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The synopsis, first chapters in particiular, and whole story have felt like a duplicate of an Eric Wilson volume I read only a few years ago! When I began logging my interests on Goodreads and composing reviews for Amazon and my blog's menu. I find no record of this title and wonder: did he revamp one of his novels? Or do criminal plans overheard in an abandoned house and a kidnapped student mirror another novel?

Did this book ever become amazing! It is going by fast. I have saved a lovely wind down scene for this morning, with Alexander and his Great-Uncle. They are the right people to lay a ghost to rest and care. It turned out it was very easy but they had to believe, care, and know where to look. The later novel was often turbulent, such as corporal punishment references. This first novel is atmopsheric and funny!

Man, this 1970s series can't get any better and I am dipping back to the first story with this one! I didn't know the second, "Ghosts I Have Been" belonged to a series when I read it. It is dramatic enough to stay in my memory, more dramatic in scope than this one. However I was eager to find this first novel once I knew I had missed it. Wow! Even though its contents are tamer, I believe I like this even better!

Is this one of my rare instances - since I normally recall what I have already read - of a childhood novel I am remembering? Or is it familiar merely because I peeked ahead at some pages a shorter while ago? I will know as soon as I progress more.

I am not at the best parts yet and I tell you, that this novel could not be more exciting and pleasing! How happy I am, that I disregarded an uninteresting cover. It turns out this is award-winning!

Put another way: it would have been easy to overlook this excellent novel from 1978, because it has a boring, almost transparent cover. However I persisted in rereading the synopsis today because I picked it up recently and knew there was a reason beyond cheap price. Sure enough, the plot was exciting. The moment I began to read, I saw that Jane Louise Curry's writing is compelling and exciting. I am enthralled!

Gosh, I don't think the message of countless years should be: "Don't judge a book by its cover". The wisdom should be: "Make a better damn cover!" Although we know content doesn't always match its packaging; we are attracted to wonderful covers. It is our first impression and information, like clothing. Don't judge clothes either but we do. They are our first impression, presentation of ourselves too.

Almost there! Is Patti Morelli part of a professional house, or is she self-published? Her book's quality and formatting are very good and her idea fits together in such a well thought-out way, it's razor-sharp. Some explanations don't gel with me but this is a great mystery overall, which becomes exciting. However professional finishing would raise its height. This runs like reading a diary, instead of a novel.

This story has gotten gripping and always was well-organized. If only it had been edited by an outsider to a polished draft. It especially needed a narrative style that allowed the story to stroll, instead of a flat perspective dictating all of it, including the dialogue. Not well told but a very well-invented and orchestrated story. One or two story lines even surprised me.

I figured out whence the flatness comes; same as Joyce Levine's mysteries. Everything is told; not played out. Even the dialogue is related to us, instead of building up to revelations, details, and conversations. No matter which pieces of dialogue or observation are added; all of it is told to us, as if by the same person. Lack of dimension and build-up too, removes all the "what happens next?!" anticipation.

I think narrative style and types of details chosen for description, make the difference between a story told to us, or it moving us along like a film. Learning what it is once and for all, is a must for my own writing. I do feel Patti is telling this story verbally, glossing things over hastily actually. I don't think speed = momentum & action. I very much love this story and hope I will be brought inside of it.

I am just beginning with this new authoress, who sweetly penned a note with a novel I won as a gift! She hoped for feedback and can be assured I am a dedicated, courteous reviewer. The story feels like it is being told to us at this time but there's a good chance we will be brought into it, front row, as we go along and Patti Morelli's unique plot warms up. The love between husband and wife make beautiful scenes!

I don't feel reviews should be affected by typos, truly not. Even my feeling that this novel was one draft short of its polished finish, is okay. Like new or old houses; look past debris of a fledgling state to the house it would be, in full. I will dock 1 star for blurry clarity and either Priscilla being the wrong name, or describing the wrong gal 100 pages later! I will mainly judge enjoyment and originality.

Well, I was highly interested in this and didn't dawdle to buy a copy! I was surprised to see it must be privately-printed and non-justified paragraph alignment shows it must be independently-published. That's a surprise because Rebecca Patrick-Howard wrote many books. This is my second experience with a non-professional novel. I see a difference. A few grammatical errors are fine but redundancy needs polishing.

I am certainly hooked on Juliet's story. Although an inspector was killed, her plot tends to be driven by a separate, more original mystery. If I could reach her and ask her to consider that mysteries need no crimes to cement them; I would love to explain why I find hers special and she might do non-crimes entirely. The annoying factor is men interrupting her ghost conversations, despite warning men to keep away.

It is highly enjoyable to rejoin Graham and Melanie and a very original ghost adventure; the special way Juliet has of continuing to dream these up. My only impatience is with the light genre itself, which Juliet pushes to its best light. I once looked to these for ghosts because I couldn't find them in any other adult ficiton. I have discovered lots of veritable, non-cozy, adult ghost fiction and want to dig in!

I enjoy Juliet Blackwell's writing as usual because and I have looked forward to this Scottish castle ghost story especially. So rare in this briskly churned-out and trite 'cozy genre'; I appreciate Juliet for being a real writer. She doesn't dash off a story. The way she rolls towards plots is eloquently well-measured, dialogue natural, and funny. I lag only because I received spookier, real ghost novels today!

It is my pleasure to reprise my story journey with the great Juliet Blackwell as my guide; this time in her haunted renovation house series. She and Graham appear tighter. I hope she dispenses with the silly apprehension for a woman of forty and gets to leaping into his arms as her boyfriend! Ghost activity is already emerging, with a Scottish monastary to explore. One of FEW 'cozy genre' authors who write well.

I think Margaret Maron's chatty, colourful, helpful segues about characters are as enjoyable as her mystery. There doesn't seem to be any danger to investigating Janie Whitehead's shocking death. A present threat might become added to the plot, as novels do but the cold case is interesting and touching enough. Something I notice is that each time old questions are posed, we acquaint the present people differently.

I'll tell you what, I love this book; in a manner that proves the same rules don't always produce excellent books. Here is an author who takes larges segues, giving intimate descriptions of people who seem tertiary. First point: we don't mind because she delivers it like we are chatting over "sweet tea". Second point: these people *are* applicable to her story and her thoroughness has us understand everything.

I am finally trying out the great Margaret Maron. I have had this novel for ages, which is thankfully first since it is a series. I own a smattering of other volumes, which makes it annoying to dive into literature because I now have to buy the connecting volumes. I cannot stand to read out of order because I have a mystery-solver's mind for details, clues, and character-building. Anyhow, I like Margaret already!

Other than there seeming to be a ho-hum mystery, we are unfortunately repeating a trend I have come to like in my beloved series. I have to say: I have become sick of the inclination to stuff romance into these novels, by so often having Lori attracted to someone other than Bill! It has become repetitive. Bill is fabulous. I think it's silly, that he can't be home with her, or accompany her, as sleuth and lover.

Not in love with the plot. Perhaps a downer because the previous novel was the best I had read of her whole suite so far. Unless suspense, adventure, and originality pick up; this will only entertain me as an outing with a cast of characters I enjoy revisiting. There is often a new one, like Nicholas, whom is a pleasure to acquaint and that is nice too.

Hm. I consider Nancy Atherton one of my topmost favourite authors in the United States. However the last Finch-based story was the first not to receive five stars because it had a "who gives a shit" plot. I get the sinking feeling we're in for cute instead of enthralling this time. So far we have a murder victim who is an unliked, new community member and Nell having a crush on Christopher. That's it? Oy vey!

I have now borne witness to enough of the story to be piqued by how it turns out and also its outcome in the present. Believe it or not, I guessed the daring plot pertaining to the parentage of an infant. I did have instincts about who each parent was. However I thought the pairing was misfortunately accidental. I thought it derived from all of the students wearing masks. I couldn't fathom choosing this partner!

I expected and am right, that getting through enough makes us become invested. I find June lacks any personality because she is nothing but observational and wistful. It is annoying when paired with Carol Goodman's peculiarly dull first person singular narrative. Now we have suddenly lurched to June's past story. Knowing it will connect us to the climax better but I'm glad we'll return to the present in 80 pages.

If this story grows exciting enough, which it is beginning to, it will garner three stars or more but that first person singular has to go. Unfortunately I see that Carol Goodman persists with it in her second novel! Perhaps it will seem less dull and irritating if other characters aren't morose like June. There is seldom dialogue and her constant inner-thoughts are not vibrant. Maybe that is the only problem.

I have looked forward to this a long time. I collected a large quantity of Carol Goodman's work in anticipation of loving it. I think it will be special, starting with this. However a narrative in first person, present clangs an unpleasant chord. I am disconnected from the characters and scenes so far. Believe me: I am not one who whines about bringing a different style. I admire that. However this feels off.

Definitely, the farther we read, the more exciting this novel becomes. This is a case where those who employ a "stop after 50 pages if I'm not excited yet" erred. This adventure becomes clearer, you like the supposed villians as much as everyone else who meets them, and feel rewarded to have read past a heavy and bizarre introduction.