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If Ellery opened with cookie-cutter characters and comments from these personages to illustrate something about her title, I don't mind seeing where she is leading and having faith that her writing is not shallow in reality. I praise volume #1. However I strongly get the sense that she is telling this story instead of showing it, even insofar as the protagonist's emotions. It leaves my connection flat and tenuous.

A lot of clichés at the start of this book: the worst of the things an idiotic tourist might say, the personality types.... However I appreciated so much about the first novel, including Olivia's unusual age of 40 and complex personality, neither rude nor bubbly. Private, happy by herself but loyal to the friends she makes. Thus I trust Ellery opened in cookie-cutter fashion for a reason, given this book's title.

A likeable heroine and intelligent writing, full of inner-thought narrative humour. Except the witticisms are too many to digest all the time.
They'd be better enjoyed with space in between, instead of this being the way the whole narration goes. My other feeling is that Agate reads like a burned-out, been there, seen everything 50 year-old! A busy life and family should not change our sense that she is only 34!

The segues into metaphors, descriptive comparison observations are very intelligent and bring a lot of the humour but they are too many; constant intead of dotting the novel. It becomes too much of a mouthful, too sluggish for a reader to keep encoutering. Because I appreciate them highly and laugh at nearly all of them, I am certain Emilie Richards only needs to treat us to them selectively instead of constantly.

Wow, this story is zipping me along! I am glad Sarah Wynde is not a storywriter who churns out ideas but does not publish them into real books, which is what gives me the sense of a genuine authoress. This was free; I would never buy air (like MP3 versus music albums). However it has done its job, with me considering that I just might be interested in the printed sequels! Sarah is a very nice surprise discovery!

I would far prefer having books in print. I don't own a "kindle" because I'm not an e-reader. I am crouching at a PC and desk, although with my gorgeous Siamese in his chair beside me. However this was free and I am glad to discover a new spirit-related story, even if the way it is conceived is ficticious. Sarah Wynde does have a humorous, unique way of writing; a great pace and flow. I like her work and ideas.

Very new authoress and series to me. I avoid "cozy" in favour of "standard adult mystery" because light content often compromises complexity of plot and intelligent story. The exceptions are the gifted people I read. Would Emilie Richards be among them? I think so! Her inner conversation style is bulky and rapid fire but mature and astute enough that she grows on me. I love a best friend with nothing in common!

Like the sole other review so far wrote: I am enjoying this very much and unexpectedly well! Further than that, I definitely did not expect the fantastic "exploring a castle with a sweet man" turn that we are just starting to take. Photo of the book cover courtesy of me. It wasn't anywhere else on the internet so I thought a scan from me would be a boon despite a discount-originated clipped corner.

This is certainly unique and in many ways, more interesting and enjoyable than the Amanda Stevens horror novel I finished, "The Dollmaker". For me, there is nothing like good 1970s gothic mysteries for suspense that is very taut without culminating in such revolting horror. Eerie scares with a brave, intelligent heroine who determines to figure them out and get out of the situations from her underestimating crooks!

Lots of angles and advancement without Claire consulting Dave yet. Her second ex, Alex was surely involved in the cop crime, if not her daughter's. My impression, without the overheard answering machine. The female cop too. Alex's willingness to sleep with Claire's sister is devious enough and he deters her from answering Ruby's mystery. Correction of Stephen King's 1982 essay cited previously: "Danse Macabre".

This is creepy and horrific rather than magical but my psyche and emotions need to prove they can handle big girl stories occasionally. Stephen King in his "On Writing" essay said something about fictional horror purging the negativity or darkness that is in all of us. Letting it out to exercise and purge and see that we don't explode from it or fear it unnaturally, using the safest outlet possible: entertianment.

Something I found at a charity, one of Amanda Stevens's individual novels to tide me over until I obtain the next of her wonderful adult paranormal mystery series... and the next! This one might not be ghostly and is certainly horror. A few pages in, we have quite a gross part. Too bad my cats & I were ready to fall asleep, instead of reading much farther, leaving that horror scene stuck in my head at the moment!

I see that what seemed a decorative deviation from the key plot is going to tie in. This adult musician songwriter is appreciated by Jane, the new lady minister's daughter. Taking a sidetrip to acquaint him won't be for naught. What helps is that Phil Rickman's narration is succinct so it doesn't mire us even if he detours. It has taken about 180 pages to enter their house but the eeriness seems to be commencing!

I wondered if Phil was carving too much external territory. His narration style isn't overdone. I can't bear "gentle", "softly", "lightly" for loathing them and also because they describe an obvious nature of things with those traits that would be redundant. I question extra scenes and storylines circling outside the topics I anticipate: ghosts and a mystery. Perhaps Phil is building up something that will work!

I can see that I like Phil Rickman's writing, premise, and lead character. I also like a panorama of villagers without delving too deeply into many of them. I suppose authors do know we don't want a Kate Morton sort of essay on outskirting information and that we prefer sticking with the leading lady. This début is a juggernaut 600 pages I did not expect! However it seems to distribute the right things onto them.

I believe I like this! There is the usual mix of villagers' personalities so it is important to stand out. Indeed! Our leading lady, Merrily is a reverand covertly considering this perish; at a bizarre, disorganized new tradition fraught with arguing. Someone is killed right there, so she will plausibly and immeidately become a sleuth. The writing is fine, the wit is funny, and there are supposed to be spirits!

Barbara wrote very compelling reading even, without spooky things slowly starting to go on. Her dialogue is natural, free of the "she said" I find needless. I enjoy her descriptions of sea, trees, and houses beause they are interesting rather than overly-wordy. Visual details are briefer than superfluous authors' and saved for what matters. Her characters are funny and think like real people: "An MD who smokes"?