Torn Veil: Marnie Reilly Mysteries Book Two

Christmas is coming—and so is a killer. Can a psychic psychologist save Creekwood, the people she loves and herself?

Available in paperback and ebook

About Torn Veil by Shari T. Mitchell

Torn Veil by Shari T. Mitchell is Book Two of the Marnie Reilly Mysteries, a series of psychological paranormal mystery thrillers set in the fictional Adirondack town of Creekwood, New York.

After surviving a terrifying murder investigation in Divine Guidance, psychologist Marnie Reilly is attempting to rebuild her life. She is learning to accept the people who care about her, understand the psychic abilities she once resisted and move beyond the trauma that has shaped so much of her past.

But Creekwood is not ready to let Marnie rest.

As Christmas approaches, Marnie begins experiencing an overwhelming sense of danger. Her dreams are disturbed, her waking hours are filled with unease and the spirits trying to guide her are sending messages she cannot fully understand.

The warnings become more urgent when Marnie’s childhood friend is discovered dead. Her business card is found in his pocket, immediately connecting her to the case.

Was his death an accidental overdose, or did someone want it to look that way?

Detectives Danny Gregg and Tom Keller begin investigating, but each answer uncovers another troubling question. Old relationships resurface. New personalities enter Marnie’s life. People who appear trustworthy may be hiding dangerous motives, and the line between friend and enemy becomes increasingly difficult to see.

With another killer threatening Creekwood, Marnie must use her professional insight, her instincts and her supernatural abilities to uncover the truth. But her psychic connection is unreliable, the messages from the dead are incomplete and someone may be manipulating her fears.

The closer Marnie gets to the truth, the more danger surrounds everyone she loves.

Welcome back to Creekwood—where the Christmas spirit may be deadly.

A Christmas Mystery with a Paranormal Twist

Creekwood should feel comforting during the Christmas season.

Snow covers the Adirondack landscape. Holiday lights illuminate the town square. Families gather, old friends reconnect and familiar traditions offer a brief escape from the darkness of winter.

But beneath Creekwood’s festive appearance, fear is spreading.

In Torn Veil, the warmth of the holiday season is placed against a much darker story of murder, addiction, deception and supernatural warnings. The contrast creates an atmospheric Christmas mystery that is suspenseful rather than cozy.

A Complicated Murder Investigation

When Marnie’s childhood friend is found dead, the circumstances suggest an overdose. The discovery of Marnie’s business card raises questions about why he was trying to contact her and what he may have known before his death.

As detectives investigate, new evidence complicates the case and the list of people in danger continues to grow.

Psychic Messages That Cannot Be Trusted

Marnie’s gifts have never delivered simple answers.

In Torn Veil, the spirits attempting to communicate with her offer fragmented impressions, disturbing dreams and warnings that are difficult to interpret. Marnie knows the messages matter, but understanding them before someone else dies may be impossible.

Psychological Suspense

Marnie is a psychologist who understands grief, trauma, manipulation and fear. However, professional knowledge does not make her immune to those experiences.

She must separate intuition from anxiety, truth from deception and supernatural danger from threats created by the living.

Small-Town Secrets

Creekwood is the kind of place where everyone seems to know everyone else. That familiarity can provide comfort, but it also allows secrets, grudges and lies to remain hidden beneath years of shared history.

The people surrounding Marnie may know more than they are willing to reveal.

Found Family and Growing Relationships

Marnie has spent much of her life protecting herself by remaining independent and guarded. Her relationships with Danny Gregg, Tom Keller, Tater and the people entering her circle challenge her belief that she must face every danger alone.

But trusting others creates another risk: anyone close to Marnie can become a target.

Marnie Reilly’s Sixth Sense Is Working Overtime

Marnie Reilly is a psychologist, a survivor and a reluctant psychic.

Her abilities allow her to sense emotions, receive impressions, hear messages and sometimes recognize truths that conventional evidence cannot reveal. Those gifts can help her understand a case, but they also expose her to fear, pain and memories she would rather leave buried.

In Torn Veil, Marnie’s connection to the paranormal becomes more complicated.

The ghosts from her past are trying to warn her, but their messages arrive in fragments. Images appear without explanations. Feelings overwhelm her without identifying their source. Dreams blur the boundary between memory, prediction and manipulation.

Marnie cannot simply ask the dead to name a killer.

She must interpret what they show her while continuing to function as a psychologist, friend and partner in an increasingly dangerous investigation. At the same time, she must confront the possibility that her abilities are being blocked—or that something darker is attempting to influence what she sees.

Marnie’s greatest strength is not her supernatural gift. It is her determination to keep searching for the truth, even when every answer places her in greater danger.

Murder Returns to Creekwood, New York

The fictional town of Creekwood is based on the Adirondacks of Upstate New York.

It is a community shaped by long winters, old buildings, local traditions and families who have known one another for generations. Its residents gather in familiar restaurants, walk the same streets and share stories that have become part of the town’s identity.

Creekwood is beautiful, but it is not always peaceful.

The same isolation that makes the town feel protected can make danger more difficult to escape. Its history creates strong relationships, but it also preserves old resentments. People remember what happened years ago, even when they pretend to have forgotten.

During the Christmas season, Creekwood’s snow-covered streets and holiday decorations provide the atmospheric backdrop for Marnie’s second mystery.

Behind closed doors, however, people are keeping secrets.

As Marnie and the detectives retrace the final days of her childhood friend’s life, they discover a side of Creekwood that holiday lights cannot hide.

What Readers Are Saying About Torn Veil

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“A sequel every bit as good as the first book—possibly even better!”

—T. L. Brown, Author

Readers have praised Torn Veil for its layered mystery, carefully placed clues, evolving characters and unexpected revelations. The story expands Marnie’s relationships while introducing new questions about trust, loyalty and the darker side of the paranormal.

The mystery is designed to keep readers questioning every detail. A passing character, a seemingly ordinary conversation or a small piece of information may become important as the investigation unfolds.

Some clues will confirm your suspicions.

Others may lead you in the wrong direction.

And some truths will remain hidden until Marnie is forced to look beyond what she wants to believe.

Read the Opening Chapters of Torn Veil

Not ready to cross the veil?

Read the opening chapters of Torn Veil and return to Creekwood as Marnie Reilly begins another disturbing investigation.

Meandering footprints marred the snowy path leading to a quaint chapel in St. Michael’s Cemetery. The chapel was covered with straggling and decayed reminders of last summer’s lush and vibrant ivy. The harsh, clanging echo of a shovel striking frozen earth broke the silence of the early morning calm.

The Collective, a group of six men and seven women, clustered around the wielder of the shovel, watching his progress. His every breath huffed with the labor of trying to break the frozen ground. He steamed white puffs into the cold winter’s air as he exhaled. He drew in a sharp breath of relief as the shovel finally broke through the hardened earth. Each slice of the shovel into the ice-encrusted ground reminded him of the sound of a knife blade going through skin and hitting bone. He grimaced at the thought and pushed his flashbacks of war to the back of his mind. He clenched his cold hands around the handle of the shovel and continued his work like any good soldier would do.

He had doubts about whether this was the correct thing to do, but they had taken him into their sanctuary when he’d arrived in Creekwood. They had fed him, given him clothes and counseled him. They had prayed for him and with him. They gave to him when so many others had taken away. He could finally help them, and so he did; digging a hole in the frozen earth so that their work could begin seemed such a small price to pay for their kindness. Hushed voices broke the quiet of the winter’s dawn. He heard plotting and scheming in the hissing voices around him. The tone of the conversation dripped with acid, and he quietly prayed for them and the souls against which they plotted and schemed.

Is Torn Veil the Right Mystery for You?

Torn Veil may appeal to readers who enjoy:

Psychological mystery thrillers
Paranormal murder mysteries
Psychic detective stories
Female sleuth mysteries
Christmas mysteries with a darker tone
Small-town mysteries
Adirondack and Northern New York settings
Ghostly warnings and supernatural suspense
Character-driven mystery series
Slow-building relationships
Complicated suspects and hidden motives
Stories that combine police investigation with paranormal clues

Although the book contains ghosts, psychic experiences and supernatural themes, the paranormal elements support the murder investigation rather than replacing it. Danny and Tom must still follow evidence, question suspects and build a case.

The result is a mystery grounded in human motives but complicated by messages from beyond the veil.

frequently Asked Questions

Is Torn Veil the second Marnie Reilly Mystery?

Yes. Torn Veil is Book Two of the Marnie Reilly Mysteries by Shari T. Mitchell. It follows Divine Guidance and continues Marnie’s personal story, relationships and developing understanding of her psychic abilities.

Should I read Divine Guidance before Torn Veil?

Reading Divine Guidance first is recommended. Torn Veil introduces a new central investigation, but the first book provides important background about Marnie, Danny Gregg, Tom Keller, Tater and the events that shaped their relationships.

What is Torn Veil about?

Torn Veil follows psychic psychologist Marnie Reilly as she senses a growing evil in Creekwood during the Christmas season. When a childhood friend is found dead with Marnie’s business card in his pocket, she becomes connected to an investigation involving suspicious deaths, hidden motives and messages from beyond the veil.

What genre is Torn Veil?

Torn Veil is a psychological paranormal mystery thriller. It combines a police investigation, psychic abilities, ghosts, psychological suspense and small-town secrets.

Is Torn Veil a Christmas mystery?

Yes. Torn Veil takes place during the Christmas season in Creekwood, New York. The holiday setting provides an atmospheric contrast to the darker murder investigation unfolding throughout the town.

Is Torn Veil a cozy mystery?

No. Although the book includes a small-town setting, friendship, dogs, holiday traditions and moments of humor, its themes and suspense are darker than those typically found in a traditional cozy mystery.

Does Torn Veil contain ghosts?

Yes. Ghosts and psychic messages play an important role in Marnie’s attempt to understand the danger surrounding Creekwood. The paranormal clues are frequently fragmented, however, and do not provide Marnie with easy answers.

Where is Creekwood, New York?

Creekwood is a fictional town located in Northern New York near the Adirondack Mountains and the Hudson River. The setting is inspired by the landscapes, communities and long winters of the region.

Who are the main characters in Torn Veil?

The primary characters include psychologist Marnie Reilly, Detective Danny Gregg, Detective Tom Keller and Marnie’s canine companion, Tater. The story also introduces people connected to Marnie’s childhood, professional life and the murder investigation.

Where can I purchase Torn Veil?

Torn Veil is available in paperback and Kindle editions through Amazon.