First time I read this author. I can't wait to read her other books. Her character and scenery description are wonderful. I can feel, hear and see the things and people she is writing about. Gallows Ascending is a gripping mystery with historic undertones. Luke is a mystic that activates ones mind to think about the world.

Dr. Beth Rutledge is hurtling down the rabbit hole under suspicion of killing her daughter when she discovers that she has stepped into an age old struggle of good and evil. Luke Stone, an empty shell since the death of Consuelo, is pulled into the epic battle and together they survive and heal.
Armand/Downing is still out there. Stay tuned!

Gallows Ascending is the second book in the Stone Quest series and adds more depth to the well-loved characters we met in book one. The story follows psychic Luke Stone who has lost his wife Consuelo and now resides in the tiny village of New Camen. A new romantic interest is in the works, but the truly unique facet of the book is the juxtaposition of the modern tale with a 250 year old lynching of a Ruth Blay (ancestor to a new character Dr. Beth Rutledge). Luke’s embracing his talents come in handy when the doctor’s ex-husband is murdered. Lots of unexpected plot twists as old relationships are uncovered. A wonderful sequel to Desert Chimera.

I thank Leigh Podgorski for giving me a free soft copy of the paranormal thriller Gallows Ascending (sequel of her introductory book, Desert Chimera in the Stone Quest series) for a free review.
Gallows Ascending continues the story of psychic tracker Luke Stone who has settled in the small seaside village New Camen after he lost his wife to Consuelo to cancer and is using his psychic powers to find missing children.
Dr. Beth Rutledge, a paediatrician, is suspected of killing her child who was suffering from leukaemia, and loses her hospital privileges until the case is settled. Chance leads her to the same village and into Luke's life.
The thrilling prequel of this novel shows a young woman Ruth Blay being publicly hanged to death over 250 years ago, and this is a recurring nightmare for Dr. Beth. Then Dr. Beth's husband is murdered, and she is found next to him, so she is obviously the prime suspect… Lots of unexpected twists and turns and a jolly good read.
BUT, there are several spelling errors, missing quotes, over-long sentences, opening quotes instead of apostrophes. AND a little more background of Desert Chimera would give more depth to the tale.

" Gallows Ascending" by Leigh Podgorski is a fast-paced, hauntingly intense novella that begins thirteen years after Luke Stone's confrontation with the black magician Armand Jacobi. Luke's wife Consuelo has died of cancer and he's become aloof wandering the coastline near his home in New Camen, New Hampshire when he's not searching for missing children.

Dr. Bethany Rutledge accused of murdering her daughter, stripped of her medical license and fleeing an abusive marriage has also taken up residence in the village with her friend Cordelia Lysek. Haunted by a vision of the unjust hanging of Ruth Blay she begins to unravel clues to a curse that has lingered since 1768. When Beth is found lying on the beach near the body of her dead ex-husband politician Adrian Mountzaire, she's arrested and accused of the murder. With romance already brewing between Beth and Luke he agrees to investigate the mysterious murder that seems to be linked not only to the past but to a missing boy.

Skilfully Leigh Podgorski sets the stage with a beleaguered doctor haunted by the death of her daughter and an ex-husband determined to have her committed. In the same town Luke Stone devastated by the death of his wife would consider giving up his tenuous hold on life if he wasn't involved in finding lost and broken children. These two shattered lives find solace in each other's arms while trying to find a killer. The plot is action-packed and mesmerizing as events unfold. With vivid description the author contrasts an image of the tempestuous sea near Camden with the storm in the lives of Beth and Luke. In a storyline that blends visions of death, a ghostly ride, a myth from the past and paranormal powers the reader is held spellbound from the first page to the last. Even the ending holds the promise of a riveting third book. However, the structure of the plot holds few surprises as there are very few twists and turns.

The personalities in this story seem driven by their brokenness or flaws and faults in their makeup. Dr. Bethany Rutledge a medical doctor is dedicated, confident and caring. She's haunted by her daughter's death and cruelly pursued by her smooth-talking, controlling ex-husband Adrian Mountzaire who wants her locked away to save his declining political career. Luke Stone, a tracker uses his paranormal skills to look for lost and abducted children. A kind-hearted and decent man he finds a reawakening of the heart he thought frozen after the death of his wife. The Shirley sisters- Druscylla and Amalthea- are refined, polite but very reclusive. Druscylla haunted by an old injury is malformed and fearful while Amalthea is overly protective of her sister and very compassionate. I would have liked more complexity in the personalities of the characters which would have heightened the tension, drama and power of the story.

However I enjoyed "Gallows Ascending" and rate it a 3.5. I intend to read all the books in this series.

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. I love Leigh's prose; I find it compelling in her description and development of each character. Man, she can really put you inside a crazy person's head! I also love the tracker element, which those who read Desert Chimera will know has supernatural elements to it. I like the way Luke uses that ability while still trying to push away all the other stuff that powers it. How many of us would like to stay productive, determined or capable while not having to experience the anger that drives us? Great psychology during a gripping adventure.

Did the book description relate to the story? The author provided a detailed description which was a great introduction to the story and Luke's confrontation.

How did you feel about the opening / ending sequences of the book? I preferred the opening sequence more than the ending and although it is the second book in the series, the introduction provides a good background into the main characters and setting.

Who was your favourite character and why? I liked Dr. Beth Rutledge a little more than Luke. She's a very conflicted character that provides some colour to the story.

Was this book worth reading? For the most part, the book was a good read but some parts went in too much detailed that you got distracted from the main story.

Disclosure - I received a complimentary copy from the author which did not affect my honest opinion.