The Book of Beloved (Pluto's Snitch 1)

Ms. Haines once again delivers a captivating story. The Book of Beloved held my attention from beginning to end. I would recommend this story to mystery lovers, especially those that like paranormal activity mixed in the story.

Carolyn Haines has written the kind of story I absolutely adore--a Southern Gothic ghost story full of twists and turns and hair-raising encounters with the unknown. This is a series I know I will devour.

Strange story. The lead character is in her 30's (I believe) and just finds out that she has a psychic gift. Bizarre! For someone with psychic powers, she certainly was naive. I knew who the "bad guy" was early into the book. No real twists to the plot. I probably will not read another of Carolyn Haines' books.

If you were a fan of Barbara Michaels' book, "Ammie, Come Home" then "The Book of Beloved" will more than ensure you a wonderful read and I was delighted to find it's the first in a new series. Raissa is a great addition to the world of investigators proving again that a woman can think for herself without a man so "she doesn't have to worry her pretty little head about it" which at the time in the south was what was expected. She's educated, smart and above all not afraid of anything. I can't wait for the second book to come out so I can enjoy Raissa's further adventures.

Growing up in Lucedale, there weren’t many mysteries in the daily life of a young Carolyn Haines. As a child of the 1960s in rural Mississippi, she had plenty of time to ride her bike, play with her brothers and enjoy childhood.

That didn’t slow her imagination, though, as she listened to her grandmother’s ghost stories and read mystery after mystery stories. That love for the unknown and unseen has stayed with Haines, resulting in a prolific writing career with more than 70 books in different genres under her belt. She is best known for the Mississippi Delta “Bones” mystery series featuring crime-solving Sarah Booth Delaney and a match-making ghost named Jitty. Haines also writes under the pseudonyms Caroline Burnes, Lizzie Hart and R.B. Chesterton.

Haines is still seeing ghosts in her latest, “The Book of Beloved,” a gothic tale set in the 1920s around a Mobile, Ala., plantation following World War I. It’s a tale of what happens when past secrets can no longer stay hidden.

Raissa James is a young widow invited to visit her uncle Brett Airlie’s recently purchased estate, Caoin House. She’s ready to shake off her mourning garb and start a new life, perhaps as a ghost story writer. As Raissa quickly learns, there’s plenty of inspiration in the dark history that haunts Caoin House, a pre-Confederate War mansion built as a romantic gesture. It’s a past that includes too many deaths and too few answers.

The ghost of a Confederate soldier leads Raissa down winding roads of mystery, danger and misery. Despite the outwardly trappings of wealth, horseless buggies and southern manners, a darkness has its hold on Caoin House. Bringing its secrets to light is no easy matter, not even with the help of Reginald Proctor, a self-proclaimed medium. Raissa and Reginald, soon nicknamed Pluto’s Snitches, are determined to identify the estate’s ghosts and learn why they linger.

Adding to the mystery is a family photo album, known as the Book of Beloved, filled with haunting images from past generations. Who are those people, and what circumstances do they represent?
Everyone seems to be holding onto secrets. That includes her uncle and his fiancé Isabella Brown as well as Robert Aultman, a soon-to-be suitor Raissa meets on the train to Mobile; Winona and Travis, the estate’s housekeeper and caretaker; Pretta Paul, a local candy-maker and new friend; and her uncle’s attorney, Carlton McKay.

“The Book of Beloved,” the first book in Haines’ new Pluto Snitch series, is not a typical ghostly tale. Thanks to her extensive research, the author touches on many issues of the time, including slavery, bigotry and secret societies. However, what really sets this novel apart from others in its genre are the Haines’ storytelling skills. They are smooth as an aged bourbon, but chilling as a pair of eyes glowing in the nighttime swamp.

No matter what setting or cast of characters, she creates pictures with words. With “The Book of Beloved,” Haines writes with subtle, yet defined shades of black, white and gray, allowing readers to picture another time, one that’s not what it appears to be, and to feel the shock when the past and present collide.

With the first “Pluto’s Snitch” mystery fresh on the shelves, Haines took a break from the animal/horse rescue she runs to answer questions about her Mississippi ties and inspirations.

You were born in Lucedale, and now live in Mobile. What keeps you tied to your southern roots?

I’ve thought about leaving the South many times, especially when elected officials make really bone-headed choices. But this is my land. I know the trees and soil and woods and creeks. My memories are here. I’m a person who puts down really deep roots, and I’m a country girl at heart. I have an animal rescue with horses. I take care of them, and I love that connection to the creatures and to the land. I hate the summers in the Deep South, but the winters sure are a lot easier than those in colder climates.

You were a journalist for many years. What got you started on that path, and how has that influenced your writing career?

My parents were journalists, and I grew up in the business. I believed if I wrote the truth, people would change and do the right thing. I was a little naïve. But journalism continues to bring me a number of gifts. First and foremost, I learned to write every day and to write on deadline. I learned to be professional about my writing. I don’t procrastinate - well, at least not a whole lot. I was exposed to thousands of things the average person doesn’t see or know about. And I was one of the first female photojournalists in the South. I was part of a world that had been largely confined to men. It gives you a different perspective.

Most of your novels include a circle of trust, whether it is with co-workers, friends, family or a community. Have you experienced that growing up and living in the South?

I have. I have been blessed with good friends. Really good friends. My family is small, but I have a lot of friends. And journalists are generally a very trustworthy bunch. Or they were when I worked in that profession. We believed our job was important - to be the watchdog of the community. It was never about money. Journalists were notoriously poorly paid at that time. It was about holding elected officials and those in power accountable for their actions.

You’ve written more than 70 novels, including the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries, Christmas anthologies and southern gothic. Which is your favorite genre?

I love Southern gothic, mystery or thriller. I love a certain type of horror that is not bloody or gory. And I also love humorous stories. My favorite genre depends on the skill of the author.

You have a dark side, complete with pen name R.B. Chesterton. Why the name change? It feels as if another person takes over in the pen in some of the novels. How do you switch from the lighthearted fun of Sarah Booth to the ghost-seeing characters in “The Book of Beloved” or “The Darkling?”

I went with initials and a name change to be sure my readers didn’t get an unwelcome surprise. Those who love Sarah Booth may not want to walk on the dark side. And there is a perception that horror is a male genre. I don’t agree, but I thought it might be interesting to try a name that could be male.

I have this crazy idea that each story is a gift. It’s up to me to tell the story to the best of my ability. The story is what it is - mystery, Southern fiction, whatever. So I don’t always control the switch in genre. I just write the story I’m given to the best of my ability.

Several of your earlier novels that featured the town of Jexville, and its descendants are among my favorites. Will there be more from that line?

I am working right now to reissue those three books set in Jexville. I’m hoping late fall. I believe they’ll find new life with a re-release. There is just so much to do! Life is just very exciting right now, but I could definitely use a clone.

Raissa James is a schoolteacher in Savannah, still grieving the loss of her husband in World War I. She is visiting her Uncle Brett, in Mobile, Alabama. While there, she decides to use her talent as a writer, informing any and all that she wants to write ghost stories. But what she also discovers about herself is that she has a talent for seeing and hearing ghosts...

When she departs for Mobile, she meets Robert Aultman on the train, a charming and handsome stranger, and finds out he is also headed to Caoin House, her uncle's estate. When Robert dies while at the party given in her honor, she wonders why he was somewhere he never should have been in the first place. While her decision is to find out more about him and how he died - she thinks it might have been murder instead of the accident the doctor proclaimed - she discovers the house holds old secrets, and someone would rather they weren't known.

I felt that the book began well, and I enjoyed reading it for the most part. I actually like books that mix fact with fiction, but this book was...different. The historical references that were mixed in seemed more like 'moral lessons'. Unfortunately, every time I was deeply engrossed in the book, I was given another 'moral lesson' on society, and that pulled me back out, which greatly decreased my enjoyment. History I enjoy, but preaching in a novel has never sat well with me at all.

I really wanted to like this book, but there were so many situations that just didn't seem believable to me, which I won't go into here. I also felt that there were many questions that were left unanswered (ones I would like to have known the outcome). Still, this was interesting enough to be a good start to a new series that left us with a tantalizing ending to the next book.

Full Review: [...]

Raissa James is a wonderful new character for Carolyn Haines. The 1920s setting is perfect for this ghost story. Seeking her own independence from the strictures of her time, Raissa stumbles on a dark secret in her uncles old antebellum home. The author creates an atmosphere of suspense and foreboding that keeps the reader turning the pages into the night. She has created a cast of characters that are complex and have a haunting melancholy about them.

THE BOOK OF BELOVED by Carolyn Haines
The First Pluto's Snitch Mystery

It's 1920 and Raissa James is about to take a journey which will change her life forever. The young widow has taken her Uncle Brett's offer to visit him at Caoin House. It's no secret that Caoin House is haunted, in fact it makes the perfect setting for Raissa who aspires to be a writer, a writer of ghostly tales in particular. But are the spirits a danger to the living? When Raissa's new gentleman friend falls to his death from the roof during a party it's declared an accident. But could he have been pushed? If so, by who? A person or a ghost? What is the truth behind the dark legends of the estate? Will more people die as the spirits of Caoin House try to keep their secrets hidden?

THE BOOK OF BELOVED starts slowly, enveloping you in the summer heat of the south, lulling you into a sense of complacency. I began to wonder if the book was really a mystery and as I continued I felt it becoming more of a Gothic novel than a mystery. But then I found the mystery and indeed THE BOOK OF BELOVED is a multilayered set of mysteries rooted in a Gothic background.

Set in the American South in 1920, the book shows both the grandeur and graciousness of the time as well as the hatred and bigotry. It holds a mirror up to today's society showing the harsh realities and vicious atrocities faced by everyone who isn't a wealthy white man.

I really loved this first Pluto's Snitch mystery. The combination of mystery, Gothic novel, and historical detail create a fascinating story. While I don't read horror, I do enjoy a good Gothic and Carolyn Haines provides plenty of chills and scares without going overboard. Richly developed characters, both living and dead, inhabit the pages while the slow revelation of the truth behind the legends of Caoin House provides added intrigue and suspense.

THE BOOK OF BELOVED is as deliciously creepy as the stories Raissa hopes to write. Imbued with a decadently Gothic atmosphere this novel also takes an unflinching glance at the social and political issues of the time, civil rights in particular, while delivering an intriguing mystery.

[ I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]

"Somehow everything was linked together. It was a matter of unraveling the ball of string."

And what a ball of string this is! Raissa James, WW1 widow, "bluestocking" teacher comes to visit her uncle, Brett Airlie, in Mobile Alabama for what he hopes might be an extended stay. Mobile is a town that hasn't quite caught up with the times. Raissa is an intelligent, forward-thinking woman, a want to be writer and champion of womens' rights. Is Mobile ready for her?

She stumbles upon many secrets and family lore while at Caoin House. Hidden within its walls are laments of the past that still affect the present. Carpetbagging, the Klu Klux Klan, the Antebellum separation of race, gender and class is juxtaposed with the busy port of Mobile, where the future is unloaded every day

During the party, someone dies, and Raissa keeps wondering why as well as how. Using her brain causes her to run across many hidden tales and understandings that the budding writer weaves into her own work. With her enquiries come further intrique that will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime.

This story is so much different that Haines' contemporary series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney and really shows the skill of a wonderful writer. Highly recommended.

The compelling, complex and darkly fascinating Book of the Beloved illustrates all over again just how talented and versatile the award-winning Carolyn Haines is as a writer. Beloved is a book you won’t be able to put down, Southern to the core, and it defies easy categorization (which the best books often do). Is Book of the Beloved a murder mystery? Or, is it a ghost story? A Southern Gothic? Is it a multi-generational historical tale that crosses decades between the Roaring Twenties and the War Between the States? The answer is: Yes. The Book of the Beloved is all that and more.

Haines handles the various elements in Beloved with a deft, expert hand and a strong voice that remains sharply original. She writes with a clarity that brings details and descriptions into focus, and remains devilishly complex—but in a very good way.

Haines, who knows how to weave the elements of a plot in a tight labyrinth, keeps the villain and the ultimate secret well hid till a startling and satisfying climax at the end. BE CAREFUL NOT TO READ THE PLOT SPOILER REVIEWS WHICH GIVE AWAY THE ENDING! Save yourself the pleasure of the surprise.

Book of the Beloved is Carolyn Haines writing at her best. This is a grand book to buy and enjoy. It is also the first in a new series, the Pluto’s Snitch mysteries, and at the very end of Beloved, Raissa is invited to Montgomery, Alabama by Zelda Fitzgerald in what is sure to be an exciting sequel. Hurry up, Carolyn Haines: we’re waiting for Raissa and Zelda’s adventure.

When I first started reading this book, I thought Carolyn Haines and no Sarah Booth Delaney? How can that be. Very shortly into the story, I found myself intrigued and mesmerized and wasn't even thinking about poor Sarah.

This was an excellent ghost story. I spent most of the time reading this with goose pimples. And all the twists and turns that went along with the ghost story. It was just crazy. I knew what happened to Robert early on, but I didn't know the whole story. I had definitely figured him for pond scum.

This is definitely not a book to start around bed time. However, it is one to pick up and start reading any other time.

I just want to say thanks to Carolyn for writing a really creepy book which I loved and thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Haines does it again! Her new series puts the “roaring” in the twenties with ghosts, romance, and exciting tension, all set in the beautiful Deep South. Having lived in both Savannah and Mobile for a score and more, I know she is spot on with her delivery of historical information. She captures the ambiance of both cities and their inhabitants perfectly. Her new series is a gripping tale that will keep you double-checking the shadows around you.

Raissa James, a young widow whose husband died in World War I, has avoided “taking up the reins of life”, because she would have to acknowledge that her husband was truly gone. Together, they shared a love of books, a regard for quiet time together, and a belief in the equality of women. She now falters at the confrontations that continuing the fight for the right for women to vote entails for a single woman. An invitation to visit her gregarious Uncle Brett in Mobile and participate in one of his charming house parties seems overwhelming. Challenging herself that the visit might help her “break out of the coffin of my own depression”—one of my favorite lines in the book—she boards the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in Savannah, and a true adventure begins.

When Raissa James' Uncle Brett invites her to Caoin House, an elegant mansion near Mobile, Alabama, it seems like an opportunity to try to forget her grief over Alex's death. Her husband was killed in WWI. They hardly had a chance to get to know each other before he was gone. In a further effort to pull Raissa out of her life as a teacher in Savannah, Uncle Brett arranges a gala celebration that ends in tragedy.

As Raissa learns more about the house, she realizes it has been the scene of tragedy from it's inception. The ghost of the lovely Eva, first mistress of the house, was murdered there, and is said to roam the halls. Raissa herself sees a Confederate officer standing in the oak grove beneath her window, and there are more frightening encounters with the ghosts.

The story takes place shortly after WWI. The South still felt the bruises of the Civil War and in places like Mobile, segregation was a fact of life. The author shows this problem well and Raissa and her uncle are good protagonists because neither believes in excluding blacks from the society, but they too have to live by the rules of the area. This is shown plainly when the Klu Klux Klan is involved in a lynching.

The characters are well done. Raissa is the typical modern woman in the wake of WWI. She wants more freedom to pursue a career. She hates it when she is relegated to second class by the men around her. The pace is good. The author cleverly releases bits of the old tragedy in doses that keep you reading to find out what happened. My only quarrel with the writing is that the dialog is sometimes stiff and can veer into an information dump when the characters are trying to explain paranormal phenomena.

If you like a good ghost story, I can recommend this one. It's best not to read it late at night.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

I agree with the other 3 star reviewers. The pace of this book is agonizingly slow. The murderer is obvious in the first few chapters of this overly long book. Although the characters have some definition none of the characters jump off the page and the action, what there is of it, is bland. Several times I came close to putting it down but the mystery of what's keeping the ghosts tied to the estate is what kept me reading. The writing and complexity of the mystery is good but you have to go through a drawn out slow as a slug read to unravel it. Not sorry I read it but be advised of the tedious nature of this book before you start it.

The story begins in Savannah, Georgia, with a young female school teacher, Raissa James, who lost her husband a few years previously in World War I. She accepts an invitation from her uncle to visit his mansion, Caoin House, outside of Mobile, Alabama. During her visit, she meets many around the estate, living and dead. She unravels the mysteries surrounding previous owners of the estate and how these secrets are still influencing those currently living in 1930s Mobile.

After reading numerous positive reviews about this novel online, I was excited to start on it. It's a mystery and historical fiction, two of the genres I love most. While The Book of Beloved certainly did not disappoint, there were some things that could've been better. The main character's reaction to seeing ghosts for the first time lacked verisimilitude, causing the beginning of the story to fall flat. Also, from the beginning I felt I knew who the villain was going to be.

There were also some historical inaccuracies that could've been fixed with a quick Google search. One example is the claim that women were still fighting for the right to vote in 1930, when in fact, the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920. The author also touches on social issues, such as women's place in society along with Civil Rights for African Americans and acceptance of homosexuals. While it's great that she touches on these things, it's done from a modern woman's perspective. Societies view each of these topics has progressed greatly since the 1930s, and it's unlikely that most people at that time would have our current views.

While there were obvious problems, I was still kept on the edge of my seat throughout the story. The twists and turns were fantastic, always keeping me guessing. I even had a few “Oh s***!” moments. There was also humor that I never anticipated. This series will certainly be one to follow, and I will also look up other books by this author. The Book of Beloved was a fun and easy read deserving of it's good reviews!

Post World War I ghost mystery set in Mobile, Alabama. Wow! This new series looks like it is going to be very exciting and stimulating. I think I'll be going to Wikipedia to check out historical aspects in the story. This one will have me researching Mobile, Alabama's role in the Civil War and the origins of the KuKlux Klan. The heroine Raissa James is very likeable along with the majority of the supporting characters. The ghosts, though, were very frightening due to the seriously dark secrets they were protecting. Raissa proved to be very brave in a fast-paced, exciting mystery.

Amazing, chilling story! So good it's hard to put down once you've started it! I was lucky enough to be a test reader for this before it was published. I just got done reading the published version, and still as chilling as the first time I read it! An amazing story set in the post-WWI era that reaches back to the Civil War. Raissa is an interesting protagonist. She's educated, smart, and witty who is a trailblazer of her time. She also has an interesting ability. Some parts are very creepy and hard to sleep if you read this at night! I had to read it during daylight hours! Haines is an amazing wordsmith with a true gift! A womderful, good old-fashioned ghost story expertly crafted to keep you reading to find out what happens next!

A mystery with some interesting motivations, twists and turns. Ms Haines paints the most wonderful word pictures and I've no doubt her research into that era is meticulous. The backdrop for this story gives us a glimpse into social and economical climate of the Deep South, post WWI. It is easy to forget how much has changed in such a short time in history. I am anxious to see where Mrs James' budding career as an author and "ghost whisperer" along with her forward thinking ideals takes her. Despite the book description saying this is but 5 pages long, it is a marvelous, full length book.

Raissa's husband was killed in the Great War soon after they were married. She has been living alone and teaching school since she became a widow and looks forward to attending a party her uncle in Mobile, Alabama is giving in her honor. His house is rumored to be haunted. Raissa is determined to unearth secrets from the past, but there are some, both living and dead, who are determined to stop her. Fans of Carolyn Haines's writing, and readers who like the Maisie Dobbs books should enjoy following this new series.

Classic Carolyn Haines- spooky, twisty, funny, and a terrific heroine in Raissa. As outlandish as some of the plot might be, Haines has a great writing style and an ability to keep you reading. If you haven't read her before, or it's been a while, this is a good place to start or renew your relationship. Thanks to netgalley for the arc. You will like this if you enjoy smart easy novels with a paranormal twist.

In her gothic mystery, Book of Beloved, Carolyn Haines has captured both the beauty and darkness of the early 20th Century deep South. Raissa’s adventures in the city of Mobile include romance and troubled ghosts that haunt her uncle’s beloved home. Haines brings them to “life” convincingly. You will never guess what the Book of Beloved really is! A delightful read!

I love Haines' stories. She brings to life the deep south, it's people and history. I gave this book five stars because it deserves it, but the missing pages in the Kindle version was very distracting. Had to just guess what went on in the blank spots. Hope this review is noted and something done to rectify the situation.

It’s 1920, and school teacher Raissa James, has just received an invitation for a grand house party at her uncle’s Mobile estate, Caoin House. Raissa, just 24 years old, had been widowed by the loss of her husband in the recent war. Raissa decides to accept her uncle’s invitation.

Arriving at the lovely estate, Raissa meets several people: including a young man named Robert Aultman, her uncle and his lady friend Isabelle, and attorney Carlton McKay. Raissa is interested in ghost stories and spiritualism, and is soon fascinated by stories about the past of Caoin House. She sees a mysterious figure that turns out to be the ghost of Eli Whitehead, builder of Caoin House. Raissa learns the tragic story of the death of Eli and his wife and child.

But the party is lively, and Raissa finds herself enjoying her visit--until it is marred by tragedy: the puzzling fall of Robert from the roof of the house. Raissa is drawn into a drama of exploration in which the past and the present seem oddly mingled.
Raissa, with her extraordinary ability to sense ghostly presence, embarks on a journey to deal with the deep hidden secrets of Caoin House and free the restless spirits therein. But for Raissa, danger is close at hand in the present.

This is an enthralling story, the first book in a projected new series. It is a most promising start. My thanks to NetGalley for making this book available for me to read and review. It was my pleasure.

Author Carolyn Haines has been writing her award-winning ghostly mystery series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney for more than 15 years; however, as I’ve never read a single novel, I have no basis for comparison, other than knowing that Delaney’s a modern single gal with a ghostly plantation slave as a sidekick. I have read Haines’ darker novel, Revenant, featuring the self-destructive reporter Carson Lynch, a novel I liked very much.

With The Book of Beloved, Haines begins a new series. Unlike the Delaney books, the protagonist, Raissa James, widowed by the Great War, goes home to try to move on. Instead, she’s faced with a murder and a ghost of her own. Unfortunately, Haines peppers The Book of Beloved with anachronistic attitudes toward women, blacks, and gays, which a better writer could more deftly handle, and most readers will guess at the murderer one-third of the way into the novel. Still, Haines weaves an interesting tale of selfish evil, past and present, that provides stretches of suspense. No one will confuse Haines with John Dickson Carr, Ellis Peters, Laurie R. King, Lindsey Davis, or Robert van Gulik, gifted authors who weave flawless historical novels; however, it’s still worth a read as long as you don’t expect too much.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story! The concept is so fresh, interesting, and really held my attention. I LOVED the twists and the creepy parts were classic Carolyn Haines style that held me by the throat in a strangle hold, locked into the story. Looking forward to what's to come for this new series.

As others have indicated, the story moved slowly, with a little too much detail. But I felt myself wanting to slog on to get to the mystery's unraveling.
There were a few things that bothered me, one was the use of the word "gay" for homosexual. That was not really in vogue in 1920, now was "native American" and both terms were used in 1920's dialogue.

Otherwise it was a compelling mystery and I enjoyed it.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would say this is a whodunit with a twist. The was such a quick and fun read. It has a little bit of everything. Historical, humor, and ghosts. Who could ask for more. Raissa is strong and determined woman to become a writer after the loss of her husband. She never imagined the tales she would discover on a visit to her Uncle's place. Unputdownable!

The suspense builds beautifully with this new book of spirits and earthly people who discover the dark secrets of the beautiful mansion, meant to be a wonderful home. Set in mid-century USA, the heroine has emotions to overcome and a life to build. I can't tell too much, because my desire is to write of the secrets - let me just say, very fun/creepy, but not the keep-me-up-with-fear creepy.

I had several issues with main characters of this book, but here are my primary concerns. First, the attitudes and perspectives of the Raisa character only make sense if you imagine a millennial college student from a liberal private college transported in time to Mobile, Alabama in the 1920s. She would be considered the proper and acceptable young woman of today, not the 1920s. Her attitudes were not only inconsistent with the era, but expressed with a lack of knowledge and moral consideration consistent with that era. Yes, there were flappers even in the South and advocates for womens rights, but such aspirations would have been more realistically expressed in terms of the moral values of the period, not as mere abstractions lifted from the 2000s. Many of the women who championed their own rights and those of African Americans did so at the threat of their livelihoods, safety, and families. They were real consequences, not just whether to simper if the dashing hero and villains chastised their decorum and manners. This book, as with many, fails the veracity test for historical fiction, which is to accept the constraints of history for the actors and not impose modernist values and attitudes on those characters.

Second, the main character's materialist observations were nearly obsessive. I know far more about what she thought of the beautiful clothes she wore, those found in the attic trunks, and the other female characters, as well as those on the figures in the pictures she found, than I know of the struggles and fate of a pivotal figure, other than he was a good candy maker and took care of his mother. But his fate is supposedly the turning point in the book.

Finally, the plot is unrealistic given the lack of development of the other principal characters, especially the villain. Would not some of the words spent describing clothing, "light" suppers, and "refreshing" beverages have been spent describing the turns of fate of the villain's family and how they had pursued and protected their advantage.

(My apologies regarding the spoilers if anyone read the earlier version of this review,)

Ms. Haines has done it again! Another winner, although very different from the " Bones" series. This book has constant twists and turns, making it difficult to figure out who did what until the last minute. I'm really hoping this book is just the beginning of many more adventures with Raissa and Reginald!

it was AMAZING! Every page was exciting it was an easy quick read with a twist on every other page. It is a mix of a war story, a love story, a ghost story and a murder mystery that all takes place in the 20's. Highly recommend this book.