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Experiment in Terror
Series · 17
books · 2011-2021

Books in series

Darkhouse book cover
#1

Darkhouse

2011

There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a horrific mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems.
Red Fox book cover
#2

Red Fox

2011

With Book Two of the Experiment in Terror Series, Perry Palomino and Dex Foray trade in the stormy Oregon coast for the unforgiving deserts of New Mexico. In the for­got­ten town of Red Fox, New Mex­ico, a Navajo cou­ple is tor­tured by things unseen and by motives unknown. Wild ani­mals slink through their house in the dark, a bar­rage of stones pound their roof nightly, and muti­lated sheep car­casses are turn­ing up on their prop­erty. Armed with a cam­era and just enough to go on, Perry and Dex travel to the des­o­late locale, hop­ing to film the super­nat­ural occur­rences and add cred­i­bil­ity to their flail­ing web­cast. Only their show has a lot more work­ing against them than just grow­ing pains. Tested by dubi­ous ranch hands, a ghost from Dex’s past, and shapeshift­ing decep­tion, the ama­teur ghost hunters must learn to trust each other in order to fight the most ancient of myths…or die trying.
The Benson book cover
#2.5

The Benson

2011

An Experiment in Terror Novella (#2.5). This short story/novella sees amateur Youtube ghost-hunters, Perry Palomino and Dex Foray, investigating the real-life hauntings of Portland's infamous Benson Hotel. It occurs between books #2 (Red Fox) and #3 (Dead Sky Morning) and is the perfect primer for anyone interested in the EIT series.
Perception book cover
#2.5, 5.5, 5.7

Perception

An Experiment in Terror Novella Collection

2013

Now in paperback, a collection of the Experiment in Terror novellas: The Benson, Old Blood and The Dex-Files (previously only available in e-book). It's all about perception. From Perry Palomino to her partner, Dex Foray, and her grandmother, Pippa, this collection of EIT novellas explores the different point of views from three dynamic characters as they fight both their inner demons and their ties to the supernatural. Up first is The Benson (#2.5) - ghost hunters Perry Palomino and Dex Foray explore The Benson, an infamous haunted hotel in Portland, Oregon. This short story showcases the tense beginnings of Perry and Dex's relationship and hints at their connections to the very ghosts they hunt. In Old Blood (#5.5) we get the frightening yet tragic backstory of Perry's enigmatic grandmother and the dark secrets she has kept, secrets that could save Perry's life. Finally, in The Dex-Files (#5.7) we get Dex's story, told in various points throughout his heartbreaking life.
Dead Sky Morning book cover
#3

Dead Sky Morning

2011

With the Experiment in Terror show finding some success, amateur ghost hunters Perry Palomino and Dex Foray embark on their most terrifying investigation yet. A tiny, fog-shrouded island in the rough strait between British Columbia and Washington State has held a dark secret for decades: It was a former leper colony where over forty souls were left to rot, die and bury each other. Now a functioning campground, Perry and Dex spend an isolated weekend there to investigate potential hauntings but as the duo quickly find out, there is more to fear on D’Arcy Island than just ghosts. The island quickly pits partner against partner, spiraling the pair into madness that serves to destroy their sanity, their relationship and their very lives.
Lying Season book cover
#4

Lying Season

2011

Amateur ghost-hunter Perry Palomino has battled ghosts, fought off skinwalkers and skirted the fine line between life and death. But can she survive bunking down in Seattle for a week with her partner (and man she secretly loves) Dex and his perfect girlfriend, Jennifer? And can she do so while being tormented by a malicious spirit from Dex’s increasingly shady past? With love and life in the balance, Perry must discover the truth among the lies or risk losing everything she's ever cared about.
On Demon Wings book cover
#5

On Demon Wings

2012

When the life you wanted has crumbled beneath your fingers, there’s nothing left to do but pick up the pieces and soldier on. You’ve done this before. But what happens when you no longer feel like yourself anymore? When fires spontaneously start-up around you, when you hear growling coming from underneath your bed, and you no longer recognize your face in the mirror. What happens then? Ghost-hunter Perry Palomino doesn’t have much time to find out. Now, the evil she used to hunt is a lot closer to home. It’s inside of her, taking over her life bit-by-terrifying bit, and there’s only one person who can help her. If part of her doesn’t kill him first.
Old Blood book cover
#5.5

Old Blood

2012

A haunting novella from the Experiment in Terror Series... From her harrowing introduction in Darkhouse, the spectre known as “Creepy Clown Lady” has been a constant fixture in Perry Palomino’s life. But beyond the horrid makeup and piercing stare lies Pippa, a woman just like everyone else. Well, not quite. When Perry discovered Pippa’s message to her and Dex on the EVP recordings, she thought she heard the last of the old woman’s message. She was wrong. In the novella Old Blood, Pippa relays the tale of her troubled and tortured past, revealing how an aspiring actress and loving mother fell into madness and how an unfathomable betrayal led to her untimely death. For Perry, the repercussions of her message are life-shattering. Old Blood is #5.5 in the series and occurs between books #5 On Demon Wings and #6 Into the Hollow
The Dex-Files book cover
#5.6

The Dex-Files

2012

The truth is out there... The Dex-Files is a compilation novel that accompanies the Experiment in Terror Series and is not to be-read as a stand-alone. In the Dex-Files we find a variety of scenes and chapters from the enigmatic Dex Foray's POV from books #1-6 in the series. Some of these scenes have been previously published, albeit from Perry's POV, while other scenes are completely new. In addition to it not being a stand-alone, the novel also contains some major spoilers and should be read only by those who have read all the published books in the series. Book #1 - Darkhouse \*Lighthouse Meeting \*Pie Scene \*Jenn and Dex Book #2 - Red Fox \*Bar Scene - extended \*Playing Nurse Book #3 - Dead Sky Morning \*Strippers \*Truth or Dare \*Tent Scene Book #4 - Lying Season \*The Big Question \*The Xmas Party Book #5 - On Demon Wings \*A Phone Call Book #6 - Into the Hollow \*Bailout
Into the Hollow book cover
#6

Into the Hollow

2012

Perry Palomino has fought her demons – and won – but the battle is far from over. She’s now left broken and on her own, leaving behind her life and family in Portland to focus on giving Dex Foray – and the Experiment in Terror show – a second chance. But their past mistakes continue to tease and test their relationship, as does the wild and desolate terrain of the Canadian Rockies. The snow-covered peaks and ravenous forests hide an urban legend too unbelievably frightening to be true and the only way the duo has a chance of surviving is if Perry can let in the very man who sent her to hell and back. Rated 16+ for lan­guage, gore and sex­ual content
And With Madness Comes the Light book cover
#6.5

And With Madness Comes the Light

2013

The Man. The Mystery. The Madness. Dex Foray has never been anyone’s fool – until he missed his chance for happiness with Perry Palomino. Broken and alone, Dex has no choice but to rise from the ashes Perry left behind and find his own path to redemption. But nothing in Dex’s life has ever come easily, especially when there’s a dark madness waiting in the wings. Told from Dex’s POV, And With Madness Comes the Light is short story/novella that spans the time period from the end of Lying Season (Book #4) until the end of On Demon Wings (Book #5). If you were ever wondering what really happened to Dex while Perry was gone - his journey to Dex 2.0 - now is your chance.
Come Alive book cover
#7

Come Alive

2013

It’s one thing to bring the woman you love back into your life. It’s another to try and keep her there. For Dex Foray, con­vinc­ing Perry Palomino to open her­self to their bur­geon­ing rela­tion­ship has been more chal­leng­ing than hunt­ing ghosts, bat­tling demons and stalk­ing Sasquatch com­bined. Add in the fact that the only way they can keep their Exper­i­ment in Ter­ror show run­ning is to take on a third part­ner in the form of the mys­te­ri­ous Max­imus Jacobs—all while inves­ti­gat­ing a sin­is­ter voodoo sect in New Orleans—and you’ve got the per­fect South­ern storm and a recipe for dis­as­ter. Luck­ily, Dex has never been one to back down, even when his life –and heart—are on the line. Come Alive is told from Dex’s POV.
Ashes to Ashes book cover
#8

Ashes to Ashes

2013

It’s been two months since Perry Palomino and Dex Foray’s relationship reached a new turning point, two months since Perry started a new life in Seattle, and two months since their Experiment in Terror show took on a new partner, ex-Wine Babe Rebecca Sims, and found a new level of success. But whenever there is light in their lives, the madness still has a way of coming back in. When the team is sent back to the stormy Oregon coast to investigate a haunted school, Perry wants to use the opportunity to reconnect with her family and reintroduce Dex into their lives. Only Perry’s not the only one who’s reaching out – her grandmother Pippa has started appearing to her with disturbing warnings and Perry’s presence at the school has ignited a chilling new wave of supernatural phenomenon. Once used a century ago as a sanatorium to house children dying of tuberculosis, the school’s past residents are slowly coming back to life and with one thing on their mind. They want someone to play with, someone to join them. Forever. Even when dead, some children get whatever they want. And they want Perry.
Dust to Dust book cover
#9

Dust to Dust

2014

(New to this angsty, sexy, scary romance series? Start with book #1, Darkhouse, and work your way up through all the slow-burn spookiness) Perry Palomino and Dex Foray. On their own, they’re uniquely brilliant. Together, they’re an unstoppable team. Until now. Because after everything the duo has encountered, they haven’t come across an evil quite like this. An evil that has been years in the making, an evil that will stop at nothing until they, and everyone they care for, are destroyed. Dex and Perry’s love has survived a multitude of sins. But can it survive the end?
Ghosted book cover
#9.5

Ghosted

2020

Ghosted is an all-new EIT novella told from Dex's POV. It should be read after Dust to Dust (after Veiled, preferably) and before Came Back Haunted. It's available in the All the Love in the World anthology on Amazon, as well as by itself in paperback, and at Nook, iBooks and Kobo.
Came Back Haunted book cover
#10

Came Back Haunted

2020

A lot can change in three years. For Perry and Dex Foray, it’s been a step in the right direction, a step toward living a normal life. They’re happily married, they have their own media company, they’ve done what they can to leave their sordid and scary past behind them. But something has changed recently. Perry’s biological clock is ticking. Her sister, Ada, is going down the same path she once did. And the Thin Veil between the living and the dead has weakened, letting an old friend walk back into their lives. Only he may not be who he seems, and he might not be alone. Sometimes the past won’t let you go. And it turns out those three years of peace and happiness for the Forays were just the calm before the storm.
#11

In the Fade

2021

Though it's been years since Experiment in Terror ended, Perry and Dex Foray are back in front of the camera, only this time they aren't hunting ghosts but instead using their special "skills" to communicate with the dead. When they're invited by a cruising company to make contact with the dead crew members of La Paix, an infamous tall ship with a mysterious past, they set out to help uncover the mystery behind the hauntings. Except, this won't be as simple as spending one night on the ship. They set sail from New York City to Southampton, England in order to fully immerse themselves with the ghosts, on a sixteen-day voyage across the Atlantic. But while finding out what happened to the ghost crew of La Paix is harrowing enough when you're on a ship in the middle of the ocean, things take a turn for the worse when something bizarre happens, leaving Dex with his memory wiped. He doesn't know who his wife is, and he's never heard of EIT. It's like his life after he first met Perry in her uncle's lighthouse never happened. Now Perry has to do all she can to make sure he remembers—or risk losing him forever.

Author

Karina Halle
Karina Halle
Author · 99 books

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, a former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author of River of Shadows, The Royals Next Door, and Black Sunshine, as well as 70 other wild and romantic reads, ranging from light & sexy rom coms to horror/paranormal romance and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever genre you're into, she's probably written a romance for it. When she's not traveling, she and her husband split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, their sailboat the Norfinn, and their condo in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.authorkarinahalle.com

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