Customer Reviews

Arousing Suspicions

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I wanted to LOVE this book as much as I love the other Marianne Stillings books. But, instead I just liked it. Her trademark laugh-out-loud humor was missing. In its place were a few sarcastic comments or dialog that only brought a grin or small chuckle. The story premise was a good one but it was easy to figure out who the culprit was early on. I didn't get a good feel for the characters' personalities until about 2/3 into the story. (Nate's being angry and insulting to Tabitha one moment and in love with her the next seemed jarring and was difficult to like). This is when the book picked up and seemed more cohesive. It wasnt' until this point that I felt an interest in learning more about the Darling family and especially Nate's brother, Ethan. The romance was ok, but felt rushed. Not Stillings' best, but worth reading. I love her writing and will continue to buy her books the minute they come out.

Tabitha March is a psychic dream interpreter. Nate Darling is a detective. He is meeting with Tabitha undercover to investigate a complaint from one of Tabitha's former clients. When Tabitha sees Nate, she is immediately disturbed because she had dreamt that a man who looks just like Nate attacked her. After touching him, Tabitha is bombarded with images of death, pain, unfamiliar people and sex between her and Nate.

When Tabitha approaches Nate with information about a murder that her client has dreamt of, Nate scoffs at first, but then evidence sends him reluctantly back to her. Soon, Nate and Tabitha are working together, but Nate is still hesitant because he doesn't believe in Tabitha's abilities. This doesn't stop him from falling for her though. Now, there's a murderer on the loose, a mystery to solve, and a beautiful psychic falling for a disbelieving detective.

I loved Nate and Tabitha in Arousing Suspicions. Nate is a very magnetic character and I missed him when he wasn't in a scene. Tabitha is a sweetheart. She's pretty and smart and was the perfect woman to rock Nate's logical, by-the-book world. Arousing Suspicions is intriguing with dream interpretation, suspenseful with a building mystery and sensual with the sizzling sexual tension and passionate loving between Nate and Tabitha. I'm looking forward to reading more from Marianne Stillings.

Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

"Arousing Suspicions" was my first book by Marianne Stillings and the reason why I bought her other five as well, so I think it definitely deserves a praising review.

Tabitha March is a self-proclaimed psychic dream interpreter. When she sees too much (aka the truth) in a cheating clients dreams he uses his influence to get the police to investigate her. Nate Darling is the cop ordered to look at her and her practice undercover. He's sceptical and not ready to believe in her abilities. But when Tabitha starts to see the murder of a woman through a disturbed clients dreams Nate has to start taking Tabitha more serious.
Soon they are in a personal relationship but because Nate's still more than sceptical of her psychic talents there seems to be no chance for them.
When the murdering continues and Tabitha is attacked Nate just can't stay away and begins to realize that the woman he loves really has some special talents and that there also may be more to the case than it seems.

I enjoyed reading "Arousing Suspicions" a lot. It's funny, intense and just the perfect book to forget everyday life.
Tabitha is a strong heroine and she is used to people being sceptical about her. She's also a very caring and honest person. Her clients and their problems are important to her and she's not working as a dream interpreter for the money. Nate on the other hand is sceptical about her from the first moment. He's a down to earth guy who does only believe in what he sees. There are some intense sparks between then from the first moment but Nate has to accept (believing may take some more time) that Tabitha is really special before they have a chance. I enjoyed that he needs time to accept something he always rejected before. I also loved how he tries to get back a close connection to his brother and sister from whom he was separated when their parents divorced.
Overall what I enjoyed most about "Arousing Suspicions" is that nothing is rushed. Characters have time to change and there are no forced happy ends (but don't worry, of course there are happy ends).
Don't miss the other two books in the series, "Satisfaction" and "Killer Charms" who concentrate on Nate's brother and sister.

In San Francisco respected business man Ed Figueroa complains to authorities that psychic dream interpreter Tabitha March is a con artist and solicitor. SFPD Inspector Nate Darling pretends to be her new client Nathan Damon. When they first meet both are stunned by the immediate attraction. When Nate tries his scam, Tabitha sees through his ruse and gives him insight into his life with his dad in Olympia while his two siblings lived with his divorced mom in San Francisco. After some miscommunication over her professional services to provide legal transcription not sex, he leaves.

Another new client Jack Griffin describes scenes of a murder in his dreams, which she "witnesses". Afterward Tabitha informs Nate what she saw in Jack's dreams; the hard evidence sleuth remains a skeptic insisting she don't know Jack until she offers him details that only the killer or an associate would know besides the cops. As she slowly wins him over that she is the real deal especially when she "sees" his last dream, they and his partner try to capture a serial killer, whom Nate assumes is Jack and Tabby thinks otherwise. Meanwhile Nate falls fall in love with Tabby, who recognized him from his first visit as a client as her soulmate.

AROUSING SUSPICIONS is a fine paranormal romantic police procedural starring the skeptic and the psychic. Though the theme has been used many times over especially of late, Marianne Stillings writes a brisk entertaining story line filled with wonderful twists that involve Jack's dreams. Fans will appreciate this delightful tale as Nate turns from "I'm Not in Love" skeptic to "I'm a Believer".

Harriet Klausner

This was my first book by this author and I was pleasantly surprised. Basically the story revolves around dream psychic Tabitha March and Inspector Nate Darling. Tabitha has a client who has been having violent dreams of murdering random people. After a woman is killed and the whole scenario fits the dream exactly she goes to the skeptical Inspector Darling to give information. The chemistry between the two are great and Tabitha is a funny spunky character who doesn't let Nate get away with anything. We are also introduced to Ethan Darling, Nate's older bitter brother which I'm assuming the author is setting up as book two. I liked the plot of the book and the mystery the characters are trying solve before Tabitha becomes the killers last victim. Good book I recommend it!

Inspector Nate Darling had a cameo in `Sighs Matter' he has since moved to San Francisco to work for SFPD and get closer to her siblings again. Nate is sent to investigates Tabitha who is a psychic dream interpreter but the complaint was that she a prostitute on the side. The sparks are strong with this couple and while they are falling in love they are also mixed up in a murder mystery. I like the dream interpreter angle and Inspector Darling mmm... good. Enjoy!

Off to read more of the Darling Detectives trilogy Arousing Suspicions(1), Satisfaction(2) and Killer Charms (3~due out September 2008).

I would also recommended; Spirited Away by Cindy Miles, Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie and The Remains of the Dead: A Ghost Dusters Mystery by Wendy Roberts.

I love the humor in Ms. Stillings' books. Highly recommend it.

The crowded field of paranormal-suspense-romantica creates a demanding reader and this author can handle the readers's concerns. Her characters
exist in a real world--where something as silly as a last name--can add stress to an already busy day. The female lead is a little weaker than I prefer but part of that is easily accounted for by the struggles she encounters dealing with her psychic gifts. Worthwhile purchase and engaging read--this author will be an auto-buy for me after the strength she has demonstrated in both her books.

I wasn't too impressed with Stillings' earlier work, Damsel In Distress - my first book by the author but bought Arousing Suspicions after reading a few good reviews on it.

I'm still shaking my head wondering how this book got such good ratings and amazed that in this day and age of the romantic suspense genre, authors are still giving us TSTL heroines, heroes who fall for them and readers who thought the heroine was smart.

Why on earth would an author let her heroine insist on going out to meet the serial killer alone? Tabitha knew he was the prime suspect, she knew the cop-hero was waiting for the opportunity to get in touch with the elusive suspect, she's terrified coz she's psychic and 'saw' these murders and still, she agrees to meet the guy alone without clearing it with her cop-hero. Of course things go belly-up and Nate is injured in the fiasco. Whether the suspect turns out to be the killer or not is beside the point. The heroine is so dumb and downright ditzy, I could not but roll my eyes every time she whined about not being taken seriously. Oh puhleeze...

Maybe ten years ago or even less, I'd be more forgiving but I'm not so generous in my old age and couldn't buy into Nate's attraction for the TSTL Tabitha. What does it say for a man who could fall for a nitwit like Tabby (that's what he calls her) It's bad enough I hate the heroine but it's worse for the hero when I can't respect him.

Didn't finish the book and daren't try Stillings' new title, Satisfaction.

I've never read this writer before but I picked it up in the grocery store because I read the back cover and thought it sounded interesting. I was very mistaken. I found the book long, drawn out and boring and to top it off I really dislike both the main leads.