Tag Archives: Mystery

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The Metaphysical Detective

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The Metaphysical Detective by Kirsten Weiss

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I somehow managed to read the fourth book in this series and liked it so much that I decided to go back to the beginning and see how it got to where it was. I definitely liked the characters a lot or else I would not have bothered. Well, I am not liking the characters so much right now and am actually a little bored with the way things are going in this book. I am willing to give it a go because I know that things do get better as the series continues. Right now the characters are dull and their surroundings are dull and one-dimensional.

Riga’s new client, Helen Baro, says that her husband is trying to kill her. The thing about that is, her husband has been dead for the past year. Hence the need for a metaphysical detective rather than a conventional one. When Helen is found dead there is a haiku and tarot left behind as a clue as to what happened. Riga finds herself in an investigation that threatens not only her but those she loves as well.

Riga kind of annoyed me because she is so bland and the plot does not seem to be going anywhere. Riga is a strange detective/witch who is lost when it actually comes to the supernatural it seems, though maybe her back story will give more. There is a lot more than the original plot would lead you to believe but it is not all that exciting either. But as I said the books get better as time and characters evolve. So I would say to give it a look and decide for yourself. Lukewarm recommendation.



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“But why metaphysical?  Why not supernatural or psychic?” “Because metaphysics deals with first causes, not necessarily the supernatural.  I work in both worlds and I’m not a psychic.” “In other words, it works on a business card,” Lauren said shrewdly. “Guilty.”

Riga Hayworth
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A Ghost in the Glamour

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When I found the Elemental Mysteries I thought things could not get any better but then this author just kept throwing me new and different stories and characters who I fell in love with. This is definitely the case with Linx and Bogie which I started reading in Elizabeth Hunters news letters and hoped for and finally got something much longer. This is a fun duo who are very different form each other but mesh perfectly. This book contains 3 super short stories which kind of lay out how things began with the final story being longer and giving some background on our ghost. The mystery is light but very workable.

Linx Maxwell has had a the ghost of a grown man attached to her since she was an eighth grader and often wishes that he would go away. The Maxwell women are known on both sides of the veil as powerful mediums and each has a specialty when it comes to spirits. Linx just wants to be normal and able to pursue her art without all the supernatural hoopla.

Frank ‘Bogie’ Bogle was a Los Angeles homicide detective who died in the 1950’s. Though everyone knew about the Maxwell women he never expected to become attached to the youngest and by far strangest of the family. He has no idea why or how he became attached to her and certainly has no idea of how to end the attachment.

Fourteen years later and they are still attached. The art career Linx has always wanted seems about to take off but she still has Bogie with her and that means she sometimes gets sucked into investigating crimes instead of painting. But this time the case is more personal and she may be able to lose that extra baggage if things go right.

The characters are wonderful and colorful. They make you want to know more about their lives. This is a fun quick read with a mystery thrown in that may not be deep but can keep you guessing and on your toes. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Enjoy!

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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The Man in the Leather Jacket

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This was one of those books that gave you some good and some bad. The good ended up outweighing any bad by a nice margin. The characters are definitely quirky and bigger than life while the surroundings are more of a blur. I kept forgetting what state this was supposed to be happening in unless they mentioned it specifically. The hunt for the killer was not really so much of a hunt as it was something that just happened almost. You get some misused words such as drooping when it should be drop.

Ryan Porter is an ex Marine who has a lot of issues since he got out of the service. He has recently gotten his license as a Private Detective after doing his internship. Mindy Miller is working as a waitress at the strip club that Porter frequents and uses for business. They make one good detective when they get together.

When Gary, a local bag boy, goes missing his sister wants to hire Porter to find him. She is afraid that he may have been one of the latest victims of a serial killer known as the Sandman. As Porter and Mindy investigate his disappearance they get closer to finding the killer than even the police have been able to do.

There is a nice twist near the end that comes as complete surprise. I will also mention that the story seems to be more about Porter and Mindy than it is about the killer. It is told from multiple points of view so that you get a chance to see how everyone is feeling without filtering through a central character. I would recommend this to those who like weird mysteries.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Hekate’s Chalice

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Hekate’s Chalice
(Adept Solutions #1)
by Teagan Kearney

I started this story totally not sure what to expect and found myself pulled in immediately. Truthfully I am not sure what made me like this so much but I really got into the characters from the moment they were introduced. Each one was very unique and even on short acquaintance made me like them. The world they inhabit is still a little vague and could use some more fleshing out to make it seem more real. I had a few instances of the names of characters changing within the same paragraph in some instances, which can be quite disconcerting. Other than that one thing it is written in a style that definitely grabs your attention if you like the subject matter.

Jean Baptiste also known as J.B. is running his fathers detective agency, though it is not for a good reason. Someone ran down Jean Baptiste Sr. and he is lying in the hospital in a coma while his son tries to save the family business. Working with J.B. are an interesting cast of characters, there is Zhanna who is a six inch faerie of the Irayisi race working off her probation there, Nikki a half elf/ half imp, and the twins Gemma and Jason.

Hekate sends her niece to enlist Jean Baptiste Sr. to locate her chalice which has come up missing at a very bad time. She needs it back soon and so takes a chance on J.B. and his crew. What they find out is more complicated than they expected. The search for the person who hit J.B. Sr is also not going well. They have to find the chalice to keep the agency going but there is danger involved that they do not see.

Definitely want to read more about these characters and see where they go from this point. Well worth the time of anyone who likes a little magic and mayhem.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Murder in Christmas River

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Murder in Christmas River
(Christmas River #1)
by Meg Muldoon 

I have never read Meg Muldoon before but am glad I gave this one a read. I found that I like Christmas River, it is a town that may not have a lot going for it but it does have a unique identity. The characters are a little vague this time around but I can see that they have the potential to become very well rounded and interesting. The murder mystery is good but because you do not have enough insight into the characters it makes any clues dropped not that effective. But once again I can see the effort and hope for it to get stronger as the series continues. I liked the way it starts with the dogs point of view, he makes things interesting.

The main judge of the Gingerbread Junction Competition is murdered and the body is found in the woods behind Cinnamon Peters shop. The dog that had been coming to her shop for a while was trying to get her attention. It seems that someone may have it in for Cinnamon since she seems the most likely to have killed the judge who never had anything good to say about entries in the competition.

Daniel Brightman returns to town just in time for a murder investigation. He had known Cinnamon when she was a 16 yr old and after kissing her and promising to call he disappeared from her life. Now he is back and brought to her back door by the dog she has been feeding. Can he help her when suspicion turns her way?

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My hometown has become a novelty. A place of forced smiles and customer satisfaction. Of little old ladies dressing up as Mrs. Claus and trying to sell you something. Of capitalizing and merchandising the magic of the season year round.

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Last Writes

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Last Writes
(Ghostwriter Mystery #3)
by C.A. Larmer

This was another good mystery but I had an idea of who the killer was before the end of the first chapter. It was still extremely well written and may not be so obvious to others.

Roxy’s manager has one of his old clients turn up dead and though it is originally thought to be a suicide it soon is being looked at as murder because of another of his clients. David Lone is a client of Oliver who has done very well for himself with both a best seller and movie deal. While Roxy is still angry with Max she starts to have feelings for David, mainly because of his fascination with death and success. Bad Roxy, being so shallow.

But the real problem is that after the first death more occur and it starts to look like poor Oliver is the prime suspect in all of the deaths. Roxy does not need to be asked, though she is, to help her old friend find a way out of his predicament. She does not believe he is guilty even though suspicion has fallen squarely on his shoulders.

Definitely worth reading!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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A Plot To Die For

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A Plot to Die For
(Ghostwriter Mystery #2)
by C.A. Larmer

I really like these mysteries because they make me work to figure out who the culprit is going to be in the end. I think because I read the fourth book in the series first I was expecting a lot more from this one when I decided to go back to the beginning and it is not bad at all. The writing is clear and gives me a complete sense of what is happening around the characters and therefore me. The language engages and pulls you in even though the slang a lot of the time is Aussie in nature. The characters are all fun with interesting quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them more or less endearing to the reader.

Roxy is invited to Dormay Island by Abigail Lilton, owner and operator of an exclusive resort who has shunned all publicity in the past. But now Abi has decided to write her biography and wants Roxy to ghost write it for her. It is the off-season and Roxy is a little surprised but pleased that she gets to do this book in such an exotic location. The only really bothering Roxy is the fact that she has not heard from Max, even though she is the one who blew him off.

Then the worst happens and Abigail is murdered with suspicion falling on all those in residence at the resort during this time. The local law officer comes to investigate but the daughter of the victim asks that Roxy help in the investigation because she believes the constable will favor the locals if they are involved and so wants an outsider to help. Roxy does her thing as usual and finds much more than a simple murder or murderer for her trouble.

Another great story with a great mystery and some good motives by all of the suspects involved. Definitely recommend.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

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The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
(Veronica Mars #1)
by Rob Thomas,
Jennifer Graham
, Kristen Bell (Narrator)

I am a Marshmallow! That just has to be said, I watched the series and actually loved it because even though I was older than the title character I could still identify wit her. I loved her because she was strong and no matter what happened she was always ready to help someone.

This story takes place after the events in the movie which wrapped up the series. There are some new characters right along side those characters that have come to be so loved from the show. Veronica has moved back to Neptune because she cannot give up being who she truly is, a private detective, even though her father thinks she should. She is also back because of Logan who she is involved with again. The town has become more corrupt in the time she has been away and nothing seems to be able to be done about it.

The business association in Neptune come looking for Keith to handle a case they do think Sheriff Lamb can handle on his own. A girl has gone missing and instead of trying to find her the Sheriff has been caught in sound bites that make it sound like he cannot be bothered. Because Keith is not available they are willing to give Veronica a chance since they know her reputation for solving cases. During this case Veronica also runs into her mother who has a step daughter who has also gone missing and she wants Veronica to help find her.

This was a really great story that had a mystery that was excellent. If you liked the show you have to read this, but better yet listen because it is narrated by Kristen Bell and it is like have Veronica reading you one of her case files. She is phenomenal when it comes to characterizations of the other cast members, including the men. Enjoy this!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Christmas Moon

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Christmas Moon
(Vampire for Hire #4.5)
by J.R. Rain

This is why I like these books, there are some of the strangest things happening to this woman who was so ordinary not so many years ago. This short gives you a quick look into the life that Sam has built for herself after her transformation into a vampire. She has her business, which is doing very well considering she can only really work at night. Her love life is definitely doing well since she finally decided to give Kingsley a real chance. Most important of all is that her children are happy and healthy and living with her.

Sam has an interesting Christmas going on. Her client needs her to find a safe that he has never opened. She has a man come to her stating that he was her guardian angel but because she is now immortal he can tell her he loves her. How many women get that said from an angel?

Another good entry!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I paused and flipped through a historical mystery novel, read a random paragraph, liked it, and dropped it into my own hand basket. For a buck, I’ll try anything. Hell, the Kindle app on my iPhone was filled with free ebooks and .99 cent ebooks that I had snagged in a buying frenzy a few days ago. Now, all I needed to do was to find the time to read them. I’m sure the one about the vampire mom—written, of all people, by a guy with a beard—should give me a good laugh.

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Moon Child

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Moon Child
(Vampire for Hire #4)
by J.R. Rain





Samantha Moon and her family and friends just continue to keep my attention no matter what they are doing. The story continues from the point it ended in the last book seamlessly.The characters are continuing to grow and become more well defined as to who they are and where they stand within this world. The locations are familiar and allow you to feel like you are truly a part of things as they happen.

Samantha has a hard decision to make and is not sure how she should move forward. Her seven year old son is dying and there is nothing the doctors can do, but she may be able to save him. If she does she is able to she may be giving up her own chance at becoming mortal again. What she finds out soon is that someone else wants her artifact in order to end their own immortality and he will do anything to get it.

Definitely recommend to fans of Samantha Moon series and anyone looking for something a little light with bite.



My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Danny was there, sleeping. He was sitting in one of the wooden chairs at the foot of the bed. His head had flopped back and he was snoring loudly up at the heavens. Probably irritating the hell out of God. One thing I didn’t miss from living with the man was all his damn snoring. Well, that and the cheating.