Review: Once Upon A Haunted Moor by Harper Fox
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 4, 2013
“There is a desire deep within the soul which drives man from the seen to the unseen, to philosophy and the divine.” ~ Kahlil GibranThe Bodin Moor is a spooky place at best, but if you add tales of a monster which roams the area with ill intent, it creates the perfect setting for a Halloween nightmare. Gideon Frayne, of Upon a Haunted Moor' by Harper Fox, is at his wits end. He's exhausted every logical lead in finding Lorna, a missing child from his village, but to no avail. When the obvious methods are not productive, his mind begins to wander into the area of the unknown, particularly to the legend of a monster which roams the countryside, devouring those who cross its path. He's spent years rebuffing those who believe this tale, but right now, he's wondering if there might be some credence to the stories.Gideon does an excellent job of keeping peace in the little town of Dark. Mostly, he deals with relatively small infractions which are easily settled, but for the last few weeks, he's worn himself out in his pursuit of a small girl who has gone missing. Poor Gideon is beginning to feel that he's let his people down, especially the little girl's mother. Gideon is intimately involved in the lives of the townspeople, having grown up there, so he feels the intensity of their pain. When a psychic, Lee Tyack, arrives, Gideon is indignant, thinking that his bosses feel that he's not doing everything humanly possible and have to send someone else to solve the case. He's bound and determined to be as completely difficult and suspicious of Lee's every move. The problem is, Lee is totally charming and irresistible. He seems to be genuinely interested in helping find the girl; he's not there with a dog and pony show, taking their money, and giving the family false hope. Almost in spite of himself, Gideon opens up and begins to trust Lee. Gideon has made mistakes in the past, and has regrets that he didn't stand up for himself. This time, he's not going to hide who he is and lose another chance to find love. He doesn't know what to make of Lee's predictions, but he is convinced that he's not misleading him, that Lee wants to find the little girl as badly as he does. Gideon begins to see Lee's visions are similar to the gut reactions he often has and he starts to seriously listen both to Lee and to himself.Lee is so unassuming; he doesn't flaunt what he does in any way, shape, or form. He's a genuine person who sincerely wants to help in any way he can. The fact that he does not charge for his services gave me an instant respect for the man. As I experienced his visions and listened to the way his insight was presented, I felt an even stronger kinship with the man. He's simply a straightforward, sincere person who is willing to share his gift, even though it costs him great emotional stress. From personal experience, I know the toll that intuitive work can bring. Even when Lee knows things, sometimes he doesn’t tell the person for fear of upsetting them unduly or giving them false hope. There is a lot he can intuit on his own, but instead of assuming he's correct, he's gracious enough to let them tell him directly. Lee is not a coward; he faces fear head-on in an effort to protect others. I was delighted when he and Gideon come to understand each other on a deep, instinctive level, knowing things that words can not convey. This is a big reason for their success, even though they've known each other for such a short time; they are able to communicate without words. Lee puts himself in danger for people he doesn't even know, merely because it is the right thing to do. Together, he and Gideon are an unstoppable team.Harper has the remarkable ability to evoke feelings from me, not just with words, but with descriptions as well. She's quite adept at using the sights and sounds around her characters; they play a crucial part in creating a richer, deeper atmosphere. Lee and Gideon are vital, intriguing characters whose interactions are both contradictory and harmonious at the same time. When the men reach an understanding, their energies, both in and out of bed, glow with a special fire which makes their relationship incomparable. The story has just the right amount of suspense, intrigue, and erraticism to keep me wondering particularly whether the moor is, in fact, frequented by a monster, or not. I highly recommend this story to those who enjoy reading about English moors, small village life, hot coppers, and equally steamy clairvoyants. Thank you, Harper, for another stupendous story.Originally published at Rainbow Book Reviews.