Story about my paranormal series. The Accordo is the third in the series.
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Story Behind The Book
Mickey needed a new adventure and I was always intrigued by Artemisia Gentileschi. I think what happened to her resulted in some violently graphic paintings. Now my Lavinia isn't Artemisia, and so what happened to her resulted in something far more sinister.
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Reviews
Roberta Smith offers a wonderful paranormal thriller filled with realistic characters -- most of them likable, and a few you'll love to hate. Mickey McCoy is a savvy, sixty-something psychic who's on the trail of an evil portrait that has the power to kill. Along the way, he encounters the host of a ghost-hunting reality TV show with a sweet wife who, by her own admission, doesn't have "a psychic bone in my body." At least one of the portrait's victims may actually deserve what he gets ... but it's Mickey's beloved wife who may be in the most danger. Smith's light, deft prose makes this a real page-turner, with terrific atmosphere, snappy dialog and just the right amount of humor. A pleasure to read! - Sierra Donovan<br /><br />The Accordo is intricately plotted and carefully researched. Roberta actually based the character of Lavinia on a real-life Renaissance artist named Artemisia Gentileschi, and these authentic details add another layer to an already packed story. The characters and their relationships with each other are particularly engaging. I loved the relationship between Mickey and Marjorie. They clearly love each other and are willing to go to any lengths to keep the other safe and happy. But it is the ghostly characters that I found the most intriguing. Although Lavinia is a truly evil and vile creature, the author manages to give her a horrific back-story that may evoke compassion from the reader. One of my favorite characters was another slightly unpleasant ghost named Avery, the dead daughter of the woman who owned the two paintings, and who has a complicated story all her own.<br /><br />And I've barely scratched the surface on the cast of characters and subplots that figure in the final showdown between Mickey and Lavinia. Smith does a wonderful job keeping all of them straight and navigating her intricate plot, while infusing her story with terrifying and ghostly events alongside some remarkable emotionally charged moments. Although I won't reveal the ending, I can tell you it was brilliant. Smith has a true gift for story-telling, and I'll be anxious to read her next book. - T. Sparks