Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

First Line: I was the one who found the house.

British folk group Windhollow Faire needs to put together their second album, so manager Tom Haring takes matters into his own hands. He rents Wylding Hall, a centuries-old manor house out in the Hampshire countryside, for the summer and effectively maroons the entire group there for the duration.

The group works on new songs, occasionally trying them out in a pub, but although the locals enjoy the music, some of the older folk warn them not to go messing about in the ancient house and grounds. Bad things could happen...

Decades later, a documentary filmmaker talks with the surviving members of Windhollow Faire-- along with their manager, friends, and lovers-- so they can tell their own versions of what happened that summer. But whose story is true? And what really happened to Julian Blake?

I think I've always had an interest in architecture. When I was in my early teens, I loved reading gothic novels, not for the stories of innocent young heroines falling in love with dark, handsome men, but for the wonderful old houses in which the books were set. I have a mental list of my favorite fictional houses and after reading Wylding Hall, I've just added another to it.

Elizabeth Hand's story is told in alternating points of view. Each surviving member of the group, the group's manager, and participating friends and lovers all share their memories of the summer they spent in the old manor house. The story unfolds, layer by layer, until the end-- which leaves you to decide what really happened.

There are times that open-ended stories are the best way to go, and this is one of them. There is a paranormal element to Wylding Hall that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but this open-ended conclusion means that each reader can interpret what happened in a way that suits them best.

I have to be honest and say that the main reason why I enjoyed this novella is because of that house. I loved it. Everyone got the feeling that the house didn't want them there. Each time one of the musicians tried to explore the oldest wings of the house (parts dating back to the fourteenth century or even earlier), they became frightened and almost completely lost. Some doors would open. Others wouldn't. Sometimes a lack of windows would make them lose any sense of direction. Were they going in circles? Could they get back to the part of the house they were familiar with? And the leader of Windhollow Faire, Julian Blake, is one of the few who found the library, filled with row upon row of books, some of them with what look to be spells and the lyrics of ancient ballads.

If you like old houses with personality and stories that let you decide what happened, pick up a copy of the fast-paced, award-winning Wylding Hall. It's a fun way to spend an hour or two. 

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand

eISBN: 9781504007184

Open Road Media © 2015

eBook, 94 pages

Short Story/Novella

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

 

Murder at the Palace by Margaret Dumas

First Line: It all started because of the séance scene in Blithe Spirit (1945, Rex Harrison and Constance Cummings).

When her big movie star husband runs off with his beautiful co-star, Nora Paige needs two things: a place to hide out from the paparazzi, and something to take her mind off her troubles. When a friend offers a guest house and a temporary job as the manager of an old movie theatre that shows classic films, Nora heads straight for San Francisco.

What she finds is a building that needs some TLC, a rather eccentric group of employees, and a dead body in the old ice machine in the basement. Oh, and there's the little matter of a ghost named Trixie that only Nora can see. Will Nora and the gang be able to catch the killer before anyone else comes to harm?

I have to admit that the reason why I picked up Margaret Dumas's Murder at the Palace is that I spent a lot of time at the movies for decades and sometimes even think in movie quotes. For me, the setting is perfect. Many of the films I saw as a teenager were in theatres that had originally showcased vaudeville acts-- just like the one in this book. I also didn't mind the parenthetical references to old movies when there was a tie-in with the plot. The one thing that got old quickly (for me anyway) was the occasional break to talk about an old film from a blog called Movies My Friends Should Watch. If you're not familiar with the films that are discussed, you probably won't mind it at all, but I was, and I found the breaks intrusive. There was an easy solution, however-- I skipped over them.

The police presence in Murder at the Palace is practically non-existent, but that prevents me from breaking out in hives due to the used-to-death stupid cop characters. What the book lacks in the department of men in blue it more than makes up for in the eccentric. I liked Nora. She's strong and funny, but-- maybe because she's got so much on her mind-- she sometimes does some pretty silly things, but she's so likable that you just have to forgive her.

The employees at the theatre are very good, although the character of teenager Brandon needs more oomph and Marty the projectionist needs a bit less oomph. Since one of my touchiest pet peeves is the word "like" being overused, I'm happy that Callie the college student didn't have a larger role, but that's just, like, me. And what about the ghost of young Trixie, the usherette who died in the theatre in the 1930s? She could really turn out to be a strong member of the cast, although I do hope she learns some manners and stops expecting Nora to answer all her questions when there's another person in the room. (Nora's the only one who can see her.)

This is a book that has good bones. I learned a bit about a certain type of business dealt with in the story, and the mystery is a good one even though some of the clues were too obvious. I think I'll add a word of warning, though. For those of you who hate cliffhangers (and I know you are legion), the mystery in the book is solved, but the story does end on a cliffhanger that involves Nora's personal life.

Do I want to find out what happens in that cliffhanger? Yes, I do. I like Nora and I like that old movie theatre. I want to know more.

Murder at the Palace by Margaret Dumas

ISBN: 9781635114638

Henery Press © 2019

Paperback, 272 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Movie Palace mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

 

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick

First Line: Mrs. Muir was a little woman.

After her husband's death, Lucy Muir moves her two young children to Gull Cottage at the edge of a quaint seaside village on the southern coast of England. The house suits her right down to the ground, but she soon finds out that the reason why it's so cheap is that it's haunted by the ghost of its builder, Captain Daniel Gregg.

For some reason, the brusque old sea captain likes Lucy and doesn't chase her off as he has everyone else, and as the years pass, a special relationship grows between them. Lucy deals with providing for growing children, trying to publish Gregg's memoirs, and romance from a surprising source, and no matter what happens, she can rely on the ghost of Daniel Gregg.

Once more, I find myself reading a book upon which a favorite movie has been based. Even though I've never been a fan of either Gene Tierney or Rex Harrison, the 1947 screen adaptation of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir has always been a favorite. Since I don't care for the actors, I think it's safe to say that it's all due to the story.

The movie actually follows along rather closely to the book, only changing the chronology from time to time and having Mrs. Muir have just one child-- an excision I could understand completely.

At the very beginning of the book, we are told that Lucy Muir is a little woman, but it takes no time at all to see that the only people who call her little are those who go through life with blinders on-- and those who insist on keeping her "in her place." R.A. Dick's novel is so much more than a ghost story; it's about a woman who insists on living the life that she wants without other people telling her what to do.

My experiences in reading books that have been the source of favorite movies have been a bit hit-or-miss, but I'm happy to say that reading The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a success. Both book and film are well done. Both stand the test of time, and both can bring a tear to the eye.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick

eISBN: 9780804173490

Vintage Books © 2014

Originally published in 1945.

Paranormal Historical Fiction, Standalone

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.


 

Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell

First Line: It's hard to ruin a Pacific Heights mansion.

Andrew Flynt is a San Francisco millionaire who's used to getting his own way. He wants to sell the Victorian mansion he so lovingly renovated, but ghostly happenings keep scaring off potential buyers. Flynt even calls in a famous psychic who tells him that his multi-million dollar "updates" have left the resident ghost extremely angry. Cue contractor Mel Turner. 

Charged with restoring several of the original features to placate the ghost and facilitate a sale, Mel starts tracking down the items she and her crew are going to need. But when the psychic is found stabbed to death, Mel knows it's going to be another case of double duty: finding out the secrets of the old house known as Crosswinds... and working to catch a killer.

I have come to depend on Juliet Blackwell's Haunted Home Renovations series for light, fun reads that deliver my fix of wonderful old houses. Blackwell always handles the paranormal aspects of these books with a light, sensitive touch that I appreciate.

In Give Up the Ghost, the story behind the ghosts and the ghosts' lives are fascinating, and the entire story moved along at a quick, steady pace. But what flabbergasted me was what Flynt did to that poor house. Why on earth someone who prefers glass, chrome, and black leather would buy an old Victorian mansion and then insist on forcing it to conform to his taste is beyond me, but I know that it happens. To say that Mel's work to undo the damage was every bit as interesting as the mystery... well... it actually plays an important part in the mystery!

If you're in the mood for a light, intriguing mystery about a house with hidden rooms, secret doors and passageways, and a few things that may go bump in the night, I think it's time to acquaint yourself with Juliet Blackwell's Haunted Home Renovations series. They can be just what the doctor ordered.

Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell

ISBN: 9780451465818

Obsidian © 2015

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Cozy Mystery, #6 Haunted Home Renovation mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.

Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell

First Line: Communicating with the netherworld can be a game changer.

Business is slowing down and Mel Turner needs a job so she can pay bills and not be forced to lay off any of her crew. Unfortunately work comes in a form she would prefer to turn down.

Mel's boyfriend Graham has his hands full with the reconstruction of an ancient building shipped over from Scotland. The job has been plagued by strange goings-on and rumors that the stones are cursed. At first he merely brings Mel in to check for paranormal activity. Mel not only finds it, she also finds a body-- and work for herself and her men.

The original work crew wants to walk off the job, so Mel brings in her own crew to work with them, but she's got to work fast. Between restless spirits and a killer on the loose, she's got her work cut out for her.

Although I tend not to like much of the paranormal in the books I read, Juliet Blackwell knows the one angle that I like most: haunted houses. I've enjoyed her Haunted Home Renovation series from its inception, not only for the spooky old homes, but because it's a series with a lot of meat on the bone.

Mel is a perfect heroine for a cozy series. She's quirky, smart, funny, and hard-working. Since this new job site is in a remote location, she has to pack a bag and move in. Her job isn't made any easier when she discovers that she has to deal with people who remind her of Mrs. Danvers and Nurse Ratched. To the author's credit, Danvers/Ratched do not remain mere cardboard cutouts. We can also see how good Mel is at her job by the way she gets the new crew on her side-- not an easy task when they're ready to head for the hills.

The secondary characters back Mel up perfectly, from her dad to Graham to the eccentric billionaire footing the bill for the ancient monastery to her stepson Caleb who spends his time getting in hot water. 

Another aspect of this series that I enjoy is that readers always learn something relating to architecture and renovation. In Keeper of the Castle we learn how to stay true to medieval architecture while meeting modern building codes (in addition to the proper way to run a construction crew).

The mystery is strong as well. Blackwell provides plenty of misdirection to keep everyone guessing, and there's a good resolution to the ghostly subplot, which is more involved than originally thought. 

I can count on Blackwell's Haunted Home Renovation series for quick, entertaining, and enlightening reads. Bring on Give Up the Ghost! 
 

Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell

ISBN: 9780451465801

NAL © 2014

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Cozy Mystery, #5 Haunted Home Renovation mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen  
 

An Unhappy Medium by Dawn Eastman

First Line: My chest burned, my legs ached, and I felt a cramp in the vicinity of my liver.

Clyde Fortune is convinced she's lost her mind; otherwise, why on earth would she have agreed to participate in Crystal Haven's Zombie Apocalypse Fun Run? But... it's organized by Clyde's nephew Seth, and it's for a good cause.


Unfortunately she just can't shake the feeling that something is about to go wrong. Her sister Grace has shown up in town for the first time in fifteen years. Then someone is murdered during the run, and Grace disappears. Now Clyde and her police detective boyfriend have to find a killer before Grace can become the #1 Suspect.

I enjoy Dawn Eastman's Family Fortune cozy series. The main character Clyde (short for Clytemnestra-- don't tell anyone) has a police background which comes in handy whenever she trips over a body, and she's funny, smart, and full of common sense to boot. The paranormal element in this book-- and the entire series-- is done with the very lightest of touches, which is something that I prefer.

Eastman does an excellent job in the scenes that take place during that Zombie Apocalypse Fun Run, making them both extremely creepy and very funny. Thank heavens for that humor because zombies give me the willies. (Yes, I know that's silly.)  

As in all the best cozy series, characters are the strength of the Family Fortune mysteries. In An Unhappy Medium we finally get to meet Clyde's sister Grace and her husband Paul. Since they've seemed perfectly happy to have their son Seth move across country to live with Clyde and go to school, this was a much-needed meeting. Something's got to be going on, right? 

Probably the biggest character of them all in this series is Aunt Vi, supposed pet psychic, owner of the new Psychic Finders business, and all-around yarn bomber. Yes, she's more than a bit kooky, and... if her businesses are so popular, why does she always have the time to stick her nose into Clyde's business, hmmm? She's one of those family members that you just have to shake your head at and laugh.

Amidst all these characters and relationships, Eastman has created a good solid mystery. There's more going on than meets the eye, and there's some excellent misdirection. If you're in the mood for well-written, light-hearted reads, I recommend Eastman's Family Fortune series, which just keeps getting better with every book.
    

An Unhappy Medium by Dawn Eastman

ISBN: 9780425282809

Berkley Prime Crime © 2016

Mass Market Paperback, 304 pages

Cozy Mystery, #4 Family Fortune mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen


 

A Watery Death by Joyce and Jim Lavene

First Line: Captain Bill Lucky swaggered down the Duck Shoppes boardwalk with his roving eye cast on every woman.

It's the Fourth of July weekend, and thousands of visitors have packed Duck, North Carolina for the festivities... and to learn of the death of Bill Lucky who was captain of the new gambling ship docked there. Mayor Dae O'Donnell has her hands full with the parade, a friend who's turned into a very nervous bride, and trying to get her store, Missing Pieces, stocked for the busy summer season. But when rumors persist of mermaids being involved in Lucky's death, Dae has no choice but to become involved in the investigation.

I was a huge fan of this series for the first three books, but my opinion gradually began to change as Dae's "powers" began to change. From being able to touch an object and see its history or touch a person to see where his or her lost item is, Dae began to be able to time travel, and now with this last book in the series, mermaids (and mermen) take center stage. This whole part of the plot just did not work for me, but I kept reading because of my fondness for the main character, the setting, and for the authors of the series (both of whom left us way too soon).

The paranormal and fantasy elements weren't the only things that bothered me. The mystery took a backseat to the rest of the action in A Watery Death, and for some strange reason, Dae suddenly decided that she had the right to start making decisions for everyone else. That's guaranteed to rub my fur the wrong way.

This book may have ended the series on a bit of a sour note for me, but I do recommend the first three books in the series: A Timely Vision, A Touch of Gold, and A Spirited Gift. They are filled with wonderful characters and a setting that you can see and smell and touch. And I won't even go into the history of the area that you'll be able to learn!
  

A Watery Death by Joyce and Jim Lavene

ASIN: B00VS9LWLI

J. Lavene © 2015

eBook, 264 pages

Cozy Mystery, #7 Missing Pieces mystery

Rating: D+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.


  

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

First Line: My beloved aunt, Sara Harrison Shea, was brutally murdered in the winter of 1908.

The death of Sara Harrison Shea-- months after the death of her young daughter-- is just one in a long line of strange deaths and disappearances in the area around West Hall, Vermont.

One hundred years later, nineteen-year-old Ruthie is living with her mother and little sister in Sara's house. When Ruthie's mother vanishes into thin air, the young woman searches desperately for some sort of clue... and stumbles over a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary.

Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery of what happened to Sara, and she soon realizes that her mother may not be the first person to disappear from the area around the Devil's Hand, but Ruthie may be the only person to stop history from repeating itself.

This is a nicely creepy little ghost story with a small and sterling cast. Although the shifts in point of view are sometimes awkward, the story of Sara, her husband Martin and their daughter Gertie builds the sense of dread and foreboding and nicely compliments the present-day story of Ruthie, her mother Alice and her sister Fawn.  

Not much can be said of the story without giving away key points, but let me say this. It is reminiscent of some of Stephen King's writing, and the setting is perfect for a ghost tale: atmospheric, claustrophobic, and chilling. The Winter People strayed into the paranormal just a bit too much for me, but I still found it to be a compelling-- and nerve-tingling-- story.
  

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

ISBN: 9780385681476

Anchor Canada © 2015

Paperback, 400 pages

Paranormal Thriller, Standalone

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet 


 

Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan

First Line: There is such a thing as hunger for more than food, and that was the hunger I fed on.

Down-on-his-luck young artist Eben Adams just can't seem to find a subject to paint that makes people want to part with their hard-earned money... until he meets a young schoolgirl named Jennie Appleton in Central Park. There's a quality about little Jennie that Eben just can't define. Is it her old-fashioned clothing? Is it the way she talks about things that happened a long time ago?  

I decided to read this novella because I remembered watching (and enjoying) the 1948 film starring Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones which was based on the story.

So which is better, the novella or the film? The novella, of course! I liked Nathan's writing so much that I'm going to make a point of looking up his other works. In a short period of time, Robert Nathan delineated some memorable characters. Besides Eben himself, I particularly enjoyed the gallery owner Henry Matthews and his assistant Miss Spinney. 

Portrait of Jennie comes to life when Eben talks about art, and the scenes describing a hurricane are so vivid that I felt as though I were there. There is a paranormal aspect to the story because Jennie is actually a spirit, but those scenes are so fleeting that I scarcely noticed them. For me, it was all about Eben, and Eben makes it a very good story indeed.
  

Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan

ASIN: B0096DIS42

Jeffrey Byron © 2012

Originally published in 1940.

eBook, 160 pages

Paranormal Novella

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.  


 

Dead Is Better by Jo Perry

First Line: All I know is that I know.

Charles Stone assumes he's dead. He's just woken up in the afterlife with a chest full of bullet holes, and his only companion is a dog whose death seems to have been from malnutrition and abuse. 

He names the dog Rose. Why not? The dog is the only one he can communicate with, and it looks as though the two of them have nothing to do and all the time in the world to do it in.

Then Charlie decides to try to find out why he was killed and uncovers a criminal who's making millions by cruelly exploiting-- and sometimes killing-- his victims. But if Charlie and Rose can't communicate with the living, how are they going to bring this person to justice?

Jo Perry's novel got under my skin and just wouldn't turn me loose. Dead Is Better (the title is a partial quote from Stephen King's Pet Sematary) unfolds in short bursts, like someone who's found an old-fashioned projector, screen, and a carousel of slides and is clicking his way through them. It's a pace that takes a few chapters before it becomes comfortable, but it does. 

Charlie continually describes himself as unlikable, but readers soon learn that his actions prove that to be a lie. It's this unveiling of Charlie's true character that makes us want to find out why someone would want to kill him. And Rose? Just as we learn about Charlie, we can see that she's more than just a dog-- but neither is she a canine angel nor Lassie.

Something I seldom mention but feel I have to do so here is the appalling lack of proofreading in this Kindle version of what is an imaginative and well-written book. Many misspelled words and grammatical errors kept jerking me back to reality when I wanted to stay immersed in Perry's story.

The paranormal angle was interesting and well-done. Do Charlie and Rose bring the killer to justice? I will spill the beans and admit that they do, but what I won't tell you is how they do it. Very nice-- and I'm looking forward to reading another book featuring these two characters (even if one of them cannot speak)!
    

Dead Is Better by Jo Perry

ASIN: B01BNG5KH2

Fahrenheit Press © 2016

eBook, 282 pages

Paranormal Mystery, #1 Charles Stone mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon