The Abandoned - Amanda Stevens - Kobo

The Abandoned is a suspenseful, romantic, and a little horrific ghost tale about a psychology student who works at a psychiatric hospital.

After the death of her favorite patient, Violet, Ree Hutchins starts to sense the undead around her.  Because of her concern and suspicion of ill treatment, she is forced to investigate a secret society to uncover a centuries old secret and bring clarity to the present.

What she discovers brings her deep into the merging worlds of paranormal psychology, graveyards, the dead, the living, and a somewhat unconventional justice system. With the help of her friends, including deemed Graveyard Queen, Amelia Gray, Ree is escorted through the dangerous and sad terrain of past and present to help an elderly lady and her mother who suffered for a lifetime.

It’s no surprise to me that Amanda Stevens has written several romantic novels.  The romance between Ree and her paranormal investigator/lawyer friend, Hayden, is believable, sensual, inviting, and is a wonderful companion to the suspense of the novel. The suspense holds its own, regardless, and is unpredictable, delivering a great ghost story with lively characters. But it’s not just a ghost story; it’s also a scenic exploration of unknown energies and the motives of the living and the dead.

I have never been a lover of graveyards, but I did recently visit one a few weeks ago. I took these photos of tombstones.  They now mean more to me as I wonder about the lives of the owners.

The prequel, The Restorer, is Amelia Gray’s story.  The Graveyard Queen series continues with The Kingdom and The Prophet.

I will be reading more of this series!