1. Death's Unfinished Business

Eve Levine, once a formidable witch and half-demon, is now a ghost, unable to move on due to her overwhelming need to protect her teenage daughter, Savannah. Despite her death, Eve's maternal instincts and guilt keep her tethered to the world of the living, watching over Savannah but unable to interact or intervene. The afterlife as a mirror is not the peaceful rest she expected; instead, it's a liminal space filled with other supernatural beings, each with their own unfinished business. Eve's frustration grows as she realizes her powers are limited in this new existence, and her inability to communicate with Savannah or influence her life is a constant source of pain. This restless state sets the stage for Eve's journey—a quest for purpose, redemption, and a way to finally let go.

2. Ghostly Motherhood Trials

Eve's primary concern is Savannah's safety and happiness, but her ghostly state renders her powerless to directly help. She watches as Savannah navigates adolescence under the care of Paige and Lucas, two responsible but very human guardians. Eve's attempts to influence events are futile, and her frustration is compounded by the presence of Kristof Nast, Savannah's father and Eve's former lover, who is also a ghost. Their relationship is complicated by past regrets and unresolved feelings, but together they share the burden of watching over their daughter. Eve's struggle is not just about protecting Savannah from external threats, but also about coming to terms with her own limitations and the need to trust others to care for her child.

3. The Fates' Impossible Bargain

Eve's afterlife takes a dramatic turn when she is summoned by the Fates, the supernatural arbiters of order. They remind her of a bargain she made: in exchange for saving her friends Paige and Lucas, she owes them a favor. The Fates' request is daunting—they want Eve to hunt down a rogue Nix, a demi-demon who escaped from a hell dimension and now possesses women, driving them to commit horrific murders. The Nix is a master of chaos, feeding on human suffering and evading capture for centuries. The Fates' offer is both a punishment and an opportunity: if Eve succeeds, she may find purpose and redemption; if she fails, the consequences could be catastrophic for both the living and the dead.

4. Demons, Angels, and Deals

To catch the Nix, Eve must navigate the complex politics of the afterlife, forging uneasy alliances with angels, demons, and other supernatural entities. She is assigned an angelic partner, Trsiel, whose methods and worldview often clash with her own. Trsiel is bound by rules and a sense of duty, while Eve is impulsive and pragmatic. Their partnership is tested by the moral ambiguities of their mission—how far should they go to stop the Nix, and what lines are they willing to cross? Along the way, Eve must also confront her own demonic heritage and the temptations it brings, as well as the manipulations of the Fates, who may have their own hidden agendas.

5. The Nix's Bloody Legacy

The Nix's history is revealed through a series of vignettes spanning centuries and continents. She possesses women on the brink of violence, amplifying their darkest desires and pushing them to commit murder. From 17th-century France to 20th-century America, the Nix leaves a trail of blood and chaos, her influence often mistaken for madness or evil. Each possession is a symbiotic relationship—the host provides motive, the Nix provides resolve. The Nix's ultimate goal is to find a way to permanently inhabit the living world, free from the constraints of the afterlife. Her methods are brutal, her cunning unmatched, and her understanding of human weakness profound.

6. Afterlife Rules and Rebellion

Eve's quest is complicated by the rigid rules of the afterlife. Ghosts are forbidden from interfering with the living, and angels are bound by codes of non-intervention. Yet the Nix's actions threaten to upend this delicate balance, forcing Eve and Trsiel to bend or break the rules in pursuit of justice. Their investigation takes them through haunted prisons, cursed castles, and the memories of the Nix's victims and hosts. Along the way, Eve learns that the afterlife is not a static realm but a battleground of competing interests, where power is wielded through bargains, secrets, and the willingness to defy authority.

7. Partners in the Beyond

Eve's relationship with Kristof is a central thread, providing both comfort and conflict. Their shared history is marked by passion, betrayal, and sacrifice. In the afterlife, they are given a second chance to reconcile, but the demands of their respective roles—Eve as a would-be angel, Kristof as a ghostly advocate—threaten to pull them apart. Their love is tested by the choices they must make, particularly as Eve's mission grows more dangerous and the possibility of permanent separation looms. The question of what it means to move on, to let go, and to find peace is at the heart of their story.

8. The Hunt for the Nix

Eve and Trsiel's pursuit of the Nix is a blend of detective work, magical combat, and psychological warfare. They track the Nix through her past hosts, piecing together clues from crime scenes, historical records, and the memories of the dead. Each encounter brings new dangers, as the Nix is always one step ahead, using her powers to manipulate, possess, and destroy. The investigation forces Eve to confront uncomfortable truths about herself and the nature of evil. The line between hunter and hunted blurs, and Eve must rely on her wits, her allies, and her willingness to do whatever it takes to stop the Nix.

9. Possession and Betrayal

The Nix's ability to possess and corrupt is mirrored by the betrayals and compromises made by those who pursue her. Eve is forced to make deals with demons, bargain with the Fates, and risk the souls of her friends and loved ones. The theme of possession extends beyond the literal, exploring how grief, guilt, and obsession can take hold of a person. Eve's determination to protect Savannah becomes both her strength and her weakness, leading her to the brink of self-destruction. The ultimate betrayal comes when the Nix targets those closest to Eve, forcing her to choose between her mission and her heart.

10. Lessons from the Damned

To learn how to defeat the Nix, Eve must seek out the damned—spirits trapped in hellish dimensions, including a notorious serial killer Dachev who once partnered with the Nix. These encounters are harrowing, exposing Eve to the depths of human depravity and the limits of redemption. The lessons she learns are hard-won: sometimes evil cannot be reasoned with, and sometimes the only way to save a soul is to risk your own. The knowledge gained from the damned provides the key to trapping the Nix, but at a terrible personal cost.

11. Mortal Danger, Immortal Choices

As the Nix closes in on her next victim—someone dangerously close to Savannah—Eve must act quickly. The final confrontation is a test of everything she has learned, requiring her to use forbidden magic, make impossible sacrifices, and trust in her allies. The battle is not just physical but existential, as Eve faces the possibility of losing her daughter, her love, and her very self. The choices she makes in this moment will determine not only the fate of the Nix, but also her own place in the afterlife.

12. Sacrifice and Second Chances

In the climactic showdown, Eve is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice—giving up her chance at peace, love, and even her own afterlife to save those she loves. Her willingness to put others before herself is what finally allows her to defeat the Nix and fulfill her bargain with the Fates. Yet this victory comes at a price: Eve is transformed, ascending to a new role as an angel, forever separated from Kristof and the world she knew. The afterlife, it turns out, is not an escape from pain but another arena for growth, loss, and the search for meaning.

13. Letting Go, Moving On

The story ends with Eve coming to terms with her new existence. She is granted a compromise by the Fates—a chance to split her time between her duties as an angel and her life with Kristof in the ghost world. This hard-won peace is bittersweet, marked by the knowledge that true closure is never complete. Eve's journey is one of acceptance: of her limitations, her losses, and the necessity of letting go. In doing so, she finds a measure of redemption, not by changing the past, but by embracing the future, however uncertain it may be.

Characters

Eve Levine

Eve is a half-demon, half-witch whose death has not diminished her fierce love for her daughter, Savannah. Her personality is a blend of pragmatism, sarcasm, and deep-seated guilt. In life, she was a powerful and sometimes ruthless practitioner of the dark arts, but in death, she is forced to confront her vulnerabilities and regrets. Her relationship with Kristof is central to her development, offering both comfort and a mirror for her own flaws. Eve's journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns that true strength lies not in power, but in the willingness to sacrifice for others. Her arc is defined by the tension between holding on and letting go, and her ultimate acceptance of her new role as an angel is both a reward and a loss.

Savannah Levine

Savannah is the teenage daughter of Eve and Kristof, raised by Paige and Lucas after her mother's death. She is gifted, headstrong, and struggling to find her place in a world that is both magical and dangerous. Savannah represents both Eve's greatest achievement and her deepest fear—the possibility of losing her to the same darkness that once consumed Eve. Savannah's growth is seen through Eve's eyes, and her ability to survive and thrive without her mother's intervention is a testament to the power of trust and letting go.

Kristof Nast

Kristof is a powerful sorcerer and Eve's former lover, now a ghost sharing her afterlife. His relationship with Eve is marked by unresolved feelings, mutual respect, and shared guilt over their past choices. Kristof is both a partner and a foil for Eve, challenging her to move beyond her obsessions and embrace the possibility of happiness. His own struggles with fatherhood, regret, and the limitations of the afterlife mirror Eve's, and their eventual reconciliation is a hard-won victory over the forces that once kept them apart.

Trsiel

Trsiel is an angel assigned to assist Eve in her quest. He is the embodiment of order and responsibility, often clashing with Eve's impulsive nature. Trsiel's own insecurities—about his place among the angels, his partial humanity, and his capacity for empathy—make him a more nuanced character than the typical celestial being. His partnership with Eve is transformative for both, forcing each to reconsider their assumptions about good, evil, and the nature of justice.

The Nix

The Nix is a demi-demon who thrives on chaos, possessing women and driving them to murder. She is both a literal and symbolic embodiment of destructive impulse, feeding on the weaknesses and desires of her hosts. The Nix's motivations are complex—she seeks not just survival, but a permanent place in the living world, free from the constraints of the afterlife. Her interactions with Eve are a battle of wills, each recognizing something of themselves in the other. The Nix's ultimate defeat is not just a victory over evil, but a confrontation with the darkness within.

Paige Winterbourne

Paige is Savannah's guardian and a powerful witch in her own right. She represents the possibility of redemption and stability, offering Savannah the home and guidance that Eve could not provide. Paige's relationship with Eve is complicated by their shared history and differing philosophies, but ultimately grounded in mutual respect. Paige's presence is a reminder that love and care can take many forms, and that letting go does not mean abandoning those we love.

Lucas Cortez

Lucas is Paige's partner and Savannah's other guardian. A sorcerer with a strong moral compass, Lucas is the anchor that keeps Paige and Savannah grounded. His analytical mind and calm demeanor provide a counterbalance to the more volatile personalities around him. Lucas's willingness to accept responsibility for Savannah, despite the dangers and complications, is a testament to his character and the power of chosen family.

Jaime Vegas

Jaime is a necromancer whose abilities and self-confidence are often underestimated by others—and herself. She becomes a key player in the final confrontation with the Nix, her willingness to trust and help Eve putting her at great risk. Jaime's journey is one of self-acceptance, as she learns to value her own strengths and contributions, even in the face of overwhelming danger.

The Fates

The Fates are the cosmic arbiters who oversee the supernatural realms. They are both judges and tricksters, offering bargains that are as much tests as they are opportunities. Their relationship with Eve is adversarial but not without a certain respect; they recognize her potential even as they manipulate her for their own ends. The Fates embody the theme of destiny versus free will, challenging Eve to define her own path.

Dachev

Dachev is a magician and serial killer, once a partner of the Nix, now trapped in a hellish afterlife. His interactions with Eve are a study in the psychology of evil—he is both a source of crucial information and a reminder of the consequences of unchecked desire. Dachev's willingness to bargain, manipulate, and inflict pain makes him a formidable adversary, but also a cautionary tale about the dangers of making deals with the damned.

Plot Devices

The Afterlife as a Mirror

The novel uses the afterlife not as a place of rest, but as a continuation of the characters' earthly conflicts and desires. Ghosts, angels, and demons are all bound by the same emotional and psychological chains that defined them in life. This device allows for a deep exploration of themes like guilt, redemption, and the difficulty of letting go. The afterlife is structured with its own rules, hierarchies, and politics, mirroring the complexities of the living world and forcing characters to confront their unfinished business.

Possession and Identity

Possession—both literal and metaphorical—is a central motif. The Nix's ability to inhabit and corrupt her hosts raises questions about agency, responsibility, and the nature of evil. Eve's own journey involves a form of possession, as she must inhabit another's body to stop the Nix, blurring the lines between self and other. This device is used to explore the costs of power, the dangers of obsession, and the possibility of transformation through empathy and sacrifice.

Bargains and Moral Ambiguity

Throughout the novel, characters are forced to make bargains—with the Fates, with demons, with each other. These deals are rarely straightforward, often involving hidden costs and unintended consequences. The moral ambiguity of these bargains is a recurring theme: is it ever right to do wrong for the right reasons? The narrative structure is built around a series of escalating choices, each forcing the characters to weigh their desires against their duties, and their personal happiness against the greater good.

Foreshadowing and Parallelism

The story is rich with foreshadowing, as past events and relationships echo forward into the present. The Nix's history of possession parallels Eve's own struggles with control and agency. The structure of the afterlife, with its rules and hierarchies, foreshadows the choices Eve will have to make about her own destiny. The use of parallel storylines—Eve's quest, the Nix's rampage, Savannah's coming of age—creates a tapestry of interconnected fates, emphasizing the theme of interconnectedness and the ripple effects of every action.

Analysis

Haunted is more than a supernatural thriller; it is a profound exploration of what it means to love, to lose, and to find purpose beyond oneself. Kelley Armstrong uses the conventions of urban fantasy—magic, demons, afterlife bureaucracy—to probe deeper questions about identity, responsibility, and the nature of evil. At its heart, the novel is about motherhood: the fierce, sometimes destructive desire to protect one's child, and the painful necessity of letting them grow and make their own mistakes. Eve's journey from restless ghost to self-sacrificing angel is a metaphor for the process of grieving, accepting, and moving on. The book challenges the reader to consider the costs of obsession, the limits of redemption, and the possibility of finding peace not by changing the past, but by embracing the future. In a world where the boundaries between life and death, good and evil, are constantly shifting, Haunted offers a message of hope: that even in the darkest places, love, courage, and self-knowledge can light the way forward.

Last updated: April 28, 2025