THE VISITOR, the long-awaited fourth book in Amanda Stevens' Graveyard Queen series, has finally arrived, and it was well worth the wait. Stevens experienced a devastating personal tragedy, and I can't help but think her pain impacted both her writing and the storylines as well. Stevens gives readers a gritty, haunting novel in which Amelia's insecurities are highlighted and her emotions are more raw than in the previous three tales.

Stevens has hinted all along that Amelia's gift has much more to it than just seeing ghosts. In THE VISITOR, she has two entities to confront, but uncovering their intentions, if they're not the same, becomes a difficult task. She feels pulled to Kroll Cemetery where a mass suicide took place nearly a half century ago and begins to understand her calling might encompass solving the mysteries of the dead. Readers will learn more about the depths and complexities of Amelia's power as well as secrets of her family's past.

Amelia has never shared her ability to see beyond the living world with her lover, John Devlin, partly because she's always been secretive, but also because he disdains the supernatural world. But Devlin has secrets of his own, and we only get glimpses of them. THE VISITOR is the first story in which we truly see them as a couple, so the fact they both appear to face a crossroads becomes even more compelling. With both concealing so much, it's hard to see how they can navigate a path together.

I heartily recommend this series, but I do think the stories will have more meaning and a stronger draw if readers start at the beginning with The Restorer. Stevens has a talent for character development, vivid descriptions and completely brining the reader into her world. Charleston, where this series takes place, is one of my favorite places to have stories take place as well.