Past Life’s Revenge
Angela Van Breemen
Iconic Scribes Press Inc (2024)
ISBN: 978-1738313006
Reviewed by Sandra Cruz for Reader Views (08/2024)
David Harris is a young lawyer who has suffered from debilitating nightmares since he was four years old. They seem so real that he feels they are more than just night terrors, but rather memories, possibly from a past life. Even though he has consulted with psychiatrists, therapists, and doctors, no one has been able to help him. Until he meets Emma Jackson, an empath who can feel his traumatic experiences.
Emma encourages him to meet with her friend Anna Tungsten, a hypnotherapist who specializes in past life regressions and he hesitantly agrees to try. During one of these sessions, he learns that he was violently murdered in his most recent past life. This gives him some relief, but once he finds out his killer is still alive, he cannot let it go and vows to get justice for his past self. With Emma by his side, David begins a dangerous quest to finally put the past to rest and move on with his life.
As a lawyer, David is relentless when it comes to getting closure for his clients and it’s no different when his own life is in crisis mode. In “Past Life’s Revenge: A David Harris and Emma Jackson Mystery,” Angela Van Breemen creates a strong character whose life is disturbed by chilling visions and unexplained phenomena tied to his past life. He doesn’t believe in reincarnation, but he is running out of options as he feels like he’s losing his mind.
As he digs into the visions, he uncovers a trail of violence at the hands of Enrico, a ruthless killer. When fate brings Enrico into his life again, David is once again in the crosshairs. Risking his life and the lives of those he loves, he takes the information he has to the police in the hopes that this painful chapter in his life can be put to rest while stopping Enrico’s reign of terror.
Reincarnation is an interesting topic and one that is seldom mentioned in modern literature, so this is what drew me to this novel. I was curious as to how the author would handle the subject to make it natural and believable. Even before the topic of reincarnation comes up, I found myself relating to David. As someone who has experienced night terrors, after reading David’s experiences with them in the first chapter, I was hooked.
Since December of last year, he was once more oppressed by the nightly apparition, its black bottomless eyes drawing him into its circle of evil.
This compelling mystery novel has something for everyone: supernatural suspense, mystery, and romance. It brings together the present and the past, offering readers an exploration of how unresolved issues from a past life can resurface with devastating consequences, creating a story that is both engaging and thought-provoking, even if you don’t necessarily believe in reincarnation or past lives. The characters are authentic and deeply developed, especially David, whose overall journey is emotional and harrowing.
With short chapters and consistent action, it’s a fast and easy read. The author’s use of vivid language often sets a calm and relaxing mood when David and Emma spend time together:
A soft breeze ruffled and billowed out the gauzy yellow curtains in the sunny kitchen.
Overall, “Past Life’s Revenge” by Angela Van Breemen is a fascinating read for fans of mysteries and crime fiction with a supernatural twist. It challenges readers to consider the possibility of reincarnation and how it may affect a person’s present life. By exploring the themes of identity, death, survival, and friendship, it delivers a thrilling and suspenseful narrative. Hopefully, there will be more David Harris and Emma Jackson mysteries to come. It is recommended for fans of mystery novels who are open to and appreciate mystical themes that include mediums, psychics, empaths, and seances.
The late afternoon sun refused to release its oppressive hold and the humidity in the air made breathing uncomfortable. The pavement shimmered like mirages on the Sahara Desert, its heat permeating into their feet through the soles of their sandals.