Because every summer Thea’s parents – Cora and John – drive her, her 10-year-old brother Rem, and their dog Cocoa all the way from their home in Fredericksburg, Virginia to Redbud Hollow, Nebraska to spend two wondrous weeks with their beloved Grammie – Lucy Lannigan. Their carefree days and nights at their Grammie’s tranquil house nestled in the hollow surrounded by nature, are filled with joy, laughter, and music – hiking the hills to visit neighbours, walking the dogs in the trees, making soaps and candles, watching the stars while eating homemade sundaes on the back porch – even the chores are fun!
Meanwhile, back in Fredericksburg, Cora and John enjoy two blissful weeks alone together, acting like newlyweds – more in love with every passing year.
But a week into their stay at Grammie’s, tragedy strikes. Cora and John are murdered in their home – targeted by a sick monster named Ray Riggs.
Days later, with Thea’s unique assistance, Ray is captured by police, and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. How? Because Thea and her parent's killer are unwittingly connected. Both have psychic visions – can see and feel what others are thinking, including each other. Thea’s ability is a pure gift, born of light and hope, which she uses to help people, to save lives, and she never uses her power for personal gain. Ray reserves his for pure evil – to manipulate, blackmail, stalk, hurt, and kill. And when Thea dreams of Ray in his prison cell the psychic link between them is strengthened, and over the years Thea struggles to block him out. And all Ray Riggs wants is for Thea to pay for what she did to him – it’s his only reason for living.
Nora Roberts latest novel of romantic suspense, family saga, with a paranormal aspect was my favourite of hers since Carolina Moon (published in 2000). I think that one had a slight edge over Mind Games (although I think a re-read is in order to double-check that it has stood the test of time). Ray Riggs was a vicious, prevalent, psychopath, with no redeeming qualities, and the fact that he was psychic, made him even more terrifying, akin to Freddy Krueger. I’ve only seen this storyline (main character and killer connected by visions) done once before in the TV series Medium (2005 – 2011), so it was fairly unique to me, and just as chilling, particularly since Thea was 12 years old at the start. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that anything was overly graphic and gory, and I think the emotional slant that was always present helped with that, but there were violent scenes. But they remained as brief as possible and were minimal in terms of the overall plot.
However, thriller subplot aside my main takeaway from this is that it was a novel centered on love and family. Grammie was the ultimate Grandmother, supportive, encouraging, endlessly patient and giving. Her bond with Thea was so special – how she helped her understand, accept, and control her gift – a gift that all the women on Thea’s mother’s and Grammie’s side shared going back generations. The family unit made up of Grammie, Thea, and Rem was an unbreakable, tight-knit bond. Lucy referred to the three of them as ‘one big ball of wax’ which accurately summarises their closeness. Like all siblings, Thea and Rem would squabble, tease, and compete, but always had each others backs. Then there was the love between parent/s and children – Cora and John were only in the book for a short time, but it was obvious how much they loved Thea and Rem. As was Lucy’s love for her daughter and son-in-law (who she considered her son). Same goes for another parent/child relationship which needs to remain a secret. And, last but not least Thea’s romantic interest, who I’m also not going to reveal, because I spent the first nearly 50% of the novel thinking it was going to be someone else so let’s see if you fall for the same red herring as me! Oh, and I did enjoy who he turned out to be – wasn’t disappointed at all.
Another main theme throughout was the shock, anger, uncertainty, and grief associated not only with loss, but the violent senseless nature and suddenness of the manner in which Cora and John were ripped away, and the gaping hole, and lasting impact it left on family, friends, the community as a whole, and even strangers. I shed more than a few tears. Cora’s and John’s final moments on earth, their funeral, and Thea’s speech to detectives were heartbreaking. Kept tissues handy.
Just as important were characters relationship to their Grammie’s home – the way they were drawn to it, the sense of belonging, sanctuary, and safety it invoked (not only for them but everyone who visited) – and how they cherished and respected the land. I adored the farm to table lifestyle Thea, Rem, and others embraced, taught to them by their beyond talented Grammie – the herbal medicine, customs and traditions passed down through generations, using natural ingredients in creative ways (Grammie’s homemade soaps and candles), mouth-watering food, and best of all, the dear animals (with their ingenious names). I could taste the fried chicken, breath in the mountain air, smell the lavender, hear the chickens clucking.
As you can see, I had a lot to say as there was so much about Mind Games that I loved. I could go on, but I’ll leave it there, and let you experience every high for yourself.
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