Chris Pavesic

Blackflies and Blueberries is the second book in the Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series, and I believe it is even better than the first novel. Ledwith's writing is simply superb. I will do my best to provide a spoiler-free review, although that

Blackflies and Blueberries is the second book in the Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls series, and I believe it is even better than the first novel. Ledwith's writing is simply superb. I will do my best to provide a spoiler-free review, although that can be difficult at times--especially given how much I enjoyed the novel. I find myself wanting to chat about scenes or bits of dialogue or plot twists: "Did you catch this point? Oooh--what about that bit of a red herring? And 'that' moment when ... so good!" But I feel it would do a disservice to those who have yet to read the novel. Just know that this is the type of novel that you will want to chat about after reading. It would be a perfect novel for a book club and I honestly would love to see this as a made-for-TV movie series like Broadchurch or Wallander.

The sense of place created in the novel is as clear as Miss Marple's St. Mary Mead or Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove. I find this world building essential to a murder mystery--especially one with supernatural elements. The setting reminds me of Door County, Wisconsin (probably because of the blueberries, maple syrup, and the farmer's markets) but there will be familiar echos for anyone who has experienced life in a small town that courts tourist dollars for survival while still maintaining a tight local community. The term "cidiots" (a term for idiotic people visiting from the city) is thrown about by the characters for good reason!

Hart and Dianna are vividly crafted characters that compliment each other. Hart has that touch of supernatural in his life, although that otherworldly strength does not always make things easier. Brook (a.k.a. Witchy Poo) and Donovan can be considered side-kicks in this novel, although they are just as vividly written. They remind me a bit of the "Scooby Gang" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Every young person should have a group of friends that they can trust to have their backs when the going gets tough.

Blackflies and Blueberries is a wonderful supernatural murder mystery with vividly drawn characters and a marvelous sense of place. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I was provided a free copy for an honest review.