Parapsychologist -- and clinical psychiatrist -- Cree Black is the head of a small, nonprofit paranormal research group based in Seattle.  Using technology, historical research, and psychology, Cree's team investigates claims of paranormal and try to help the living cope with troubling and inexplicable experiences.

Called to New Orleans to investigate a supposed haunting at the 150-year-old Beauforte House, Cree's foremost challenge is to deal with the psychological fragility of Lila Beauforte, who claims to have witnessed terrifying phenomena at the house where she spent her childhood.

Cree is a natural empath, one who resonates so strongly with others that she is able to experience their haunts and fears.  To help Lila, Cree must enter her state of mind, spend long hours in the dim rooms of the old house, and unearth secrets from the Beauforte family's hidden past.  In doing so, she soon realizes she has placed her own survival on the line.

CITY OF MASKS

"Sharp, fast, and deft -- a gripping story that with the skill of a Wallenda walks the tightrope between the real and the supernatural." --  Kirkus Reviews

"A superb thriller . . . Because the author deliberately downplays the sensationalism, the book's premise -- that ghost really do exist -- seems, even to this confirmed skeptic, surprisingly, uneasily possible.  -- Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Richly textured and highly atmospheric . . . Hecht deftly combines many elements into one breath-taking novel.  The characters, especially Cree Black, add reality and depth.  And the ghosts themselves are almost more symbolic of haunted pasts, regrets, and repressed memories than anything else, bringing in a highly psychological component. . . ." -- New Mystery Reader

"The ride of your literary life! -- Tulsa World

A BookSense Pick of the Year

A Rocky Mountain News Best of the Year