The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait is the 7th Haunted Bookshop cozy/noir mystery by the pseudonymous duo writing as Cleo Coyle. Released 4th May 2021 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a well developed series with an interesting paranormal twist. Protagonist Penelope is in "contact" with the consciousness of a long departed police detective who was killed almost 70 years ago. The books are set up in a way that very very cold case mysteries from decades ago get intertwined with modern day mysteries and bookstore owner Penelope saves the day by resolving the past and the present.
The mysteries are often convoluted and a bit contrived but otherwise "fair-play". The characters are so distinct and well rendered that keeping them clear from one another is never an issue. I like the sort of noir-1940's vibe that Penelope's internal dialogue adds to the book. Although it's the 7th book in the series, the mysteries are completely self-contained and it works quite well as a standalone. This would be a good jumping-in point for readers who haven't read the previous books.
The language is clean, the violence is low-key and off scene. It would make a good commute or work read. I really enjoyed the tie-ins with period pulp fiction and artwork. Lots of fun. The authors have done their research on the era.
Four stars. Definitely worth a look for fans of cozy mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment