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Tuesday Mooney Talks To Ghosts
A dying billionaire sends one woman and a cast of dreamers and rivals on a citywide treasure hunt in this irresistible novel by the author of Bellweather Rhapsody.
Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly socializes, and spends much of her time watching old Twin Peaks and X-Files DVDs. But when Vincent Pryce, Boston’s most eccentric billionaire, dies—leaving behind an epic treasure hunt through the city, with clues inspired by his hero, Edgar Allan Poe—Tuesday’s adventure finally begins.
Puzzle-loving Tuesday searches for clue after clue, joined by a ragtag crew: a wisecracking friend, an adoring teen neighbor, and a handsome, cagey young heir. The hunt tests their mettle, and with other teams from around the city also vying for the promised prize—a share of Pryce’s immense wealth—they must move quickly. Pryce’s clues can't be cracked with sharp wit alone; the searchers must summon the courage to face painful ghosts from their pasts (some more vivid than others) and discover their most guarded desires and dreams.
A deliciously funny ode to imagination, overflowing with love letters to art, from The Westing Game to Madonna to the Knights of the Round Table, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the perfect read for thrill seekers, wanderers, word lovers, and anyone looking for an escape to the extraordinary.
Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly socializes, and spends much of her time watching old Twin Peaks and X-Files DVDs. But when Vincent Pryce, Boston’s most eccentric billionaire, dies—leaving behind an epic treasure hunt through the city, with clues inspired by his hero, Edgar Allan Poe—Tuesday’s adventure finally begins.
Puzzle-loving Tuesday searches for clue after clue, joined by a ragtag crew: a wisecracking friend, an adoring teen neighbor, and a handsome, cagey young heir. The hunt tests their mettle, and with other teams from around the city also vying for the promised prize—a share of Pryce’s immense wealth—they must move quickly. Pryce’s clues can't be cracked with sharp wit alone; the searchers must summon the courage to face painful ghosts from their pasts (some more vivid than others) and discover their most guarded desires and dreams.
A deliciously funny ode to imagination, overflowing with love letters to art, from The Westing Game to Madonna to the Knights of the Round Table, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the perfect read for thrill seekers, wanderers, word lovers, and anyone looking for an escape to the extraordinary.
359 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
About the author
Kate Racculia
4 books751 followersKate is a novelist living in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She is the author of the novels This Must Be the Place and Bellweather Rhapsody, winner of the American Library Association’s Alex Award. Her third novel, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2019.
Kate was a teenage bassoonist, and studied illustration, design, Jane Austen, and Canada at the University of Buffalo. She moved to Boston to get her MFA from Emerson College, and stuck around for 11 years. She has been a cartoonist, a planetarium operator, a movie and music reviewer, a coffee jerk, a bookseller, a designer, a finance marketing proposal writer, and a fundraising prospect researcher. She teaches online for Grub Street, works at her local public library, and sings in the oldest Bach choir in America.
Kate was a teenage bassoonist, and studied illustration, design, Jane Austen, and Canada at the University of Buffalo. She moved to Boston to get her MFA from Emerson College, and stuck around for 11 years. She has been a cartoonist, a planetarium operator, a movie and music reviewer, a coffee jerk, a bookseller, a designer, a finance marketing proposal writer, and a fundraising prospect researcher. She teaches online for Grub Street, works at her local public library, and sings in the oldest Bach choir in America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,337 reviews
January 16, 2023
Tuesday Mooney, a 30-something living in Boston, is about to have the adventure of a lifetime following clues on a dead billionaire's treasure hunt.
Considering the fact that she is just the sort of character I love: independent, funny, smart, quirky and a bit of a loner, I was happy to go along on the adventure.
Full of hilarious hijinks and engrossing twists and turns, this story grabbed me by the heart and never let go.
I was a big fan of Racculia's work going into this and it certainly didn't disappoint!
Every page is full of intelligent writing and witty banter. I am seriously addicted to Racculia's style.
I could absolutely see myself reading this story again.
There was a great cast of side characters that brought humor and depth to the subtly crazy plot.
The setting being in the city of Boston, a place where I have lived and LOVE, made it even more exciting. Tie in the fact that she kept mentioning my hometown of Nantucket, it felt like I was reading about a friend!
As always, Racculia weaves some fairly serious topics into her otherwise humorous narrative.
There is vivid examinations of grief, guilt, the loss of a friend, the loss of a family member, the loss of a job, questioning self-worth, intimacy, adult friendships and the presence of an afterlife, to name a few.
I think she always handles such topics with grace. It was all really well done here.
If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced, fantastical adult novel, you should definitely give this one a try.
If you do and you enjoy it, be sure to check out Bellweather Rhapsody as well!
Finally, thank you to my friend, Tucker, for sending me his copy.
I will cherish it forever!!
Considering the fact that she is just the sort of character I love: independent, funny, smart, quirky and a bit of a loner, I was happy to go along on the adventure.
Full of hilarious hijinks and engrossing twists and turns, this story grabbed me by the heart and never let go.
I was a big fan of Racculia's work going into this and it certainly didn't disappoint!
Every page is full of intelligent writing and witty banter. I am seriously addicted to Racculia's style.
I could absolutely see myself reading this story again.
There was a great cast of side characters that brought humor and depth to the subtly crazy plot.
The setting being in the city of Boston, a place where I have lived and LOVE, made it even more exciting. Tie in the fact that she kept mentioning my hometown of Nantucket, it felt like I was reading about a friend!
As always, Racculia weaves some fairly serious topics into her otherwise humorous narrative.
There is vivid examinations of grief, guilt, the loss of a friend, the loss of a family member, the loss of a job, questioning self-worth, intimacy, adult friendships and the presence of an afterlife, to name a few.
I think she always handles such topics with grace. It was all really well done here.
If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced, fantastical adult novel, you should definitely give this one a try.
If you do and you enjoy it, be sure to check out Bellweather Rhapsody as well!
Finally, thank you to my friend, Tucker, for sending me his copy.
I will cherish it forever!!
September 15, 2019
Stars: As I read on, "Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts" plummeted from five to four then three, two, one.
I've given it two because I think it's not entirely the book's fault.
It's partly mine because I didn't catch the cutesy cover and I believed this was horror and I don't like my horror cute or soft and cuddly as Tuesday's cat.
Other reasons later.
Tuesday Mooney does not talk to ghosts. Maybe one, maybe none, but ghosts plural, no.
And this book (other reasons alert) is way too many things at once, like a recipe with way too many ingredients, some good but inharmonious, and so it's ruined.
But I see almost all reviews are five-stars and I know Kate Racculia has a loyal audience that loves her and and her books, so there's that.
I get it: I'm an outlier. Maybe when it's published I'll get some company.
Here's the thing:
It promised ghosts and Poe and Boston and Salem and a scavenger hunt (these are a few of my favorite things) which for the winners would bring money and macabre swag. Macabre swag is cool.
The other huge clue I missed that this book wasn't for me is that the man behind the hunt and money and macabre swag (which includes seriously valuable rare Poe stuff and a large collection of random weird stuff) is named VINCENT PRYCE.
How did I not realize how campy this book would be?
Vincent Pryce loved Poe. One of his homes is The Castellated Abbey! And I was still at five stars.
But homage went splat and so did the book.
Back to the too-many ingredients, among them:
the late Vincent Pryce, his campy death and the citywide scavenger hunt he set up to begin in Boston after that death so anyone could play for his money and goodies; the widow; the sad neighbor (who deserves a better book); the murder; the pathetic best friend; the stick figures doing the scavenger hunt; the spooky mansion that's as scary as a kitten; the wealthy family with its insufferable brothers at war with one another; the fortunes; the friendships; the other murder?; the melodrama; the ludicrous ending...and the funeral costume party Pryce pre-arranged on Boston Common where, among others, we get drag Cher complimenting drag "Like a Prayer" Madonna, as if the book wasn't overstuffed enough so throw in the cone boobs.
And oh yes, the main character, Tuesday Mooney: a Goth-ish woman from Salem with a decent backstory who alternates between smart and stupid and who never comes to life. And her friends and family and her bestie who disappeared when she was sixteen and whose body was never found and her current bestie who --
I grow weary. Trust me, this isn't nearly all.
Some is played for laughs and some is deadly serious and some is I don't know what.
I love a scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt implies clues, but we only get a handful as the book bounces around from thing to thing to thing.
The first clue, and it comes early so this isn't a spoiler, is a chalk outline of a raven on the far side of subway tracks. There's no bust of Pallas but it's drawn in such a way to suggest it's sitting on one. Or perhaps here I should add an "h" to "sitting." The raven's beak is pointing toward the tunnel between stops and our heroine and whoever that other guy is walk the tunnel and find a false wall which when broken reveals -- ta da! -- a dummy bricked up in there, dressed in a jester's costume.
"For the love of God, Montresor!" I got excited. Elated even.
My heart was beating loudly, though muffled, as if coming from underneath the floor.
See how I overdid that? That's how the book is.
From there it's mostly downhill. Once we wave bye to Fortunato's effigy we wave bye to fear and also consistency and coherence.
I wanted and expected horror and homage and some action since this is, after all, about a scavenger hunt, so how did I end up reading sentences which include:
"All relationships are new"
and
"Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do...It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
And, so you see, neither is this book.
To shake it off, tonight at full dark I'll reread Poe beginning with "The Cask of Amontillado," because I had to sleep on this review and I have so much to say (and this is so long, would you please say "Nevermore" so I know if you're still there), I haven't said it all but I'm stopping because I know you get it: I did not like the book.
I've given it two because I think it's not entirely the book's fault.
It's partly mine because I didn't catch the cutesy cover and I believed this was horror and I don't like my horror cute or soft and cuddly as Tuesday's cat.
Other reasons later.
Tuesday Mooney does not talk to ghosts. Maybe one, maybe none, but ghosts plural, no.
And this book (other reasons alert) is way too many things at once, like a recipe with way too many ingredients, some good but inharmonious, and so it's ruined.
But I see almost all reviews are five-stars and I know Kate Racculia has a loyal audience that loves her and and her books, so there's that.
I get it: I'm an outlier. Maybe when it's published I'll get some company.
Here's the thing:
It promised ghosts and Poe and Boston and Salem and a scavenger hunt (these are a few of my favorite things) which for the winners would bring money and macabre swag. Macabre swag is cool.
The other huge clue I missed that this book wasn't for me is that the man behind the hunt and money and macabre swag (which includes seriously valuable rare Poe stuff and a large collection of random weird stuff) is named VINCENT PRYCE.
How did I not realize how campy this book would be?
Vincent Pryce loved Poe. One of his homes is The Castellated Abbey! And I was still at five stars.
But homage went splat and so did the book.
Back to the too-many ingredients, among them:
the late Vincent Pryce, his campy death and the citywide scavenger hunt he set up to begin in Boston after that death so anyone could play for his money and goodies; the widow; the sad neighbor (who deserves a better book); the murder; the pathetic best friend; the stick figures doing the scavenger hunt; the spooky mansion that's as scary as a kitten; the wealthy family with its insufferable brothers at war with one another; the fortunes; the friendships; the other murder?; the melodrama; the ludicrous ending...and the funeral costume party Pryce pre-arranged on Boston Common where, among others, we get drag Cher complimenting drag "Like a Prayer" Madonna, as if the book wasn't overstuffed enough so throw in the cone boobs.
And oh yes, the main character, Tuesday Mooney: a Goth-ish woman from Salem with a decent backstory who alternates between smart and stupid and who never comes to life. And her friends and family and her bestie who disappeared when she was sixteen and whose body was never found and her current bestie who --
I grow weary. Trust me, this isn't nearly all.
Some is played for laughs and some is deadly serious and some is I don't know what.
I love a scavenger hunt. A scavenger hunt implies clues, but we only get a handful as the book bounces around from thing to thing to thing.
The first clue, and it comes early so this isn't a spoiler, is a chalk outline of a raven on the far side of subway tracks. There's no bust of Pallas but it's drawn in such a way to suggest it's sitting on one. Or perhaps here I should add an "h" to "sitting." The raven's beak is pointing toward the tunnel between stops and our heroine and whoever that other guy is walk the tunnel and find a false wall which when broken reveals -- ta da! -- a dummy bricked up in there, dressed in a jester's costume.
"For the love of God, Montresor!" I got excited. Elated even.
My heart was beating loudly, though muffled, as if coming from underneath the floor.
See how I overdid that? That's how the book is.
From there it's mostly downhill. Once we wave bye to Fortunato's effigy we wave bye to fear and also consistency and coherence.
I wanted and expected horror and homage and some action since this is, after all, about a scavenger hunt, so how did I end up reading sentences which include:
"All relationships are new"
and
"Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do...It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
And, so you see, neither is this book.
To shake it off, tonight at full dark I'll reread Poe beginning with "The Cask of Amontillado," because I had to sleep on this review and I have so much to say (and this is so long, would you please say "Nevermore" so I know if you're still there), I haven't said it all but I'm stopping because I know you get it: I did not like the book.
September 24, 2019
Apart from the fact I was not enamoured by the title of this novel, I adored this wildly entertaining read from Kate Racculia, that teems and overflows with literary and cultural references to horror, the gothic, the spooky, ghosts, haunted houses, and witches whilst touching on the serious issues of loss and grief, set in Boston. 33 year old goth, the acerbic Tuesday Mooney is the sister Wednesday Addams never had, a self contained loner with her cat, with just one friend, the gay banker, Poindexter, aka 'Dex'. In her head, the ghost of her best friend, 16 year old friend, Abby Hobbes, who disappeared in Salem, is constantly engaging with her. It was with Abby that Tuesday went on night time forays with candles, revelling in their identity as witches, practicing spells, using ouija boards and so much more. When Abby went missing, Tuesday was left broken and guilt ridden, but her interest in horror, ghosts and death has remained, although she has been left with an inbuilt fear of becoming close to others, and an inability to trust.
The offbeat Tuesday was brought up by her unconventional parents with the radical dogma that permeated her childhood, that the 4th pig lived off the grid, which is why the wolf never bothered him. Which is why it is slightly ironic that it is online where Tuesday feels most at home, using her gift for finding out things, much like a PI, working at the Boston General Hospital, she profiles and researches rich Bostonians for the fundraisers to be able to push the right buttons to secure donations for the hospital. Which is how she comes to be volunteering at the The Four Seasons Hotel Auction, where the eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce (who else???), renowned collector of the weird and the haunted, dies in dramatic fashion. However, Pryce has not finished with the living world, in a obituary written by himself he instigates a city wide treasure hunt with clues inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. However, beware, nothing is as it seems as Tuesday and her cohorts, Dex, the rich Nathaniel Arches whom she finds herself strangely drawn to, and the young Dorry, harbouring her own loss, tutored by Tuesday, are to discover.
Racculia writes a scintillatingly vibrant story of adventure, the supernatural, family, love, friendship, of the blackest of villainy, death and life altering challenges that beguiles with its colour, vitality and charm. The highlights for me are its quirkiest characters, Tuesday, of course, Dex, drag queen extraordinaire with his love of karaoke and Madonna, Dorry who so wants Amelia Earhart's haunted goggles, believing that she will once again be able to see her mother again, and Edgar, hurting with all that he is keeping secret and so many others. This may not be a book for all readers, but it was for me, I loved it, and its core theme and focus on the life you live, it just might be what you are looking for too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
The offbeat Tuesday was brought up by her unconventional parents with the radical dogma that permeated her childhood, that the 4th pig lived off the grid, which is why the wolf never bothered him. Which is why it is slightly ironic that it is online where Tuesday feels most at home, using her gift for finding out things, much like a PI, working at the Boston General Hospital, she profiles and researches rich Bostonians for the fundraisers to be able to push the right buttons to secure donations for the hospital. Which is how she comes to be volunteering at the The Four Seasons Hotel Auction, where the eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce (who else???), renowned collector of the weird and the haunted, dies in dramatic fashion. However, Pryce has not finished with the living world, in a obituary written by himself he instigates a city wide treasure hunt with clues inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. However, beware, nothing is as it seems as Tuesday and her cohorts, Dex, the rich Nathaniel Arches whom she finds herself strangely drawn to, and the young Dorry, harbouring her own loss, tutored by Tuesday, are to discover.
Racculia writes a scintillatingly vibrant story of adventure, the supernatural, family, love, friendship, of the blackest of villainy, death and life altering challenges that beguiles with its colour, vitality and charm. The highlights for me are its quirkiest characters, Tuesday, of course, Dex, drag queen extraordinaire with his love of karaoke and Madonna, Dorry who so wants Amelia Earhart's haunted goggles, believing that she will once again be able to see her mother again, and Edgar, hurting with all that he is keeping secret and so many others. This may not be a book for all readers, but it was for me, I loved it, and its core theme and focus on the life you live, it just might be what you are looking for too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
May 23, 2020
Many thanks to HMH for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
”A broken heart hurt like hell, but it kept beating. A lost mind was something else entirely.”
If Ninth House and Caraval had a baby, this book would be it. It was fantastic, funny, and scary!
So, what’s this book about?
Tuesday Mooney is alone but it doesn’t bother her! She loves being alone. Being alone allows her to be herself. She happily spends her time watching Twins Peaks and X-Files, working, and hanging out with her friend Dex when her world gets turned upside down. Well, more upside down than it already is.
During an auction, Pryce, the eccentric billionaire suddenly dies, things begin to get strange. Out of the blue, it is announced that Pryce’s dying wish was for people to play his game. This game is an Edgar Allen Poe inspired scavenger hunt.
Tuesday, along with her team of Dory, the mini-Tuesday, Dex, the gay best friend, and Archie, the hot and brooding heir, begins her adventure but finds that this game may not be as innocent as it seems on the surface. Along the way, Tuesday must find the courage to face the ghosts from the past, some of which are more vivid than others.
➵ Tuesday - Tuesday is literally me. Tuesday loves to be alone. At the same time, she uses this isolation as a shield. She tells herself that she is fine. Everything is okay and she doesn’t care. But telling yourself those lies will only work for so long. Trust me, I know. Tuesday is also cunning and resourceful but in spite of her genius, she is generally awkward(ish) with other people.
➵ Dex - I will say it, even though we all already know it, go ahead… say it with me. Dex has made it onto my fictional crushes list. Dex is the embodiment of Gay Best Friend, a trope that is both so fun and also needs to die. And because he was the GBF, I couldn’t help but imagine him as Casey Cott so….
Isn’t he just the cutest little bean? I have such a crush on him. Casey Cott, that is. Not Kevin Keller.
Goodreads has this marked as fantasy and it was generally marketed as so. This book is not a fantasy novel. Yes, there are most certainly supernatural aspects but this is not a fantasy. It would more accurately as magical realism. But if I had to choose one genre, I would call this a mystery thriller.
And it was super dark, too. There was talk of suicide. Murder is a heavy theme. It was just a plethora of darkness and gloominess. BUT. It was very well balanced with humor (mostly from Dex) so yay for that.
As a random final note, I really want to address how dumb this title and cover are. They are both so middle grade-y. If this was a middle-grade novel, they would have been perfect but this is NOT a middle grade and so they didn’t fit.
Bottom Line:
4.5 Stars
Age Rating: [ R ]
Content Screening (Spoilers) - Educational Value (0/0) ~ Positive Messages (3/5) - [Confronting your demons, teamwork, trust] ~ Sex (1/5) - [Off page sex, sexual themes and jokes] ~ Language (2/5) - [F**k, sh*t, b*tch, d*ck] ~ Drinking/Drugs (2/5) - [Alcohol consumption]
Trigger and Content Warning - Talk of suicide, Murder, Psychosis, Mild and severe injuries
Reps: [Gay, POC]
Cover: 3/5 ~ Characters: 5/5 ~ Plot: 4/5 ~ Audio: 4/5 (I love Lauren Fortgang)
Publication Date:
Publisher: HMH
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
[New] My Blurb: “Magical, funny, and scary, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is a tale of mystery that will ensnare every reader.”
----------
4.5 Stars (this may go up or down. We'll see) Ahhh! That was so good! And weird!
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so apparently, this is an adult book which is weird because that cover and title screams middle grade
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July 11, 2020
It’s not about the hunt. Or Edgar Allen Poe. Some shadowy elements are there, but if you go into this book expecting only a macabre adventure, you’ll likely be disappointed. That’s what I found reading the poor reviews, they wanted a darker, more straightforward reading experience and this is not that.
What it does provide, however, is a quirky and relatable cast of characters, some might say misfits, but lovable to me. A narrative that flits between humor and heart, never devolving into melodrama. And a plot that is far more intricate, layered and interesting than what I anticipated. I was looking for something slightly offbeat--I’ve been living on a steady diet of dark fiction and nonfiction--and while this book does deal with death, there is light at every turn and the promise of hope.
…in the aftermath of my death you will be invited to play a game. In playing my game, know that you honor my last requests: that you make your way through this world with curiosity and courage, that you follow strange clues, make detours, and that you don’t play it alone…Cross and crisscross your paths with the paths of others.
Isn’t that pretty much a formula for an interesting life?
Sometimes we read a book and it’s not what we expected which diminishes our enjoyment. Other times that expectation is blown to smithereens and the reading experience is all the better for it. Publishers do authors and readers a disservice when they promote as one thing for the hook of it when the book’s intent is vastly different. This was more than about a treasure hunt, this was about what is important to us and what we value and I’ll sign up for that Every. Single. Time.
I’ve had some odd things happen to me, Rabbit said, ‘over the course of my life. I’ve learned to embrace the mysterious. Because the strange, the extraordinary--those experiences that make you look at the world like you’ve never seen it before, really pay attention to it--the strange changes you. Shows you new things about yourself. About life. Other people.’
Recommended for those that want an entertaining, slightly strange experience. Thanks to Paromjit for the review that pushed me to read it!
What it does provide, however, is a quirky and relatable cast of characters, some might say misfits, but lovable to me. A narrative that flits between humor and heart, never devolving into melodrama. And a plot that is far more intricate, layered and interesting than what I anticipated. I was looking for something slightly offbeat--I’ve been living on a steady diet of dark fiction and nonfiction--and while this book does deal with death, there is light at every turn and the promise of hope.
…in the aftermath of my death you will be invited to play a game. In playing my game, know that you honor my last requests: that you make your way through this world with curiosity and courage, that you follow strange clues, make detours, and that you don’t play it alone…Cross and crisscross your paths with the paths of others.
Isn’t that pretty much a formula for an interesting life?
Sometimes we read a book and it’s not what we expected which diminishes our enjoyment. Other times that expectation is blown to smithereens and the reading experience is all the better for it. Publishers do authors and readers a disservice when they promote as one thing for the hook of it when the book’s intent is vastly different. This was more than about a treasure hunt, this was about what is important to us and what we value and I’ll sign up for that Every. Single. Time.
I’ve had some odd things happen to me, Rabbit said, ‘over the course of my life. I’ve learned to embrace the mysterious. Because the strange, the extraordinary--those experiences that make you look at the world like you’ve never seen it before, really pay attention to it--the strange changes you. Shows you new things about yourself. About life. Other people.’
Recommended for those that want an entertaining, slightly strange experience. Thanks to Paromjit for the review that pushed me to read it!
September 29, 2019
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When I saw this cover and title, I thought for sure that it must be a middle grade novel; it has a very juvenile look about it. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that it was actually an adult novel-- especially with comparisons to THE WESTING GAME, a very old middle grade novel. Whoever was doing the packaging for this book really didn't think that one through.
TUESDAY MOONEY TALKS TO GHOSTS does try to be THE WESTING GAME for adults. It's about an eccentric man named Vincent Pryce (with a Y) who collects Edgar Allen Poe ephemera and memorabilia. He dies, very publicly, and in his will, he states that he's having a massive treasure hunt and the winner(s) get to have all his stuff. Naturally, people are interested, and one of these is the main character, Tuesday, who is basically an adult version of Wednesday Addams, if Wednesday Addams were a manic pixie dream girl who spent all her time listening to the Smiths and being eccentric, just like everyone else in this novel. In fact, this book should be called Tuesday The Eccentric Eccentrically Talks to Eccentric Ghosts: An Eccentric Novel.
Initially I liked this book a lot, as it has some very sly humor and was cute without being too annoying. As the pages went on, it got less sly and more cute. And then as more pages got on, it became less cute and more twee. I think the problem was the book wanted to be too many things: it wanted to be an homage to THE WESTING GAME, and maybe that aspiration gave it a very young adult vibe that felt out of place in an adult novel; it wanted to be a thriller, but there wasn't a whole lot of suspense going on because it also wanted to be an Eccentric Novel (only the author couldn't seem to balance realistic eccentricity with cardboard cutouts of eccentricity); and it wanted to, I think, do what READY PLAYER ONE did with 80s pop culture with regard to Edgar Allen Poe, only I don't really think Poe has enough of a foothold in modern-day pop culture where these references will really resonate with the experiences of readers the way READY PLAYER ONE did.
The supernatural element was also very strange, and felt very out of place in this novel.
Other readers may enjoy this book but I don't think it was for me. I'm sorry it wasn't, as I did think I might enjoy it in the very beginning, but it really lost steam towards the end.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
2 stars
July 22, 2019
Good start, but then a miss...
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts starts with an inventive premise. An eccentric billionaire dies, and he sends the people of Boston on a Poe-themed treasure hunt to recover his fortune. The first chapter or two built up my expectations.
After that? I just wasn't interested in what happened to these characters
...and, oh boy, are there scores of them. I'm not quite sure why so many are needed. Tuesday and Dex struck me as unoriginal. She's the geeky, smart loner, and he's the stereotypical gay best friend who loves musical theater. The treatment of what Tuesday calls her mental illness (talking to ghosts) also seems heavy handed and maybe even a bit tone deaf.
2.5 stars--I'll round up, simply because I might be a harsher-than-usual grader right now. (It's been so ridiculously hot over the past few days!)
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for giving me a review copy of this novel, which will be available for purchase on October 8th.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts starts with an inventive premise. An eccentric billionaire dies, and he sends the people of Boston on a Poe-themed treasure hunt to recover his fortune. The first chapter or two built up my expectations.
After that? I just wasn't interested in what happened to these characters
...and, oh boy, are there scores of them. I'm not quite sure why so many are needed. Tuesday and Dex struck me as unoriginal. She's the geeky, smart loner, and he's the stereotypical gay best friend who loves musical theater. The treatment of what Tuesday calls her mental illness (talking to ghosts) also seems heavy handed and maybe even a bit tone deaf.
2.5 stars--I'll round up, simply because I might be a harsher-than-usual grader right now. (It's been so ridiculously hot over the past few days!)
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for giving me a review copy of this novel, which will be available for purchase on October 8th.
November 17, 2019
In a word, disjointed. In another word, disappointing. There were so many fun “ingredients” in this one but, man, did they not coagulate. There were way too many things going on. Serious things, funny things, sad things, weird things, all the things. They lost me. It didn’t help that I keep putting it down and picking it back up of course but it felt all over the place. It just lost me. It had an identity crisis. I didn’t know what to make of it all. It could have been a fun scavenger hunt but we were missing information. I finished it at least. Also, it feels like it wants to be YA but it’s not.
September 24, 2019
Tuesday likes to keep herself to herself. When the very wealthy Vincent Pryce dies, a mysterious game takes place. The winner was to be one of the heirs. A scavenger hunt takes place. Tuesday and her friends take part and soon find themselves sucked into a vortex of the unknown. Then throw into the mix murder, puzzles and ghosts.
It took me a few chapters to get into this book but when I did, I could ot read this fun book quick enough. There are quite a few names to remember. There's another background story that's quite i intriguing. There are some fun y parts I this story. This is a delightful mystery within a mystery. A deftly written tale that's interwoven with suspense and humor.
I would like to thank Netgalley, HarperCollins UK HarperFiction and the author Kate Racculia for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a few chapters to get into this book but when I did, I could ot read this fun book quick enough. There are quite a few names to remember. There's another background story that's quite i intriguing. There are some fun y parts I this story. This is a delightful mystery within a mystery. A deftly written tale that's interwoven with suspense and humor.
I would like to thank Netgalley, HarperCollins UK HarperFiction and the author Kate Racculia for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2020
So much fun. A lot of books get billed as an adult Westing Game, but Kate Racculia has delivered exactly that. Some of the twists require some suspension of disbelief but the central mystery kept me guessing the whole time.
October 8, 2019
If you love Kate Racculia's books, I don't really need to tell you anything except: the glorious trend continues here and, BONUS!!!, a character from BELLWEATHER RHAPSODY features prominently in this book.
But if you HAVEN'T read one of Kate Racculia's books yet, the first thing I'll tell you is what I felt when the character from BELLWEATHER RHAPSODY appeared: my heart throbbed with joy like I'd just spotted a beloved friend on a crowded train platform. I nearly cried, thinking that I'd get to know how things worked out for this character, knowing I'd get to spend more time with him. Because that's how fully dimensional, and lovable, Kate Racculia's characters are. When you're not on the page with them, you worry about them, you miss them. I am going to be wondering about Lila Korpati, high school English teacher turned wealthy widow, for the rest of my life. Every time I am out at karaoke, I will be looking for Dex Howard, desperately lovable theater kid hiding behind a finance guy suit. When I'm getting decimated at trivia, I will be looking for a lone goth at the end of the bar playing by herself, half eager to meet Tuesday and half terrified that she'd never like me as much as I liked her. I will wonder if every reserved dowager in a Chanel suit knows any of the Archeses. Most of all, I will be looking for Dorry Bones, the teen learning what life looks like without her mother, caught between hoping for impossible things and straining for adult sophistication. The plot around these characters is delicious-- scavenger hunts, dark family secrets, possible hauntings, and two-- TWO!!-- extremely well-crafted and plausible love stories. But the sincere connection and emotional protectiveness I feel for these characters is the best testimonial I can compose for the book.
I wish they were real. They feel like my friends. I hope desperately that I'm lucky enough to see them all again.
Final note! If, like me, you are a scaredy cat who likes horror's camp aesthetic but struggle with actual horror, DO NOT FEAR! This book is lightly spooky and has suspenseful bits, but it will only keep you up at night because you need to find out what happens next.
But if you HAVEN'T read one of Kate Racculia's books yet, the first thing I'll tell you is what I felt when the character from BELLWEATHER RHAPSODY appeared: my heart throbbed with joy like I'd just spotted a beloved friend on a crowded train platform. I nearly cried, thinking that I'd get to know how things worked out for this character, knowing I'd get to spend more time with him. Because that's how fully dimensional, and lovable, Kate Racculia's characters are. When you're not on the page with them, you worry about them, you miss them. I am going to be wondering about Lila Korpati, high school English teacher turned wealthy widow, for the rest of my life. Every time I am out at karaoke, I will be looking for Dex Howard, desperately lovable theater kid hiding behind a finance guy suit. When I'm getting decimated at trivia, I will be looking for a lone goth at the end of the bar playing by herself, half eager to meet Tuesday and half terrified that she'd never like me as much as I liked her. I will wonder if every reserved dowager in a Chanel suit knows any of the Archeses. Most of all, I will be looking for Dorry Bones, the teen learning what life looks like without her mother, caught between hoping for impossible things and straining for adult sophistication. The plot around these characters is delicious-- scavenger hunts, dark family secrets, possible hauntings, and two-- TWO!!-- extremely well-crafted and plausible love stories. But the sincere connection and emotional protectiveness I feel for these characters is the best testimonial I can compose for the book.
I wish they were real. They feel like my friends. I hope desperately that I'm lucky enough to see them all again.
Final note! If, like me, you are a scaredy cat who likes horror's camp aesthetic but struggle with actual horror, DO NOT FEAR! This book is lightly spooky and has suspenseful bits, but it will only keep you up at night because you need to find out what happens next.
October 14, 2019
4.5 stars rounded up. I requested Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts on a complete whim, and it turned out to be one of the best surprises I’ve had this year. Nothing about this novel is what I typically read, not the genre (which I am still having trouble naming) and not the tone (light/feel good).
But it was so much fun! The beginning of the book has a lot of fun 90s references. At times it reminded me of Ready Player One’s penchant for the 80s, but better, because it was the 90s. I also loved the setting, Boston, MA, which is one of my favorite cities and not too far from where I live.
Mostly though, I loved Tuesday. It’s rare that I see myself in any fictional representation of someone. She’s an introvert, and never has a wide group of friends, doesn’t really date, and prefers it that way. She likes to solve puzzles and mysteries, and has a small fascination with all things occult.
The plot of the book is this: eccentric billionaire dies, and leaves behind a treasure hunt for anyone who cares to join. The prize is a piece of his fortune. Of course, Tuesday wastes no time getting started. Joining her is the mysterious Archie, an heir to another wealthy family, her best friend Dex (who absolutely steals all his scenes) and her young neighbor friend Dorry.
But there is a lot more to the story than this. Each character harbors their own secrets and has their own struggles. The plot twists and turns, layering small reveals on throughout the ending half. I never once guessed any of them. Some of them were shocking but they didn’t feel too outlandish (maybe sometimes).
Either way, I had a blast with this book and I thought the ending was fantastic. I don’t want to spoil anything, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself. Thank you to the publisher for sending an ARC for review.
But it was so much fun! The beginning of the book has a lot of fun 90s references. At times it reminded me of Ready Player One’s penchant for the 80s, but better, because it was the 90s. I also loved the setting, Boston, MA, which is one of my favorite cities and not too far from where I live.
Mostly though, I loved Tuesday. It’s rare that I see myself in any fictional representation of someone. She’s an introvert, and never has a wide group of friends, doesn’t really date, and prefers it that way. She likes to solve puzzles and mysteries, and has a small fascination with all things occult.
The plot of the book is this: eccentric billionaire dies, and leaves behind a treasure hunt for anyone who cares to join. The prize is a piece of his fortune. Of course, Tuesday wastes no time getting started. Joining her is the mysterious Archie, an heir to another wealthy family, her best friend Dex (who absolutely steals all his scenes) and her young neighbor friend Dorry.
But there is a lot more to the story than this. Each character harbors their own secrets and has their own struggles. The plot twists and turns, layering small reveals on throughout the ending half. I never once guessed any of them. Some of them were shocking but they didn’t feel too outlandish (maybe sometimes).
Either way, I had a blast with this book and I thought the ending was fantastic. I don’t want to spoil anything, so you’ll just have to read it for yourself. Thank you to the publisher for sending an ARC for review.
December 9, 2019
This was pitched to me as THE WESTING GAME for grown-ups and that is not a bad pitch. At its best, it is also a really loving character study of Tuesday and her best friend Dex. Racculia writes with a big beating heart, which is always something I appreciate.
There are perhaps a few too many moving pieces, a few too many characters. The final third feels rushed and the characters pull apart for plot reasons, which left me frustrated because I so enjoyed having them all together. While I came for the madcap mystery antics, I stayed for the relationships and could have used more. There is also a little bit of the supernatural here but not so much to bang you over the head.
This is one of those books that is very cozy and you just want to sit down and read it for a few hours straight. It is also a very Boston book (well, maybe more Cambridge/Somerville than Boston but even understanding that distinction goes in its favor!).
There are perhaps a few too many moving pieces, a few too many characters. The final third feels rushed and the characters pull apart for plot reasons, which left me frustrated because I so enjoyed having them all together. While I came for the madcap mystery antics, I stayed for the relationships and could have used more. There is also a little bit of the supernatural here but not so much to bang you over the head.
This is one of those books that is very cozy and you just want to sit down and read it for a few hours straight. It is also a very Boston book (well, maybe more Cambridge/Somerville than Boston but even understanding that distinction goes in its favor!).
March 29, 2021
In the beginning of this book I couldn’t help but feel some resemblance between Tuesday Mooney and Eleanor Oliphant. I don’t know if anyone else who has read both felt the same way. It may have been the order I read them in and that it wasn’t too far apart between readings. Don’t get me wrong, Tuesday was definitely different but there were just some vague similarities. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the odd characters, their human frailties, the bit of supernatural, and the sweet ending. Maybe it was a little sappy but I must have been In the mood because I loved it. I was never bored and it felt like there were enough layers that it kept me wondering what was next. Thoroughly recommend.
October 20, 2019
Tuesday Mooney is a thirty three year old researcher, whose best friend, Dex, is a banker with an interest in karaoke and a penchant for dressing as Madonna. Tuesday grew up in Salem, where her best friend, Abby, vanished, when they were sixteen and this event has haunted her, in more ways than one. Tuesday works at Boston General Hospital, where she spends her time trying to locate wealthy donors. At a charity auction, she immediately recognises Nathanial Arches, from an extremely wealthy, and influential, family. Like her, the Arches are haunted by a disappearance – that of their father.
At the auction, eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce, dies – with Dex at his table and Tuesday and Arches in attendance. Pryce may be gone, but he is determined not to be forgotten. He leaves behind a city wide treasure hunt, which Tuesday becomes involved in – along with the characters already mentioned, and her lovely young neighbour, Dorry Bones. I have a feeling that this novel will divide readers. However, in my opinion, this was a wonderfully enjoyable romp – peopled with a great cast of characters. It does have a serious side, though, despite the fun storyline and the author never loses touch with her characters, or her readers, while keeping the action going. One of my favourite reads this year.
At the auction, eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce, dies – with Dex at his table and Tuesday and Arches in attendance. Pryce may be gone, but he is determined not to be forgotten. He leaves behind a city wide treasure hunt, which Tuesday becomes involved in – along with the characters already mentioned, and her lovely young neighbour, Dorry Bones. I have a feeling that this novel will divide readers. However, in my opinion, this was a wonderfully enjoyable romp – peopled with a great cast of characters. It does have a serious side, though, despite the fun storyline and the author never loses touch with her characters, or her readers, while keeping the action going. One of my favourite reads this year.
October 8, 2019
Do you long for a reading experience that will transport you the way From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The Westing Game do? How do you feel about a prickly heroine whose austere reserve springs not from dickishness but from a genuine & justified fear of having her heart broken? Are you into light spookiness wedded to stories about platonic and romantic love? And what are your thoughts on a light, apt sprinkling of musical references to the 90s? All good? Great, here's your next favorite book.
I dog-eared so many pages to remind myself to come back to certain passages or turns of phrase and did not have my act together to track them here as I read so I'm just going to drop some of them into this review, for personal posterity & as an enticement to you to read this absolute gem.
p.172: "We spend our whole lives becoming worth. Of ourselves. Our mysteries, our solutions, the fruits of our quests."
p.179: "Ned laughed. 'Whoa,' he said. 'One question at a time.'
Dorry rolled her eyes back. She was half frustrated, half excited, half nervous, half elated. She was too many halves. She was twice as much as she usually was."
p.292: "--about regretting arriving at death's doormat with full pockets. I felt he was saying -- don't hoard what you've been given, because you think it's all your going to get. Be generous. And be generous now, because the future isn't a destination. It's an extension of how we choose to live today. Archie offered to match the thirteen thousand, so we had twenty-six thousand to work with. And I found someone to give it to."
p.341: "Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do, or think they only have value if they are a stop on the way to a real relationship." [...] "All relationships are real," said Tuesday. "Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
I dog-eared so many pages to remind myself to come back to certain passages or turns of phrase and did not have my act together to track them here as I read so I'm just going to drop some of them into this review, for personal posterity & as an enticement to you to read this absolute gem.
p.172: "We spend our whole lives becoming worth. Of ourselves. Our mysteries, our solutions, the fruits of our quests."
p.179: "Ned laughed. 'Whoa,' he said. 'One question at a time.'
Dorry rolled her eyes back. She was half frustrated, half excited, half nervous, half elated. She was too many halves. She was twice as much as she usually was."
p.292: "--about regretting arriving at death's doormat with full pockets. I felt he was saying -- don't hoard what you've been given, because you think it's all your going to get. Be generous. And be generous now, because the future isn't a destination. It's an extension of how we choose to live today. Archie offered to match the thirteen thousand, so we had twenty-six thousand to work with. And I found someone to give it to."
p.341: "Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do, or think they only have value if they are a stop on the way to a real relationship." [...] "All relationships are real," said Tuesday. "Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
October 22, 2019
I received a free ebook version of this book from Netgalley. Thankyou to both Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this! My review is still honest.
I'd heard nothing about this book or author before reading it, but I received an email from the publisher directly inviting me to request it. Once I'd read the premise of a wild treasure hunt orchestrated by an eccentric billionaire after his death, with ghosts-well, how could I not?
As the description suggests, this book is brilliantly quirky. It's different and creative and all the more intriguing because of it! The plot itself is interesting and engaging, with plenty of mystery and action and emotion. I enjoyed how the main plot of Pryce's treasure hunt intertwined so well with the many side plots from each of our 4 main characters, all without it ever becoming too busy or confusing. There were some genuinely touching moments concerning grief and finding yourself, and I really enjoyed the hint of paranormal in an otherwise realistic world.
I will say that this took me a long time to read-it was one of those books where I felt like I was reading for long periods of time, and yet the percentage mark at the corner of my Kindle barely moved. I'd say this applied more to the first half than the last, which I flew through! Nevertheless, be warned this is fairly slow paced.
On the whole, though, I liked this one, and I'm so glad the publisher sent me that email. Also, loving the redesigned title of 'Tuesday Mooney Wore Black'! 'Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts' sounds much more like a children's novel.
I'd heard nothing about this book or author before reading it, but I received an email from the publisher directly inviting me to request it. Once I'd read the premise of a wild treasure hunt orchestrated by an eccentric billionaire after his death, with ghosts-well, how could I not?
As the description suggests, this book is brilliantly quirky. It's different and creative and all the more intriguing because of it! The plot itself is interesting and engaging, with plenty of mystery and action and emotion. I enjoyed how the main plot of Pryce's treasure hunt intertwined so well with the many side plots from each of our 4 main characters, all without it ever becoming too busy or confusing. There were some genuinely touching moments concerning grief and finding yourself, and I really enjoyed the hint of paranormal in an otherwise realistic world.
I will say that this took me a long time to read-it was one of those books where I felt like I was reading for long periods of time, and yet the percentage mark at the corner of my Kindle barely moved. I'd say this applied more to the first half than the last, which I flew through! Nevertheless, be warned this is fairly slow paced.
On the whole, though, I liked this one, and I'm so glad the publisher sent me that email. Also, loving the redesigned title of 'Tuesday Mooney Wore Black'! 'Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts' sounds much more like a children's novel.
October 17, 2019
An eccentric millionaire dies and leaves behind a city-wide scavenger hunt to claim his inheritance in Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia.
While this book had an intriguing premise and started out strong, it quickly fell apart for me as the author went in too many directions at the same time, leaving me feeling a bit untethered.
This book is clearly a re-imagining of the YA classic, The Westing Game. This coupled with the juvenile look of the cover had me under the impression that this book was also YA. Not so. The majority of the characters are firmly planted in adulthood and there are too many adult themes (and too much adult language) to be appropriate for a younger audience. The cover choice, and even the title to some degree, feel like odd choices having read the book.
The characters in the book are all quite eccentric and quirky. Initially, I enjoyed this, but as Racculia failed to fully develop the characters they began to feel more like caricatures. Quirks that started as cute or endearing began to feel trite and irritating.
There is a supernatural element to this book that felt super wacky. It isn't subtle enough to feel like magical realism, but also isn't nearly developed enough to stand on it's own and be categorized as a supernatural read. For the longest time I couldn't tell if the author was trying to do something serious with this storyline or if it was supposed to be satire? I'm still not entirely sure, but either way, it did not work.
There were lots of references to Poe, which might work for readers who are huge fans of his, but I am willing to bet that the average reader isn't even going to pick up on these references, let alone feel nostalgic about them.
This book just wasn't what I was hoping for; it was trying to be too many things, and as such, I could never find solid footing in any one of them. I felt pretty ambivalent about Kate Racculia's previous book, Bellweather Rhapsody, as well, and it will take some serious persuasion to get me to pick up a third if she should write one.
While this book had an intriguing premise and started out strong, it quickly fell apart for me as the author went in too many directions at the same time, leaving me feeling a bit untethered.
This book is clearly a re-imagining of the YA classic, The Westing Game. This coupled with the juvenile look of the cover had me under the impression that this book was also YA. Not so. The majority of the characters are firmly planted in adulthood and there are too many adult themes (and too much adult language) to be appropriate for a younger audience. The cover choice, and even the title to some degree, feel like odd choices having read the book.
The characters in the book are all quite eccentric and quirky. Initially, I enjoyed this, but as Racculia failed to fully develop the characters they began to feel more like caricatures. Quirks that started as cute or endearing began to feel trite and irritating.
There is a supernatural element to this book that felt super wacky. It isn't subtle enough to feel like magical realism, but also isn't nearly developed enough to stand on it's own and be categorized as a supernatural read. For the longest time I couldn't tell if the author was trying to do something serious with this storyline or if it was supposed to be satire? I'm still not entirely sure, but either way, it did not work.
There were lots of references to Poe, which might work for readers who are huge fans of his, but I am willing to bet that the average reader isn't even going to pick up on these references, let alone feel nostalgic about them.
This book just wasn't what I was hoping for; it was trying to be too many things, and as such, I could never find solid footing in any one of them. I felt pretty ambivalent about Kate Racculia's previous book, Bellweather Rhapsody, as well, and it will take some serious persuasion to get me to pick up a third if she should write one.
February 2, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Christina Ladd
When an eccentric billionaire dies dramatically at a charity event, Tuesday Mooney keeps her cool. But when that billionaire announces posthumously that part of his fortune will go to the winner of a Boston-wide scavenger hunt, she gets a little excited. As a prospect researcher, she understands the world of the super-wealthy, and she knows how to do the legwork on complicated puzzles. And as a confident loner, she’s willing to take the strange chances and risks that the scavenger hunt requires of its participants. She soon finds herself ranging all across (and under!) the city, making new friends and unexpected enemies in her search for money and, more importantly, the thrill of success.
Tuesday is a badass heroine not because of what she does or the outward trappings of her life, but because of her inner resolve. Tuesday is Tuesday and no one else, nor would she want to be. Racculia does something subtly brilliant in creating a character who isn’t motivated by conventional expectations or standards. It’s not that she’s self-sufficient—although she is that—so much as it is that she’s sufficient unto herself. She’s not looking for other things to fill her up and she’s not confused about what she wants. Plenty of people are self-sufficient: they pay their bills, work at their jobs, and manage their social lives just fine. But fiction often gets its conflict from their dissatisfaction and confusion. They want romance but are settling for sex; they want parental approval but are trying to get it from their bosses; on and on. Most people are unfulfilled by their modern lives; Tuesday is aggressively content.
This isn’t to say that she’s a closed system. She has needs, desires, and an abundance of curiosity. She’s drawn into Vincent Pryce’s scavenger hunt because she loves puzzles, and she sticks with it because she comes to discover how much she loves her friends and how much she loves Pryce’s underlying message.
The mad billionaire also knew exactly who he was and what he wanted, unconventional as it often was. And he wants the people playing his game to understand his carpe diem attitude and his boundless love for art, civic duty, and the city of Boston.
This is a very specific picture of Boston that maybe doesn’t capture the entirety of the city, but does capture a very specific experience of being a non-student living in the more metropolitan areas (such as they are). It’s interesting that Racculia chose to include people of almost every age except college students, who make up such a vast portion of Boston’s population that each college has to coordinate move-in and graduation days, lest the overlap overwhelm the grid. Boston, I suspect she’s trying to say, is more than its students and colleges. It’s all the neighborhoods, squares, and streets that make the convoluted little city so beloved by the people who choose to live here rather than just end up at college here.
Tuesday is and has been surrounded by these people much of her adult life, but it’s Pryce’s game that gets her to finally appreciate them. There’s her de facto BFF Poindexter Howard, aka Dex, who worries that he’s becoming his corporate façade instead of acting on the Broadway dreams he’s always cherished. There’s also Dorry, the precocious preteen who’s trying to navigate grief and her new Boston home, and Archie, the surprisingly down-to-earth billionaire heir. It’s quite the cast that Tuesday draws around herself, and it only becomes wilder as dastardly schemers, wealthy widows, and all manner of weirdoes come out of the woodwork to compete for Pryce’s prize.
This is not The DaVinci Code levels of puzzle-hunting. There’s not an elaborate scaffolding of clues and secret societies counting on your obscure knowledge to unlock the final revelation about how Edgar Allan Poe was married to Jesus (or whatever). It’s more like Indiana Jones: you’re along for a ride with swashbuckling and a bit of research, and instead of a grail knight or the Ark you’ve got a ghost.
Maybe.
The supernatural element is very, very small, a marble cosseted in a packing crate of modern psych and misdirection. Pryce might be haunting his own game; Tuesday might be haunted by a friend she lost long ago. Are there really supernatural happenings? Or is this all just a ruse and a trauma reaction?
The uncertainty there is a symptom of a larger uncertainty that eddies around the book, which gets a bit muddled at times. Is this meant to be a psychological novel about Tuesday? Is it about the scavenger hunt, or the multiple murder mysteries? Is it about Poe, or Boston, or a big theme like Friendship? Is it about being haunted? Is it about money, and what you do with it? I know it wants to be all of these things and more, but it might have benefited from a sharper focus, and more time with Tuesday. Not to say that the other characters aren’t great, but that Tuesday needed a bit more time to feel truly like an icon.
And I think Tuesday really has the potential to be that. A tall, confident woman who used to be a goth but now dresses all in black for the sheer convenience of it, a social researcher who’s an outsider by choice, and a serious, analytical mind that’s also obsessed with 90’s pop culture, she’s a great—and fun—person to follow into any mystery. Raacculia has said that she may return to writing Tuesday, and I hope she does. A slightly (only slightly!) less frenetic book would really allow the characters and the setting to breathe a little more, and for everyone to embrace how awesome Tuesday Mooney really is.
When an eccentric billionaire dies dramatically at a charity event, Tuesday Mooney keeps her cool. But when that billionaire announces posthumously that part of his fortune will go to the winner of a Boston-wide scavenger hunt, she gets a little excited. As a prospect researcher, she understands the world of the super-wealthy, and she knows how to do the legwork on complicated puzzles. And as a confident loner, she’s willing to take the strange chances and risks that the scavenger hunt requires of its participants. She soon finds herself ranging all across (and under!) the city, making new friends and unexpected enemies in her search for money and, more importantly, the thrill of success.
Tuesday is a badass heroine not because of what she does or the outward trappings of her life, but because of her inner resolve. Tuesday is Tuesday and no one else, nor would she want to be. Racculia does something subtly brilliant in creating a character who isn’t motivated by conventional expectations or standards. It’s not that she’s self-sufficient—although she is that—so much as it is that she’s sufficient unto herself. She’s not looking for other things to fill her up and she’s not confused about what she wants. Plenty of people are self-sufficient: they pay their bills, work at their jobs, and manage their social lives just fine. But fiction often gets its conflict from their dissatisfaction and confusion. They want romance but are settling for sex; they want parental approval but are trying to get it from their bosses; on and on. Most people are unfulfilled by their modern lives; Tuesday is aggressively content.
This isn’t to say that she’s a closed system. She has needs, desires, and an abundance of curiosity. She’s drawn into Vincent Pryce’s scavenger hunt because she loves puzzles, and she sticks with it because she comes to discover how much she loves her friends and how much she loves Pryce’s underlying message.
The mad billionaire also knew exactly who he was and what he wanted, unconventional as it often was. And he wants the people playing his game to understand his carpe diem attitude and his boundless love for art, civic duty, and the city of Boston.
This is a very specific picture of Boston that maybe doesn’t capture the entirety of the city, but does capture a very specific experience of being a non-student living in the more metropolitan areas (such as they are). It’s interesting that Racculia chose to include people of almost every age except college students, who make up such a vast portion of Boston’s population that each college has to coordinate move-in and graduation days, lest the overlap overwhelm the grid. Boston, I suspect she’s trying to say, is more than its students and colleges. It’s all the neighborhoods, squares, and streets that make the convoluted little city so beloved by the people who choose to live here rather than just end up at college here.
Tuesday is and has been surrounded by these people much of her adult life, but it’s Pryce’s game that gets her to finally appreciate them. There’s her de facto BFF Poindexter Howard, aka Dex, who worries that he’s becoming his corporate façade instead of acting on the Broadway dreams he’s always cherished. There’s also Dorry, the precocious preteen who’s trying to navigate grief and her new Boston home, and Archie, the surprisingly down-to-earth billionaire heir. It’s quite the cast that Tuesday draws around herself, and it only becomes wilder as dastardly schemers, wealthy widows, and all manner of weirdoes come out of the woodwork to compete for Pryce’s prize.
This is not The DaVinci Code levels of puzzle-hunting. There’s not an elaborate scaffolding of clues and secret societies counting on your obscure knowledge to unlock the final revelation about how Edgar Allan Poe was married to Jesus (or whatever). It’s more like Indiana Jones: you’re along for a ride with swashbuckling and a bit of research, and instead of a grail knight or the Ark you’ve got a ghost.
Maybe.
The supernatural element is very, very small, a marble cosseted in a packing crate of modern psych and misdirection. Pryce might be haunting his own game; Tuesday might be haunted by a friend she lost long ago. Are there really supernatural happenings? Or is this all just a ruse and a trauma reaction?
The uncertainty there is a symptom of a larger uncertainty that eddies around the book, which gets a bit muddled at times. Is this meant to be a psychological novel about Tuesday? Is it about the scavenger hunt, or the multiple murder mysteries? Is it about Poe, or Boston, or a big theme like Friendship? Is it about being haunted? Is it about money, and what you do with it? I know it wants to be all of these things and more, but it might have benefited from a sharper focus, and more time with Tuesday. Not to say that the other characters aren’t great, but that Tuesday needed a bit more time to feel truly like an icon.
And I think Tuesday really has the potential to be that. A tall, confident woman who used to be a goth but now dresses all in black for the sheer convenience of it, a social researcher who’s an outsider by choice, and a serious, analytical mind that’s also obsessed with 90’s pop culture, she’s a great—and fun—person to follow into any mystery. Raacculia has said that she may return to writing Tuesday, and I hope she does. A slightly (only slightly!) less frenetic book would really allow the characters and the setting to breathe a little more, and for everyone to embrace how awesome Tuesday Mooney really is.
November 21, 2019
Review
I have a lot of mixed feelings about Tuesday Mooney. There were some amazing aesthetics throughout the story and it had intriguing enough characters to keep me reading, but I’m not entirely sure what the author was aiming for. It was a vastly different novel than it was described as, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad one.
Despite what the title and blurb would have you believe, there wasn’t a whole lot of scavenger hunting going on and there was only one ghost Tuesday was in communication with. Her relationship with that “ghost” was pretty interesting and heartbreaking, though, and is probably the pairing I enjoyed the most.
In addition to Tuesday, the book is written from the point of view of several other characters, with all their lives coming together under the bizarre last will and testament of the enigmatic billionaire Vincent Pryce (not that Vincent Price).
Going into this book, I was really excited- the descriptions and cover were amazing. However, around the 60% mark I started to lose interest and was seriously struggling to finish the book. It’s not that it was poorly written or the story was boring, it just wasn’t the book I thought I would be reading. It was less scavenger hunt caper and more constant internal monologues from the various characters on why they were being so crappy to each other during the hunt. There were a few too many 1%’ers bounding around for my taste, too.
While compelling, most of the characters were pretty stereotypical. The “cool and aloof goth who likes eclectic music,” the “flamboyant gay BFF,” and the “rich and troubled dreamboat” to name a few. I did like most of the characters, especially the gay BFF Dex, it just felt a bit like “The Breakfast Club does Edgar Allen Poe.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that! The characters all worked well with one another for the most part.
Final Thoughts
Maybe I wasn’t the best audience for this book, but it just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be about. The cover, title, and blurb made it out to be a macabre scavenger hunt with a main character who communes with spirits. What it ended up being was more a character driven novel about the various inter-connected people taking part in the hunt.
If I had known that going in, I probably would have enjoyed the book more. Instead, I found myself growing bored with all the internal struggles of the characters and was impatiently waiting for the hunt to get back on. I probably could have done without the love interests, too. They felt like they were thrown in just for the sake of it. In the right hands with the right expectations, though, I think this book will be a winner.
Read my full review on my blog!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for a review.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about Tuesday Mooney. There were some amazing aesthetics throughout the story and it had intriguing enough characters to keep me reading, but I’m not entirely sure what the author was aiming for. It was a vastly different novel than it was described as, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad one.
Despite what the title and blurb would have you believe, there wasn’t a whole lot of scavenger hunting going on and there was only one ghost Tuesday was in communication with. Her relationship with that “ghost” was pretty interesting and heartbreaking, though, and is probably the pairing I enjoyed the most.
In addition to Tuesday, the book is written from the point of view of several other characters, with all their lives coming together under the bizarre last will and testament of the enigmatic billionaire Vincent Pryce (not that Vincent Price).
Going into this book, I was really excited- the descriptions and cover were amazing. However, around the 60% mark I started to lose interest and was seriously struggling to finish the book. It’s not that it was poorly written or the story was boring, it just wasn’t the book I thought I would be reading. It was less scavenger hunt caper and more constant internal monologues from the various characters on why they were being so crappy to each other during the hunt. There were a few too many 1%’ers bounding around for my taste, too.
While compelling, most of the characters were pretty stereotypical. The “cool and aloof goth who likes eclectic music,” the “flamboyant gay BFF,” and the “rich and troubled dreamboat” to name a few. I did like most of the characters, especially the gay BFF Dex, it just felt a bit like “The Breakfast Club does Edgar Allen Poe.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that! The characters all worked well with one another for the most part.
Final Thoughts
Maybe I wasn’t the best audience for this book, but it just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be about. The cover, title, and blurb made it out to be a macabre scavenger hunt with a main character who communes with spirits. What it ended up being was more a character driven novel about the various inter-connected people taking part in the hunt.
If I had known that going in, I probably would have enjoyed the book more. Instead, I found myself growing bored with all the internal struggles of the characters and was impatiently waiting for the hunt to get back on. I probably could have done without the love interests, too. They felt like they were thrown in just for the sake of it. In the right hands with the right expectations, though, I think this book will be a winner.
Read my full review on my blog!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for a review.
May 29, 2020
This story has a lot going on in it, including missing persons, grief, a rich family and the mysteries surrounding them, a funny and slightly odd billionaire and his down-to-earth widow, a citywide scavenger hunt, a smart protagonist, terrific supporting characters, wonderful developing relationships….all of which together would seem to make this story overstuffed and unworkable. Not the case at all. In fact, I loved this book from its outset, first for its characters: Tuesday Mooney and her somewhat dour self, her funny and dramatic friend, her grief-stricken young neighbour and the fascinating widow. Second, the author’s loopy and exuberant writing style captured me at the story’s outset, and carried me through to the story’s satisfying ending.
September 27, 2019
Tuesday Mooney is good at her job as a prospect researcher.
"A prospect researcher is one part private detective, one part property assessor, one part gossip columnist, and one part witch." *
She works for a hospital finding wealthy people willing to part with some of their money for charitable causes. She's a loner who prefers to be on the outside where she can notice what others cannot and would rather stay home and watch X-Files reruns than socialize with her best friend of ten years, Dex, who has never even been to her apartment.
When the eccentric billionaire Vincent Pryce collapses and dies at a charity event, Pryce's death is overshadowed by his final request: an epic treasure hunt through Boston with clues inspired by Edgar Allan Poe that will lead to a share of his wealth!
Tuesday's curiosity and skills lead her and her oddball crew (BFF Dex, teen next door neighbor Dorry, and handsome heir Archie) through a mysterious game that requires them all to face their pasts in hopes of finding Pryce's fortune.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts was a fun mystery that will certainly be compared to The Westing Game. I enjoyed the twists, the secrets revealed, and the pop culture references that added some humor.
The pace began to drag in the middle but overall this was an intriguing read that kept me guessing the entire time.
I recommend this book to readers who love games, mysteries, word play, and family drama!
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is scheduled for release on October 8, 2019.
Quote included is from a digital advanced reader's copy and is subject to change upon final publication.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
"A prospect researcher is one part private detective, one part property assessor, one part gossip columnist, and one part witch." *
She works for a hospital finding wealthy people willing to part with some of their money for charitable causes. She's a loner who prefers to be on the outside where she can notice what others cannot and would rather stay home and watch X-Files reruns than socialize with her best friend of ten years, Dex, who has never even been to her apartment.
When the eccentric billionaire Vincent Pryce collapses and dies at a charity event, Pryce's death is overshadowed by his final request: an epic treasure hunt through Boston with clues inspired by Edgar Allan Poe that will lead to a share of his wealth!
Tuesday's curiosity and skills lead her and her oddball crew (BFF Dex, teen next door neighbor Dorry, and handsome heir Archie) through a mysterious game that requires them all to face their pasts in hopes of finding Pryce's fortune.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts was a fun mystery that will certainly be compared to The Westing Game. I enjoyed the twists, the secrets revealed, and the pop culture references that added some humor.
The pace began to drag in the middle but overall this was an intriguing read that kept me guessing the entire time.
I recommend this book to readers who love games, mysteries, word play, and family drama!
Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is scheduled for release on October 8, 2019.
Quote included is from a digital advanced reader's copy and is subject to change upon final publication.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
November 11, 2019
Tuesday Mooney works for a hospital researching wealthy potential donors on how best to approach them for donations. She mostly keeps to herself beyond time with her grieving teenager neighbor, Dorry, and flamboyant friend Dex. Even as a child Tuesday was a loner, as shown in this quote: "That time alone in the dark, time alone with her self, traveling near and far through books, living in her mind, was what gave her the strength to go out and live in the real world. And there was no place on earth like a city for being alone."
While working at a fundraiser, Tuesday witnesses the death of the wealthy, eccentric Vicent Pryce. In his obituary he reveals a challenging treasure hunt throughout Boston, inspired by his infatuation with Edgar Allen Poe and the macabre. Tuesday is excited by the challenge and with the help of Dex, Dorry and a young, good looking heir she met at the fundraiser, she's determined to crack the codes. The race is on as they compete with the others seeking the promised treasure.
Not just a mystery, it is also a book about self discovery and friendship as in these quotes: "But he didn't have to be all one thing or all another. He didn't have to live only one life at a time. And a living wasn't something you made but something you did. Again and again, over and over, always, always becoming." and "Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do, or think they only have value if they're a stop on the way to a real relationship. All relationships are real. Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
A fun romp of a story with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings that kept me guessing until the end.
4.5 stars.
While working at a fundraiser, Tuesday witnesses the death of the wealthy, eccentric Vicent Pryce. In his obituary he reveals a challenging treasure hunt throughout Boston, inspired by his infatuation with Edgar Allen Poe and the macabre. Tuesday is excited by the challenge and with the help of Dex, Dorry and a young, good looking heir she met at the fundraiser, she's determined to crack the codes. The race is on as they compete with the others seeking the promised treasure.
Not just a mystery, it is also a book about self discovery and friendship as in these quotes: "But he didn't have to be all one thing or all another. He didn't have to live only one life at a time. And a living wasn't something you made but something you did. Again and again, over and over, always, always becoming." and "Don't cheat your friendships. Don't ask them to mean less to you than they do, or think they only have value if they're a stop on the way to a real relationship. All relationships are real. Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
A fun romp of a story with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings that kept me guessing until the end.
4.5 stars.
November 8, 2019
As I read this book, I felt seen. I’ve always been a little weird, lonerish, into spooky things. I’ve embraced my weird now, but it wasn’t always that easy. If you were that kid who was always dancing to your own drumbeat, wearing black, or on the outside of the group, you will definitely understand Tuesday Mooney.
A modern take on The Westing Game, this book follows Tuesday as she takes on a dead man’s city-wide scavenger hunt with her best friend the banker, her sixteen-year-old next-door neighbor, and a mysterious millionaire. Let the chaos ensue!
The narrative is quirky and fast-paced, just like her previous work, Bellweather Rhapsody. What I love about Racculia’s writing is how she merges the strange and sometimes spooky with a completely upbeat tone and often humorous plot. In that book, it was a spooky The Shining type snowed-in atmosphere that mixed murder with a bunch of band geeks and choir nerds. In this book, the kooky clues left behind by the dead Vincent Pryce (you know, the guy who does the rap part of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”—well not that guy, but this Pryce is equally spooky) involve his strange collection of curiosities, a Halloween masquerade funeral, and a lot of Edgar Allan Poe references. Plus, it’s set in Boston. Tuesday brings to the table her whip-smart mind, Ouija-fueled past, and potentially a ghost? Like, a real ghost?
One of the recurring themes of the book is that people are not who you think you see. Tuesday’s job is basically internet-stalking—finding out everything there is to know about rich people to get them to donate money to charitable causes. As such, she makes a lot of quick judgments about people. While she is uncannily good at this, she also underestimates and misjudges people and ends up learning a lot in the process. This theme also popped up with another character, Dex, who is Tuesday’s friend. When we first meet him, he is snarky and goofy, but instead of leaning into the “gay best friend” trope, Dex becomes a layered character who is integral to the plot. The reader even spends a fair amount of time seeing from his perspective. I really appreciated the nuance that Racculia brought to many of the characters.
This is a whirlwind of a reading experience. It keeps up such wonderful pacing and reads so smoothly that it is difficult to put down. I did feel that there could have been more to the scavenger hunt; I really enjoyed the DA VINCI CODE style narrative, with the characters racing around the city, finding clues. After finishing, I felt I would have been satisfied with another hundred pages!
The plot doesn’t feel underdeveloped though, and it was such a fun book to read. I enjoyed every page.
And I hope I can be just like Tuesday Mooney when I grow up.
My thanks to HMH for my copy of this one to read and review.
A modern take on The Westing Game, this book follows Tuesday as she takes on a dead man’s city-wide scavenger hunt with her best friend the banker, her sixteen-year-old next-door neighbor, and a mysterious millionaire. Let the chaos ensue!
The narrative is quirky and fast-paced, just like her previous work, Bellweather Rhapsody. What I love about Racculia’s writing is how she merges the strange and sometimes spooky with a completely upbeat tone and often humorous plot. In that book, it was a spooky The Shining type snowed-in atmosphere that mixed murder with a bunch of band geeks and choir nerds. In this book, the kooky clues left behind by the dead Vincent Pryce (you know, the guy who does the rap part of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”—well not that guy, but this Pryce is equally spooky) involve his strange collection of curiosities, a Halloween masquerade funeral, and a lot of Edgar Allan Poe references. Plus, it’s set in Boston. Tuesday brings to the table her whip-smart mind, Ouija-fueled past, and potentially a ghost? Like, a real ghost?
One of the recurring themes of the book is that people are not who you think you see. Tuesday’s job is basically internet-stalking—finding out everything there is to know about rich people to get them to donate money to charitable causes. As such, she makes a lot of quick judgments about people. While she is uncannily good at this, she also underestimates and misjudges people and ends up learning a lot in the process. This theme also popped up with another character, Dex, who is Tuesday’s friend. When we first meet him, he is snarky and goofy, but instead of leaning into the “gay best friend” trope, Dex becomes a layered character who is integral to the plot. The reader even spends a fair amount of time seeing from his perspective. I really appreciated the nuance that Racculia brought to many of the characters.
This is a whirlwind of a reading experience. It keeps up such wonderful pacing and reads so smoothly that it is difficult to put down. I did feel that there could have been more to the scavenger hunt; I really enjoyed the DA VINCI CODE style narrative, with the characters racing around the city, finding clues. After finishing, I felt I would have been satisfied with another hundred pages!
The plot doesn’t feel underdeveloped though, and it was such a fun book to read. I enjoyed every page.
And I hope I can be just like Tuesday Mooney when I grow up.
My thanks to HMH for my copy of this one to read and review.
March 5, 2020
I finished this audiobook yesterday and I’m still struggling to find words to explain what I didn’t like about this book. The characters are eccentric but at the same time relatable and the plot is interesting enough to give this novel a better rating, but I was just so glad when it was over!!! Some of the problems I have that I could name is that the plot was too messy for my taste. Everyone was playing a double game and you never knew what was real and what wasn’t. I’m not sure if I got it right but if Abby’s ghost actually materialised to push Nathaniel over the banister then consider this a one-star-review because I just despise deus ex machina solutions they are lame and unfair to the reader. The final chapters were the worst, everyone got very philosophical and I usually don’t mind that, but it felt a bit like the author’s struggle to wrap up the story.
I read ‘Bellweather Rhapsody’ a couple of years ago and now that I think about it realise that I had pretty much the same issues with the book back then so maybe the author’s style to tell a story is just not for me.
I read ‘Bellweather Rhapsody’ a couple of years ago and now that I think about it realise that I had pretty much the same issues with the book back then so maybe the author’s style to tell a story is just not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2019
4.5/5 stars: ★★★★1/2
"A broken heart hurt like hell, but it kept beating. A lost mind was something else entirely."
When a mysterious billionaire suddenly dies, he sends the entire city of Boston on a wild treasure hunt through the city for an unknown prize. Tuesday Mooney, a researcher for a living, finds herself in the middle of the search. With a ragtag team of friends, a wealthy stranger, and the voice of her dead best friend from childhood in her head, Tuesday begins to follow the clues of Vincent Pryce's game. What she uncovers, however, is not just a prize, but a complex familial conflict that goes back generations, and maybe, just maybe, a murder or two.
"It was slightly surprising - though maybe it shouldn't have been - that the reward for achieving one's goals wasn't total satisfaction."
This was so much fun, and I totally non-stop thriller with just a splash of magic! I loved the characters, the setting, the writing, and the plot- I was never bored. It was almost impossible not to read 100 pages per sitting, and I just about did. Tuesday was strange at first, but grew on me, which I think was the point. There was some romance, but it never took away from the rest of the story, which I'm grateful for. The plot was always at the center of this book, and what a plot it was! Multi-layered and complex, but still clear, this story was wonderfully entertaining.
"There was no place on earth like a city for being alone...She loved, and felt loved by, this city."
This was also a love story to the city of Boston, and a little bit to Salem, which I liked even though I've never been to either place. I loved the magical world that Racculia spun within and around these real settings. With touches of magic here and there, especially as we learn more and more about Pryce's collection of weird things and Tuesday's past, I never knew what to expect.
"It was almost too much to be awake inside her own dream. What if it turned into a nightmare?"
Finally, in perfect balance with the magic and unknown, were the very real, relatable experiences and fantastic writing by Racculia. I found myself being pulled into the story by line after relatable line, my heart being touched by the simplicity of so many incredibly observant lines. Even though the characters were going through a crazy, winding mystery chase full of literary references and encoded clues, I still related to them. I still felt their pains and their words spoke to me.
"All relationships are real. Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
A totally fun chase through a fascinating setting and with quirky but believable characters, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the magical thriller of the year. I loved this book- it required no deep thought or extra energy keeping the complex plot straight- it was clear, fun, interesting, and relatable, and it didn't have to be over-complicated or convoluted in any way to hold my attention for hours.
"A broken heart hurt like hell, but it kept beating. A lost mind was something else entirely."
When a mysterious billionaire suddenly dies, he sends the entire city of Boston on a wild treasure hunt through the city for an unknown prize. Tuesday Mooney, a researcher for a living, finds herself in the middle of the search. With a ragtag team of friends, a wealthy stranger, and the voice of her dead best friend from childhood in her head, Tuesday begins to follow the clues of Vincent Pryce's game. What she uncovers, however, is not just a prize, but a complex familial conflict that goes back generations, and maybe, just maybe, a murder or two.
"It was slightly surprising - though maybe it shouldn't have been - that the reward for achieving one's goals wasn't total satisfaction."
This was so much fun, and I totally non-stop thriller with just a splash of magic! I loved the characters, the setting, the writing, and the plot- I was never bored. It was almost impossible not to read 100 pages per sitting, and I just about did. Tuesday was strange at first, but grew on me, which I think was the point. There was some romance, but it never took away from the rest of the story, which I'm grateful for. The plot was always at the center of this book, and what a plot it was! Multi-layered and complex, but still clear, this story was wonderfully entertaining.
"There was no place on earth like a city for being alone...She loved, and felt loved by, this city."
This was also a love story to the city of Boston, and a little bit to Salem, which I liked even though I've never been to either place. I loved the magical world that Racculia spun within and around these real settings. With touches of magic here and there, especially as we learn more and more about Pryce's collection of weird things and Tuesday's past, I never knew what to expect.
"It was almost too much to be awake inside her own dream. What if it turned into a nightmare?"
Finally, in perfect balance with the magic and unknown, were the very real, relatable experiences and fantastic writing by Racculia. I found myself being pulled into the story by line after relatable line, my heart being touched by the simplicity of so many incredibly observant lines. Even though the characters were going through a crazy, winding mystery chase full of literary references and encoded clues, I still related to them. I still felt their pains and their words spoke to me.
"All relationships are real. Friendship can be as deep as the ocean. It's all a kind of love, and love isn't any one kind of thing."
A totally fun chase through a fascinating setting and with quirky but believable characters, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the magical thriller of the year. I loved this book- it required no deep thought or extra energy keeping the complex plot straight- it was clear, fun, interesting, and relatable, and it didn't have to be over-complicated or convoluted in any way to hold my attention for hours.
November 28, 2021
"Having someone care about you makes you want to give a shit, especially if you’re having trouble caring about yourself."
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts was a phenomenal read, and one that I cannot wait to read again! I don't know why I thought this (the creative cover is likely the culprit), but I went into this book thinking it was a MG story. It's definitely not for children (based on the language, content, and age of the characters), but it's a fucking fantastic read! This book has so many of my favorite things wrapped up in one story. The Poe references, a potential murder mystery, treasure-hunting, puzzles, and just everything. I really loved this one!
The characters in this book were well-written and fleshed out, and they've found a permanent place in my heart. They had me laughing with their heart-warming banter, and I was emotionally invested in all of their lives. It's been awhile since I've cared so deeply about fictional people, but Tuesday and her crew were easy to love and root for. Dex is a diva! I loved his journey and the circumstances in which he found himself. They were all flawed and so beautifully broken, but in ways that were relatable and authentic. I sympathized with their struggles and felt a connection with them that transcended the words written in this book. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is about regular people trying to survive in the world, with a dash of magical realism thrown in. Dorry, Archie, and Lyle -- they were all essential characters that furthered the story in various ways. I enjoyed watching everything come together and seeing how everyone effectively played a role that impacted the outcome of Vincent's game(s).
The setting was atmospheric and wonderfully crafted. I don't want to say too much and ruin the experience for others, but trust me when I say it's worth reading about for yourselves. My eyes were glued to the pages, my heart beat for the people in this book, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. I could definitely read more about these characters, but I'm very happy with where the author left things. I cannot recommend this book enough!
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I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.
Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts was a phenomenal read, and one that I cannot wait to read again! I don't know why I thought this (the creative cover is likely the culprit), but I went into this book thinking it was a MG story. It's definitely not for children (based on the language, content, and age of the characters), but it's a fucking fantastic read! This book has so many of my favorite things wrapped up in one story. The Poe references, a potential murder mystery, treasure-hunting, puzzles, and just everything. I really loved this one!
The characters in this book were well-written and fleshed out, and they've found a permanent place in my heart. They had me laughing with their heart-warming banter, and I was emotionally invested in all of their lives. It's been awhile since I've cared so deeply about fictional people, but Tuesday and her crew were easy to love and root for. Dex is a diva! I loved his journey and the circumstances in which he found himself. They were all flawed and so beautifully broken, but in ways that were relatable and authentic. I sympathized with their struggles and felt a connection with them that transcended the words written in this book. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is about regular people trying to survive in the world, with a dash of magical realism thrown in. Dorry, Archie, and Lyle -- they were all essential characters that furthered the story in various ways. I enjoyed watching everything come together and seeing how everyone effectively played a role that impacted the outcome of Vincent's game(s).
The setting was atmospheric and wonderfully crafted. I don't want to say too much and ruin the experience for others, but trust me when I say it's worth reading about for yourselves. My eyes were glued to the pages, my heart beat for the people in this book, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. I could definitely read more about these characters, but I'm very happy with where the author left things. I cannot recommend this book enough!
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September 2, 2019
There are a lot of tight-hearted novels. Those WASP-y Manhattan or LA, wealthy white people and their first world problem novels, even if they aren't always about wealthy people or white people or WASPs. Novels that feel dry, and tight, parsimonious with characters and prose that are the opposite of generous. You know these novels: they are often critical darlings and the favorites of NY Times reviewers. I start them, and frequently set them aside early, feeling colder and harder for the reading of them. They disturb my sleep.
Kate Racculia's novels by contrast are voluptuous and warm, overflowing with love, plot, and generosity. Their characters burst at the seams and overlap the page. They fill your heart and possibly your bubble bath. They are big hearted and leave humanity a little bit better just by breathing out between their pages.
Reader, I loved it.
Kate Racculia's novels by contrast are voluptuous and warm, overflowing with love, plot, and generosity. Their characters burst at the seams and overlap the page. They fill your heart and possibly your bubble bath. They are big hearted and leave humanity a little bit better just by breathing out between their pages.
Reader, I loved it.
November 17, 2019
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. It’s a decent book but I sometimes had trouble connecting to the main characters
October 20, 2019
5+ out of 5.
Absolutely delightful; an instant October classic. I felt, while reading, the same way I felt when I picked up Edgar Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements (although Edgar's book is substantially different in tone and style etc) -- I felt joy. I felt unabashed "gods, can I stay up and read?" joy. I love Boston in October, I love city-wide treasure hunts, I love plots on plots and mistaken identities and the belief in ghosts.
I loved this book. Please go read it, ideally when the weather is crisp and cool but the frost hasn't yet settled in completely (like, say, right now when I'm writing this).
Absolutely delightful; an instant October classic. I felt, while reading, the same way I felt when I picked up Edgar Cantero's The Supernatural Enhancements (although Edgar's book is substantially different in tone and style etc) -- I felt joy. I felt unabashed "gods, can I stay up and read?" joy. I love Boston in October, I love city-wide treasure hunts, I love plots on plots and mistaken identities and the belief in ghosts.
I loved this book. Please go read it, ideally when the weather is crisp and cool but the frost hasn't yet settled in completely (like, say, right now when I'm writing this).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,337 reviews