Taut, riveting story in which apparitions and corporeal baddies remain comparably terrifying.
A paranormal team’s investigation into spirits in Maryland exposes nefarious deeds that come with a human threat in this suspense novel.
When the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation suspects “something” is wrong with one of its historical buildings, the Dulany Paranormal Team takes the case. The 200-year-old home, Beacon’s Way, is a hub of recent unexplained events, including a mysterious leak in the ceiling and a heavy armoire that seemingly moves on its own. Team member and photographer Kayla Dunn snaps some pictures of the house and is shaken by what appears to be a specter staring at her. Investigating with her colleagues Parker Troxell and Henry Marfoh, Kayla looks into other local hauntings, all eventually linked by trompe l’oeil paintings, works with three-dimensional optical illusions. At the same time, there’s an equally unnerving human element, from a note that warns the foundation’s vice president to steer clear of Beacon’s Way to someone directly threatening Parker. There’s also the body that Kayla stumbles on—a Jane Doe and an indisputable homicide. Unfortunately, more killings follow, and the possible presence of phantoms may not be the greatest danger for Frederick County or the Dulany Team. Allen’s (Lies Beneath Ellicott City, 2015, etc.) novel is an engaging fusion of ghost story and thriller. The focus is primarily on the mystery: Humans are a definite menace but their objective is unclear, while the existence of spirits is initially vague. The intermittent merging of the two investigations—the Dulany Team’s and Detective Nick Nucci working the murders—further deepens the mystery with probable connections. The author grounds the paranormal sleuths with signs of their expertise, like relevant terminology: apport (an object appearing through spiritual means) versus asport (an object that a ghost takes or moves). But along with the realism, there are wonderful instances of spookiness; when Kayla carefully peruses her photos of Beacon’s Way, she spots a previously unseen individual who had been hiding.
Taut, riveting story in which apparitions and corporeal baddies remain comparably terrifying.Pub Date: June 23, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5246-9552-1
Page Count: 338
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.
Too much free time leads a New Hampshire bookseller into yet another case of murder.
Now that Tricia Miles has Pixie Poe and Mr. Everett practically running her bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue, she finds herself at loose ends. Her wealthy sister, Angelica, who in the guise of Nigela Ricita has invested heavily in making Stoneham a bookish tourist attraction, is entering the amateur competition for the Great Booktown Bake-Off. So Tricia, who’s recently taken up baking as a hobby, decides to join her and spends a lot of time looking for the perfect cupcake recipe. A visit to another bookstore leaves Tricia witnessing a nasty argument between owner Joyce Widman and next-door neighbor Vera Olson over the trimming of tree branches that hang over Joyce’s yard—also overheard by new town police officer Cindy Pearson. After Tricia accepts Joyce’s offer of some produce from her garden, they find Vera skewered by a pitchfork, and when Police Chief Grant Baker arrives, Joyce is his obvious suspect. Ever since Tricia moved to Stoneham, the homicide rate has skyrocketed (Poisoned Pages, 2018, etc.), and her history with Baker is fraught. She’s also become suspicious about the activities at Pets-A-Plenty, the animal shelter where Vera was a dedicated volunteer. Tricia’s offered her expertise to the board, but president Toby Kingston has been less than welcoming. With nothing but baking on her calendar, Tricia has plenty of time to investigate both the murder and her vague suspicions about the shelter. Plenty of small-town friendships and rivalries emerge in her quest for the truth.
An anodyne visit with Tricia and her friends and enemies hung on a thin mystery.Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0272-9
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
This ran in the S.E.P. and resulted in more demands for the story in book form than ever recorded. Well, here it is and it is a honey. Imagine ten people, not knowing each other, not knowing why they were invited on a certain island house-party, not knowing their hosts. Then imagine them dead, one by one, until none remained alive, nor any clue to the murderer. Grand suspense, a unique trick, expertly handled.
Pub Date: Feb. 21, 1939
ISBN: 0062073478
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Dodd, Mead
Review Posted Online: Sept. 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1939
SEEN & HEARD
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