Book Review: ‘The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen’, A Paranormal Mystery by Katherine Howe

In The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen by Katherine Howe we are taken into the strange and unique world of Wes Auckerman. Having just arrived in New York to begin his summer term he finds himself on a film shoot for a séance at the home of a psychic in the East village.

As he views the setting through his viewfinder, he sees a beautiful young woman who intrigues him. Continuing his shoot he is disappointed when he cannot find her. He is smitten and cannot forget her beauty and finds himself returning to the home of the psychic to find her.

When he finds her she too seems very attracted to him. Her name is Annie Van Sinderen, but she is mysterious as well as beautiful. She often seems to disappear just when he is getting settled and there is a great deal of mystery surrounding her. Yet even as his concern grows she reappears and often seems to have no memory of what’s happened between them. She wonders why he has not shown up when in fact he has been waiting on her.

As the mystery deepens Wes begins to wonder if she is even real, yet his heart assures him she is. But is it possible that he is only imagining her beauty and nature. Others have seen her so she must be real. Can he uncover the mystery of her being, in order to find a way to smooth their path? His emotions are in turmoil and he is afraid for her. Annie is convinced that she has lost a ring, and Wes must help her before it is too late. Will this missing ring solve the mystery?

Howe has given us a paranormal mystery and love story of emotive and serendipitous proportions. Her characters are just the right mix of mystery and heart. You find Wes to be a romantic and he falls hard for Anne. Anne is a mix of beauty, mystery and kindness that draws you in an unexpected way. You are haunted by the beauty and beguiling mix of this story, and Howe takes you into a New York both old and new. Be prepared to fall in love with romance and mystery all over again, as you find yourself immersed in a strange yet fascinating tale.

If you love romantic, paranormal mysteries you will need this work for your library. It is a wonderful work of mysterious secrets twisted with romance and bits of darkness. Howe has given us a beautiful tale of love and threaded it through the beauty of New York.

This would be a great book for a reading or discussion group with interesting topics to discuss throughout.