Scapegoat

The Dunbarton Mysteries #4

by Valerie Tate

CHANTICLEER INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2017 MYSTERY AND MAYHEM FINALIST!

Chris and Alicia Mallory said the next time trouble came knocking, they weren’t answering the door. But sometimes trouble doesn’t knock. Sometimes it’s slipped into the mailbox where it sits and waits and festers until someone comes to open it and then no one can escape its spell.

Animal sacrifice! The people of Dunbarton are in shock. How could something like that happen in their lovely, lakeside town? Who in their midst could do such a despicable thing?

The answer is given to them in venomous whispers – a newcomer, a stranger, someone different from them. Anger boils. Whispers start. Fingers point. Evil has come to their town and they know who is responsible. Now what should they do about it?

Chris and Alicia have had enough of suspicious death. After their last encounter they vowed to steer clear of any new investigations and, this time, they meant it. But when an anonymous letter campaign blames the spate of ritualistic killings of animals on the local community of Wiccans, and Lucia Lamb, the Coven leader, turns over the Death card and reaches out to them for help, they find themselves once more in pursuit of a dangerous killer.

As the death toll rises, and animal sacrifice turns into murder, it becomes apparent that Death is stalking the two-footed as well as the four. Is no one safe in Dunbarton? With their lives on the line, will Lucia and Alicia be forced to break the Wiccan Rede – Harm None? Does the Tarot hold the key to learning the truth and bringing the guilty to justice or will the Death card hold true for them, too?

Genres: Amazon, Mystery

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2016

About the author

Valerie Tate lives in a nineteenth century, heritage cottage in Ontario, Canada. She has a degree in English Literature and a teaching degree from the University of Toronto.
When not working on her mystery novels, she can be found at the barn with her horse. Devon, and her Jack Russell Terrier, Jamie.
Publications to date include CATNIP, the first of the Dunbarton Mysteries, HORSE SENSE, FROG LEGS and SCAPEGOAT.

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bodies of small animals are being found inside red pentacles painted on the ground in Dunbarton. The local Wiccan, and her coven, is the prime suspect. The wife of the owner of the local newspaper, MS Victoria MacCalister, is sending anonymous letters pointing the finger at Lucia and finally calls a town meeting.

On Halloween, Victoria is murdered just like the small animals. Her body is found laid out in the Circle the Wiccans had used earlier that night to celebrate Samhain.

Who killed Virginia? Who has been killing the animals and is it related to Virginia's death? And, who bought the MacFarlane farm and plans to turn it into a wind turbine farm? And is that mystery related to the other two? Red Herrings and false leads abound as Alicia, Lucia, Melanie, Chris, and others investigate.

[bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 star

This is probably a fine read for someone else, but it just had too many bits that just weren't quite there for me. First off, the midscene POV shifts annoy the heck out of me and it doesn't have the tone of omni. Next, the characters were flat--I think relying on past books to carry them. And it ends with a hooky epilogue although rating probably would have been the same without. Finally, it could use a touch more polish.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

SCAPEGOAT

This one didn't keep my interest like the other ones did....it seemed a mishmash of ideas and none of them really played out to a conclusion.....but I'm still willing to read the next one
..............SPOILER ALERT..............
too bad the Wiccan character had to leave ; what a great friend for an amateur sleuth to have.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newspaper heading of animals being slain and a letter Alicia gets saying Witches Strike Again. She also on a crusade of wind turbines, being used
In town someone has posted flyers, until it looked like a giant billboard about the animals. Wasn’t one of my favorite, but good to read.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good

[Debra Barstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok for me. The story did not really keep me interested. I will have to check out more of this authors work as this was the first one I read.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scapegoat: A Dunbarton Mystery

Very entertaining read for a quiet afternoon at home. Great characters and interesting storyline but does not require a lot of concentration so good for relaxing.