Cassie Scot

ParaNormal Detective

By: Christine Amsden

Narrated by: Melissa Reizian Frank

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family's reputation isn't easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

When sorcerers call the shots, what's a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective grabs you by the heart and won't let go.

©2013 Christine Amsden (P)2013 Christine Amsden

Critic Reviews

"In this entertaining series opener, Amsden ( The Immortality Virus) introduces readers to the eponymous Cassie, a decidedly mundane member of a magical family…Listeners will enjoy Cassie's fish-out-of-water struggles as she fights magical threats with little more than experience and bravado." ( Publisher's Weekly)

excellent new series (hopefully!)

These days, I rarely buy a new book without reading others' reviews. I had hopes for the book after reading the reviews and I must say, I wasn't disappointed.

The story is simple, yet woven with undercurrents of complexity. The pace is fast, but not a 'race'. The characters are a mix of dark, gritty and normal folks.

The main characters are truly well developed (some comments about Cassie made me think she might come across as a blithering temperamental young adult) and instead, are true to their nature /age /disposition.

I honestly can't wait to get my hands on the sequel and might even go ahead and buy it in paperback format if audible doesn't have it in time!

High praise for both author and narrator, who made the experience quite enjoyable.

This book hooked me from the beginning!

Would you listen to Cassie Scot again? Why?

Yes, I would, since I felt sad that it was over last night when I finished listening. Actually, I was almost "mad" when it ended - I wanted more, which is the sign of a brilliant writer and good plotting. Ms. Amsden is a superb writer. It's not easy for many young writers to get past the novice stage of overwriting, or distracted writing, or too much embellishment, repetition, or dropping tension - but this new writer is already on the top of her game, right out of the starting gate. She is a natural storyteller, and she writes with such fluid simplicity that the words seamlessly tell the story in a natural, suspenseful fashion. I'm very impressed with her style.

What other book might you compare Cassie Scot to and why?

I've never read many books in this genre. Well, actually, this is my first. But I'd say that although it's marketed as YA, the appeal is very broad and many adults will become hooked on the series, not unlike the Harry Potter books.

What does Melissa Reizian Frank bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I really loved Melissa's dialog interpretations and her varied voices between men and women. Nicely done!. She sounded natural and enthusiastic, and showed great emotion when appropriate. I felt she was totally engaged in the story, and that was exciting to hear.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes! I kept getting mad at Cassie for her very "young," reactions to her world and relationships (not surprising for her character age) such as family and boyfriends. She assumed a lot, which sent her reeling off in wrong directions (often in her own mind). But the natural misinterpretations on her part were well told and absolutely believable, reminding me of real world people I know who do the same.

I laughed a lot - although this book has some pretty tense and scary scenes (being bitten multiple by a villainous vampire was pretty graphically described, and most frightening!), it also had a nice, light, cheeky sense of humor that I adored.

Any additional comments?

So many questions remain. I've heard there's a series and a sequel coming up soon, called Secrets and Lies.

Can't wait to find out why Cassie's parents disowned her - what was that all about? It had to be to protect her or their other children.

What is it about Evan they are so afraid of? There's something really big here, but we still don't know what it is.

Why is Cassie so intuitive, and is that really her "gift?" She showed that intuition all through the book, although she didn't recognize it in herself.

Why doesn't she react like most girls to men who obvious love her? (I kind of liked that part, having raised 3 teenage daughters who were NOT like that, LOL)

Will she be able to overcome her feelings of inadequacy in order to grow into a more confident woman in the future?

Will she resolve things with her family?

Will she marry Evan and have super special babies with powers?

I also want to know if Christine Amsden came from a large family like that of Cassie Scot. She described it so well. ;o)

Thanks, Ms. Amsden, for a great listen!

Good first book in the series...

Cassie, the only "normal" in her paranormal family of sorcerers, is looking for her own place in life. Opening a private investigations agency seemed like a good idea, but she's new in the business so there's not much work for her out there. And so she willingly accepts the offer she gets from a fancy lawyer not knowing it will develop into a big murder case, not to mention a real hunt for a powerful vampire...

It's a very good introduction to a new series; the main characters are interesting people, with many layers to their personalities and various motifs underlying their actions. The pace of the plot is really fast (but not rushed), with twists both in Cassie's professional as well as personal lives. The world of the magical creatures and the rules that they have to follow sound logical and are vital to the understanding of some of the events that happen throughout the story, and there's enough left unexplained as to make me want to read on into the series. And the most important thing? There's no cliffhanger when it comes to the criminal side of the story - we get the solution, the bad guy is caught and gets what they deserve and we can either stop here satisfied or continue to find out how the relationship between Cassie and Evan develops.

Narration by Ms Frank is very good. I had no problems following the dialogues as she makes enough disctinctions between particular characters for me to recognise them easily. I also feel she's good at expressing various levels of emotions the characters go through. It's a very good interpretation of the book in general.

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

ParaNormally Perfect!

What a great story. Cassie is a great female lead who I quickly came to like and empathize with - now I am completely invested in her journey. There was a great mix of paranormal and mystery in this first in series. The narrator did a good job bringing the story to life. I look forward to more in this series and from this author

Unique coming-of-age story in a paranormal world.

Cassie Scot Paranormal Detective is a paranormal mystery/romance, but it is even more a coming-of-age story. Cassie Scot is a 21 year-old woman living in a modern day world in which vampires and magic exist. She is the daughter of two powerful magicians, and she has six younger siblings of equal magical power. Cassie is the only member of this magical family with no magical skills, and this has shaped her entire life and personality. After a brief stint with the police, Cassie opens a NORMAL detective agency, and she has her first case in this book, putting her back in contact with a childhood friend, Evan, an incredibly power magi. Although the book is filled with plenty of action and some paranormal elements, Cassie's struggles are very relatable to us non-paranormal folks. She is faced with all the major life decisions facing any 20 something, and it was very fun watching her fumble her way through these decisions while being chased by vampires and villains alike. The book wrapped up nicely with a surprise reveal on the bad guy, but it left plenty unresolved, so I hope the series continues on Audible.

Melissa Reizian Frank's narration is very enjoyable. Her delivery is flawless, and she has a light almost bouncy voice that suits Cassie's youthful personality well. I would definitely listen to another audiobook performance by Frank in the future.

I received a copy of this audiobook at my request in exchange for this honest review.

great paranormal Detective.

a lovely book I enjoyed it very much it's a great great for a series it was very enjoyable the narrator was great and overall it was a wonderful listen

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Wow! Great Book!

This was a great book! I am going to have to read the whole series! So many questions left unanswered!
Definitely put it on your TBR list.

Narrator was terrific.

I was given this review copy and this is my honest review.

Pleasantly Surprised

I received this book free of charge in return for an honest review and although I was not truly expecting much when I started it was surprisingly good. The main character felt human and made stupid mistakes just like everyone else. I am already itching for the next book.

good start

This was an enjoyable listen. The narration was excellent. The story was interesting and the pace was steady. Not sure if I like the main character. She is a bit immature but I suppose that leaves more room for growth in future books.
I was given this free audiobook copy at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Thoroughly charmed and caught in a spell

I have been thoroughly charmed and caught in a spell spun by Christine Amsden. I am not sure what I expected of Cassie Scot but what I got was a lovable and charming character that has won me over. Cassie a “Marilyn Munster” in a magical family has to carve her own way. When nothing is done for the simple reason of favor but has repercussions and debts to be paid, it can be a little tricky. Cassie runs her own detective agency and works with her former boss the police chief to solve magical and cases.

When a client comes into the office with hopes of Cassie serving a subpoena to a love potion making witch thing go from easy to puzzling when Cassie finds a dead body. Only the dead body turns out to be cousin to a powerful and childhood friend/crush Evan. A sorcerer that is rumored to place love spells on the women he meets. They begin to work together to find out who is behind the murders and quickly become gossip.

Added to the mayhem is a crazy and magical family that all live together in one house. All of Cassie’s siblings have magical ability. It is a wildly funny and chaotic atmosphere. All is not perfect in this household. Feeling less than and not good enough has plagued Cassie since childhood and continues.

Cassie struggles to figure out who she is and who she can trust. It’s hard with so many secrets and lies swirling around. Cassie is beginning to realize someone wants her dead. Who will help her? Who will cast her aside and who can she trust?

Such a good story that when I finished I immediately searched for book 2. Sadly we will have to wait till November. ((sad face)) I want it now mummy!

Spooky world makes for a great book

This is the first book in this series I have heard or by this author but it won't be the last as I really enjoyed it. I am not sure what I was expecting after reading the blurb but thought I would give it a go as the cover looked interesting and I am glad I did, I don't normally like books about vampires (as they just creep me out) but I did this one, as it was a case of trying to work out who the vampire was. I liked the busy home life of the main character and thought it was woven well into the mystery, with enough mystery and paranormal to keep me hooked. I will be checking out the next book to see how the story develops.
Cassie is trying to prove to her family that she can pull her weight as the only non magical child from a family full of magic history, the only way she knows how by becoming a private investigator. Her first case goes wrong when she stumbles over a dead body while trying to server papers and the body has all the signs of the paranormal being involved. Specifically a vampire and Cassie wants nothing to do with the case until the murdered girl turns out to be a cousin of an old friend and the policeman investigating the case is under a love spell. With her family telling her to stay away from the friend and the case Cassie takes it apon herself to prove them all wrong. She is good for something or she will die trying.
I liked the narrator as she had a nice easy way of speaking that was pleasant.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

YESSS

I have no words to describe how much I like this! Cassie is such a good character, even though she is young and a bit naïve, she didn't came across as weak. It took me a bit of an effort to realize she was a PI who worked with the police and yet still live with her parents, not that there is anything wrong with it, it's just that it seemed she was an adult outside her parents house and a teenager when they were around, it was weird. But besides that, the story runs smoothly, the worldbuilding is amazing, the characters likable and I was never bored.

Melissa Reizian Frank was the best choice for this story, in my opinion. Her voice is mature for the Cassie's age, but I think that made her look older and wiser.

An excellent urban fantasy!

Cassie Scot is an exciting urban fantasy, cleverly plotted with engaging characters. Cassie is an exceptional heroine, she is ordinary and yet surrounded by all things extraordinary. I thoroughly enjoyed the way she handles certain situations and people. Christine Amsden did an outstanding job with the world-building and captivating the readers/listeners to forming a connection with Cassie. Melissa Reizian Frank's narration was superb, she brought the characters, particularly, Cassie to life.

I absolutely enjoyed this book; I can't wait to hear the second book in the series. I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.

amazing book

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither.
amazing book can't waiter book 2

Cassie Scot

What would your life be like if you lived in a paranormal family but have no powers yourself? Cassie lives with this every day and yet she does anything for family. The troubles she finds herself in from a simple detective job leads to many things in her life changing. I loved the way this book developed and can’t wait to see what is next in line at Cassie’s detective agency.

Entertaining

Magical mystery and vampires make for an interesting storyline. Throw in a little love triangle and family discord to spice things up for a very entertaining story. I really liked the main character and most of the support characters and even had a tearful moment when the parents made a life altering decision. The narrator did a great job. I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Cassie Scot Paranormal Detective

Wow I love this fantastic read. Cassie is a Detective and gets this whopper of a case. I love the humor in Cassie this is a real page turner. It had me from the first page to the last. There are lots of twists and turns. The Narrator does a fantastic job at bringing out the characters. The story building is fantastic. You won't want to put those read down. I definitely recommend.
Shauna Joesten

Brilliant first book

I’ll start off by noting that I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an open and fair review. There were no conditions nor influences on what I wrote in the review and the opinions are my own.

I’m a huge sci-fi and mystery fan and loved the sound of the book from the get go. When I first joined audible I downloaded book one of the Dresden files, within a few months I had listened to the whole selection...I mention this as, to me, it was a little similar to those.

Sure, Cassie doesn’t have the magic like Dresden BUT they’re detectives, there’s a murder or two to investigate, they both deal with the supernatural, they have complicated families and it was a thoroughly good listen. I don’t want to do the book any injustice or make it appear that this is just a copy of another book as it genuinely isn’t, the simple fact for me is Dresden was one of my favourite ever series and I was gutted when it finished...This book seems to pick up the mantle with a female lead this time and I really enjoyed it!

I’d never heard of the author (Christine Amsden) or narrator (Melissa Frank) before but I was really happy with both the story and the narration. I’ve found that sometimes a poor narrator has ruined a book for me whereas a great narrator can pull a dire book and still let me somewhat enjoy it. In this instance the narrator seemed to click with the character and she did a great job. I’ve just checked and thankfully Melissa Frank remains the narrator for the series which is great!

I’ve really enjoyed book 1 and finished listening to it in a single day.

Paranormal with a twist!

This story is well worth the credit! It’s well written and has a twist to the story. The characters in this story mostly paranormal characters however the star of the story has no power. Her family is however a paranormal family with powers. Cassie is trying to figure out her place with out power.
This story captured my attention from the moment it started. I definitely recommend this book.
The narrator does a fabulous job with the characters and voice of each character.
This was my first book by this author and narrator and I am definitely interested in the rest of this series. I loved listening!!

Brilliant

I really loved this book and I listened to it in one go. I couldn't put it down. The story was exciting from start to finish with plenty of twists and turns and a whole host of quirky, mysterious and magical characters. Excellent! The narration was spot on which made the book an easy listen and the rest of the series a must buy for me.
I can't wait to listen to the rest!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reading audio copy.