The Ghost and the Stolen Tears is the 8th Haunted Bookshop cozy mystery by Cleo Coyle. Released 4th Oct 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in mass market 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. Bookstore co-owner/amateur sleuth 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.
This installment sees the past and present collide around a very valuable parure which has disappeared from a local celebrity's hotel room. Soon murder complicates the situation and Penelope can't just leave it alone since the incompetent local police have her friend and sometimes employee Norma in their sights as chief suspect.
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 theatre. Lots of fun. The authors have done their
research on the era. It's *very* light and readers must bring a prodigious suspension of disbelief to the story.
Four stars. Definitely worth a look for fans of cozy mysteries. Since there are 8 books extant in the series at this point, it would make a good choice for a binge/buddy read. They can be read in any order and work well as standalone adventures.
No comments:
Post a Comment