The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts by K.C. Tansley

 The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts

Book Summary

The key to my future is hidden in the past. But can I face the dark family secrets buried in 1591 and make it back in time to save everyone I love?

The Kingsley, Mallory, Radcliffe heirs and I (the Langley heir) journey to our family estates on a mission. We must each gather a unique ingredient tied to our family’s elemental abilities for a long hidden incantation that will reveal what bound our families together centuries ago.

Across the ages, I’ve seen firsthand how dark magic has attacked our families and grown more powerful every time it hurts us. We need this vicious cycle to end. Danger stalks us at every turn, and someone I love is kidnapped. I have no idea who took my loved one or where they went. But I know how far my enemies will go to prevent me from casting this spell, so I must do it.

The spell unexpectedly transports us back to 1591 England. To a time when our ancestors worked together with the Fitzgeralds to reseal an ancient evil, the Dark One. Can we unlock our families’ hidden histories and uncover how to fight this enemy, along with the Fitzgerald’s dark warlock back in our own time?

If you’re seeking magical family sagas that stretch across a thousand years and will keep you reading past midnight, love that endures for centuries, and exciting quests through time, join Kat on her next pulse-pounding adventure!

My Thoughts

I was tickled when I received a copy of The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts by K.C. Tansley, because  I was eager to learn what was going on with Kat and her friends (I wish responsibilities did not keep me from reading all day).  The story has mystery, magic, and mayhem.  Kat and her allies are working to defeat the Dark One and the dark warlock. Kat has been improving her powers, and she will need them along with all the knowledge the group can acquire from the past.  They need to discover the origin of their families’ magical heirlooms and so much more.  Kat must be brave in the face of such evil opposition and without someone she cares about to comfort her.  

The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts is the fourth book in The Unbelievables series.  This is a series that needs to be  read in order (trust me, it is better this way).  I was sorry when The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts came to an end.  I cannot wait for the final book in The Unbelievables series for the supernatural showdown between Kat and her allies and the Dark One with the dark warlock.  Hang on for a rollicking ride with The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts as the friends search for secrets, gather ingredients, get help from obliging ghosts, learn details about a destructive curse, deal with seal troubles, traverse through time, and struggle with a loss.

The Girl Who Trusted Ghosts is available from Amazon*.  You can read it for free if you belong to Kindle Unlimited.  The other novels in The Unbelievables series are The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts, The Girl Who Saved Ghosts, and The Girl Who Loved Ghosts (all three books are available through Kindle Unlimited).  If you follow K.C. Tansley on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new release.  Thank you for joining me today.  I am off to a doctor's appointment this afternoon (the trip is longer than the appointment).  The trip home allows me to run my errands (I pass all the places where I need to stop on the way home, so it works out well).   I will return tomorrow with the 3-Minute Prayer Jar Devotional:  Daily Inspiration for Women by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  I hope that you have a delightful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

*This post contains affiliate links. 

Secrets, Lies and Fireflies by Angie Fox

 Secrets, Lie and Fireflies

Book Summary

Verity’s grandmother returns to help Verity and Frankie solve a mystery that reveals a shocking family secret, as well as the heartwarming history of Verity’s home. This is one family reunion you don’t want to miss!

My Thoughts

Secrets, Lies and Fireflies by Angie Fox is a humorous story.  I always look forward to my yearly visit to Sugarland, Tennessee.  I can count on laughing often thanks to Verity and Frankie’s antics.  I like Angie Fox’s casual writing style which makes her stories easy to read.  There are great characters that include Verity, Frankie, Melody, Ellis, and the darling Lucy.  I could just envision Lucy in her costume, and I cracked up when I read about Ellis’s.  I loved reading about Verity interactions with her grandmother.  It was obvious how much Verity loved her.  We also get an opportunity to see what the house looked like before Verity had to sell off everything.  

The mystery was entertaining.  I liked that it involved the history of Sugarland. I found the fire devastating (the loss of books and historical documents).    I wish, though, that the guilty party had been less obvious.  This did not lessen my enjoyment (I devoured this story in a couple of hours).  There is a scene with Verity, Verity’s grandmother, and Frankie that had me laughing out loud.  The descriptive details allowed me to envision a certain person in my head which just made me laugh harder (I still giggle when I think about it—I do not want to spoil it for you by saying more).  Secrets, Lies, and Fireflies is the fourteenth book in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries.  While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this entertaining series in order because it will allow you to get to know Verity and Frankie (and understand their unique relationship). I was hoping that Didi, Verity’s grandmother, would have insights on how to free a certain gangster from Verity’s property.   Secrets, Lies and Fireflies is an amusing story with a blazing library, a gregarious ghostly grandmother, a curious key, peaches a plenty, a snazzy sweater, a costumed skunk, an updo hairdo, and an interesting history.  

Secrets, Lies and Fireflies is available from Amazon (make sure you have nowhere to go before you begin). Angie Fox has the 15th book Garters, Ghosts and Wedding Toasts coming out February 27, 2026.   You can find the other books in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries here.  If you follow Angie Fox on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for popping by today.  I will return on Saturday, March 8 with Amish Home Remedy for the Heart by Debra Torres.  I hope that you have a day filled with joy.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke

 A New Lease on Death

Book Summary

Death is only the beginning in Olivia Blacke's A New Lease on Death, a darkly funny supernatural mystery that introduces an unlikely crime-solving duo.

Ruby Young's new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.

Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she's kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.

Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can't solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn't kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can't, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. As the roommates form an unlikely friendship and get closer to the truth about Jake's death, they also start to uncover other dangerous secrets.

My Thoughts

I was looking forward to reading A New Lease on Death.  I liked the idea of a ghost and her living roommate working together to solve a mystery.  I found A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke to be a slow starter.   The pacing was unhurried and there were repetitive details (Cordelia zaps electronics if she gets near them, it is very cold in Boston, Cordelia died in the tub, Ruby has nosy neighbors with a morbid curiosity, the dead neighbor loved pizza, ghost abilities). The job duties for the front desk position at TrendCelerate are listed at least three times.  I did not warm up to Ruby or Cordelia.  I read A New Lease on Death, but I could not get into the story (I found myself struggling to get through it).  There are some fun, quirky elements (such as how Ruby and Cordelia communicated).  The mystery is lackluster.  It needed some zip and zing (a zap of electricity to bring it to life).  It is a simple whodunit to solve.  While the story is mostly lighthearted, it does touch on serious topics (murder, alcolhism, depression, suicide, domestic violence).  I did not feel that the sensitive topics fit into the story, and they should not be taken lightly.   The book ends with a cliffhanger. My interest is not piqued enough for me to pick up the next book in the series.  A New Lease on Death left me discontented.  

A New Lease on Death is available from Amazon*.  You can find Olivia Blacke's other books here. Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for Caught on Camera by Kara Lacey.  It is the first book in A Camera Club Mysteries.  I am off to fill out more paperwork for FEMA.  All this paperwork reminds me of when I worked for a nearby city government.  I hope that you have spooktacular day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you.  Thank you for supporting The Avid Reader.

Death at the Drive-In by Angie Fox

 Death at the Drive-In

Book Summary

For ghost hunter Verity Long, 'helping out a friend' can mean anything from passing the peas to solving a homicide. This time, it involves digging into a cold case that's been on ice since poodle skirts twirled and Elvis's hips shook the nation.

In 1956, Kitty Cunningham disappeared on the way to the Starlite Drive-In. Now the first real evidence of foul play is coming to light in the ghostly realm—and it links directly to a modern crime. Only a sleuth with one foot in the past can solve the mystery and make things right.

Armed with her wits and flanked by a wise-cracking gangster ghost, Verity explores the hidden side of 1950s Sugarland—from the haunting echoes of the abandoned drive-in to the dusty secrets of a long-forgotten mob vault. As she stirs spirits and secrets alike, she finds some corners of Sugarland’s history are darker and more dangerous than she ever imagined. Can Verity bring the truth to light, or will she be the next one to suffer death at the drive-in?

My Thoughts

Death at the Drive-In by Angie Fox takes us back to Sugarland, Tennessee where Verity and Frankie need to solve a cold case so they can save someone close to them.  The story was entertaining from beginning to end.  I laughed, giggled, and smiled.  Lucy, Verity’s pet skunk, is a sweetheart (she is a scene stealer).  I thought it was cute that Verity was teaching Lucy a scaled down version of a dog agility course.  Lucy is one clever little skunk.  Frankie is up to his normal mischief.  Verity’s backyard will soon be very cluttered (well, the ghost version will be).  The author brought the drive-in to life with her vivid descriptions.  It reminded me of my childhood visits to the drive-in with my family. We got to meet some interesting ghosts with my favorite being Verity’s old Sunday school teacher. 

Verity and Frankie had a clock on this mystery.  Things were kept lively (life is never dull with Frankie around) thanks to Frankie and the gangsters.  Someone unexpected joins Verity & assisted her with this spooky case. I was delighted (you will have to read the book to find out who) and enjoyed seeing a different side of this person’s personality. Frankie was a hoot (I loved his reaction when Verity requested his help on a clandestine mission).   We did not get to see much of Ellis this time around.  The one thing I did not like was the repetitive details (I got it the first time).  The ending was sweet and nicely wrapped up the story.  While Death at the Drive-In is the thirteenth book in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries, it can be read as a standalone.  Death at the Drive-In is an entertaining tale with a girlfriend dilemma, a shaky still, a cold case, gang grudges, a serious Sunday school teacher, a surprising sidekick, and a killer conclusion.

Death at the Drive-In is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries here.  The next book in the series is Secrets, Lies, and Fireflies which will be out March 7, 2025 (can you believe we have to wait a year!!).  If you follow Angie Fox on Amazon, they will send you an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return tomorrow with Just for the Summer by Melody Carlson.  I am heading out to run a few errands.  I hope that you have a blissful spring day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper

 Witches Get Stuff Done

Book Summary

Juggling newfound witchy powers, a house full of ghosts, and verbal battles with the handsome local librarian is almost too much for a new witch to manage. But falling in love with said librarian wasn't on her to-do list...

From the moment Riley Everett set foot in Starfall Point, magic bubbled inside of her. But with only her late aunt's journals and a cantankerous live-in ghost butler to instruct her on all things witchy—including her newly inherited Victorian haunted house—Riley seeks out a coven for sisterhood and support. The last person she expects to be drawn to is the town's frustrating, yet ridiculously attractive head librarian.

Edison Held knows almost everything there is to know about Starfall Point, but Shaddow House was always off-limits, thanks to its elusive owner. If he can convince the new owner, Riley, to let him take a peek inside, there's so much he could learn. But as he gets closer to Riley, he's fascinated by her dazzling wit and fiery spirit. Edison will do whatever he can to help Riley keep her family legacy alive, especially if it means spending more time with the captivating new witch in town.

My Thoughts

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper is a cute paranormal tale once you get past the beginning.  I have trouble reading about people tossing their cookies (and the author was really graphic).  I found the story to be easy to read, but the pacing is uneven.  It is hard to tell how much time is passing unless you are told. I also found there to be repetitive details.  I enjoyed most of the humor.  I did find some of it to be forced.  Riley Everett is a relatable character.  She has had a number of jobs over the years and none of them have suited her.  What she learned from all those jobs, though, may come in handy.  I enjoyed meeting the other residents of Starfall Point.  I liked Riley’s relationship with Alice and Caroline.  One of my favorite characters is Plover, the butler at Shaddow House.  I had to agree with Plover about Riley’s use of foul language (there was too much of it and it was unnecessary).

Edison Held is the opposite of Riley.  He is a bookish man who has multiple doctorates.  I understood his need to get inside Shaddow House (I wanted to explore it as well).  I did feel the romance between Riley and Edison happened too fast.  I wish they could have become friends and gotten to know each other before they moved on to tonsil hockey and hanky panky.  Shaddow House is an interesting abode (you could get lost on the way to the bathroom one night and it could take you hours if not days to find your way back to your room), and it is filled with special antiques.  I enjoyed learning about Riley’s gift.  The mystery added another element to the story.   I have a feeling the bad guy is right under Riley’s nose.  Of course, we will have to wait for the next installment to find out more.  Witches Get Stuff Done is a spirited tale with the sprawling Shaddow House, a blood thirsty doorknob, a spectral butler, a myriad of roommates, a fine-looking librarian, charmed mates, and a mystifying mystery.

Witches Get Stuff Done is available from Amazon*.  You can find Molly Harper's other novels here.  Here are some of the other books that were released today:  Seams Deadly by Maggie Bailey, Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue, Until Then by Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall, and A Royal Christmas by Melody Carlson.  I will return on September 12 with The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis.  It is the much-anticipated prequel to The Shunning.   My mother is under the weather, so I am taking the next week off from my blog which will allow me to devote more time to her.  I hope that you have a lovely week.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Spirit Girls by Dawn Merriman

 The Spirit Girls

Book Summary

“Where are you taking me?” Rylan follows the figure through the trees. The girl’s dark ponytail swings as she turns back, then walks on without answering. Deep in the woods, she disappears… and Rylan finds her body, mouth wide in a silent, final plea for help.

Rylan Flynn has always been able to see what others don’t—the restless spirits haunting Ashby, Indiana. She’s learned to live with her “gift” but sometimes she longs to escape.

The woods have always been a peaceful place for Rylan. But on a visit to her aunt’s cabin, she catches sight of a spirit in the trees. The ghost of a young woman approaches, leading Rylan to her body.

With a flood of horror, Rylan realizes that the girl, 

Celeste Monroe, has been murdered. An outgoing newcomer to town, Celeste had no enemies. Who on earth would want to see her dead?

When a coin carved with strange symbols is discovered in Celeste’s throat, it’s clear that a twisted, cold-blooded killer is at work.

Rylan’s abilities could be the only way to prevent further deaths. But Ashby’s handsome head detective, Ford Pierce, has made it very clear that he doesn’t want her help.

And any unexplained knowledge of the case could make Rylan the perfect suspect.

When another body is discovered and blood at the scene points to Rylan’s family, she is more determined than ever to uncover the truth. She must race against time to untangle a web of dark secrets… but can she find answers before the murderer claims another victim?

My Thoughts

The Spirit Girls by Dawn Merriman is the debut of A Rylan Flynn Mystery series.  Rylan Flynn can see ghosts that present themselves to her.  Her goal is to help them move on.  She pays the bills by filming what she does for her You-Tube channel.  Rylan is visiting her Aunt Val for breakfast when she sees a female ghost.   The ghost leads her to a body hanging from a tree.  It turns out to be the ghost’s body.  One of the responding detectives is Detective Ford Pierce who makes Rylan heart zing.  Ford does believe Rylan can see spirits, but he would prefer she not trespass (like she did the previous evening) and stay safe.  When Aunt Val ends up at the top of the suspect list, Rylan will do whatever it takes to clear her.

The Spirit Girls by Dawn Merriman is easy to read.  I wish the author had given us more information on Rylan and there were other questions I wanted answered (how she got her powers, her mother, what is in her brother’s old bedroom).  The plot never developed to its fullest extent.  The story had potential, but it did not reach it.  It just scratched the surface.  The paranormal element was light (I thought there would be more).  I wanted a tricky mystery, some scary moments, and a little humor.  I was able to solve the crime early in the story.  The twist was not a surprise.  The ending was expected.   The repetition of details was not needed (the whispers through the walls at home, Rylan’s dead mother, Rylan’s attraction to Ford).  I wanted a surprise or two, more paranormal, less romance, and a more challenging mystery.  A Rylan Flynn Mystery series has potential, but it was not achieved in The Spirit Girls.  The Spirit Girls is a paranormal tale with lost souls, a dishy detective, an accused aunt, a horrific killing, and a sassy spiritualist.  

The Spirit Girls is available from Amazon*.  The Spirit Girls can be read for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited member.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return on Thursday, May 11 with The Letter Reader by Jan Casey.  I am off to put up my Memorial Day decorations outside.  I hope that you have a spirited day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Dread and Buried by Angie Fox

 Dread and Buried

Book Summary

Dead men tell no tales.

Until they meet ghost hunter Verity Long.

Verity Long is proud to say she gets along with just about anybody—dead or alive. But she’s put to the test when her well-meaning boyfriend and her sweet-as-pie sister con her into a remote island “double date” weekend with her sister’s new flame and Verity’s long-time nemesis, Alec Duranja.

Her plans to avoid the uptight police officer go up in smoke when the four of them team up for a weekend treasure hunt competition based on the island’s legendary pirate past. And it doesn’t take long for Verity and her team to discover more than game clues. Someone is using the game to dig up real pirate gold...and they’re willing to kill to keep it.

There’s no escaping the island or the game. And when the killer targets someone Verity loves, she realizes she’s the only one who can uncover the truth behind the legend. She must stay one step ahead of the dangers of the island and two steps ahead of Frankie’s new ghostly pirate buddies—all in a race against time to solve a centuries-old puzzle and take down a real live killer before he strikes again.

My Thoughts

Dread and Buried by Angie Fox is an amusing paranormal mystery.  I laughed often while reading about Verity and Frankie’s latest adventure.  I felt for Verity.  Verity loves her sister, Melody.  Melody’s birthday wish, though, was hard one for Verity to agree to.  Verity and Ellis were invited (like she could refuse) on a weekend double date to a remote island (Phantom Island) with Melody and her boyfriend (Verity’s nemesis), Alec Duranja.  The weekend gets off to a rough start when Verity runs late after forgetting Lucy’s favorite toy.  Melody waits until they are on Phantom Island to inform them the weekend is a treasure hunt, and they are competing against three other teams.  One team is particularly ruthless.  The foursome soon discovers that someone is searching for more than the game's prize.  Verity believes the island’s legend about buried treasure could be true.  She will need to keep her wits about her to stay ahead of the bad guys as well as Frankie and his new pirate chums.

I quickly devoured Dread and Buried.  Verity Long is a great character and so is Frankie.  I did miss Lucy in this book.  She is staying with a friend while Verity is away.  Frankie was not as present in this story.  He popped up now and then when Verity called for him.  I missed his witty repartee.  Alec Duranja is a character that grows on you.  Melody sees a different side of Duranja (who knew the man owned a dog), and she wants Verity to get to know him.  I thought the books she gifted Verity and Duranja were hilarious.  The mystery is fun.  While I found it easy to solve, my mother only solved part of it before the reveal (my mother could not wait to get her hands on this book).  I did find it odd that Melody would date someone who shows such antagonism towards Verity especially considering how accepting and supportive Melody is of Verity’s gift.  Dread and Buried is the twelfth book in A Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries.  It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading this delightful series in order.  It will allow you to get to know the characters and Verity’s journey (her struggles and triumphs). One of my favorite lines from Dread and Buried is when Frankie says, “Is that a pirate ship in the distance?  he demanded, giddy as a goat in clover.”  Another is when Verity says, “There was something about a mystery that always puts a spring in my step.”   Dread and Buried is an entertaining tale with an isolated island, an infuriating nemesis, a thrilling treasure hunt, sweet skunk earrings, troublesome twin contenders, bothersome books, an unforeseen find, a frustrating Frankie, a precious parrot, and a vexed Verity.

Dread and Buried is available from Amazon*, Nook, and Kobo.  The audiobook will be out on June 6.  Here is a link to read an excerpt from Dread and Buried. You can find the other A Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries here.  You can follow Angie Fox on Amazon and receive an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return on Tuesday, April 25 with Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams.  It is the sixth A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novel (and my favorite).  There are several good books coming out next Tuesday (I have been up late reading every night).  I hope that you have an entertaining weekend.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Steeped in Secrets by Laura Elliott

Steeped in Secrets

Book Summary

Flat broke and divorced, intuitive gemologist Shay Myers has changed since leaving her artsy hometown of coastal Bray Harbor sixteen years ago. But when she moves back under strange circumstances, old instincts may be the only key to spilling the tea on a deadly mystery.

 

Even with her life in ruins in New Mexico, Shay feels uneasy about settling into the small seaside town where she grew up on California’s Monterey Peninsula and taking over an estate bequeathed to her by Bridget Early, a woman she had barely known. Her heightened senses—an empathic gift she’s had since childhood—go into overdrive upon touring Crystals & CuriosiTEAS, Bridget’s eclectic tea and psychic shop brimming with Irish lore and Celtic symbols. They reach a boiling point when Shay looks up to discover a stranger’s body sprawled across the shop’s greenhouse roof . . .

 

With her new business a crime scene and questions brewing over Bridget’s so-called accidental death, Shay fears she’s also inherited the attention of a killer. The terrifying realization sets her on an impractical investigation for answers aided by her sister, an elusive pure-white German Shepherd, a strikingly handsome pub owner who speaks in a gentle brogue, and a misunderstood young woman with perceptive talents of her own. As Shay struggles to figure out her true purpose in Bray Harbor and the powerful connection she has with the tea shop, she must trust her judgment above all else to identify a ruthless murderer and save herself from becoming victim number three.

My Thoughts

Steeped in Secrets by Lauren Elliott is the debut of A Crystals & CuriosiTEAS Mysteries.  Shayleigh “Shay” Myers returns to Bray Harbor, California with her life in a disarray.  Her ex-husband cheated on Shay, swindled her out of her jewelry store, and has ruined her reputation as a gemologist.    Shay has inherited Bridget Early’s shop and beach cottage, but she does not know why Bridget left them to her.  Shay is touring the Crystals & CuriosiTEAS with the realtor when they discover a man dead on the roof of the greenhouse.  Shay does not like how Sheriff Frank Burrows is railroading the local pub owner.  She decides to do a little investigating to see what she can uncover.  Shay gets help from her sister and Bridget’s special dog named Spirit.  She also uses her empathic gifts in her quest for the truth.

I enjoyed reading Steeped in Secrets.  Shay is an interesting character.  I liked learning about Shay and her special gift.  I have a feeling we have just scratched the surface.  There is an eclectic cast of secondary characters that includes the charming Liam who owns the pub next to Shay’s shop.  I enjoyed the descriptions of Bray Harbor.  The mystery was interesting, but I wish it had not been so easy to solve.  I enjoyed following Shay as she searched for clues and asked questions.  Her special gift guides her along with Spirit, Brigit’s dog (now Shay’s dog).  Shay still has questions regarding her inheritance and her ancestry.  We will have to wait for the next book to learn more.  My one negative comment is I was not fond of the repetitive details (I got it the first time).  Steeped in Secrets was a fun book to read.  Steeped in Secrets is a spirited tale with a smarmy ex-spouse, enigmatic inheritance, an appealing pub owner, a dishonest sheriff, a mysterious dead man, and empathic capabilities.  

Steeped in Secrets is available from Amazon*.  Lauren Elliott has Dedication to Murder coming out April 25.  It is the 9th A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery.   You can find Lauren Elliott's other novels here.  Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on Amish Holiday Vendetta by Laura Scott.  I hope that you have a fascinating day.  I am off to work outside on my Christmas decorations.  I am doing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree with Santa (Santa singing into a microphone, Santa playing guitar, Santa with a boombox). I also have a small snowman band to go with it as well as a snowman playing a saxophone.  I am hoping it will turn out.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.