THE LOVE TRIALS
A serial killer targets couples in love... But he accidentally takes a pair of enemies instead.
Eden Callahan survived a famous serial killer at thirteen by playing dead while her family was butchered around her. When she's attacked by another killer at twenty-one and rescued in the nick of time, she discovers a horrifying truth:
Some serial killers come back as ghosts after they die and possess innocent people to continue their murder sprees.
Eden joins a team of paranormal investigators aimed at finding and extracting these ghosts, and quickly begins hunting the most sadistic entity the team has ever encountered. When he was alive, the Game Master got famous for forcing couples into deadly trials designed to break their love, and now that he's dead, his games have gotten worse.
Eden hunts the Game Master alongside the team, trying to stop him before he kills another victim. But the Game Master has big plans for his next trials, and when Eden gets caught in his crosshairs, she will have to use all her cunning if she has any chance of getting through the investigation alive.
Perfect for fans of Criminal Minds, Saw, and Supernatural!
This is book 1 in a brand-new series inspired by Criminal Minds and Supernatural, about ghost hunters who hunt the ghosts of serial killers. Each book will stand alone and feature the same team hunting a different serial killer ghost (like an episode of early Criminal Minds).
Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Hate to love
- Slow burn
- Morally grey MMC
- YEARNING
- TONS of banter
- 🌶️ (1-2 spicy scenes with the reader present)
Trigger warnings:
The very serious ones (please take these seriously and think about what these mean for you):
• Suicide and self-harm
• Rape (occurs off the page but discussed in detail in the context of character backstory)
• Murder of parents and a younger sibling (graphic and on the page)
• Detailed sex scenes that include rough sex and consensual non-consent (CNC) dynamics
The still serious (yet worded in a humorous way) ones:
• Teeth and dental trauma that even the best dentist can’t fix
• Graphic depictions of violence and murder (obviously)
• Saws, axes, knives, scalpels, glass shards, and chains (using them on body parts in ways 9/10 doctors do NOT recommend)
• Dismemberment (arms, legs, fingers, toes, and more!)
• Suffocation and strangulation
• Cannibalism (discussed in a similar context to discussing a true crime case, not graphically shown on the page)
• Commercial meat grinders
• Bad taxidermy
• GENEROUS profanity (if I were taken by a serial killer, I’d be using some generous profanity, too, LOL)
Email me at claire@clairefraise.com or message me on TikTok at @clairefraiseauthor if you want to discuss in more detail. I want to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable reading experience.
You will love this if you loved:
1. Everything about Criminal Minds (the team dynamic, the pacing, the cases, *chef's kiss*)
2. Saw (I drew lots of inspiration from Saw for the games the enemies have to play)
3. Supernatural (I paid homage to Sam and Dean when creating my ghost hunter worldbuilding)
4. A possessive morally gray MMC inspired by Aaron Hotchner and Xaden Riorson who would kill anyone for *her*
5. Found family like in The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
6. The mix of comedy and gore in Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
7. True crime (I drew inspiration from real life serial killers when building the fictional ones featured in this book. Big true crime fans might catch on.)
8. Very 3D characters who feel like real people (at least they do to me, I find myself talking to them like imaginary friends on the regular lol)
What readers are saying…
"I'm calling it right now, this book might be the next big thing."
"This was like if Criminal Minds, Saw, Supernatural, and Ghostbusters had a sexy child. I was hooked from chapter one and just couldn‘t stop reading. This was f*cking great. Highly highly recommend."
"It literally is hands down one of the greatest books I've read!!!!"
"Fraise promised a f**ked up story, and she delivered in terms of gore, tension, and fear."
"If you’re looking for a romance that doesn’t shy away from bloodshed, The Love Trials absolutely delivers."
"Clear your schedule. Seriously. This is a "just one more chapter" book that turns into an all-night binge."
"If you’re into that “I hate you, but I’d burn the world for you” kind of love story, this will absolutely hit the mark."
"The enemies to lovers… Chefs kiss, the perfect amount of hatred and yearning. I need Nico in my life now!"
"The plot? 10/10. The angst and longing? infinity/10"
"I was hooked SO fast it was actually ridiculous"
"Griffin? Come to mama.
Nico? Damn, boy."
"I would drag this book down the aisle to marry it and love it forever"
"I've never read anything like this book, in the best of ways."
"I will never love anyone or anything like I love Bob ❤️"
"The witty banter and absolutely killer plot was fantastic"
"The characters trauma and backstories ✨chefs kiss✨🤌"
"10000000% a an Eden and Nico fan 🫶"
"Your jaw will be on the floor constantly"
"Nico and Eden's journey was loud, messy and dark, but completely undeniable and pure all at the same time"
"This book was devastating and beautiful"
"Wickedly dark, Fraise has created a masterpiece of a horror book for us paranormal & true crime fans."
"If Criminal Minds, Saw, and Supernatural had a baby this book would be it in all the best ways!"
"The internal struggles? Unreal.
The characters? Messy, flawed, impossible to look away from.
And the twists?? I genuinely didn't see them coming."
"I am obsessed! I will be forever recommending this book to people!"
"Read the triggers as this is very dark, and I did need to collect my thoughts afterward. This is one talented author to make me feel so much."