paranormal mystery

Audiobook Review & Giveaway: The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber A. Logan

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Book Title:  The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber A. Logan
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  336 pages
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher:  CamCat Books
Release date:  Nov 15, 2022

Content Rating:  PG. The book is clean, without excessive swearing, no sexual content or graphic violent scenes, etc.  

Cracked doesn’t always mean broken.

Grieving her mother’s death, Mari Lennox travels to Kyoto, Japan to take photographs of Yanagi Inn for a client. As she explores the inn and its grounds, her camera captures striking images, uncovering layers of mystery shrouding the old resort—including an overgrown, secret garden on a forbidden island. But then eerie weeping no one else in the inn seems to hear starts keeping her awake at night.

​Despite the warnings of the staff, Mari searches the deep recesses of the old building to discover the source of the ghostly sound, only to realize that her own family’s history is tied to the inn, its mysterious, forlorn garden . . . and the secrets it holds.

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My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Mari receives a grant to take photos of Yanagi Inn in Japan. She’d lived in Japan when she was a child. She feels like this may the thing that will help her deal with her grief after her mom dies.

Mari’s time at Yanagi Inn includes a secret island, memories coming to the surface, and a ghost. It’s not a scary story though. It’s more a story of Mari coming to terms with her past and being able to help the people she meets at Yanagi Inn.

The characters at Yanagi Inn are interesting, and Mari’s character is well developed. There is a little more about her thoughts and feelings than I care for, but that’s a personal preference.

If you like a story with a bit of paranormal, this is one you should like.

About the Author

Amber A. Logan is a university instructor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children—Fox and Willow. In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn

(2 winners/USA only)

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Book Review: Carols & Yule Perils by Trixie Silvertale

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Mitzy Moon can’t wait to cut her own gorgeous Christmas tree. But her forest adventure loses its thrill when the pristine blanket of snow reveals a blood trail. And her heart thuds when the crimson droplets lead to a body, bringing her Yuletide festivities to a deadly end.

When her only employee becomes the prime suspect, Mitzy is forced to take the case. But even though she enrolls her eavesdropping Ghost-ma and a spoiled feline to help unwrap the evidence, each uncovered clue only seems to dig a more messy, murderous hole.

Can Mitzy unstick herself from the tacky case, or is her festive fun about to turn fatal?

Carols and Yule Perils is the sixteenth book in the hilarious Mitzy Moon Mysteries paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural intrigue, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s twisty tinsel-clad tale.

Amazon

My Review

Dead bodies seem to show up when Mitzy Moon is around. When she and her boyfriend, Erick, go looking for a Christmas tree, that’s what they find. As usual, she and her sheriff boyfriend work on the case together. He gave up trying to keep her out of a case a long time ago.

While they’re working on the case, there’s a lot of drama going on with her grandma. I didn’t think Isadora had any more surprises up her sleeve but Mitzy uncovers something that her grandma was planning on taking to her grave. Or the other side, I guess. What a shock! I was in tears more than once.

I love how the relationship with Mitzy and Erick is progressing…slow but steady. They’re perfect for each other. He’s so patient with all of her quirks and the never ending drama!

I always like when Mitzy’s family is in the forefront. Her stepbrother is home for the Christmas break, and Christmas Eve dinner is spent with the whole family (plus one or two), and it’s both touching and funny. Trixie Silvertale always knows how to bring humor to any situation. Although this book stands on its own, I recommend reading all of the books in order to get the most out of the series.

About the Author

Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lillian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and is obsessed with all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Mitzy Moon Mysteries, and she’s thrilled to write them and share them with you.

When she’s not consumed by writing, she bakes to fuel her creative engine and tends to her herb garden.

Website: http://www.trixiesilvertale.com

Book Review: Schemes & Bad Dreams by Trixie Silvertale

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A blast from the past. A dangerous decision. This time, our psychic sleuth becomes the victim…
Mitzy Moon loves her new home town. But when history comes calling, she’s tempted by distant memories and forced to reconsider. Now her sudden disappearance could be an impromptu road trip… or something more sinister.

Mitzy seems to have fallen off the map, but her boyfriend, the handsome sheriff, continues to receive playful texts from the absentee heiress. Meanwhile, her entitled feline, Ghost-ma, and a powerful alchemist suspect foul play. Mitzy’s captor may have control of her phone, but he’s underestimated his prey.

Can Mitzy outsmart her jailer, or will her story be laid to rest?

Schemes and Bad Dreams is the fifteenth book in the hilarious paranormal cozy mystery series, Mitzy Moon Mysteries. If you like snarky heroines, supernatural misfits, and a splash of romance, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s crooked caper.

Amazon

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy of the ARC from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

An old friend of Mitzy’s shows up and all he does is talk about money. From the beginning, I didn’t care for him. I guess I’m too suspicious. Mitzy seems to be okay with her old friend Ben but since he talks about nothing but her money, she decides to get rid of him ASAP. Unfortunately, as often happens, Mitzy’s plans don’t work out how she plans. In fact, there are a couple of twists along the way that I didn’t see coming.

When Mitzy disappears, it only takes a day or so for Erick, her boyfriend and the sheriff, to know that his suspicions are true and the Mitzy is missing. I like how everyone who cares for Mitzy, even her cat, comes together to figure out where she is. Of course, Mitzy is not one to sit on her hands and wait to be rescued. And no matter how much danger she’s in, she still has her sense of humor.

I love how the relationship with Mitzy and Erick is progressing…slow but steady. They’re perfect for each other. I’m looking forward to them taking the next step.

This is one of my favorites in the series. Even though there is a lot of drama, it is still written in a way that it is fun and funny. Although this book stands on its own, I recommend reading all of the books in order to get the most out of the series.

About the Author

Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lillian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and is obsessed with all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Mitzy Moon Mysteries, and she’s thrilled to write them and share them with you.

When she’s not consumed by writing, she bakes to fuel her creative engine and tends to her herb garden.

Website: http://www.trixiesilvertale.com

Book Review: Charms & Firearms by Trixie Silvertale

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Mitzy Moon plans to take a break from snooping and learn to ski. And after receiving a mysterious gift from her travel companion she feels light as a feather. But her heart goes stiff as a board when she faceplants into a corpse.

Racing back to the bookshop to consult her otherworldly helpers, Mitzy is horrified to discover her meddling Ghost-ma is missing. Her spoiled feline seems to ignore her pleas and her alchemist attorney isn’t answering either. She can’t decide if she’s lost her powers or her mind…

Can Mitzy solve a murder without her extra sensory perceptions, or will one misstep put her in the killer’s crosshairs?

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I read the first four books in this series, and I really enjoyed them, so I was happy to read this book when it was available.

Mitzy Moon seems to attract trouble. She has some psychic gifts, though, that she’s slowly learning to use. They can often get her out of trouble, and I’m curious what else she’ll be finding out she can do.

Mitzy finally has a family since she inherited her grandmother’s bookstore. She’s getting to know Grams in her ghostly form and is finally getting to know her father. The more Mitzy Moon books I read, the more I enjoy the characters. Mitzy is clumsy, smart, and hilarious. Grams is a force of nature and has learned to move things, so she’s now able to communicate via writing with Silas. Silas is Mitzy’s lawyer and mentor who is helping her learn about her gifts.

The one unlikeable character who has been in all of the books so far is Rory Bombay. Mitzy is attracted to him but Grams doesn’t trust him at all. I’m with Grams; I never liked him even when he was giving Mitzy gifts and pouring on the charm. Is it finally time for her to learn her lesson? And then there’s the hot sheriff. He and Mitzy would make the perfect couple…

When Mitzy literally stumbles across a body in the woods near a ski lodge, she’s warned by the sheriff to let the professionals look into it. She hasn’t done so thus far, so I’m sure he knows that won’t stop her snooping. Mitzy has her hands full between having her gifts locked, being locked in a basement, and running into a ghost that’s not Grams. Will she and/or the sheriff find out who the murderer is?

These books are quick and fun reads. Each book builds on the last ones and they’ve become must-reads for me. I definitely recommend Charms & Firearms, as well as the other books in the series. I can’t wait for the next Mitzy Moon mystery!

About the Author

Trixie Silvertale grew up reading an endless supply of Lillian Jackson Braun, Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew novels. She loves the amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries and is obsessed with all things paranormal. Those two passions unite in her Mitzy Moon Mysteries, and she’s thrilled to write them and share them with you.

When she’s not consumed by writing, she bakes to fuel her creative engine and tends to her herb garden.

Website: http://www.trixiesilvertale.com

Book Review: Grey Daze by Michael Allan Scott

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Grey Daze banner

 

Grey Daze 2Title: Grey Daze (A Lance Underphal Mystery)
Author: Michael Allan Scott
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 306
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Supernatural/Paranormal
Format: Paperback/Kindle

GREY DAZE descends.  A fresh murder spins out of control, twisting into new realms of paranormal mystery.

Not for the faint of heart, the third in the Lance Underphal Mystery series, is an interplay of corrupt characters immersed in today’s world. Paranormal twists and fast action in movie-like scenes set the story’s mystery/thriller elements apart from the typical whodunit/serial-killer thriller.

Guided by his dead wife, a reluctant psychic finds himself on a wild ride through a criminal underworld, slamming face first into corrupt police, gunrunning bikers, and a drug addicted killer–not to mention confrontations with the dead.

Layers of plots within plots twist this new thriller into a startling climax.

 

My Review

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.

Grey Daze is a murder mystery with a touch of the supernatural. Lance Underphal isn’t your usual protagonist. He’s 60ish, not in the best of health, and he is an unwilling psychic. He has visions and he also talks to his dead wife on a regular basis who, ironically, helps to keep him sane. His lady friend, Callie, seems to have a touch of the gift as well.

I like murder mysteries and this ended up being a good one, but it took me about a third of the book to get into it. It was a pretty straight forward mystery with a couple twists at the end, one of which I’d figured out. There was also one thing that wasn’t resolved, which bothered me a little. As a side story, Lance was brought up on criminal charges which, for the most part, was pretty stressful but I found the trial very interesting.

 

 

About the Author

Michael Allan ScottBorn and raised at the edge of the high desert in Kingman, Arizona, Michael Allan Scott resides in Scottsdale with his wife, Cynthia and their rescue Doberman, Roxie.  In addition to writing mysteries and speculative fiction, his interests include music, photography, art, scuba diving and auto racing.