A review by sparklingreader
The Prophet by Amanda Stevens

3.0

This is a good book with lots of creepy elements. Unfortunately, I came into the series late – this being the first one I read. That being said, I am definitely looking for the first two in order to really understand what’s going on. You don’t need to have read them to enjoy the book, but it would probably help.

In this story, Amelia returns to her life in Charleston and a haunted detective, Devlin (and his nasty dead wife, Mariama, and daughter, Shani). The ghost of a murdered cop enlists Amelia’s help, and she quickly becomes embroiled in dynamic mystery, full of lies, murder, drugs, and ghosts.

What I liked:
The writing. Amanda Stevens is a talented writer with a gift for getting under your skin.
The progression of the relationship between hero and heroine.
The more than satisfying mystery.
Stevens world-building and portrayal of Southern life and the descriptions she gives of Charleston was amazing. Made me want to curl up with a glass of sweet tea and dream of mossy trees and scrolled ironwork. Nice.

What I didn’t like:
When around Devlin, Amelia is a self-deprecating wimp. She’s also weak-willed when it comes to dealing with ghosts in general. The “I know I shouldn’t do this but I’m going to anyway” attitude got old real fast.
This was touted as the third and final in the series, but it didn’t feel like “the end” – there seemed to be too many more questions left unanswered.

Recommendations: If you’ve read the other books in the series, definitely pick this one up. If you haven’t, it’s a good story, but you’d probably enjoy it more if you read the other ones first. Still, not a bad paranormal read.