" Death hangs heavy in the disturbed air if Ireland's lonely Loughnabrone peat bog, an ancient, holy place, steeped in legend, drowned in sorrow and long since abandoned by man.

Pathologist Nora Gavin and her lover, forensic archaeologist Cormac Maguire, are forced to work together once again to solve these strange, brutal deaths. However, as rumours of revenge and hidden gold swirl around the choking peat dust, Nora and Cormac must realise that Ireland's gruesome pagan past is nothing compared to the very immediate dangers that threaten not only their relationship, but also their lives."

I enjoyed this book far more than I enjoyed Erin Hart's first book, Haunted Ground and am looking forward to reading subsequent books which I hope that she will write.

Her major characters do not stand out in nearly the same way as some of her minor characters do but I've read excellent books by popular authors for whom the same could be said; Alastair McLean and Desmond Bagley come immediately to mind in this regard.

Nora Gavin, the heroine of the first two books in the series is a cardboard cut-out but except for slight irritation about the fact that she has no depth and bemusement at her fixation on her sister's murder [which has nothing to do with the story except as an excuse for Nora to disappear back to America at the end of the book] this lack of depth does not detract from the story. I am certain that she will be back in Ireland when the next body is found in a bog.

I'm posting this book to sally906 as a RABCK. Enjoy :)

What a surprise - I have read Haunted Ground - but haven't read this one - thank you :)

Thankyou so much, sally906, for this RABCK. Having read Haunted Ground not long ago I'm really looking forward to this one. Let's hope the second book lives up to the promise of the first.

Thankyou also for the fantastic bookmark you included. It's lovely.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as Haunted Ground. It seemed to drag on and on. Nora suspecting every man she'd ever come in contact with got extremely irritating. I'd be happy never to hear about her again. Cormac played a minor role in this book - it seems he was just there for Nora to suspect. I had to wonder why Maureen Brennan made an appearance at all - it seemed so pointless. As does the burgeoning relationship between Liam Ward and Catherine Friel unless Hart was setting up the next book, which is not the case. The next one will be about Nora in USA & Cormac with his father.

It probably wasn't really that bad, just that Nora is a bit of a pain. In fact, it's quite a good read if a little long & maybe a bit confusing in the archaeology department.

Sent to Pat-the-rat for the OzVBB.

Thank you so much Catsalive, so sorry i have taken so long to journal.