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Reinventing Herself
Ellen Mackay never imagined herself a widow at forty-nine .
After nearly thirty years of being a socialite wife and mother, Ellen is left alone to rattle around a mansion of a house with only the dog for company. It’s time to make a change, but to what?
While she ponders what to do, she starts hearing her dog talk. Is Has she finally lost it? No, according to her mother. It’s an inherited gift that usually manifests at menopause, but, well, Ellen isn’t there, yet. And it’s not just the dog, but most animals. Then there’s the ability to actually see paranormal species, like gnomes, fairies, and yes, vampires. Lucky her.
She finally moves to what she thinks is the perfect house in the mountains. But it’s not all bliss and quiet when people start getting killed on the hiking path just beyond her property a few months after she relocates.
Most of the local sheriff’s department don’t believe in the paranormal but one handsome sergeant does. Can they figure out who – or what – the perpetrator is and stop the carnage?
After nearly thirty years of being a socialite wife and mother, Ellen is left alone to rattle around a mansion of a house with only the dog for company. It’s time to make a change, but to what?
While she ponders what to do, she starts hearing her dog talk. Is Has she finally lost it? No, according to her mother. It’s an inherited gift that usually manifests at menopause, but, well, Ellen isn’t there, yet. And it’s not just the dog, but most animals. Then there’s the ability to actually see paranormal species, like gnomes, fairies, and yes, vampires. Lucky her.
She finally moves to what she thinks is the perfect house in the mountains. But it’s not all bliss and quiet when people start getting killed on the hiking path just beyond her property a few months after she relocates.
Most of the local sheriff’s department don’t believe in the paranormal but one handsome sergeant does. Can they figure out who – or what – the perpetrator is and stop the carnage?
255 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2021
About the author
Deborah J. Martin
14 books36 followersDeborah J. "DJ" Martin left the frozen tundra (Minnesota) many moons ago and now lives in the north Georgia mountains with her husband, their crazy cats and numerous woodland creatures. If she's not clickety-punching numbers for her accounting clients or writing, you can probably find her in the garden, visiting her grandchildren or in her recliner with her nose stuck in a book.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 17, 2022
Imagine if urban fantasy relocated to a small town in the north Georgia mountains, and you get the idea. In fact, the main character does relocate from the big city to exactly that area. Maybe we could call this "rural paranormal." I love the down-to-earth realism of the menopausal, empty-nest main character and the small town sheriff combined with the paranormal/fantasy elements and the mild peril of some unexplained deaths in the woods - the contrast makes the story so much more textured.
Technically this is a murder-mystery, but there's so much more to it than that. As with all of Martin's fiction, this is a character-driven tale with magic woven into it in a way that makes sense given what's already going on. There's enough of a murder-mystery element to add some pleasant suspense, but not enough that I found the reading stressful. The characters are relatable and charming (or humorously annoying, in one or two cases!).
While some of the challenges they face aren't so realistic (those would be the paranormal and magical elements), the way the main character handles major life changes and the challenge of possible romance tangled up with a murder investigation makes for an intriguing read without being too high-stakes. This isn't quite a cozy, but it's definitely on the gentler end of the spectrum, an aspect I find helpful in these trying times.
Technically this is a murder-mystery, but there's so much more to it than that. As with all of Martin's fiction, this is a character-driven tale with magic woven into it in a way that makes sense given what's already going on. There's enough of a murder-mystery element to add some pleasant suspense, but not enough that I found the reading stressful. The characters are relatable and charming (or humorously annoying, in one or two cases!).
While some of the challenges they face aren't so realistic (those would be the paranormal and magical elements), the way the main character handles major life changes and the challenge of possible romance tangled up with a murder investigation makes for an intriguing read without being too high-stakes. This isn't quite a cozy, but it's definitely on the gentler end of the spectrum, an aspect I find helpful in these trying times.
July 4, 2022
I love this story because of this woman who can talk to the animals, and an old tree. There is also romance and mystery. I would love this story to continue.
Audiobook should be under DJ Martin per Amazon, Audible & Hoopla Digital.com.
Audiobook should be under DJ Martin per Amazon, Audible & Hoopla Digital.com.
November 18, 2021
Hidden talents and suspense
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The characters are so realistic and seem like people I’ve met. After moving to a new part of the country, a recent widow finds life suddenly challenging instead of the peaceful retirement she had pictured. She discovers that she, as well as other family members, have hidden talents that help her solve mysterious disappearances and crimes in her new neighborhood. I’m looking forward to the next one.
This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The characters are so realistic and seem like people I’ve met. After moving to a new part of the country, a recent widow finds life suddenly challenging instead of the peaceful retirement she had pictured. She discovers that she, as well as other family members, have hidden talents that help her solve mysterious disappearances and crimes in her new neighborhood. I’m looking forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews