Saturday, August 27, 2022

Review: Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley

 


About the Book


Genre
Cozy Mystery, Paranormal

Format
E-ARC

Publisher
Better Beginnings, Inc.

Release Date
September 30, 2022


Synopsis from Goodreads:

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.

My Review

It’s time for another visit to the Snapdragon Inn where the library becomes a magical adventure.  Paige and her Aunt Glo are getting into the swing of things since inheriting the inn and discovering a library that takes you on all sorts of journeys.  The book club is getting ready to choose their next book.  This time it’s a mystery on a cruise ship heading for Hawaii.  Their exciting tale is about to begin when the crew suddenly find themselves aboard the cruise ship.  

When the group learns their book is set in contemporary times, they are happy so they can use their cellphones.  However, they are shocked that it’s a paranormal book complete with vampires.  They quickly meet all kinds of people.  Some vampires and some not.  Then, a dead body turns up and the book club has no clue who could have done such a thing, but when one of their new friends is accused of the crime, they know they have to jump into action.  Besides, the only way for them to return home is to solve the mystery.

This is such a clever series. I always want to feel like I’m transported into the story and this book actually transports the characters into whatever book they are reading. The cast of characters are a motley group to say the least.  Each one has their own quirks.  One of the members is a talking cat! What could be better than that for this cat lover?

I adore Elizabeth Pantley’s writing starting with her Destiny Falls series.  I love that one but I’m enjoying this even more. I gobbled it right up.  I felt as if I was on the cruise, and I finally got my trip to Hawaii that I always wanted! 

It’s a fast-paced mystery and a delightful book filled with quite a bit of charm.  The perfect escape for a few hours of fun.

Book #3 is set in the wild west and I’ll be here for it.  Can’t wait to experience my next trip with this entertaining book club.



For reading challenges:

The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2022
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2022 (Hawaii)
Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge 2022


FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.


3 comments:

  1. Wow, this sounds like a really fun series. It reminds me of The Magic Tree House series I used to read to my elementary school students. I'll start with the first one. I'm looking for a cozy with a travel theme. Would the first one in the Magical Mystery Book Club series be considered a travel theme?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Attractive and eye catching cover.

    ReplyDelete

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