Review – Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley #cozy #mystery #paranormal #magic
Synopsis
Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic. They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.) Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likeable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show. When a dead body shows up on board, their new friend is labeled a suspect. Can they help him out by finding the real murderer? Or is he the real murderer? The book club will need to solve the case to get off the ship, out of the book, and back to their home.
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Review
This is a light, whimsical cozy that has such an intriguing premise – the characters are transported into a book to solve a murder. The book is written while they are figuring out the details, so there is no wrong or right way to investigate.
While it isn’t necessary to read the books in order, I think you will gain a lot more insight into the characters and watch them grow. Ok, so this is only book two, but I imagine there will be a lot more growth between now and future books, so start with the first book now!
Paige, Glo, and the gang have a new member in their book club, Million. He was ordered to join by a judge, and this isn’t the first time that has happened with one of the book club members. He is a cranky 82-year-old but has a lot to offer, especially once they arrive aboard the cruise ship to solve the mystery. I love that they can pick whatever book and setting and be transported there. In this case, their inn becomes the 20th floor of the cruise ship. That is a magical paranormal book for you; all rules are set aside.
I love the interactions between the book club members and the book’s characters. In this case, there are vampires on the cruise ship. This causes a stir when someone turns up dead, and it looks like he was killed by a vampire draining his blood. As you cipher through the book and the clues, when all is revealed, you might find yourself as surprised as I would by who the killer was and their motivation. Definitely not someone I suspected in the least.
I have loved everything that this author has written so far, and I would have been the first to tell you that paranormal-type books weren’t my preference. I have been converted!
I am looking forward to the next book in this series to see where they end up and since a book club member stayed in the book, who will be the new addition to the club?
We give this book 5 paws up.
About the Author
Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.
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