Book Review: A Panicked Premonition (Psychic Eye Mystery) by Victoria Laurie

A Panicked Premonition is the fifteenth book in the Psychic Eye Mystery series by Victoria Laurie. I read many of this series, but am certain I missed some along the way.  I think most fans of the author, even if they missed a book or two, will be able to catch on quickly. However, some newcomers to the series might get lost in the relationships and quirks of the series.

Professional psychic and FBI consultant Abby Cooper has used her inner visions to get her out of many a scrape—and solve many a crime—but she’s about to face a murder scene that will put all her powers to the test. Abby’s husband Dutch has a side business providing security and building panic rooms for wealthy clients. One morning, one of Dutch’s partners, Dave, goes missing on his way to meet a client. Abby’s intuition tells her something terrible has happened to him.  Then two of Dutch’s clients are found brutally murdered inside their brand new panic room, and most of the evidence points to Dave as the killer.  With the authorities racing to find and arrest him, Abby's got to use all her intuitive prowess to get to Dave first, discover the real killer, and save her husband's business. This is one case where Abby is positive there’s far more to this mystery than meets her inner eye.

A Panicked Premonition holds up well in the genre of cozy mysteries. I found that Abby and her friends continue to grow and change as the world around them effects them. I like that they so obviously care about each other, and tell each other the truth- even when it might be hard. I also like that the mystery is multi layered, and while I quickly decided that it was not the obvious culprit- the final reveal left me stunned on a few small details. I liked the way the psychic flavor was worked into the story, definitely playing its role without coming in as campy or solving the entire case with out overcoming actual detective work. I loved seeing the interactions between Abby, Dutch, and the rest of the crew as they settle into life as married couples, and working together in their own way. The characters and the solid mystery kept me eager to see what would happen on the next page, and how Abby might react. I did feel like I might have missed a book or two, or perhaps it has just been too long since I read the previous book, because I did not remember some little things mentioned or alluded to in the book. 

A Panicked Premonition is a wonderful continuation to the series, and had me guessing until the very end. The characters and writing style have stayed consistent, and the mysteries seem to have gotten more complicated and compelling.