#NetGalley #BookReview ~ The Sign of Four Spirits, (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #9) by Vicki Delany #Cozy #Mystery #CrookedLaneBooks

The Sign of Four Spirits

A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #9

by Vicki Delany 

Release date: January 9th, 2024  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Sign of Four Spirits, (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #9) by Vicki Delany from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

… as always, the author has given us a well-written, cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a quirky cast of suspects starring in this fun, fast-paced story filled with twists, turns and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing to the very last chapter …  

In the ninth entry in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series, author Vicki Delaney does not disappoint.

When the Psychic Fair rolls into West London, Cape cod, tourism is incredibly busy, especially at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Mrs. Hudson’s Tea room. When Gemma’s shop assistant Ashleigh is roped into attending a seance arranged by her mother, former pop star and town legend Bunny, she is hoping to avoid it. Nervous about the spirit her mother might want to talk to, she believes it will be her dead father she never knew. Gemma, Jayne, and friend Donald Morris attend to offer Ashleigh moral support.

The seance which is held at widowed Rebecca Stanton and her orphaned niece Miranda’s home on an eerie stormy night. They meet eccentric psychic Madame Lavalier and her assistant, Mary Moffat. As the participants begin to arrive the readers are introduced to Daniel Stanton, Rebecca’s belligerent stepson and his new bride Eleanor as well as Max Greenwood and his wife, Larissa who are acting oddly. As Madame Lavalier is barricaded in the dining room while they prepare for the seance her assistant rudely asks Gemma to leave the room to sit outside the door. Annoyed Gemma sits outside the door attempting to listen to the events going on. Holding hands around the table in a pitch-black room, Madame Lavalier begins conjuring spirits to be channeled, each coming through all with a different voice. When a threatening voice that had not been conjured makes his presence known screaming for revenge, a clap of thunder causes everyone to jump, unlinking their hands and throwing the room into chaos. 

When Gemma runs into the room to investigate as she turns on the lights, she reveals a very dead Madame Lavalier with an antique hat pin imbedded in her spine. Gemma is greeted by her boyfriend Detective Ryan Ashburton and his partner Louise Estrada when the police attend. Despite the animosity in previous books, this time Gemma and Louise are civil to each other considering Gemma’s Sherlockian power of deduction makes her an excellent witness. With twelve suspects and most of them friends Gemma feels compelled to get to the bottom of it and save her friends from false incrimination…or worse. 

Being a devoted fan of the author and the series, this book did not disappoint. As always, the author has given us a well-written, cleverly plotted cozy mystery with a quirky cast of suspects starring in this fun, fast-paced story filled with twists, turns and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing to the very last chapter!  

#NetGalley #BookReview Death at a Scottish Wedding (A Scottish Isle Mystery #2) by Lucy Connelly #Cozy #Mystery

Review 

Death at a Scottish Wedding

by  

Lucy Connelly  

Release date: January 9th, 2024

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Death at a Scottish Wedding (A Scottish Isle Mystery #2) by Lucy Connelly from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review. 

… Well-written, cleverly plotted and with quirky characters who I really enjoy. In general, I love protagonists who are intelligent, strong, down to earth, yet vulnerable…”

“Till death do us part” takes on a new meaning in this second installment in the Scottish Isle Mysteries by Lucy Connelly. Recent transplant Dr. Emilia McRoy escapes the trauma of her old life as an ER doctor in Seattle to settle in Sea Isle Scotland and become the town’s only physician. She is embraced by the town when she moves both her home and practice into an old historical church, and she instantly embraced by the town finding friends who have quickly become family. Although she loves the job, the one drawback is that she has also learned that as the only doctor she will also be on call as their coroner. Although most of the deaths are from old age or accidents, the murders she investigates, almost kill her. 

In Death at a Scottish Wedding her friend, Angie, owner of a tartan shop, is a blushing bride-to-be set to wed Damien at Morrigan Castle the family home of Deputy Chief Constable/Laird/Mayor Ewan Campbell. Most of their friends are invited, meaning Emilia, her friend Mara, cakemaker extraordinaire Jasper, her assistant Abigail and Abigail’s brother, Tommy, head to the castle to celebrate. With rumours of an intense snowstorm on its way the group chose to head up early to ensure they did not miss the event.  

Ewan’s castle is huge and a perfect setting for punk princess Angie’s Dream Gothic themed wedding. All is going well until after the hen party when Angie and Mara become deathly ill. Both retreat to their rooms to sleep it off before the festivities begin. When Emilia glances out the observatory window sees someone collapse in the window of the turret, she grabs Ewan to investigate. As the storm hits, they lose power while heading up the turret steps leaving them to flounder in the dark. After she stumbles over something, she pulls out her phone and by the light of her phone, she sees a stranger’s dead body. Upon closer inspection the victim appears to have been poisoned as indicated by the pool of vomit found near the body. Once they make a connection, they are quick to check on Angie and Mara. When Emilia and Abigail come to the aid of both their friends, they realize that they too have been poisoned and that someone is on a mission to put a stop to the wedding. While the patients recuperate and the wedding still on, Emilia and Ewan must get to the bottom of it before the killer puts a permanent end to the ceremony.  

 Family secrets, mysterious exes and skeletons come out of the closet and the warmer the trail Emilia follows the more she puts herself in the killer’s crosshairs.

I loved the first book and this one did not disappoint. Well-written, cleverly plotted and with quirky characters who I really enjoy. In general, I love protagonists who are intelligent, strong, down to earth, yet vulnerable. Again, in this entry I was also impressed by the supporting characters, their friendships felt genuine. I thoroughly enjoy Ms. Connelly’s writing and I really look forward to reading more about Emilia and her friends’ experiences in Sea Isle. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an amazing cozy mystery.

#NetGalley #BookReview Holmes, Marple & Poe, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts, #Thriller #Mystery

Holmes, Marple & Poe

by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Release date: January 8th, 2024 

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(3.5 rounded up)

I received a complimentary ARC copy of Holmes, Marple & Poe, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts, #Thriller #Mystery  from Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group in order to read and give an honest review.  

…”Holmes, Marple & Poe” was a very quick and fun read which pays homage to beloved characters…

True to James Patterson’s thrill a minute style, Holmes, Marple, & Poe, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a fast-paced thriller inspired by characters from classic mysteries by authors Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, Agatha Christie, and features a character based on the author himself, Edgar Allan Poe.  

In modern day New York City, we meet three private detectives with infamous names and hidden pasts who open “Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations” in a historical bakery infamous for the mysterious disappearance of an assistant in 1954.

We meet the heroes on a high after solving a high profile case that was splashed over the news, an impressed NYPD Detective Helene Grey, impressed by their success requests their assistance on what starts as an art theft and then jumps to several altogether unrelated crimes including the kidnapping of a wealthy father and his teenage step-daughter and a mass grave in the subway tunnels of New York.  All of the cases are independent of each other but each one offers our sleuths a challenge.

 To be honest I used to be a huge fan of Patterson’s but have drifted away over the past few years and I really wanted to love this book. Being a fan of the mystery genre, the title and description made me so incredibly eager to dive in, but although with its merits it really didn’t quite hit the mark for me.  The positives right off the bat, I did enjoy the homage Patterson and Sitts paid to the beloved characters, especially Margaret Marple, who in this incarnation is a younger, and more streetwise version of Agatha Christie’s famous detective who is graced with the keen power of observation. As for the other two leads, Brandon Holmes and Auguste Poe, although true to their reputations in terms of quirks, they felt oddly interchangeable in parts, feeling more like they were flexing more machismo than intellect.  However, with the clever combination of all three in addition to other characters such as their office manager Virginia and Detective Grey the characters drove the story enjoyable and even the culprits. Now onto the negatives, my biggest complaint was the multiple crimes (I believe, there were six in total) that although they did offer a thrill a minute and were resolved at the end, they all felt disjointed and better suited to a crime-procedural tv series than in a book where they felt lackluster and disappointing for the lack of better terms.

In conclusion to sum it up, “Holmes, Marple & Poe” was a very quick and fun read which pays homage to beloved characters (and an author who was a character himself) all of whom are responsible for many readers and writers falling in love with the mystery genre. Since reading is very subjective in my opinion if you are looking for a quick entertaining read this is it, but if you’re looking for something that’s complex, intelligent, and daring, this might not be for you. If you read Holmes, Marple & Poe, I would love to get your take, please share your thoughts below.

#NetGalley #BookReview Lost Hours (Alaska Wild #5) by Paige Shelton #Cozy #Mystery

Lost Hours

(Alaska Wild #5)

by Paige Shelton

Release date: December 5th, 2023  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Lost Hours (Alaska Wild #5) by Paige Shelton from Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…With twists, turns and a plethora of red herrings the reader is led through a suspenseful, well plotted, brilliantly written and edgy cozy....

Lost Hours, the fifth entry in Paige Shelton’s Alaska Wild series. I am a huge fan of the author, and this series in particular, and was thrilled to get the opportunity to read and review this entry which I am pleased to say, did not disappoint.   

We open with protagonist Beth Rivers, after a year of moving to the small town of Benedict Alaska. Fleeing there after escaping the clutches of kidnapper Travis Walker she has found a place so far removed from the life she once had as a best-selling author, shedding her pen name, Elizabeth Fairchild. Living at Benedict House, a halfway house run by Viola, who is one of the few who knows her true identity along with police chief Gril Samuels, his deputy Donner and undercover agent, Orin all of whom have gone to extreme lengths to protect her secret, help her heal and grow into her new identity as well as into the hearts of those in Benedict.  

With her good friends, new boyfriend Tex and the resurgence of her estranged father Eddy, Beth is finally feeling more optimistic about life. When she hears the news from Detective Major that Walker has been captured, she is incredibly relieved and can finally live her life. While finally getting to be a tourist she takes a quick trip with Tex to see the icebergs. Things change when they stumble across a blood covered woman desperately flagging them down from the shore of deserted Lillybrook island. When they manage to get her on the boat, she tells a tale of being kidnapped, held hostage and ending with her assailant being killed by a bear. The kidnapping story resonates with Beth and wanting to help she agrees to sit with the victim until they get to shore. Sadie Milbourn, the victim, bonds with Beth and confesses to her that she is in fact in witness protection hiding out in Juneau. Feeling conflicted, Beth supports Sadie but when she refuses to speak with the Juneau police Beth believes there is more going on and she must decide how much she wishes to get involved.  Unfortunately, the details of Sadie’s abduction are foggy, and with no evidence to support her story something does not sit right with Beth about Sadie’s story.  

When they return to Benedict and with Travis Walker in custody Beth can now breathe deep but when her story hits the news, everyone now knows where Beth has been and what she now looks like, she is thrown off a bit, but it no longer matters, in a few months she’ll testify, and she can decide whether to return to her life as Elizabeth Fairchild. 

With nothing to lose and her curiosity running wild she starts her own investigation to help Gris and Donner. When Beth’s father Eddy, who runs a fishing charter asks her to join him to impress his clients the DuPont’s whose sixteen-year-old daughter Gracie is a huge fan, she agrees along as he stops at Lillybrook so she can do a more in-depth investigation. Exhausted from their fishing trip when they arrive at the island, the family is napping Beth and Eddy decide slip away to investigate the island. Not seeing anything unusual except a few friendly kayakers, they head back to the boat. Upon reaching the boat, they find a distraught Mrs. Dupont, upset that Gracie has disappeared. They must wonder if she has simply run away or has met a more dangerous fate.  

With twists, turns and a plethora of red herrings the reader is led through a suspenseful, well plotted, brilliantly written and edgy cozy which will thrill and excite any mystery lover. Although good as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the series in order, and with a surprise cliffhanger, I cannot wait to read book six!

#NetGalley #BookReview of The Curse of Penryth Hall, A Mystery by Jess Armstrong #Gothic #Mystery

Review

The Curse of Penryth Hall

A Mystery

by Jess Armstrong

Release date: December 5th, 2023

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 I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Curse of Penryth Hall, A Mystery by Jess Armstrong from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review. 

“…a well-written, cleverly plotted, atmospheric mystery that offers the reader a deliciously intriguing tale … ” 

A mystery with a gothic feel, The Curse of Penryth Hall set on a country estate in a Cornish Hamlet we meet bold, brash, and brave heiress, Ruby Vaugh, who flees from the fallout from one of her many scandals settles in Exeter after WWI. Ruby luckily finds lodgings with octogenarian and father-like landlord Mr. Owen. Luckily, she is fortunate to work with him at his bookshop and is tasked with delivering a mysterious chest of books to a folk healer, Ruan Kivell living in Cornwall, with her cat in tow. As she drops the books off she meets Kivell, as charming as he is unsettling to Ruby, but he leaves her with a definite impression.

Before her return to Exeter, she plans on a quick visit with former flame Tamsyn who now resides with her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth and their son at Penryth Hall. Unsure of what reception she will get since Ruby has not seen them since a drunk Ruby disgraced herself at their wedding. Tamsyn, vastly different from the friend she knew, is now a timid, obedient wife and a doting mother to her young son. Ruby is not sure what to think but while sitting at the dinner table she sees Sir Edward’s disdain she also notices faded bruises on her friend Tamsyn and the pieces begin to fit. She believes there is nothing she can do to help her friend and plans to leave first thing in the morning.  That night in the guest room she is plagued by disturbing dreams, dreams of being strangled as she sleeps, when she startles awake, she sees a figure in white disappear into the darkness of the room. Confused and disturbed she goes to close her bedroom window to catch a glimpse of a lady in white make moving through the orchards outside. When woken by alarm bells Ruby, a former army nurse, rushes to help only when she stumbles across Edward’s dead body in the orchard. As a respected healer in the town Ruby’s path crosses with Ruan Kivell or as the locals call him “Pellar” when he arrives to attend to the body. 

Penryth Hall, famous for its curse, has the locals pointing to it as the cause, along with Ruby the outsider who arrived just the night before. The odd and quirky partnership of Ruby and Ruan must find who or what killed Edward before Tamsyn and her son fall victim.  

I really enjoyed this book, a well-written, cleverly plotted, atmospheric mystery that offers the reader a deliciously intriguing tale that will keep them reading to the wee hours of the morning.  This was an incredible debut and I look forward to reading more from Jess Armstrong.

#NetGalley #BookReview of The Mystery Guest, A Maid Novel by Nita Prose #cozy #mystery

 

 The Mystery Guest

A Maid Novel

by Nita Prose

Release date: November 28th, 2023  

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Mystery Guest, A Maid Novel by Nita Prose from NetGalley and Penguin Random House in order to read and give an honest review.  

“… I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Mystery guest is a clever, quirky, and refreshingly unique twist to the average cozy mystery…“

Molly Gray is back again but this time she is basking in her new life including her promotion to “Head Maid” at her beloved Regency Grand Hotel and texting with her live-in boyfriend, Juan Manual who is away taking care of family in Mexico. A stronger, more confident Molly after the events that took place in book one, she is in a better place and loves her new position as head maid. When she is placed in charge of an event in the Grand’s tearoom not everyone is happy including some of her colleagues. The event in question featuring the world-renowned mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe on the verge of making an important announcement, mysteriously drops dead after drinking his tea, Molly has another huge mess to clean.  

With a few select staff Molly decides to try and break the stereotypical cliché “the maid did it” and solve the crime. When memories of Mr. Grimthorpe from her childhood surface she realizes there is much more to the story and with a little help sets out to find the culprit to save The Regency’s’ good name and her own. As she relives her childhood, the clues begin coming together in a way that astounds and impresses her former nemesis Detective Stark, and the two work together to unravel the clues before they and the murderer disappear.  

Nita Prose does it again, I absolutely love Molly’s voice and her ability to think creatively, seeing the minute details and connections everyone misses. Her social game, although improved, still has its moments but she is such a refreshing voice to read. 

Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Mystery guest is a clever, quirky, and refreshingly unique twist to the average cozy mystery. With revelations and the paths that open up to Molly at the end of the book I am curious to see where this series takes us!  

#NetGalley #BookReview Murder Checks Out (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #8) by Victoria Gilbert #Cozy #Mystery

Murder Checks Out

Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #8

by Victoria Gilbert 

Release date: November 14th, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Murder Checks Out (Blue Ridge Library Mysteries #8) by Victoria Gilbert from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

… a fun-filled entertaining cozy mystery, which I would definitely recommend …  

Library Director Amy and her husband Richard, along with their 5-year-old twins are busily preparing for this holiday season. Richard and their twins are busy rehearsing for their upcoming production of the Nutcracker as well as their unexpected visit from Richard’s mother Fiona. Although Amy is dreading Fiona’s visit she is looking forward to the holidays, and when Fiona arrives Amy feels something isn’t right. While Amy is busy juggling all parts of her life everything comes to a standstill when the murder of a greedy land developer and town committee chair points Sheriff Brad Tucker in Amy’s brother-in-law, Ethan’s direction. Ethan was seen arguing with the victim at a festival and when Ethan mysteriously and very out of character disappears, he is the focus of a manhunt. In order to clear Ethan’s name and get to the bottom of things Amy must find the real murderer and uncover what has happened to Ethan. With help from an unexpected partner Amy is on the trail. The more Amy digs, the more she uncovers, including a mysterious set of past murders with a possible connection to the victim. Hot on the trail will Amy find the killer before they find her?
A fan of the Blue Ridge Library Mysteries this wasn’t my favourite, it had a different feel to it but it was still a fun-filled entertaining cozy mystery, which I would definitely recommend.

#NetGalley #BookReview Opulence and Ashes (A Gilded Gotham Mystery #4) by Kate Belli #Historical #Mystery

 Review

Opulence and Ashes

(A Gilded Gotham Mystery #4)

by 

Kate Belli

Release date: October 17th, 2023

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Opulence and Ashes (A Gilded Gotham Mystery) by Kate Belli from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… an amazing plot, heart-stopping twists, and compelling characters this well-written, fast-paced mystery is a page-turning historical mystery that keeps the reader engaged to the very last page….

The 4th installment in the Gilded Gotham Mystery series by Kate Belli Opulence and Ashes begins in spring 1890 with Genevieve and Daniel nuptials mere weeks away.  In addition to wedding preparations, they are doing what they do best, working together. Interested in social reforms such as mental illness, false imprisonment, women’s reproductive health and homelessness, all causes dear to both their hearts they hope to put their social standing and riches to good use. When visiting a photographer, Dagmar Hansen who has been busy photographing the homeless in the dark corners of New York Daniel and Dagmar are barricaded in his studio when a fire breaks out nearly killing them both.  The police declare it an accident, but Daniel and Genevieve believe differently. Genevieve working on a story about an arson at a local women’s shelter, they are convinced there is more to the story, and both are on the case to capture the culprit. They go on a chase that takes them along a path that puts Genevieve in peril, forcing her to endure fire, abuse, and abduction. When she goes missing, friends and family are beside themselves and the hunt is on to save the bride to be.

As always, I love this series, and in this installment, I can’t help but think although they were brilliant to begin with, they are becoming so much more. With an amazing plot, heart-stopping twists, and compelling characters this well-written, fast-paced mystery is a page-turning historical mystery that keeps the reader engaged to the very last page.  I cannot wait to read more of Genevieve and Daniel’s adventures.

#NetGalley #BookReview Overdue or Die (The Haunted Library Mysteries #7) by Allison Brook #Cozy #Mystery

Overdue or Die

The Haunted Library Mysteries #7

by Allison Brook

Release date: October 10th 2023 

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(Rounded up from 3.5)

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Overdue or Die (The Haunted Library Mysteries #7) by Allison Brook from Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery with an interesting plot, a touch of romance and a quirky cast of fun characters including a ghostly confidant and a feisty feline this book is for you …  

The seventh entry in the Haunted Library series picks up where book six ends. As usual, Carrie’s life is busier than ever, she is busy on the work front prepping for the grand opening of Clover Ridge Library’s new wing and unveiling their new community art gallery featuring a special collection. It also appears to Carrie that one of her assistants who is an aspiring artist seems a little restless. When she sees her assistant speaking with a gallery owner, she fears her assistant is being drawn to a new job.  

On the home front she is struggling to plan the perfect wedding to fiancé Dylan, but she cannot find the perfect venue. Just when she seems at her limit, Carrie’s great uncle Bosco lands in the hospital after suffering a heart attack, Dylan is attacked on a business trip and a rare painting in his possession is stolen almost pushing her over the edge. 

Pulling herself together she throws herself into the grand opening only to have it crashed by a poor woman with dementia, insisting her inherited property had been illegally sold. 

When both the poor old woman and the gallery owner are murdered Carrie gets drawn into another set of murders. With her reputation for solving crimes everyone is expecting once again that Carrie will come to the rescue and with Dylan’s help that is what she does.  

As always, Carrie gets more than she bargained for. When clues point her in different directions, between forged paintings, organized crime, witness protection and scandalous affairs, things once again become overwhelming. The more clues are uncovered the wider the suspect pool becomes including friends and foes alike.  

I thoroughly enjoy the series but to be honest this entry is not my favorite. This time around the climax felt a little flat to me but I am not ready to give this series up yet. It is still a quick fun cozy to help wile away the hours. 

 If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery with an interesting plot, a touch of romance and a quirky cast of fun characters including a ghostly confidant and a feisty feline this book is for you.

#NetGalley #BookReview Caught on the Book by Laura Gail Black #Mystery #CrookedLaneBooks

Caught on the Book

An Antique Bookshop Mystery #4

by Laura Gail Black 

Release date: October 3rd, 2023 

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I received a complimentary ARC copy of Caught on the Book (An Antique Bookshop Mystery #4) by Laura Gail Black from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in order to read and give an honest review.  

…is a cute, fun, fast-paced mystery, replete with twisted red herrings, a quirky cast of multi-faceted characters, a touch of romance and humor …  

Caught on the Book is the fourth entry in the Antique Bookshop Mystery series. Jenna Quinn and her bookstore Twice Upon a Time are hosting a booth at John J. Hokes Bass Festival, the annual fishing contest and festival in Hokes Folly, North Carolina. When an angry and seemingly drunk Frank Sutter gets into a fight with local author and investigative reporter Gregory Hurst over Frank’s estranged wife Emma. He is pulled away uttering death threats to the man who stole his wife.
Frank Sutter, Jenna’s boyfriend Keith’s former partner is escorted away and despite losing his badge for relentlessly harassing Jenna who was his prime suspect in a previous murder, she can’t help but feel sorry for him.

The next morning while setting up the booth for the day they hear a blood curdling scream coming from Emma’s booth only to find Emma sitting next to Greg’s body with a knife in her hand, begging for someone to help him.
After uttering death threats, Frank becomes prime suspect however Keith is not allowed on the case due to the fact he was Franks partner and friend and with bloody footprints leading to his houseboat where Frank is arrested. Not able to be involved in the investigation to help his former partner, Keith in desperation asks Jenna to investigate the murder for him.

Jenna and her best friend and neighbor Rita pay a visit to Emma, they learn that as an investigative reporter Greg was looking into corruption at the fishing tournament and she turns over his black book with his notes from the story. Released from jail, Frank returns to his boat where Jenna, despite their volatile relationship, decides to visit to speak with him about the case. When Frank collapses to the floor unconscious and is rushed to the hospital they learn his behavior could have been attributed to a medical condition requiring surgery. With Frank out of commission and a strong gut feeling of his innocence Jenna goes on a mission to find the real culprit and clear Franks name.

 Caught on the Book is a cute, fun, fast-paced mystery, replete with twisted red herrings, a quirky cast of multi-faceted characters, a touch of romance and humor. In my opinion, I enjoyed the book, although my only complaint would be that some of Jenna’s curses yes, they are cute, but they are repetitive to the point of being cringeworthy. That being said, I really did enjoy the story and would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more in the series.