It is impossible to get anyone to believe that you witnessed a murder when you have a history of sleepwalking and nightmares. At least, that is novelist Ambrose Drake's experience, while at the Carnelian Sleep Institute for the aforementioned problems, when he believes that he saw a woman's dead body. Given her own brush with an unexplainable event, interior designer and true-crime podcaster Pallas Llewellyn is initially inclined to give Ambrose the benefit of the doubt when he contacts her for help looking into the crime. What really cements their new partnership, however, is when someone attempts to put a permanent end to their investigation. With her usual impeccable sense of aplomb, Krentz (Lightning in a Mirror, 2022) deftly begins her new Lost Night trilogy with a flawlessly paced plot that is both timely and timeless. Skillfully tapping into the current vogue for true-crime podcasts with her heroine's side hustle while at the same time giving a clever nod to the eternal appeal of the Gothic with the book's creepy old sanitorium setting and rumors of a murderous ghost, Krentz's brand of smart, sexy romantic suspense remains perfectly on point.

A man who suspects he witnessed a murder asks a podcaster for help solving the crime. Months ago, author Ambrose Drake blacked out under mysterious circumstances during a writers' conference in San Diego. When he woke up, he discovered his latent talent for aura-reading had intensified to a full-fledged psychic ability. Ambrose can now open a window in his mind and "read" a person's aura with such accuracy that he can predict their future actions. Unfortunately, this new talent comes with terrible side effects: vivid nightmares and bouts of dangerous sleepwalking. His family convinces him to go to a sleep-study clinic in Carnelian, California, but instead of finding answers there, he witnesses a murder. Convinced no one will believe him, he phones in a tip to Pallas Llewellyn, one of the hosts of the Lost Night Files, a popular podcast that investigates paranormal mysteries. Pallas and both of her co-hosts also experienced bouts of amnesia followed by an enhancement of their paranormal abilities, and they hope their podcast will help them uncover the truth about what happened to them. Pallas and Ambrose quickly realize they might both have been unwilling test subjects…but to what end? They team up and use the podcast as cover for their investigation. Pallas and Ambrose uncover evidence that indicates the murder might be a small part of a larger conspiracy involving powerful hallucinogenic drugs being tested at the sleep clinic. The relationship between Pallas and Ambrose begins with wary suspicion and evolves to friendship, but the romance between them is never more than a subplot. This book is the first in a new series, and the interesting paranormal world and unsolved plotlines will keep readers clamoring for future titles. A richly layered mystery full of pleasing paranormal elements from a master of the genre. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Investigating a lead in an abandoned Californian hospital, Lost Night Files podcast host Pallas Llewellyn runs into thriller writer Ambrose Drake, who believes someone was recently murdered there. Ambrose reveals that he previously had a stay at the Carnelian Sleep Institute, where he suspects he was drugged, but he doesn't know why and now thinks it ties into a murder at the hospital. Ambrose can read people's auras, an ability that has gotten even stronger since his stay at the institute, while Pallas draws the visions she sees when reading the energy in a room. Even though she is haunted by an earlier event that left her with own blank night she cannot remember, she agrees to help Ambrose investigate. The stakes become even higher when they get close to uncovering the truth, and it becomes clear someone wants to ensure that doesn't happen. VERDICT Krentz (Lightning in a Mirror) infuses gripping romantic suspense with the metaphysical in this novel that will delight long-time fans and new readers alike. A few unanswered questions create an intriguing set-up for the next book in this new series.--Kara Kohn

What's going on at the Carnelian Sleep Institute in the quiet college town of Carnelian, Calif.? That's the question at the heart of this enticing romantic suspense novel and Lost Night Files series launch from bestseller Krentz (Lightning in a Mirror). Months before the start of the book, Pallas Llewellyn and two strangers, Talia and Amelia, all lost their memories of the exact same window of time while staying at Lucent Springs Hotel. Since then, the women have become friends and started the podcast that gives this series its name, using it to investigate what happened to them and explore other potentially paranormal cases. Ambrose Drake turns to this podcast for help after a disturbing experience. While participating in an overnight sleep study, he's positive that he heard screams from the adjoining room and believes a fellow patient may have been murdered, though the medical staff assure him he was only dreaming. The stakes ratchet higher when institute assistant Emery Geddings mysteriously disappears, leading Pallas and Ambrose to investigate--with explosive results. Krentz's plot is characteristically twisty and her characters are well-shaded. The cliffhanger ending will undoubtedly frustrate some readers, but it successfully builds anticipation for future installments. Readers will be on the edges of their seats. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency. (Jan.)