As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?

Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride’s family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.

When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.

Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland?



http://youtu.be/Owd613623ME
(I talk about Tandem: A Novel by Tracey Bateman at the 1:30 mark.)

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book (see my reading updates HERE) When I picked this book up, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. It was listed as Christian Fiction, but the synopsis was talking about Vampires. In my mind, I couldn’t wrap around that. LOL In the end I thought the book was really good. I didn’t realize it was a BOOK TWO in a series until after I finished, so I fully intend on picking up the first one which is Thirsty: A Novel.

This story follows Lauryn, an estate auctioneer whose father has Alzheimer’s, and Amede, a mysterious lady who comes to town with hopes of finding her missing sister. Since this story is more of a “mystery” than anything – I am really not sure what all I can say without ruining the experience for you! For the basics: this story is written from multiple POV. Normally, I hate multiple POV and find it confusing, but it worked well for this book. I wasn’t lost at all, and am glad I got the chance to see both of the main characters POV. It helped me connect to both – and that connection is what held me through to the end of the book. If that makes any sense. LOL

For the lore/Christian Fiction thing – This is where I wasn’t sure how the book being “Christian Fiction” would handle having vampires in it. All I can say is “WELL PLAYED TRACEY BATEMAN”. I think the author did a great job with the story. I am one of those people who hates having religion shoved down my throat, I really do. If I even feel a hint of it in a book, I put it down and move on. I didn’t feel that at all in this book, so kudos to the author. This book is more of a murder mystery thriller than anything.

If you’re wondering

SPOILER REMOVED FOR REPOST

In the end: I really connected with the characters, the lore was great, the suspense was dead on, and the mystery… well, I didn’t figure it out. Thought I did, but nope. I was wrong. LOL I say pick this up if you’re looking for some good suspense. Just be warned: this IS a book TWO!

I am so glad that I decided to read this book. This type of book usually isn't my thing but I fell in love with this book. It is amazingly written and it kept me wondering what was going to happen. I wish I would I have read the first book first but even with me not reading it first I was still able to figure out what was going on in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller. ( )

In Tracey Bateman's sequel to Thirsty, Amede Dastillion has arrived in the small Ozarks town of Abbey Hills for two reasons, one known and one very secret reason. Charley Baylor still mourns the murder of his sister, Amanda, and still seeks answers. Lauryn McBride is busy caring for her father who has Alzheimers, while trying to run the auction house he built many years before. Her main focus at the moment is the Marcus Chisom house. When Mr. Chisom died in a mysterious fire months earlier, he left behind a legacy of fine antiques and not a few questions. When these stories come together, centuries-old secrets are brought to light, causing Lauryn to rethink everything she's always believed.

This novel left me with mixed emotions. Although there were perhaps too many storylines to follow coherently, and the changing point-of-view left me confused several times, it is still a well-written novel with an engaging plot. Unfortunately, the synopsis on the book cover left out an important element to the story; it's about vampires. Now, this is probably more of a personal preference than an editorial comment, but the concept of vampires in Christian fiction still has my head reeling. From a theological standpoint, the novel and its murky conclusion is totally off-base. However, I realize that there are people who would enjoy this. As I said, it does have at times a good plot and was enjoyable. Therefore, even though I might not read another novel of this type, I still give it 3 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group book review bloggers program . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )

I will be the first to admit that I grew up loving vampire stories. I always felt sorry for them because, raised as a Christian I always wondered, what happened if you were a Christian and were bitten and became a vampire. Evidently Tracey Bateman had these same kind of thoughts. One thing I really loved about this book is that it showed both kinds of vampires. It showed those who were evil and those who truly wanted not to be what they were.

I loved the way Amede decided to follow in her father’s footsteps believing there was the possibility of redemption. I also loved the way she helped Lauryn McBride realize the changes she needed to make in her own life so that she would not have the regrets that Amede had lived with. I enjoyed the fact that I didn’t feel preached to. The reason this is so important is that I have a student who has been reading adult books for quite a while. She will devour anything about vampires.

I know that she will be just as surprised at the ending as I was. It took a major twist that has made me think about this book all day long. Will I recommend this book? You’d better believe it. It was very good. Since this was the first book I’d read by this author I figure I’d better check out some of her others. I had read about “Thirsty” quite some time ago. I was afraid I wouldn’t like it. However, I now have it on my to be read list. If you aren’t sure whether this is a book for you then click on the link below and read the first chapter. I guarantee you will like this book. ( )

Tandem by Tracey Bateman is two stories intertwined into one. The main character, Lauryn who is to get a the Chisom estate ready for auction. She is also a caregiver to her father who is slowly slipping away from reality by Alzheimers. Lauryn soon picks up the relationship she had with an old friend. The other side of the story is about Amede Dastillon who comes to Abbey Hills after she receives a package from Lauryn. Amede wants to get a few items from the Chisom estate and also look for her missing sister at the same time, nothing to drastic? No except for the fact that Amede is a very old vampire.
Tracey Bateman is also the author of numerous books including the Drama Queen and Westward Heart series. Even though this was in part a vampire story it was not really as gory as one might expect. Amede does not feed off of humans but someone or something in Abbey Hills is. I like Lauryn's character because she is a very compassionate person who takes care of her father in a loving and respectful way. The author weaved these different story lines and characters in a way that was very readable, and there was lessons to be learned from the good and evil aspects of the story. I enjoyed this story and it was a fast read. I think this will appeal to readers of the and Christian fiction genres. ( )