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The Mystery at Mount Forest Island

Pat Camalliere (Goodreads Author)

4.84 · Rating details · 19 ratings · 7 reviews

Jessica Fletcher meets the Sopranos in the third book of the Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series.

Based on a real place with some historical persons and events.

Crime, deceit, love and the value of friendship set in the forests of Lemont, Illinois, in suburban Chicago. A woman whose family’s involvement in the Chicago Mob devastates lives throughout generations.

When an auto ...more

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Paperback, 360 pages

Published March 27th 2020 by Amika Press

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· 19 ratings · 7 reviews

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Jul 24, 2020 N.N. Light rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-mystery, mystery, paranormal-mystery, reviews-by-mr-n

A very complex book about very complex characters in a complex plot. The author created a main character who is very much an anti-heroine. In a polite sense, Val wasn't very nice before her 'accident' and in many ways isn't very nice after either. She is an improved version of a 1/10 type but being a reasonable 6/10 on the personality scale is only worth so much.

The reader is tasked with trying to determine the salient point of the book. It may be that the point was to answer two questions of Va A very complex book about very complex characters in a complex plot. The author created a main character who is very much an anti-heroine. In a polite sense, Val wasn't very nice before her 'accident' and in many ways isn't very nice after either. She is an improved version of a 1/10 type but being a reasonable 6/10 on the personality scale is only worth so much.

The reader is tasked with trying to determine the salient point of the book. It may be that the point was to answer two questions of Val’s. The point may be that Val needed assistance and the point then was her getting assistance.

The entire cast of characters are flawed and very human in many ways. Cora has fundamental character flaws that she does, at least, recognize (some) and is willing to work on them. I had issue with Cora about midpoint in the book. To have a main character who has battled ghosts and has a ghost protector (who turns into a wolf) but not believe Billy's statements is unbelievable. There is no logical reason for a person who walks in the paranormal to not accept Billy at face value.

This book has a most unique approach to a mystery. A mystery is presented to the reader and then instead of an investigation, you get a flashback. The out of time flashback completely addresses the mystery thus eliminating the need for an investigation. The author again changes first-person POV to enter the out of time flashbacks. The failure to properly identify whose character POV is speaking immediately confuses the reader to no end.

As with other people who have reviewed this work, I was taken aback by the nonlinear timeline. The only positive being this author does put the date and year in bold but that is the only thing that marginally keeps a reader understanding what is going on.

There was a stronger issue with the use of 1st person POV. A new section started with a first-person POV but the first person was not clearly defined. The reader got that it was a girl, about 13 who lived in Illinois in 1958 but other than that... It is only if the reader is able to stick to it and continue forward does the identity become a little clearer. It appears that section was the first person POV of the girl who would be Val's mother. That is the implication.

The book will totally appeal to every fan of Cora as the mystery solver. If you have read and enjoyed either Sag Bridge or Black Partridge Woods, you will love this book. If you are a fan of mysteries involving the Mob in Illinois dating back to Capone's time, this book could be for you.

Disclaimer: I read this on Kindle Unlimited.

My Rating: 4 stars

Reviewed by: Mr. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
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May 03, 2020 Mim Eichmann rated it it was amazing

When I first dove into “The Mystery at Mount Forest Island” I wasn’t aware that it involved three literary elements that I typically avoid: ghosts, multiple timelines and a huge cast of evolving characters to juggle. Ordinarily such challenges might well have brought my reading interest to a screeching halt within the first couple of chapters unless exceptionally well handled by a skilled author…fortunately, Pat Camalliere proved to be one of those exceptional authors!
The book is the third in
When I first dove into “The Mystery at Mount Forest Island” I wasn’t aware that it involved three literary elements that I typically avoid: ghosts, multiple timelines and a huge cast of evolving characters to juggle. Ordinarily such challenges might well have brought my reading interest to a screeching halt within the first couple of chapters unless exceptionally well handled by a skilled author…fortunately, Pat Camalliere proved to be one of those exceptional authors!
The book is the third in Camalliere’s historical fiction mystery series, which showcases prior characters Cora Tozzi, her husband Cisco and co-worker Frannie, and we learn that this trio has worked with one another solving mysteries in the earlier two books. As the story opens we meet a former friend of Cora’s named Valerie, who was recently blinded in a car accident and has requested the team’s investigative assistance in an effort to move forward in her life. Valerie seeks closure to understanding her mother Jemma’s sudden disappearance when she was a young child, wondering if by delving into her large Italian family’s history there are any potential tie-ins for her disappearance to Al Capone’s mob activities in the area. Adding to the investigative mix is a ghost-channeling Native American named Billy, who gradually helps to unravel parts of the Capone connection. Encounters with several of Valerie’s older relatives also helps parse out the truth from various incidents revealed as the story’s timeline progresses. (I did have to keep a tally sheet of who was related to whom I confess.)
The puzzle pieces begin to slowly come together as we’re made aware of a haunted farm’s original usage, the demise of a prize race horse, what prompted her mother’s departure and the real cause behind her father’s indifference. Anecdotal touches such as those involving Valerie’s service dog Corky bring additional warmth to the story. The book can certainly be read as a standalone work or as part of the series for those who enjoy historical mysteries.
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Apr 21, 2020 Dan Burns rated it it was amazing

The Mystery at Mount Forest Island is an intricately-woven work of historical fiction that highlights Camalliere’s writing skill and ability to effectively combine the elements of time, place, setting, and character into a unique mystery story that spans generations and culminates in a satisfying conclusion.

Camalliere’s writing captured me with her first sentences and kept me engaged throughout the story. I especially enjoyed learning, in great detail, about the locations depicted in the story—w ...more

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Apr 08, 2020 LB Johnson rated it it was amazing

This is the perfect read for a late night with a cup of tea. It combines elements of historical fiction, women's fiction, and paranormal in a wonderfully crafted tale. Valerie, blind from an accident, is looking for the killer of a beloved relative only to be drawn into a world of ancient grudges and Chicago Mob mentalities where the ghosts you may find are the least of your fears. I loved reading about parts of Chicago I have not visited - it really adds to the storyline and I literally read it ...more

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Jun 05, 2020 Patty rated it really liked it

The Mystery of Mount Forest Island is the third book in a series but it easily stands alone. I did not read the first two books and did not feel like I was missing anything as I delved into this story of a young woman blinded in an accident who is trying to find answers and make her way in the world, one hopeful friend at a time. Valerie cannot see but she is trying to build her life back so she can live as independently as possible and support her daughter. She has a prickly nature that only go ...more

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Jun 25, 2020 Barbara Monier rated it it was amazing

As an avid reader who rarely goes outside the genre of contemporary/literary fiction, I am so glad that I took a chance on Pat Camalliere’s book. Wonderfully conceived and beautifully written, author Camalliere deftly unfolds a historical mystery that spans generations. The cadre of exceptionally well-drawn characters centers on Valerie, a woman in the throes of adjusting to blindness while also attempting to put together the puzzle pieces of her own past. The Mystery of Mount Forest Island cont ...more

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Oct 01, 2020 Sandra Miller rated it it was amazing

This is a thoroughly absorbing, entertaining story. The characters are engaging, compelling, and you immediately find yourself rooting for them at every level as they develop. The impeccably-researched history of the area weaves seamlessly into the plot, moving forward and backward with ease as questions and concerns arise. It's just a pleasure to see such excellent dialogue, characters, and plot come together. ...more

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About Pat Camalliere

Pat Camalliere

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Pat Camalliere is the author of the popular, five-star-rated Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series. Her debut novel, The Mystery at Sag Bridge. was published in 2015. Her second book, The Mystery at Black Partridge Woods, was published in 2016. The Mystery at Mount Forest Island was published on 3/27/20.

Pat lives with her husband in Lemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She serves on the boards of ...more