House of Ashes: A Haunted Bluffs Mystery
Supernatural Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (November 13, 2018)
Hardcover, 336 pages

Synopsis

A family patriarch’s dying proclamation, an enigmatic disappearance, and a century-old curse converge in the shadows of a majestic home on Cape Cod’s craggy coast.

Thirty-seven-year-old painter Cassandra Mitchell is fourth-generation to live in the majestic Battersea Bluffs, a brooding Queen Anne home originally built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations. Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it’s by malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter―but now she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband.

Salvation seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property with the promise of companionship and much-needed help―until they vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities. Cassie is devastated, but determined to discover what’s happened to the young couple…even as digging into their disappearance starts to uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police―as well as an FBI agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism―Cassie can’t help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her family’s dark curse destroys everything in its path?

Review

There are some days I want to read a suspense filled book and this one did the trick. There were so many stories to unravel, personal histories to understand, and a mystery to solve that I had a hard time putting this book down each night.  I also can’t discount the descriptive words of the town, Battersea Bluffs, the residents in the town, and the area in general.

The story starts off 80 years in the past with the deaths of Percy and Celeste, Cassie’s Great Grandparents that came to the US from England.  Throughout the book we get glimpses of the past which helps us understand the spirits in the home and Cassie’s quest to find the truth about her ancestors, her sister, and her newest friends that have disappeared.  The crux of the book focuses on Cassie’s new friends, Ashley and Vince, who have suddenly disappeared.  Is there foul play involved?  Did they leave on their own accord?  Are they even who they claim to be?  Cassie formed a bond with Ashley and Vince, even if she really doesn’t know the truth about them and their past, so when they vanish she is concerned about them and their safety especially since they left their dog behind.  As a dog lover, I would have thought exactly the same as Cassie, that something has happened because they loved Whistler and wouldn’t leave him behind.

The book moves at a somewhat slower pace which is good and bad.  Good because it layers of the mystery are peeled back like an onion, but bad because I wanted to know what the heck happened to Ashley and Vince!  There are several other minor mysteries encapsulated in this book – why Cassie’s sister Zoe won’t come back to Whale Rock?  Who is behind an art purchase?  Is the house haunted or are the spirits friendly?  What is the real story of the supposed curse on the family?  All of these play a minor part in the story and some even tie in to the disappearance.

There is a little bit of a romance too between Cassie and FBI agent Daniel, but she also has a past with a deadbeat ex-husband and a high school love that she has a fling with when she realizes the marriage is dying.  There is also Brooks, aka Chuckles, who has a thing for Cassie but also dated her sister in high school.  That kind of makes him off limits in Cassie’s mind.

I will admit that Cassie does not have her life together at 37.  Sometimes you just have to wonder how people like her make it this far in life, but at the same time wonder if there is an underlying psychological issue that is the root cause of her actions.

Many questions are answered in the book with some twists I didn’t expect and we might not have known if Cassie didn’t push for the truth from those she questioned about her family and the past, and about her missing friends.

We give this 5 paws ups for keeping us in suspense for the whole book!

About the Author

An author of fiction, Loretta Marion’s writing bridges the genres of mystery and suspense and women’s fiction, always with hints of romance and humor, sometimes delving into the psychological and paranormal. She creates strong but flawed and struggling characters as appealing as the rich atmospheric settings in which the stories take place.

Loretta is a true bibliophile and has loved reading and creating with words since she was a young girl. And that affection for the written word followed her like a shadow throughout her life as she put pen to paper crafting marketing and advertising copy, educational brochures, and newsletters. But her passion for writing fiction evolved from the unlikely world of hospice. As a volunteer, she set out to establish a Legacy Story program to honor and preserve the rich heritage of the fascinating people who were soon to leave this world. The meaningful experience inspired her to create her own interesting characters and stories. Her debut novel, The Fool’s Truth, was a twisty and suspenseful mystery with whispers of romance. Her newest novel, HOUSE OF ASHES – A Haunted Bluffs Mystery, is the first in a series published by Crooked Lane Books.

Though born and raised in the Midwest, Loretta fell in love with New England and has made it the setting for much of her writing. When not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book. Loretta lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their beloved Mr. Peabody, a sweet, devoted and amusing “Corgador” (Corgi-Labrador cross).

Website * Facebook * Pinterest

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway