Graphic Novel: Charlaine Harris' Grave Sight, Part 1

I've decided that I wish every book on the planet came in graphic novel format. Then, I would actually be able to finish a book in a reasonable amount of time! :-) I read an e-galley of Charlaine Harris' Grave Sight graphic novel in a day! The experience was fantastic. It's taken me three weeks to try and get through the current book I'm reading and it frustrates me that I can't find the time to read it more, and it's a good book.

I have read Harris' second Harper Connelly book, Grave Surprise and I liked it. I've had the paperback edition of Grave Sight sitting on my shelf for a couple years and haven't been able to get to it. I was very excited to receive an e-galley of the graphic novel. The only downside, it was was just Part 1! Harris' book seems well adapted for graphic novel. And for me, someone who only has a few minutes a day to read, it's kind of nice getting to the nitty gritty of the story and bypassing all the extraneous description.

In this series, Harper Connelly was struck by lightning as a child. This event caused her to be able to have conversations dead bodies. She is able to find them by "listening" to them. They are also able to tell her how they died. This proves very helpful in missing persons and cold cases. Her brother Tolliver comes along for the ride as her manager of sorts and bodyguard. She has created a business out of finding dead bodies. She is hired either by the police or random people who are looking for loved ones.

Definitely recommend this for a speedy read for adults. Just wish I had Part 2 in e-galley as well!

Source disclosure: I received e-galley from the publisher through netgalley.com.

Mystery Monday

While on vacation last week, I finished up the last two books currently out in the Ophelia and Abby series by Shirley Damsgaard.

#5 The Witch is Dead: In the fifth installment of this fun series, Great Aunt Dot visits from Appalachia adding a new character and some fun. Although, she's not quite as crazy as Grandma Mazur from the Stephanie Plum series, she adds a bit of humor to the story. Her particular talent is seeing fairies and tippling homemade elderberry wine. Aunt Dot joins Tink and Ophelia on their latest adventure trying to figure out who killed the local undertaker. Tink also winds up kidnapped throwing Ophelia into a hysterical mess. Our friendly Federal agent Cobra/Ethan (from #4) makes an appearance again.

Although I liked Aunt Dot's character quite a bit, this storyline didn't grab me as much as some of the others. I'm hoping the series continues to hold my interest. I've found that it's at about book 5 or 6 where a series starts to go downhill a bit or the author has a hard time coming up with new ideas that are really good. I think Damsgaard has kept the series fresh and interesting, but this one was probably one of my least favorite.

#6 The Witch's Grave: This is the most recent in the Ophelia and Abby series. Ophelia meets a wonderful man (an author) at a fundraising event and winds up going on a walk with him where he gets shot right in front of her! She is very attracted to him and feels awful about what happened. She becomes quite obsessed with figuring out who shot him and two other people as well.

This book also takes a little different approach than the rest and has a second storyline set during WWII. It's the story of a couple working to help people during the war. This story comes to Ophelia in her dreams and Abby explains that perhaps reincarnation is at work. Abby must make a change in the present to help fix what went wrong in this person's past life. It was an interesting concept and the reincarnation story took place in France and discussed how Jews were gathered and sent to camps from France; first to Drancy and then to Auschwitz.

Ironically, I'm currently reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay which tackles this very subject. Anyhoo, I liked this last chapter of the Ophelia and Abby series and I sort of enjoyed that the story wasn't as much about Tink.

Allison's review of #6 can be found here.

Mystery Monday

I have been enjoying the Ophelia and Abby series by Shirley Damsgaard immensely. I'm so glad I borrowed it from Allison. My thoughts on the first two books can be found here.

Book #3: The Trouble with Witches
In this one, Ophelia and Abby (and later on Darcy) travel to rural Minnesota to investigate the disappearance of a young girl close to Rick's family. Damsgaard brought back good looking Rick from Book 1 for this installment. As Ophelia looks into the disappearance weird activity takes place. She blacks out, it seems there are ghost lights across the lake from their cabin. Abby figures out that Ophelia has been hexed. They meet an odd Native American shaman and are not sure if he is on the side of good or dark magick. Out of all of this, Ophelia gets to know a young girl Tink who appears to be a medium. Her guardians are not treating her properly and in the end Ophelia decides it might be best if she becomes Tink's foster mother.

Book #4: Witch Hunt
In Book 4, Ophelia struggles with her newfound motherhood, especially when the child is already 13 years old and dealing with all the intricacies of the junior high social scene. It also seems that bikers have invaded their quiet little Iowa town. When Darcy's cousin is accused of killing one of the motorcycle gang, Ophelia can't help but get involved.

I think I liked Books 3 and 4 better than the first two. I really enjoy the established characters. I think it was very creative for Damsgaard to find a new location for Book 3 to liven things up a bit. And then she introduced the character of Tink to bring more life into Book 4. It seems she's very aware that a book series can get stale or formulaic and she's doing a great job of keeping on top of that issue.

It's funny because I like the series so much, I jumped right into book 5. But then I realized, I needed to take a little break. I get annoyed when reading series of books too close together because I don't like some of the repetition that you find (even if its very minimal). I like to give a series a little breathing room so when I visit it again, I'm excited to see what the characters are up to. I also find I need to do this with formulaic authors such as Jodi Picoult. That's why I can only read one or two of an author's books a year. I have to spread things out. Otherwise, I get bored with the author's writing style.

Allison's reviews of books 3-5 can be found here.

Mystery Monday Postscript

Allison lent me her series of Ophelia and Abby mysteries by Shirley Damsgaard. I read the first and second books in the series in the last couple weeks.

Witch Way to Murder:
Allison's review can be found here.
I really enjoyed this small town mystery. It didn't feel as fluffy as some other mystery series out there (ie: Killer Heels and Murderers Prefer Blondes). I really like all the characters found in this small Iowa town. I think part of the appeal for me was the link to Iowa (where I grew up). Iowa City is also mentioned as well as Minneapolis. I guess I felt a bit of a connection. I liked that the characters were all realistic and not too cheesy or over the top. I also liked that Ophelia wasn't sure whether she even wanted to embrace her psychic abilities. I jumped right into #2 after finishing this one. I couldn't wait to see how the story continued. This was very enjoyable escapist reading.

Charmed to Death:
Allison's review can be found here.
I really liked this entry in the series as much as the first. Some of the mystery from the first book (ie: her best friend's murder) is revealed in this installment and in fact becomes the central storyline. Ophelia does learn to accept her psychic gifts and works to make them stronger. I really like her relationship with her grandmother Abby as well. My only gripe is that I did guess the killer very early on. It seemed very obvious to me. Allison also guessed the killer. I hope the others aren't quite so easy to figure out.

Just wanted to throw my two cents out there as another opinion on these books. I started The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman on Friday the 13th. I thought that was rather fitting. :-) Hopefully, I'll get a review of it up soon.

Happy Monday to everyone and Happy President's Day (hopefully many of you enjoyed a work holiday today!).

Mystery Monday!

I reviewed previous books in the Haunted Bookshop mysteries and the Aurora Teagarden mysteries right here.

The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion by Alice Kimberley: This was a fun entry, the most recent in the Haunted Bookshop mysteries, which feature an unlikely pair of sleuths: mild-mannered bookseller Penelope McClure and the ghost of hardboiled private detective Jack Shepard (stranded since the 1950s in Pen's building). I noticed this one was a bit longer than previous books in the series, and there could have been a smidge more editing, but I thought the plot was good, the characters entertaining, and the intersection of Jack's old case with current events very well done. In this entry, an elderly customer dies in her home, possibly frightened to death, and leaves her gorgeous old home to mailman Seymour. The back of the book mentions a ghostbusting effort by a secondary character, but to my relief, that wasn't the focus of the book. When another character is introduced who can actually see Jack, I was surprised Pen wasn't more interested, and it drives me nuts that she keeps her link to jack (a Buffalo nickel) in her purse, where it could be lost, stolen, or spent, but this is one of my favorite cozy series nonetheless. The first in the series is The Ghost and Mrs. McClure.

The Aurora Teagarden mysteries by Charlaine Harris: I read #3-6 in this series, and was surprised to realize they are re-prints (the series was originally published in the 90s) and there are actually two more. The seventh is Last Scene Alive and the eighth is Poppy Done To Death, and both will be re-released this year. I had planned to pre-order both, but after finishing #6, I may not. This series is tough to pigeon-hole. Harris has always skirted the edge of cozy mysteries with this series, and in a genre that separates series into Culinary, Crafty, Paranormal, and other sub-subgenres, Aurora's stories defy description. When I read the first, Real Murders, I thought it was a "true crime enthusiast" series, but the true crime club disbands at the end. I had thought it might be a "librarian/bookseller" series, but Roe quits her job in the second book. Later on, she shows an interest in real estate, but that isn't the focus, either. The books have lots of Southern charm (I love when Roe discusses the "proper Southern" thing to do), but they're about a complex, interesting heroine, so I suppose they don't need a subcategory. Another interesting distinction is that Aurora's whole life isn't told in these books, which sometimes have years pass between them.

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: While showing a house for her mother, Roe discovers the nude corpse of the town tramp. She also falls into love at first sight with the man looking at the house. The love-at-first-sight element was pretty out-there, but Harris actually handles it very well, and as usual, Roe investigates with no regard for her personal welfare.

The Julius House: Aurora's fiance gives her the perfect wedding gift: the Julius House, a lovely home with a strange history. Six years before, the Julius family disappeared without a trace. Aurora becomes a bit obsessed with solving the mystery, while sharing space with a mysterious couple hired by her husband, ostensibly to help her with renovations. A lesser author would have had Roe and her new employee becoming bosom buddies instantly, but Harris keeps them at a bit of a distance, citing their very different backgrounds. The whirlwind romance/marriage is a bit hard to take, but Harris more or less pulls it off. And the mystery of the Julius family is intriguing, if a bit convoluted.

Dead Over Heels: Roe's marriage is going well, she's back at the library, and her least favorite Lawrenceton law enforcement agent drops from a plane into her backyard. The solution to this mystery was a bit of a clunker, but Roe is always entertaining.

A Fool and his Honey: When her niece shows up out of the blue with a baby no one knew she was having, Aurora smells trouble. And when the niece disappears leaving behind a husband with a hatchet wound to the head and the baby tucked under the bed, she's sure of it. An ex-con friend of her niece tagging along, Aurora and her husband head to Ohio to figure out what's going on. It's all very interesting until what may be the most depressing ending to a cozy mystery EVER. Seriously, it's a big downer that left me unsure if I would read #7 and 8. Also--how many head injuries can Roe sustain before permanent brain damage ensues? I feel a little like I read every book in this series wondering at what point Roe will be conked on the head.

The Claire Malloy series by Joan Hess is one of my favorite all-time series. I love Claire, Farberville and its residents are a hoot, and the writing is funny and witty with interesting plotting. The first is Strangled Prose. Hess also writes the Maggody series.

The Goodbye Body (#15): In this installment, Claire needs a place to stay, and by coincidence (or is it?), her friend Dolly needs a housesitter. Claire and Caron move into the beautiful home, lounge by the pool, enjoy the gourmet kitchen, and find a dead body. Wait, what was that last part? The dead body disappears by the time the police arrive, only to turn up again. And disappear. Who is it? How did he die? And why is Dolly not where she says she'll be staying? This was a fun entry in the series, and finally advances Claire's relationship with Peter.

Damsels in Distress (#16): A Renaissance Fair is in town, and Claire has somehow managed to give permission for performances outside her store, snarling traffic and leaving litter everywhere. A Ren Fair participant confides that he believes his long-lost father to have moved to Farberville, making Claire wonder if Caron has a new half-brother. Meanwhile, a body turns up in a burned home, Claire is given a title and forced to prance around in period costume, Caron and Inez are barely clothed (but at least not dressed as fairies like their arch-nemesis Rhonda), and none of the Ren Fair court participants seem in touch with reality. Claire gets to the bottom of things, of course.

Mystery Monday!

Everyone has heard of Charlaine Harris these days, since her Sookie Stackhouse mysteries inspired an HBO series. I had read the first of her Lily Bard mysteries (Shakespeare's Landlord) and found it more dark and violent than my usual cozy mystery preferences, and the Sookie Stackhouse series didn't really appeal to me. But after Holly reviewed Real Murders, the first in Harris's Aurora Teagarden mysteries I was interested, so I started reading.

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris: The body count is absurdly high in the series debut, and I felt like I barely got to meet Aurora Teagarden in between dead bodies, but there was something appealing about the series anyway. Aurora ("Roe"), a librarian in Lawrenceton, a small town outside Atlanta, is a member of a club devoted to true crime. It's a bit morbid, as each member has his or her own "specialty": a Jack the Ripper enthusiast, a serial killer fan, etc. And really, Harris doesn't seem to think this is an odd hobby because she doesn't explain the fascination. At any rate, on the evening Roe is due to present an unsolved murder, a mysterious phone call from someone asking for that victim is the first odd occurrence, followed by Roe's discovery of the body of one of the club's less popular members--arranged like the victim in the old murder. A string of copycat murders follows. I rarely guess the murderers in mystery novels, but a couple of things made the right killer pop into my head, and as soon as I thought of it, I knew I was right. I had some complaints about this debut: the ridiculous body count (that didn't seem to kick the police into gear), the overly vague location, and the final confrontation scene, which I thought was unnecessarily harrowing for a cozy mystery, especially given the other person involved (sorry, trying not to give spoilers). However, Roe was self-deprecating and likable, her situation as her mother's employee was funny, and though romance is introduced, it's not central to the story. A note about the location: I like a strong sense of place, and I'm not sure why Harris went so vague on Lawrenceton (which is not a real place in Georgia). It's a small town that's been infiltrated by Atlanta commuters, which could be ANY town within an hour or more from the city, and Harris never gives anything concrete. As someone who lives here, it drove me nuts that she didn't even say whether it was a northwestern suburb, or off I-85, or whatever. I know that's probably just me, but I thought I'd mention it.

A Bone To Pick by Charlaine Harris: This is #2 in the Aurora Teagarden series, and I liked it quite a bit. However, I have the opposite complaint than I did with Real Murders--there was very little action/active mystery solving in this one. Aurora inherits a house (and a fortune) from a member of her now-defunct true crime club, and she finds a skull hidden in the house, along with a note from her benefactress saying "I didn't do it." You'd think she'd set out to find out who DID do it, but you'd be wrong. She's preoccupied with moving and meeting her new neighbors, and she really doesn't dwell on the skull aside from moving it to a safe place. There's no active investigation going on, though she gleans a few facts that her new neighbors toss her way, and she bumbles into the killer's identity in a quick wrap-up at the end. I still found it enjoyable. The premise (inherit not just a house, but a mystery!) was great, and Roe was likable and interesting. We learn a lot more about her than in the first book, and it was fun.

The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly: Alice Kimberly (pen name for husband and wife team Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini) is also responsible for the coffee shop mysteries under the name Cleo Coyle, but I like this series better. Penelope McClure, a young widow, moves back to Rhode Island to bail out her aunt's failing bookstore. A private detective, Jack Shepard was murdered in the bookstore about fifty years before, and he begins to communicate with Pen after a mystery author (whose books are based on Jack's case files) drops dead during a reading in the store. He's basically a voice in her head, and he can come and go as he likes (though he can't leave the building). This makes for an ingenious pairing of classic detective noir, characterized by hardboiled lingo, and a contemporary cozy. There's just a hint of romance between Pen and Jack, which is no surprise given the title's obvious homage to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (a film I watched with my mom many times), and Jack helps Pen solve the mystery using his invisibility to observe and his expertise to deduce. If the solution is a little pat, that was fine with me, because the Jack/Pen relationship sparkles, Quindicott, Rhode Island and its inhabitants are real and interesting, and the mystery is compelling enough. This is a really fun series.

The Ghost and the Dead Deb by Alice Kimberly: A tell-all memoir sets the stage for murder as Angel Stark visits Buy The Book for a reading to promote her account of a murder. The plot was pleasantly twisty, and the skewering of the rich and tacky was enjoyable. The continuing relationship between Pen and Jack is nice, and the other Quindicott folk help out in their quibbling, yet capable ways.

The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library by Alice Kimberly: An old flame of Aunt Sadie's offers the bookstore some rare old volumes, including a complete set of Poe's work said to contain a code that would lead to treasure. As the bodies pile up, the treasure theory seems more and more plausible. I can't get enough of this series, and I think this might be my favorite entry.

The Ghost and the Femme Fatale by Alice Kimberly: The Movie Town theater has finally opened, completely renovated, with a Film Noir festival that brings the likes of screen legend Hedda Geist to town, not to mention several prominent authors. A near-deadly accident, followed by a suspicious death, makes Pen wonder if the past has come back to haunt the film noir actress. Extremely well-done is the connection to Jack's old case. Another complex plot with rewarding character development.

Mystery Monday!

Oops, I'm a bit late for Mystery Monday, but I have two reviews to post.

The Witch's Grave by Shirley Damsgaard: This is the sixth entry in the Abby & Ophelia mysteries. I'd had it pre-ordered months ago, and I was not disappointed. Ophelia is a complex, interesting heroine, and her acceptance of her psychic ability hasn't taken he edge. This entry caught my full attention immediately. Ophelia meets Stephen Larsen, a crime writer, and literally the man of her dreams. When he is shot almost immediately and Ophelia herself is nearly killed, she becomes embroiled in an investigation with the help of Darci and Abby. (Note: I always picture Abby as Tyne Daly...anyone else?) Every book has shown Ophelia dealing with some component of her powers, and this one explores reincarnation through Ophelia's dreams in which she's a Parisian model during World War II. All these threads come together nicely, as usual, and Ophelia's growth is gratifying. I love that in six books, Damsgaard hasn't stuck Ophelia with a steady relationship. She's still working on finding herself, and while she dates, she's not engaged by book 3, as she would be in many series. Another stellar entry in a great series.

My reviews of #3-5, with links to my reviews of the first two

Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath: I picked this, the first Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels mystery, after seeing Dirty Martini (#4, I think) in the bookstore. I wanted to try the series from the start. I usually go more cozy on my mystery reading, but the fluorescent cover and cocktail title grabbed me. Jack (and Konrath mercifully avoids too-cute constant references to her name) is a forty-something Lieutenant in Violent Crimes for the Chicago PD. She's funny, flawed, and smart, and she's been around the block personally and professionally. She catches a brutal serial killer case at about the same time as her boyfriend moves out, tired of her long hours. It takes a long time to get to know Jack, even though the book is written mostly in the first person. I checked the author bio, and sure enough, Konrath is a man. I think that accounts for the distance between the reader and Jack, but we gradually learn more about her, and she's a great character. What I didn't like: chapters interspersed with Jack's narrative from the serial killer's point of view. I had two issues with this that really interfered with my enjoyment of the book. First, he's a total stereotype. If you've seen Silence of the Lambs or read any book with a serial killer, there is nothing new to be learned here. The FBI agents Jack is forced to work with are cookie cutter characters, I think deliberately, but the Gingerbread Man is, too, so his parts of the book are boring when they're not disgusting and disturbing. The second problem is the graphic, horrifying, stomach-turning fantasies, memories, and crime scenes that I skimmed past whenever possible. From the excerpt at the back of the book for Bloody Martini, it looks like "Killer Cam" is a part of that book, too, which makes me think twice about picking it up. But I really, really liked Jack, and I sort of want to see what she's up to.

'Tis the Season Too!

Halloween has put me in the mood for mystery books! In the last week I’ve finished three! So I thought I would expand on Allison's previous Halloween mystery post.

Fiendish Deeds (A Joy of Spooking book) by P. J. Bracegirdle. Allison wrote a glowing review earlier this year. So I’ll leave you with what she said. But I will add that this was a smart and fun book. I enjoyed Joy’s character and her imagination. I loved the descriptions of the different towns: Spooking (an old, charming established community) and Darlington (cookie cutter, manufactured, boring city). Now, I live in a cookie cutter neighborhood where all the houses are variations on a theme. So I have nothing against that. I just really love old communities with their charm, history and quaintness. I think it would be fun to retire to a place like that, if they still exist by the time we retire. I really do hate established areas being bull-dozed for designer style, cookie cutter monstrosities. Okay, so I completely got off on a tangent there. Anyhoo, this book has some nice themes under the story. I look forward to the next two books in the series. You can learn more at the Joy of Spooking website.

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris: I’ve been seeing Harris’ name everywhere lately and for various reasons. Mostly for her Sookie Stackhouse series, which has been turned into the show True Blood on HBO. I’m not particularly into the vampire thing so I decided to try out some of her other series. She has four or five series that are all quite different from each other. Seems just about any mystery fan can find a Harris’ series to suit their tastes. Real Murders is the first book in her Aurora Teagarden series. Aurora is a young librarian in Lawrenceton, Georgia. She belongs to a club where the participants discuss historic and contemporary murder cases. Although the club is a little morbid, all the members find it interesting and each has their own specialty. Unfortunately, a member is murdered at one of their meetings in a copycat of a famous murder. Poor Aurora is the one who happens to find the body. This event starts a string of murders and attempted murders copying famous cases. It leaves the town of Lawrenceton on high alert and the members of Real Murders wondering whose next and what famous murder will be imitated. As with typical cozy mysteries, Aurora does happen to have two love interests but neither of these really get in the way of the story. It will be interesting to see how the love triangle plays out as the series goes on. I thought this was a really good mystery. It was not too predictable. I hate when I figure out who the murderer is early on. And I didn’t figure it out until Harris wanted me to. I’m not sure this is a “cozy” mystery (Allison, what is the definition of a cozy mystery? Does there have to be humor?). There was not much humor in this one. It was a tad bit darker than some other series I’ve tried. But I really enjoyed it and I kind of liked the “seriousness” of it. I will definitely read more in this series.

Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris: This is the second book in Harris’ Harper Connelly mystery series. I usually stand by my rule of starting with the first book of a series and reading them in order. However, I made an exception for this one. Grave Surprise was a bargain book calling out my name as I walked by. I checked out the description on the first one thinking I might buy that as well, but I liked the sound of this one better and it was cheaper. SO, there you go. Harper Connelly was struck by lightning when she was fifteen and her brother Tolliver saved her by performing CPR. Through this and growing up with a terrible childhood, the two formed quite a bond. As a result of the lightning strike, Harper now has the ability to “read” dead bodies. She can stand on a grave and know who the deceased is and how they died. She can touch a dead body and have a connection with them. She might “feel” their last moments or “hear” their last thoughts. In this way, she helps many dead bodies to rest peacefully by letting police know their locations or what really happened to them. Tolliver follows her along as her Manager. In this installment, Harper and Tolliver travel to Memphis to do a demonstration for a college class when she discovers a new body in an old grave. The body of a missing girl Harper tried to find two years prior. This discovery begins a whodunit story with Harper and Tolliver as prime suspects. I liked this book. And if I didn’t know it was the second in a series, it would have seemed like a stand-alone to me. I didn’t feel like I had missed out on anything. And now, I’m curious to read the first one to see how much Harris’ repeated in the second. This book was definitely a psychological drama. The entire book you’re learning about these characters and watching their reaction to the news of the body discovery and seeing their interaction with each other. You spend the whole book wondering which member of her family really did kill her. And I enjoyed the build up. BUT, the ending was a little flat to me. It seemed Harris’ just all of sudden decided she was done with this build up and revealed the killer and I thought the identity of the killer was sort of lame. I thought it might be someone else. And I thought the killer’s reasoning for killing the little girl was really lame. But I will read the first one and probably read the later books as well. One other thing that bothered me about the book was Harper and Tolliver’s relationship. It just seemed a bit weird to me. He actually is her stepbrother (his dad married her mom) and at one point Harper thinks she might sort of have feelings for him and then shakes it off. I felt like this was sort of unnecessary. But then again, this is a very psychological series so it does makes sense that Harris would delve deep into Harper’s mind.

In comparing these two series by Harris, the Aurora Teagarden series is much more on the cozy, light-hearted mystery side of things and the Harper Connelly series is much more serious, dark, and psychological with some paranormal activity thrown in. The Connelly series is much more like a ghost story, which I actually thought was well done and I liked it. I’ll read more in both series.

'Tis The Season

I love this time of year! Halloween decorations, the nip in the air, the gorgeous fall colors. It's the perfect time for snuggling under the covers and reading something spooky. I've been reading Shirley Damsgaard mysteries again; once I discovered she had written five, I had to read them all. The sixth, The Witch's Grave, comes out in December (memo to Avon Books: why not October?).

My review of Witch Way To Murder, the first in the series.

My review of Charmed To Death, the second in the series.

The third in the series is The Trouble With Witches, in which a journalist friend asks for Ophelia's help investigating the disappearance of a girl involved with a possible cult in Minnesota that concerns itself with psychic abilities. Naturally, Abby and Darci help her out. They encounter a strange girl named Tink who is being raised by her aunt and uncle (Jason and Juliet), the leaders of the group. Abby and Ophelia can sense the presence of evil at a strange cabin in the woods: who is behind it? The strange Native American man who hates whites? Tink, who clearly has unrealized power? The strange man they've seen in the area? And did the missing girl leave under her own steam, as Juliet and Jason insist? There's a lot going on in this entry in the series, but it's balanced very well between the paranormal and the mystery. The scenes at the cabin are downright creepy. The character development continues to be consistent, yet interesting, as Ophelia learns more about her heritage and how to use her gifts.

The fourth in the series is Witch Hunt, in which a biker gang has descended on Summerset. Darci's cousin is accused of murdering one of the bikers, and she begs Ophelia to investigate. Though Ophelia has her hands full with her foster daughter, Tink, she reluctantly agrees. This entry took a little more work for me to get into, and I'm not sure exactly why. Biker gangs are not one of my favorite plot devices, so that may explain it. Darci's boyfriend really stretched credibility a bit--though Damsgaard takes pains to have Darci explain the attraction to Ophelia, I had trouble believing that such a strong, self-aware character would submit to her boyfriend's fashion preferences and behavior modification. I really wanted Ophelia to smack Darci and say "Snap out of it!" though I understand her point that it wouldn't have done any good. And, given what I've read about domestic abuse, Darci's slowly changing behavior and defense of her boyfriend's controlling nature are pretty accurate. That doesn't make it less frustrating, though. At any rate, though this wasn't my favorite in the series, it was still an enjoyable read. The added dimension of Ophelia's mothering really stretches her character in a delightful way, and her challenges in dealing with a teenager who is also a talented medium are well-handled.

The fifth in the series is The Witch Is Dead, in which a funeral director dies just after Tink senses something "icky" about him. When her dog pulls a skull out of the woods, Tink feels she's being punished for failing to prevent the funeral director's murder. Meanwhile, Abby's Aunt Dot (who sees fairies) has come to town, Darci has bullied Ophelia into speed-dating, and the hyper-organized Gert is taking Darci's place at the library while Darci goes back to school. Again, all these elements are balanced very well, and when Tink disappears in the midst of Ophelia's finalizing the adoption, the mystery is gripping.

Oveview of the series so far: Damsgaard is an excellent writer, and the paranormal elements are balanced perfectly with the traditional arc of a cozy mystery. One of the best parts about cozy mystery series is the reader's ability to watch the characters grow over time, but after several books, characters can become stale. That's not a problem here. Damsgaard brings tertiary characters in and out of the books to keep them fresh and to challenge the main/secondary characters, forcing them to grow in believable ways. Even better, she defies the cozy mystery convention that a single woman in a cozy series must be in want of a boyfriend. Although Ophelia dates/makes connections with men in the books, there's no annoying, dragged-out love triangle, and no romance that must be stalled in contrived ways to keep the heroine from being married with five kids by book 3. Even better, Abby, Ophelia's grandmother, has a romance in the books, a sensitive portrayal of an older couple that is neither chaste nor the butt of jokes. Darci, the bubbly blonde, defies dumb blonde jokes with her insight and perseverance, and she brings the more serious Ophelia out of herself in fun ways. The plotting of the mysteries is tight and the paranormal elements appropriately creepy. All five books in this series are fun, spooky, gripping reads with well-developed characters and intriguing plots. I highly recommend them to cozy mystery fans, even those who are unsure of a paranormal series.

Mystery Sequel Round-Up

Dead and Berried by Karen MacInerney: I liked the first in this series, Murder on the Rocks, though there were a couple of annoyances, mostly related to Natalie's brain falling out her head on occasion. Natalie continues to suffer from this malady in the second entry, but I still liked her. Natalie's ex-fiance is visiting from Texas to woo her back to Texas and a life with him. Candy is visiting the Gray Whale Inn to gather tips for opening her own B&B. A possible subdivision has Cranberry Island's preservationists up in arms. And Natalie's best friend is acting distant ever since she started dating the new priest and shunning Natalie's brownies for her diet. Natalie tells us right away that the ex-fiance is an ex for a reason, actually a few reasons, all of them curvy and attractive. So it's hard for me to understand why she doesn't just kick his butt out (he'd made his reservation under a fake name), especially when he and Candy are flirting outrageously in front of Natalie and Natalie's island sort-of-boyfriend, John, is understandably upset about the ex's presence. A whiff of his cologne is apparently enough to make her forget what a cheating jerk he was. Anyway, this drove me up the wall. Natalie also charges off to check things out AGAIN and gets bonked on the head a few times. Does this woman not get that she needs to let someone know where she's going at all times? The mystery was pretty good, not predictable, and I enjoyed the visit to Cranberry Island and its varied inhabitants. And if I didn't like Natalie, I wouldn't be so annoyed that she's being an idiot about her ex. And the Peach Sunrise Bread sounds absolutely amazing--I can't wait to try the recipe. So, all in all, a decent second entry, and I'll give #3 (Murder Most Maine) a try when it comes out in a month or two.

My review of Murder on the Rocks

Charmed to Death by Shirley Damsgaard: I really liked the first entry in this series, Witch Way to Murder, which surprised me--I'm not usually a fan of paranormal mysteries, as the paranormal is either cheesy and annoying or interferes with the mystery. Damsgaard absolutely nails the balance in her series about Ophelia and her grandmother, Abby, both psychic and with their own special powers. In the second entry, Ophelia must face her past, the horrible death of her best friend five years earlier, to prevent more murders. In the first book, Ophelia had rejected her gifts, and by the end, she's accepted them and decided to develop them with her grandmother's help. So in book 1, Ophelia is rather abrasive and not overly likable. I was a bit concerned that we would see some backsliding in book 2, but I was very pleased that the character development was consistent. The suspense in this one was fantastic. I did guess the killer, but I don't think it was horribly telegraphed. Ophelia's continuing relationship with Darci was fun to see, and other returning characters behaved in a consistent, yet interesting, manner. I really like this series, and I'll be picking up the next one soon.

My review of Witch Way to Murder

Busy Bodies by Joan Hess: I love the Joan Hess books starring bookstore owner and busybody Claire Malloy. The first is Strangled Prose. In this entry, Miss Parchester asks for Claire's help--she has a conceptual artist living on her street, blocking traffic and causing protestors to assemble outside his house over his provocative yard displays. Hess quickly explains that the police won't stop him (in a way I didn't really buy, but that's fine--she at least addressed the concern). and Claire sticks her erudite nose into the situation, becoming involved with the mysterious writer, angry neighbor, the born-again protestors, and the artist himself (along with his hangers-on). Claire was extra nosy in this one, but that's fine. Caron and Inez getting picked up by Animal Control while wearing gorilla suits was hilarious. I always enjoy a visit to Farberville and Claire's antics, and I thought this, the 10th entry (I think) was quite funny and well-plotted.

Closely Akin to Murder by Joan Hess: This one was a little different. Claire gets a phone call from her cousin Ronnie, asking for Claire's help. The weird part? Ronnie died a couple of decades ago. Claire learns that Ronnie spent several years in a Mexican jail for killing famous movie producer Oliver Pickett in self-defense. Once she got out, she changed her name and began a new, very successful life. Except someone is blackmailing her now. Claire takes Caron to Acapulco, where she encounters several people involved in the events of 20+ years before. Her search leads her to Arizona (with a hilarious scene in a convent) and Illinois, before she finds the truth. Lies upon lies make her investigation a challenge, but it's Claire, so she gets there in the end. Masterfully plotted with the more disturbing elements (Caron kidnapped, Claire facing a Mexican jail) lightened by Claire's trademark humor, this is an outstanding entry in a delightful series.

Mystery and Attempted Mystery

I love cozy mysteries, and I'm always on the lookout for a new favorite series. I really enjoy watching a character develop in the course of a series, revisiting favorite places, and reading a good mystery. This post is about four different first novels in mystery series, three delightful and one...meh.

Death of a Cozy Writer by G. M. Malliet: This is the first St. Just mystery, written in classic drawing-room mystery style, with contemporary sensibilities. Malliet's prodigious wit is used to great effect in this novel, and she's a fantastic writer. I laughed out loud several times (at least twice with a very uncouth snort). The children of mystery writer Sir Adrian are dragged back home to witness his marriage to (they assume) one of his bimbos. Even Ruthven, widely known as the favorite, has little love for his father. When Ruthven is found dead, DCI St. Just and Sgt. Fear try to untangle the web of family secrets and lies before another murder is committed. The mystery was complex and satisfying, with several unpredictable twists, and St. Just and Fear are likeable but funny investigators. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'm looking forward to the next installment, Death and the Lit Chick.

Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney: This was a promising debut mystery, not a slam-dunk like Death of a Cozy Writer, but a lot of fun and interesting enough that I'll pick up #2, Dead and Berried. Natalie has put all her life savings into the Gray Whale Inn, located on remote Cranberry Island, off the coast of Maine. I have always wanted to go to Maine, although my only exposure to Maine is through Stephen King novels and Murder She Wrote reruns. Bernard Katz, a developer with plans to put a resort on Cranberry Island, is staying at the inn. The scenes with Katz remind me of why I shouldn't own a B&B...customers, ick. Katz's son and daughter-in-law live on the island, but they've had a falling-out; hence, Katz's booking with Natalie. When Natalie finds Katz's body, the local law enforcement, her friend John, knows she had nothing to do with it, but he doesn't have any real power in the investigation--and the sheriff is convinced of her guilt. Natalie decides to investigate in between batches of cranberry scones and blueberry coffee cake. I really enjoyed Cranberry Island and its inhabitants, and for the most part, I liked Natalie. I had a couple of quibbles with this mystery--I'm not a fan of the amateur-sleuth-withholds-evidence-from-authorities device. Even with the sheriff suspecting her, there was no good reason not to tell John everything she knew. The other is that she stumbles into a dangerous situation out of pure stupidity. It's like her brain fell out of her head for half a chapter. But I liked this well enough to seek out the second in the series.

Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgaard: This one was a real surprise for me. I've tried paranormal mysteries before (Madelyn Alt) and didn't like them, but this was a well-written, complex mystery with well-developed characters. The paranormal elements complemented the mystery well. Ophelia is a small-town librarian, having left the big city after her best friend's murder, and returning to be near her grandmother, Abby, an Appalachian wise woman. Ophelia herself has "the sight" but she's turned her back on her gift, unlike her grandmother, who is a healer and herbalist. A mysterious stranger comes to town asking questions in the wake of drug-related thefts plaguing the town. Abby senses a greater evil at work and warns Ophelia that she's at the center. I adored Abby and Darci (who turns the ditzy blonde stereotype on its head), even if Ophelia was a bit hard to like at times. She really grew on me by the end, though, and it's clear she'll be more likable in future books. The mystery was decent, if a little pedestrian despite the paranormal elements. I'll be picking up #2, Charmed to Death. There are currently five of these out, yay!

Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss: This one just didn't do it for me. I trudged through 100 pages before tossing it aside. I didn't even bother to flip to the end to see what ended up happening. Mysteries are supposed to be fun and entertaining for me, not feel like work. Annie's best friend, Eve, signs the two up for cooking lessons as a way of cheering up Annie, who still hasn't bounced back from her divorce. Eve is a flirtatious dimwit who takes credit for everything Annie does, and dates half the town. Annie expresses contempt for Eve, supposedly her best friend. They overhear Beyla, a fellow student, arguing with the leather-clad Drago. They also witness an altercation between Drago and the owner of the store hosting the cooking classes. Annie hears Drago's last words, and Eve leaves out important information when talking to the cops because the cop is her ex-fiance's new woman. Annie, who is apparently a total doormat, goes along with this felonious obstruction of justice, so the women feel compelled to investigate. I could see where the plot was going, and I just didn't care. I didn't like Annie or Eve, and the mystery felt like it was going to be ridiculous and contrived. That's it for me on this one!