In this 10th book in the 'Haunted Guesthouse' series, innkeeper/amateur sleuth Alison Kerby gets drawn into a buried car murder mystery. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Alison Kirby - mother of 13-year-old Melissa and newly married to paint store owner Josh - runs a small guesthouse on the New Jersey Shore.
After a bonk on the head Alison is able to see ghosts.....
.....and regularly hobnobs with the spirits in her house, especially former private detective Paul Harrison and erstwhile interior designer Maxie Malone.
Alison takes advantage of her resident specters by advertising her inn as a haunted house, and this attracts ghost-loving guests all year round. The ghosts oblige by putting on shows twice a day, and the guests marvel at objects flying around, their scarves being pulled, etc.
As the story opens, Alison is very annoyed. Repairs of the Jersey shoreline are ongoing after Superstorm Sandy, and backhoes are digging up the beach.
This makes it impossible for Alison's guests to enjoy a leisurely stroll on the sand. Things get even worse when a huge hole excavated behind Alison's guesthouse reveals the presence of a long-buried 1977 Lincoln Continental with a skeleton inside. The unfortunate bag of bones turns out to be a murder victim who disappeared 40 years ago.
The detective ghost Paul Harrison is THRILLED to have a new case to investigate, and - as usual - he tries to inveigle Alison into assisting with his inquiries.
Alison just wants to run her guesthouse but is nevertheless drawn into the search for the killer, as is her husband Josh, her daughter Melissa, and the other resident ghost Maxie Malone....who's the computer expert of the group.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Maxie - at her own insistence - is also drawing up sketches to re-design the inn's kitchen, which is being renovated by Alison's contractor friend Tony due to bullet damage (from a previous case).
This results in a clash of wills, since Maxie wants the kitchen to look like a piece of modern art and Alison wants the room to be useable as a kitchen. (All this is very funny.)
The murder case is soon complicated by the theft and return of the Lincoln Continental as well as the discovery of a valuable gem, bullets, and a gun in Alison's torn-up kitchen. These incidents spur Alison to get very involved in the murder inquiry which seriously annoys police detective Anita McElone, who wants Alison to BUTT OUT of her case.
As all this going on Alison makes jokes and wisecracks a mile a minute, providing the reader with plenty of laughs.
The case turns out to be convoluted, but I enjoyed the story up until the (almost incomprehensible) denouement. Still, the book is enjoyable light reading.
Rating: 3 stars
In this 18th novel in the series, Montalbano and his team investigate a bombing in Sicily. The story works fine as a standalone.
*****
A bombing in Inspector Salvo Montalbano's town of Vigàta in Sicily puzzles the top cop and his detectives. The explosion did little damage, and the location of the bomb - between a warehouse and a residential building - makes the target unclear.
Montalbano and his investigators look into the owner of the warehouse as well as the people living in the apartment building, to determine a likely mark.
In any case, the Mafia seems to be implicated in the attack, as it's at the bottom of many major crimes in the region.
As Montalbano is probing the case he 'coincidentally' meets his gorgeous married neighbor, Liliana Lombardo, who's having car trouble.
Liliana's husband, who represents a computer company, is away on business, and Montalbano's 'white knight' instincts prompt him to offer assistance. So Montalbano drives Liliana to her job as manager of a clothing store and puts her in touch with a mechanic.
To express her gratitude, Liliana invites Montalbano to dinner at her house. Liliana then inveigles Montalbano into accompanying her to various stores around town.....where she acts like they're a couple. Montalbano is aware Liliana has an agenda, but he's still drawn into her web - despite the fact he has a long distance girlfriend named Livia.
Before long Montalbano gets a little too cozy with Liliana, and his indiscretion - with embarrassing photos -threatens to get him on the front page of the local newspaper, whose editor lives to smear the Inspector's name.
In the meantime, Montalbano's team does its part to investigate the bombings and do other police work. The squad includes:
Mimi Augello - Montalbano's second in command. Mimi is a seducer who could teach Casanova a few tricks. Mimi uses his wiles to get friendly with a saleswoman in Liliana's clothing store, to get information about the temptress and a co-worker she's having an affair with.
Giuseppe Fazio - a detective who specializes in data mining, acquiring useful contacts, and getting information. Fazio likes nothing better than reciting names, addresses, occupations, etc. of persons of interest.
Agente Catarella - the front desk man at the police station. Catarella is overly excitable, clumsy, and can never get a name straight. Catarella is endearing, funny, and a favorite character in the series.
As the story unfolds, the plot gets very complicated: rumors spread, shots are fired, people disappear, informers provide information, bodies are found, and Montalbano's own life is endangered before he solves the case.
Through it all, Montalbano enjoys meals at his favorite restaurant as well as food prepared by his housekeeper Adelina....which he eats on his veranda overlooking the beach.
I'm very envious of Montalbano's beautiful house in picturesque Sicily.
Sicily
In any case, we're treated to tempting descriptions of food like antipasto, arancini, pasta with squid, pasta with salmon, beef with hot sauce, and more.
Antipasto
Arancini (rice balls)
Pasta with squid
Pasta with salmon
Beef with hot sauce
In my view, the story is overly complex, but still enjoyable. I'd recommend the book to readers who enjoy detective novels in exotic settings, especially fans of Montalbano. I also want to give a shout out to the TV series, which is very well done.
Rating: 3 stars
Dutch author "Mr. M" is an older man, well past his writing prime, with a beautiful young wife and a little daughter.
Mr. M's most popular book, based on a real life occurrence, is called "Payback." Published four decades ago, "Payback" tells the story of two high school students accused of killing their history teacher.
The teacher, Mr. Landzaat - a married man with two daughters - had an affair with a pretty student named Laura.
When Laura dumped Landzaat to hook up with a fellow high-schooler named Herman, the teacher went a little crazy. He took to stalking Laura, even going so far as to 'drop in' (and stay over) when Herman and Laura were vacationing in her family's cabin. During this 'visit' Landzaat disappeared.
In the here and now Mr. M is being surveilled by his very creepy downstairs neighbor. The neighbor - a middle-aged man - observes Mr. M, checks the writer's mail, and 'accidently' runs into Mrs. M when she takes a short trip with her child.
Eventually the neighbor inveigles himself into a mild friendship with Mr. M, and - when Mrs. M opts out - even accompanies the author to a writer's gala. Seating at the gala's entertainment reflects an author's importance in the artistic community.....and less successful (or past their peak) writers get stuck in the back row or behind pillars. Mr. M, whose fading popularity and waning sales weigh on his mind, resents his more successful friends and colleagues.
The story moves back and forth between the present time and the high school days of Laura, Herman, and their friends. The students were an independent bunch who sometimes arranged 'teenager only' holidays at Laura's family cabin. Herman - who's described as skinny with crooked teeth and unfashionable clothes - exhibits a lot of snarky manipulative behavior at school and at the cabin - and is especially disrepectful (and even hateful) to teachers. It's hard to see what Laura sees in Herman (not that Mr. Landzaat, with his 'long teeth', is any prize either).
In current times, during conversations between the downstairs neighbor and Mr. M, it's clear the snoopy acquaintance resents Mr. M's writing a book about what happened among Laura, Herman, and Mr. Landzaat. It seems that - for some reason - the neighbor is very interested in these old-time events.
The major characters in the book are intriguing but not particularly likable. Herman, Mr. M, and Mr. Landzaat are flat out noxious; and Laura, while less unpleasant, wouldn't make a good BFF. The minor characters - including Mr. M's writer colleagues, various high school students, a wily journalist, Mrs. M, and several teachers - add color and interest to the story.
The book seems to be about the ethics of exploiting other people's lives for a book as well as how far an author would go to fulfill his/her vision.
Some parts of the book were a bit slow but it held my interest throughout. I speculated a lot about the 'real identity' of some of the characters and had various theories about what happened to Mr. Landzaat. I was right about some things and wrong about others.
I'd recommend the book to readers who enjoy literary fiction, particularly fans of Herman Koch.
Rating: 3.5 stars
In this 10th book in the humorous 'Bailey Ruth' series, the heavenly emissary is sent to Oklahoma to prevent a miscarriage of justice. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Bailey Ruth Raeburn is deceased but still very active. She works for 'Heaven’s Department of Good Intentions', which sends emissaries to Earth to help people in trouble. Emissaries are supposed to be discrete, unnoticed, and silent.
Nevertheless, Bailey Ruth can never manage to remain inconspicuous, and her supervisor is reluctant to send her on missions. Still, when an emergency arises Bailey Ruth is dispatched to Adelaide, Oklahoma to save a drowning woman.
Bailey Ruth rescues the woman, an antiques dealer named Fran Loring.
It turns out Fran was running from the scene of a murder when she fell into the pond. Fran claims she saw a dead woman and panicked, but it's likely she'll be the prime suspect. Bailey Ruth believes Fran is innocent, and aims to make things right.
The murder victim is Sylvia Chandler, the second wife of Arthur Chandler, an oil magnate who's on his deathbed. Since her husband fell ill Sylvia has been running the oil company, and has plans of her own for the business.
Since Arthur Chandler is dying, his son, two daughters, and their spouses have gathered at the Chandler mansion.
Each of these people would benefit from Sylvia's death, but Acting Police Chief Howie Harris - who's a rather dim bulb - considers them 'too elite' to be questioned.
Howie himself has underlying motives, since he hopes to replace Police Chief Sam Cobb, who's on leave. Thus Howie kisses up to Mayor Neva Lumpkin and says he'll solve the case quickly WITHOUT incurring police overtime....all of which is important to the mayor. Howie plans to arrest Fran, and - as far as he's concerned - case closed.
Bailey Ruth will have none of it though, and takes on the guise of Detective M. Loy to question the Chandler family members - and other persons of interest - herself.
Luckily, Bailey Ruth can teleport and 'magically' change her outfits, so she can go anywhere and be anyone. Thus Bailey Ruth can be dressed to the nines and in a restaurant one moment, and wearing a black suit and standing on a suspect's doorstep the next. Moreover, Bailey has an ally in her quest to save Fran Loring. Lead detective Don Smith has taken a shine to the antiques dealer and vows to help clear her name.
Bailey Ruth is a hoot. She has good detective instincts; sneaks into (absent) Police Chief Sam Cobb's office and uses his computer; searches through file cabinets; leaves helpful messages on Acting Chief Howie Harris's desk; etc. Surprisingly for a ghost, Bailey Ruth can also eat and drink, and she freely digs into the bag of M&Ms Sam Cobb stashes in his desk.
The book isn't very realistic (the lead detective dates the prime suspect), but it's an enjoyable cozy mystery. In addition, Bailey Ruth's numerous outfits and delicious meals add a fun element to the story.
Thanks to Netgalley, Carolyn Hart, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the book.
Rating: 3 stars
