The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell

Happy Fourth of July!

Welcome!  I hope everyone is having a happy and safe Fourth of July!  My mother and I (along with the fur babies) are enjoying a quiet day.  I will be grilling hamburgers for our dinner tonight.  Unfortunately, there will be no fireworks tonight because of the pandemic.  What are doing for Independence Day?

Similar to Crockett Theater in book

The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell has Mel Turner working on renovating the home Landon Demetrius purchased for them.  A renovation can make or break a couple.  Unfortunately, Landon and Mel have very different ideas when it comes this beautiful old home.  Plus, Mel discovers an unexpected occupant in a hidden closet in the attic.  Mel has a meeting with Gregory Thibodeaux regarding renovating the Crockett Theater in San Francisco.  Despite the toll time has taken on the historic building, Mel admires the Moroccan Renaissance architecture with Art Deco influences.  The one problem is the squatters that currently occupy the space.  While touring the property, Mel can smell freshly popped popcorn.  As the Mighty Wurlitzer starts rising from below the stage, a ghostly audience appears.  She then sees one of the theater’s residents draped across the organ and they are not moving.  Mel dials Inspector Annette Crawford who cannot believe that she has found another victim.  Mel, of course, begins investigating and finds some clues that lead her back to the individual currently occupying the attic of Mel’s future home.  Will Mel solve the case, or will she end up as the theater’s next victim?

A Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ

The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell the 8^th A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series, but I recommend this spirited cozy mystery series.  Melanie “Mel” Turner learned construction from her father and she now runs Turner Construction which specializes in renovating historic homes.  Mel is a smart and gutsy woman with special abilities that she inherited from her mother.  I would like to see Mel embrace her gift fully.  Mel recently became engaged to Landon Demetrius, a math professor.  There is some tension between them over the renovation and Mel’s inability to set a wedding date.  I thought The Last Curtain Call was well-written with developed characters and steady pacing.  I love the humor in the story that had me chuckling frequently.  I also enjoyed all the paranormal activity in this story.  Spooky sounds and a variety of ghosts liven up this tale.  The mystery was entertaining with a variety of suspects, active investigating, and misdirection.  Mel questions a diverse group of people in her quest to find the killer.  There are ghostly clues and suspense.  I like how everything tied together and wrapped up at the end.  It was great that the author included Lily Ivory and Oscar from A Witchcraft Mystery series (just love that series).  I cannot wait for the next A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery.  The Last Curtain Call is an enchanting cozy mystery with renovation rows, spooky specters, taboo tenants, a historic haven, and multiple murder mysteries.

Charlie Chaplin -- The Little Tramp

The Last Curtain Call can be obtained from Amazon*.  You can find the other titles in A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series here.  You can find Juliet Blackwell's A Witchcraft Mystery series here (delightful cozy mystery series starring Lily Ivory).  Thank you for reading my review.  I hope that you have a spectacular day.  I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Witch Hunt by Cate Conte tomorrow.  Have a wonderful Fourth of July!  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.

A Ghostly Light: A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery

Adorable cover!

Happy Friday!  I hope everyone has had a good week.  Juliet Blackwell is the author of A Witchcraft Mystery series (wonderful series), A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series, An Annie Kincaid Mystery series, The Paris Key, and Letters from Paris.  Readers can follow Ms. Blackwell on Amazon, Facebook and Goodreads.  You can find out more about Ms. Blackwell and her books on her website. 

A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell is the seventh book in A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series.  Mel Turner, general contractor and head of Turner Construction, is starting a new project.  Mel is working with Alicia Withers to turn the beautiful old Victorian Bay Light lighthouse and the keeper’s lodge into an inn (with restaurant) on Lighthouse Island.  Alicia deserves happiness after escaping from abusive ex-husband, Thorn Webster.  Mel and Alicia are touring the keeper’s house when Alicia goes still and pale.  Thorn Webster steps inside the cottage and wants to speak with Alicia.  Buzz, the security guard, escorts Thorn back to the dock, but Mel knows they have not seen the last of him.  A little while later, the pair are at the lighthouse with Alicia at the top (Mel is having issues with heights since her last recent brush with death).  Mel hears Alicia scream and then Thorn tumbles down the stairs.  Alicia arrives on the scene with blood on her hands.  Unfortunately, Alicia becomes the prime suspect in Thorn’s death (she had a good motive).  Mel knows she did not kill Thorn and sets out to find the real culprit.  Matters are further complicated by a couple of ghosts.  Thorn is now haunting the island (and being a literal thorn in Mel’s side) and a female ghost in the lighthouse who has issues with men.   Can Mel help find closure for the ghosts and capture Thorn’s killer?  It looks like rough seas ahead for Mel in A Ghostly Light.

A Ghostly Light is an entertaining paranormal cozy mystery.  The book contains good characters and the beautiful setting of San Francisco.  Mel is a nice, strong female character with foibles that make her feel real.  Mel is having issues with heights since her brush with death on a roof in the last novel.  She is trying to overcome this weakness, but it is slow going (especially since she refuses most suggestions).  I did feel that it was a little overplayed in the story.  It was mentioned a few too many times.  I enjoyed the humor provided by Mel’s family.  It lightens up the story.  Mel has such a great, diverse family (very lifelike).  I am rating A Ghostly Light 4 out of 5 stars.  The writing is good (as always), but the pace was a little slow.  There is quite a bit of information (historical facts, character backgrounds) injected into the story that slowed down the flow.  Included in A Ghostly Light is the murder, ghosts, treasure map, protestors, Mel’s issue with heights, Landon not being liked by all family members, various construction projects, and Mel needing a dress for the ballet.  There is some repetition of information (needed to be eliminated).  The identity of Thorn’s killer was a cinch to figure out.  I could discern it before Mel left Lighthouse Island after the murder.  The mystery of female ghost was appealing, and I was curious to see how it would unfold.  I especially liked the treasure (something I would cherish).  A Ghostly Light is the seventh book in the series, but you can read it alone.  Readers are given all the necessary details needed to enjoy A Ghostly Light (though I have enjoyed reading all the books in A Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series).   I look forward to the next book in this engaging series.

Juliet Blackwell's next book is A Magical Match which will be the ninth book in A Witchcraft Mystery series.  It will be out in the Spring of 2018.  I will be reviewing The Wives' Revenge by Lindsey Hutchinson next time.   May you have a fantastic and fun Friday!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader