Mysteries of Holt House

by Marja McGraw

Kelly Sanders has invested in what she believes will be a profitable business – a boarding house and B&B. Unfortunately, she’s invested in more than she bargained for, including murder, mysterious and threatening notes and someone trying to kill her. Could the murderer by one of the boarders, or is there someone lurking in the secret passages she’s found in the old house?

Romance develops in the course of daily events and Kelly enlists the help of Mike Blake, one of her boarders, in discovering the secrets and Mysteries of Holt House.

Genres: Mystery

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Cheryl Landmark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

(Wish Goodreads would revise their rating system so we could actually give half stars!)

Anyway, this mystery was fairly enjoyable and a fast read. I love this type of story in which a haunted house plays a prominent role and where there is a small cast of intriguing characters, anyone of whom could be the suspect.

The mystery itself was somewhat predictable and, while I didn't guess the identity of the culprit right off the bat, I did have a pretty good inkling of what was going on. The plot started off a little slow, too, while Ms. McGraw set up the boarding house scenario and introduced the characters. But, then, the mysterious things began happening and the pace picked up.

I think my main issue with the book was the sometimes clunky, rather amateurish dialogue and interactions that took place between the characters. It also seemed a bit contrived and implausible to me that all three main female characters found "the man of her dreams" in the same place. :) The constant references to the "head in the sand" ostrich-like tendencies of Kelly also became tiresome after a while and I found myself cringing a bit more whenever I encountered them.

All in all, this was not a bad book and I would have no problems reading more of this author's work in the future.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Sanders, the heroine of this novel, can only be described as a gutsy, take charge kind of gal who, while working to make her dreams come true, also tends to stick her head in the sand when things begin to go wrong. She's invested her small inheritance in a boarding house and B&B, but when two of her boarders are killed, and she receives anonymous, threatening notes, she can no longer ignore the signs of impending danger not only to her new business, but also to herself. When the police aren't much help, she decides that it's time, with the help of her friends, to launch her own investigation into the Secrets of Holt House.

This story is interesting reading. The characters are well-drawn and believable, so much so that I actually found myself worrying about them. There are lively romances, a little humor, and a solid mystery that will keep you up nights, turning pages. I highly recommend this novel to any mystery fan.

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

f you're looking for a good mystery to curl up with at night, "Mysteries of Holt House" by Marja McGraw is it! When Kelly goes to an estate sale with her best friend, Sharon, she has no idea how dramatically that will change her life. At the sale, people are staring at her and she soon discovers why; one of the items for sale is a painting of Amelia Holt, the former owner of the old house, and Kelly bears a striking resemblance to her. Kelly decides to purchase the painting and the story proceeds from there. I don't want to give away the plot because you're going to want to read this novel for yourself!

[Jakenv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have to admit McGraw is one of my favorite mystery writers. This is a revised edition of a previous book (which I read) so not sure what to expect. Bravo I found myself drawn into story even more than before. Looking for an enjoyable evening read filled with mystery this book will not disappoint.

[Betty McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery read. An old house with secret passages, several suspects under one roof. Doesn't get any better than that. The author developed the characters nicely and moved the book along well to its surprise conclusion. Kept my attention!

[karen g swass · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I was hooked from the very beginning. The story is interesting and suspenseful. It has a little of everything Nice character development. Humor Suspense. Romance. Highly recommended

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

despite being a kindle freebie, this was pretty good. very nice and atmospheric with a lot of 'creep' thrown in for good measure. did find the constant ostrich references a bit annoying though....