O'Shea, is ably assisted in his quest to rid the city of the bloodsucking vermin by engaging a coterie of characters - some of whom were in the previous adventure and some who were not. There's his lover, Lisa, a TV reporter who's weighing her feelings for Brett against a concern for her career. There's his coffee-swilling boss, Police Chief Anders, who knows that Brett attracts trouble like carcasses attract vultures. There's his immediate superior, Foster, a stern, but fair fellow. There's a new cop Brett's breaking in, Randall, a loudmouth with a lot to learn. And there's Dragos, an English gentleman from the early 19th century who has been transported to contemporary Iowa along with the other malignant spirits. That's right. Dragos is a vampire too. But he turns out to be one of the good guys.
The aforementioned vampire hunters join forces to find the evil Victor, nastiest bloodsucker of them all and leader of a band of ravenous villains. The plot is festooned with twists and turns but it all boils down to finding the monsters and doing away with them. Walters does a good job of adding interest by weaving various subplots that highlight the supporting characters' motivations and idiosyncrasies. Her prose is conversational and she keeps the story moving along at a swift yet comprehensible pace.
Will the good guys win in the end? Will America's heartland be cleansed of these unholy interlopers? Will Brett and Lisa stay together? If you're a fan of The Twilight Saga, The Vampire Chronicles, or even TV reruns of Castle, you'll likely enjoy this ride down Red Sunset Drive.
Walters' plot is replete with a colorful cast, a combination of foils, and a tight handful of antagonists- all designed for the purpose of developing her main character, Brett O'Shea. Unique to Walters' third person narrative is the way she weaves in comedy and a bit of romance in the midst of a dark plot. Walters' does a stellar job of balancing heavier plot elements with plenty of light bantering and hilarious scenes.
"The author's writing propels the reader forward in a gripping tale from start to finish. Although Ann and Patrick's story is at the forefront, other characters such as Malcolm, the stepbrother of Victoria whom Ann has mysteriously replaced, are equally interesting. Readers who are not bothered by the sexual explicitness of modern romance writing and who enjoy a historical setting combined with a touch of fantasy should find Walters' book well worth reading.
York Street - A Ghost and a Cop Series "Jan Walters has written a detective novel which captures the nuances of a young police officer's approach of the investigation of a serious crime."
and decide if she wants to remain in the past to have a future.
as well as provided a catalyst to advance the romance between Ann and Patrick.
and will appeal to traditionalists of the romance genre.