A Barricade In Hell takes place approximately 2 years after the end of Delia's Shadow. The story combines murder, mystery, and paranormal aspects all in the historical setting of 1917 San Francisco. The story follows both Delia and her husband Gabe as they each face one of their more difficult challenges yet.
From the ritualistic murder of a police commissioners son-in-law, to the streets of Chinatown where a similar killing of a father and daughter took place, Captain Gabe Ryan and his partner Jack Fitzgerald are forced to face the reality that they may have a serial killer on the loose and this person isn't your average Joe Schmo.
Gabe and Jack are friends who also make a wonderful team. Over the past several years, they've come to understand that the world is a much darker place than they previously realized. Being around people Delia Martin, now Gabe's wife, and Isadora Bobet, the spiritual medium who is helping guide and train Delia, they are no longer disbelievers in the paranormal world.
While Gabe and Jack are uncovering even more murders and tracking down a stone cold killer, Delia is trying to uncover the reason why Gabe is apparently being haunted by a child ghost who is extremely powerful and doesn't exactly like Delia. With Delia having the ability to peer across to the other side, and ghosts as companions since early childhood, nothing is simple or easy any longer. The more Delia works with Isadora, the more she realizes she has a whole lot more to learn before she can match Isadora's knowledge and experience.
I love when authors intermingle their stories and characters with actual settings like 1917 San Francisco. So much history happened there. So many changes would soon hit the city, state, and country. With the USA's imminent involvement in the so called Great War, it isn't a reach to understand that there were people trying hard to keep the US out of the war.
I liked that the villain, who was outed at an early stage, was as devious, as the dangerous & deadly people she aligned herself with. I liked that Isadora plays a more forward role in this series, and not just someone who sits in the background like Delia's best friend Sadie who we barely see. I like the whole that Gabe, Jack, Delia, and Isadora are able to work together without too many bruised egos, or personality conflicts.
One of the more appealing facets of this series, is the fact that both Delia and Gabe have faced heart breaking losses, yet still managed to find a way to make things work in their relationship. Delia perhaps needs a bit of a confidence boast after suffering an especially painful loss, and shutting herself off from her friends for most of the story. I am not sure where Moyer will take the couple from here, but I truly hope that they do find a bit of their own happiness and not just darkness and despair.
According to Goodreads and Moyer's author page, there will be a third novel in this series called AGAINST A BRIGHTENING SKY. I think that the world is going to be even darker place for Delia, Isadora, Gabe, and Jack now that the US to join the Great War. I'm encouraged that Moyer is more than up to the task to build yet another brilliant story, and I am definitely eager for 2015 to arrive so I can read the next installment.
Author - Jaime Lee Moyer
Title - A Barricade In Hell
Series - Delia Martin # 2
Published by Tor Books
Released - June 3, 2014
Genre - Historical, Paranormal
Format: Library Book 331 pages
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