Rebecca Olmstead

A young woman is unwittingly thrust into a complex investigation when her sister is accused of a brutal murder.

Gabrielle Dorian co-owns a boutique called Belle Femme in Washington with her best friend, Kate Goldstein. Gabrielle is a psychic and experiences recurring, vivid dreams. She believes her dreams are trying to tell her something and has a bad feeling it is something connected to her husband, James. Gabrielle is worried and Kate encourages her to have an extended lunch with James. She visits him while he is working on a construction site, and everything is fine, except for the annoying presence of his business partner, Trevor. Shortly after lunch, Gabrielle receives a visit from Trevor and the police, informing her that James has tragically died in an accident at the site. On the day of his funeral, Gabrielle receives a frantic call from her estranged younger sister, Tina. Tina has been arrested and asks Gabrielle to travel to Seattle to bail her out. Kate advises Gabrielle to stay at home, rest and grieve for her husband, but Gabrielle feels a responsibility to her sister. Gabrielle feels she let her husband down by ignoring her dreams, and she does not want to let her last living relative down. She travels to Seattle to learn Tina has been charged with writing bad checks and first-degree murder. The victim is Tina’s neighbor, an elderly woman named Winnifred Everette, who was robbed and shot in her apartment. The police have a good case, as Tina’s gun is linked to the crime scene, and they discover that Tina is the sole beneficiary of Winnifred’s eighteen-million fortune. Tina is confident that her sister will be able to prove her innocence due to her psychic abilities. Can Gabrielle solve the case, and save her sister from death row?

Dreams and Illusions: A Gabrielle Dorian Mystery by Rebecca Olmstead is an absorbing crime detective novel, and the first instalment in a planned series. The book follows Gabrielle Dorian’s journey as she discovers her psychic abilities and is unwittingly thrust into a complex investigation when her sister is accused of a brutal murder. The book is more than a crime detective novel, as it deals with family relationships, faith, love and loss. Gabrielle Dorian is a strong, charming and relatable protagonist. Her journey is both personal and investigative, as she battles her own grief, fears and doubts while delving into the murky circumstances surrounding the crime.

Star rating: 5 Stars 

Summary: A super addition to the crime detective genre, with a captivating protagonist and a fresh psychic twist.