Heather Silvio

Chapter 1

As the founder and owner of Landon Talent Agency, could I ever have predicted I’d make a deal with the devil? Okay, technically, Barbara Knollman was a low-level demon. But still. I’d agreed to do the demon’s bidding and, if I wasn’t yet entirely sorry for having made that deal, I definitely had regrets.

Now I sat in the overstuffed leather chair opposite the Councilwoman, my hands clasped in my lap, eyes downcast like I’d been called to the principal’s office. Though, in a way, that was true.

“Robin, this has worked out perfectly,” Barbara said. She stood at the window overlooking Main Street, immobile, her brown hair swept back in a tight bun. She returned to her chair behind the imposing solid wood desk and sat, her hands resting on its surface, talon-like fingernails displayed.

The effect worked. I swallowed audibly and Barbara chuckled. “You really wanted the supernatural underworld to be exposed?” I asked. A few months ago, a local pain-in-the-butt reporter revealed a crazy genie to be a serial killer. And then outed the lot of us.

Barbara smiled, her small sharp teeth drawing attention. “Yes. I did. I foresaw the path to my success. It included the exposure,” she explained, tapping her manicured talons against the fine wood-grain.

“I’m not sure I understand what this has been about,” I admitted in a small voice. My boss could see the future, but she kept her visions a secret. Even I didn’t know what success she sought.

Barbara looked down on me, her minion. “You will. Everyone will.” A demon posing as a 50-something year-old human, she also happened to be the unofficial head of the Las Vegas City Council. Technically that position fell to the Mayor, but Barbara held the actual power.  Interestingly, although the paranormal underworld had been exposed, she had not. I wondered if she saw that in her vision.

My skin crawled as she stared at me, an ambiguous smile on her face. Now what? I waited. It would do no good to ask. After five years as her minion, I certainly learned my place. Maybe I used to be a witch, but today I was powerless and under her thumb.

“It’s time for the next step,” the Councilwoman stated. “You will shut down your agency.”

I gasped. Shut down my agency?

“I want your full focus and attention. There is a being in town who must be eliminated.”

Surely she doesn’t mean—

“And you will eliminate him.”

My jaw dropped open and I stared, aghast, at the demon. Close my agency and kill someone? I needed to buy time. “Who?”

“His name is Jackson McKee.”

I waited to see if more information would be forthcoming. Nada. I risked her wrath. “Who is Jackson McKee?”

She gave me a withering look. “It doesn’t matter. I need him killed.”

I blanched at her tone and directive – and pushed back. “If I don’t know what kind of paranormal being he is,” I reasoned, “how will I know how to kill him?”

Barbara pursed her lips. “He’s human, but with abilities.”

Hmm. A witch like me? An empath like Catherine, that irritating fellow talent agent?

“So you can kill him like any other human.”

I paled but nodded. Where was she going with this? “Okay. Where do I find him?”

“He’s about to be a cameraman on Forbidden Island.”

I remembered receiving character breakdowns for actor submissions for that film and seized my opening. “Since it’s a movie production, maybe it would make sense to keep my agency open so I have a natural in to get on set. After all, I sent actors to it.”

Barbara stared impassively. I wasn’t stupid. I knew she knew why I made my suggestion. She sighed. “Fine. Keep your agency open. I want him dead within the week.”

I gulped.

She glanced down at the paperwork on her desk. I took that as my cue to leave and scurried out of her office, with nary a backward glance. I wasn’t a killer. What could I do now?

5 stars from Suzanne H on Google Play

Well she’s in trouble now, the demon (Barbara Knollman) she has made a deal with has asked her to kill someone. Robin just can’t do it so now what. She’ll have to face the consequences but really how bad can it be? This is book four of the Paranormal Talent Agency series and it is a great paranormal cozy mystery. Filled with wonderfully colourful and interesting characters, descriptive narrative, and great dialogue, it certainly keeps you interested. The storyline , while easy to read, is filled with surprises, twists.and turns as they race against time to discover the murderer. This is the first book I read in the series and can’t wait to read more.

5 stars from cinful on Amazon

This story continues with a little romance, comedy and murder. I can’t believe this suspenseful story made me LOL. So not what I expected, but happy nonetheless.

Years earlier Robin made a deal with the devil. A vengeful devil of a woman. Robin has turned her down, when asked to commit murder. She just can’t and won’t, as it is not for her. When she refuses to kill Jackson, the devil hires someone else. Now she is also being hunted. What will she do? Can Robin and Jackson survive being hunted and murdered? Or will they fight back? Only reading this story will answer the questions.

Heather Silvio has done it again. She made me laugh, cry, and kept me up all night. This story is short but mighty. Her characters are funny and entertaining. Book 4 has caught me by surprise. I loved this story and can’t wait to read more in this series. I’m looking forward to book 5. Well done Heather Silvio well done!!!