≡ Download City of Masks A Cree Black Novel Daniel Hecht 9781582343594 Books

City of Masks A Cree Black Novel Daniel Hecht 9781582343594 Books

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City of Masks A Cree Black Novel Daniel Hecht 9781582343594 Books

This author really needed a better editor. City of Masks is a 400+ page book that should have been 300 pages, tops -- to say the pace is slow is to say not nearly enough. The protagonist's "deep secret" is wholly predictable from the first time it's mentioned, and the resolution comes as a surprise to no one who has any understanding of the human condition. I have to add that Mr. Hecht's portrayal of a female empath is not terribly believable; this women sits around naked doing yoga? This seems to be more the author's fantasy than a real woman's behavior. I won't be buying any further books in the series; don't have the time to waste.


Tags : City of Masks: A Cree Black Novel [Daniel Hecht] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. In City of Masks</i>, the first Cree Black novel, parapsychologist Cree and her partner take a case in New Orleans's Garden District that leaves them fearing for their own lives. The 150-year-old Beauforte House has long stood empty,Daniel Hecht,City of Masks: A Cree Black Novel,Bloomsbury USA,1582343594,FICTION Mystery & Detective Women Sleuths,Fiction,Fiction - Mystery Detective,Fiction-Mystery & Detective,GENERAL,General Adult,Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths

City of Masks A Cree Black Novel Daniel Hecht 9781582343594 Books Reviews

I purchased this book as a daily deal, but didn't have much hope for it as it's not my usual genre. But after reading a couple of chapters, I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. The depth of the characters surprised me, as did the intensity of the mystery. The settings were well done; I could almost touch and feel things as the author described them. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series. Thanks for the excellent read!

P.S. The version did have quite a few errors in it. Although they were annoying, I was still able to get past them and enjoy the story. Hopefully they are fixing them and that's why it's not available on at the moment.
As stated, if you're more into drama or romance than sci-fi and horror, you'll most likely enjoy this book. For me, it was an ok read for the odd moment, but only because I bought it expecting the latter. Well written, with a strong enough story and characters to keep my attention, even though it wasn't really my cup of tea, genre- wise. Takes a pretty fair writer to pull that off.

Don't get me wrong. This book is, in fact, about ghosts and spirits. It's just very strongly rooted in the day to day, real world. If you like to read about real life paranormal researchers and the way they might go about their business, instead of spinning heads and pea soup, this book will probably be right up your alley.
This story revolves around a parapsychologist named Cree Black, who is called in to investigate a terrifying haunting in an old New Orleans house. The person being haunted is a middle-aged woman, Lila Beauforte, who hails from an old New Orleans family. After Lila moves back into her ancestral home, she finds herself haunted by a very violent ghost with the head of a boar.

The author's take on ghosts is very novel and fascinating. Cree Black is an empath who finds herself resonating with the psychological remnants of trapped spirits. These are not your misty ghosts that travel around freely; these are remnants of spirits that are re-enacting very specific and emotionally-charged actions. The author also has a very keen sense for human emotion. The book did drag on a little too much, especially toward the end; there are a lot of threads running through the story. And the formatting for the edition was quite distracting. But overall, this was a very solid and engaging read.
I got a sample of this book expecting an entertaining potboiler, and I was intrigued because it was set in New Orleans, one of my favorite cities. Well, it was entertaining, but certainly not a potboiler. The characters are well-developed and likeable, and the book presens an interesting theory about the origin of ghosts. Cree, the heroine, is particularly well-drawn, with an immense capacity for compassion for victims and "sinners" alike. The description of New Orleans was wonderful--colorful and focused on the best (in my pagan view) facets of New Orleans culture. It really did the city justice. Of course, it was set in pre-Katrina New Orleans, which made it both nostalgic and poignant. Some, if not all, of the poorer neighborhoods Cree visits are in all probabiity gone. The plot is full of surprises as Cree attempts to unravel the family secrets that have led to the hauntings she has been called in to resolve. In fact, I liked this book so much that I am already reading the second book in the series, Land of Echoes.
What I liked most was being able to search the internet and find any location Mr. Hecht mentioned. There really is a Deanie's Diner; in fact there are two of them in NO. The same accuracy is true for Seattle, where PRA's office is based. I got a real feel for both cities.
I also appreciated quality of Mr. Hecht's writing. It's for his literacy, for his research, and for his attention to detail that I'm giving this novel four stars. I think, though, that there are three books, here, two of which got in the way of the ghost story I started reading. The romance between Cree and Paul is a stand-alone novel. And the fall of once-prominent New Orleans families is another. Combining all three made me feel impatient. Two-thirds of the way through this version, I found myself often checking the location to see how much more I had to go. I don't know whether I'll spend time reading the next book in the series.
But best wishes, Mr. Hecht, in your switch from music to letters.
This author really needed a better editor. City of Masks is a 400+ page book that should have been 300 pages, tops -- to say the pace is slow is to say not nearly enough. The protagonist's "deep secret" is wholly predictable from the first time it's mentioned, and the resolution comes as a surprise to no one who has any understanding of the human condition. I have to add that Mr. Hecht's portrayal of a female empath is not terribly believable; this women sits around naked doing yoga? This seems to be more the author's fantasy than a real woman's behavior. I won't be buying any further books in the series; don't have the time to waste.