Fire and Shadow A Lily Evans Novel, by Susan Jane McLeod, ISBN 9781449570170, CreateSpace, review by ellen george

Sometimes you wonder if a series sequel is going to be as enjoyable as the first. But with the calibre of Susan Jane McCleod's writing talents, I had no such worries.

Fire and Shadow has our heroine, Lily Evans home with the gorgeous pet Cleocatra, resting up from her adventures if helping Amisihathor find peace, meeting Dame Ursula Allingham and falling in love with her son, Kent, as well as having her own mother go a little bonkers. (See Soul and Shadow review on this site)

Lily is talked into going to a fair with her best friend Katy and they go into a tarot area and a mysterious man, Caliman, reads for Lily, and hits a little close to home about her psychic gifts and her pain that she's received in the past. Caliman's life is not a drifter from fair to fair, but a member of the physics dept at the university, where Lily's ex-fiance doctor Stephen also works at the hospital on campus.

Caliman's seemingly credibility draws Lily to his group of intuitive folks.

At the gallery that Lily sells magnificent paintings of ancient Egypt, she sees a large portrait of Rose Woodbine. Lily reacts to the portrait, but she is told by Caliman that Rose was a healer in the times of the witch hunts and Rose was innocent but was burned at the stake. But she hid an important book of her 'healing' methods that needs to be found and Lily seems to have some type of tie to her and can talk to her. Rose seems sweet and innocent.

Everyone who was accused as witches during the time of the Salem trials were not guilty. There has been a theory that out of date or old grains caused seizures or erratic behavior to some poor souls and they were falsely accused and murdered at the stake.
But were all innocent or were some guilty?

Lily joins the group to help the group unravel Rose's story, and we come to love Lily even more than we did in the last book. Especially is the amazing Egyptian descendant cat, Cleocatra. I love this animal. Cleo is as psychic as Lily and tells it like it is - reminds me of one of my cats who was the only cat I had with a terrible temper. If you went against her way, you paid for it by bites on the ankles and hands!! But if I ever get another kitty, Susan Jane, I'm stealing the name Cleocatra as a name I love it so much.

The plot of this fast moving novel is plausible and exciting, delving into the psychic, dark magic, and white magic. Lily Evans stays true to her own soul and power and the ending of the book brings more excitement and one cannot wait for the next Lily Evans novel.

Susan Jane McLeod is a talent that gracefully paints the pictures from page to mind's eye with great ease and I recommend both Susan Jane's books heartily. Not only that, I cannot wait for the next Lily Evans Novel!!!

A great read!