The Black Merchant

A Paranormal Mystery (A Madison Meyer Mystery, Book 2)

By: Shannon Reber

Narrated by: Lauren Rodriguez

Madison Meyer has come across her first case as a paranormal investigator. The trouble is, she's not sure if the girl who hired them is even telling the truth. Or she's not sure until she gets marked by the winged demon Hadley told them about.

Their client is a 17-year-old girl who was sent to Hope House, a live-in counseling center. After hiring Maddie and Erkens to find her missing friend, Hadley also disappears. She's not the only girl to be unaccounted for in Pittsburgh either. The clock is ticking. Can Madison figure out where those missing girls are being held before it's too late? Do you know who the black merchants are? The truth can sometimes be far more painful than lies. What is truth and what is lies?

©2017 Shannon Seachrist (P)2023 Shannon Seachrist

Madison Meyer in The Black Merchant

Madison Meyers returns in her second adventure. I enjoyed seeing the personal growth in Madison as she takes on her first official case. Shannon Reber has written a strong yet sympatric character without employing the regrettable teenage troupes that I find in too much supernatural fiction. She has deftly handled the "too smart girl" in awkward social situations. Adults in the story act realistically. The world building is solid without me asking myself "And nobody noticed this until now?" Thankfully Shannon avoids the graphic use of gore or sadism to create her brand of suspense.

Lauren Rodriguez's voice acting was superlative. Teenagers sounded like teenagers. Even when the room got "crowed" her voices remained unique to each character.

Spending 6 hours and 48 minutes driving with Madison was a joy!