Book Review: Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey

This is the last paranormal mystery for our Halloween book reviews and the book I listed for the "Fall-Winter Mystery Reading Challenge".  Dead Girls are Easy is the first in the Nicki Styx series.  I began with the first book in the series even though there are four in the series currently.  In this first installment I classify it more paranormal and much less mystery in the usual sense.  This is very close to urban fantasy lite and no real burning mystery with multiple suspects exists. 

Nicki Styx was unaware of a heart valve problem until she has a near death experience due to a heart atack.  Returning to her job and normal life she finds that the owner of the shop across the street from her vintage clothing store has been murder and her boyfriend arrested for the crime.  She sees the dead friend, Caprice, watching the police handle the crime scene.  Nicki is quickly being maliciously haunted and blackmailed by Caprice's spirit.  In trying to stop the malevant ghost Nicki finds herself hip deep in Jamaican Voodoo. 

There are some effectively scary scenes around the voodoo and its lore.  For those who don't like bed scenes with your mysteries, this maybe a little too steamy for you - although no graphic detail, the main action is all off page.  But there are many sexual references and body parts alluded to.  There are also many pop culture references such as music groups (which honestly - some I had never heard of.)  Perhaps the author is targeting a closely post teen audience rather than "mature" adults.   Sub plots consist of Nicki discovering she may possibly have a twin sister (Nicki was adopted), and a few sideline ghosts asking for her assistance, and her openly gay business partner Evan and his developing new relationship.

Nicki Styx is your classic bad girl who has had a wake-up call with her near death experience (NDE).  She is also the kind-hearted-underneath-it-all type inspite of her previous wildness.  Her NDE has definitely changed her more than just seeing spirits now.  As a main character, she grows on you.  Best supporting character goes to her business partner Evan.  Evan could very easily have been the stereotypical gay man cliche, but is better defined and just avoids the cliche status.  Evan is a dear-heart of a best friend for Nicki. 

The strong elements of this book are the romance and the paranormal, the mystery element is not a main story line in truth.  At the end you find out who really did kill Caprice, which was easy enough to figure out in the first few chapters because of Caprice's spirit giving it to the reader early on.  In any case, if you are looking for a good scary book for halloween - but not too scary with a heaping dose of steam, this is probably for you.

Obtained book through: Library


For your convenience, you may purchase a copy here.

Part of the Book Blog Carnival

See you next Monday for the next Musings post.  I wish you many mysterious moments!

All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Mystery Novels

We have seen many variations of this idea in posters. I think the first one I saw was titled “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum

Here is how it went:
“All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:

· Share everything.
· Play fair.
· Don't hit people.
· Put things back where you found them.
· Clean up your own mess.
· Don't take things that aren't yours.
· Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
· Wash your hands before you eat.
· Flush.
· Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
· Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
· Take a nap every afternoon.
· When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
· Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
· Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
· And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.”

I believe you and I can come up with the same idea except it is what mystery books teach us about life. I started with a few thoughts to get us started. I know there are plenty of creative readers out there, so show me by helping with this project. If we get enough actual interaction from you the readers, I will put it in a poster form and post it here for all of you to print out.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Mystery Novels

Mystery novels give us wisdom for life, insight into our human condition and valuable timeless lessons.
- Pets make us more human
- It is all about your growth as a character...er...person
- There is always another chapter to find the answers
- Interactions with others are what make the story...life interesting
- Truth and justice are never out of style
- Deep down people may not be who you think they are
- Everyone has a back story
- A lot can happen that is invisible to others
- Skeletons always come out of the closet at the worst time
- One person can make a difference

Now add the next line in the comments section.  Show me what you can do!


This project relies on reader participation, so give me a line to add. This is a great project for you mystery lovers out there.

Here is the resulting Everything I Really Need to Know I Learned for Mystery Novels. It is 8 X 10 for framing.


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Review: Divine Circle of Ladies Playing with Fire by Dolores Stewart Riccio

This is the fourth paranormal book review warming us up to Halloween. This is also the fifth book in the Divine Circle series and it is a no holds barred roller coaster ride. Warning: this book is about a crime fighting witch's coven for those who may find that objectionable. In the series we started with the five dynamic women tackling a serial killer, then the murderer of a local family, murderer of the residents of the rehab facility, a serial poisoner, and now they deal with a serial arsonist. The members of the Divine Circle are Cassandra (the Main Character) who runs an herbal business, wise woman and librarian Fiona, doll designer Deidre, wealthy animal advocate Heather, and television chef Phillipa. Each woman has her magical specialty: Cassandra has psychic visions which often leads them to their next case and she communicates with animals, Fiona is the groups "finder" with a pendulum, Deidre makes magical dolls and amulets, Heather makes magical candles, and Phillipa is scary accurate at Tarot readings.

The story is as much about the dynamics of women's friendships as it is about crime solving and their wiccan faith. In this installment the ladies are particularly challenged when an arsonist sets fires to animal filled buildings - the Fresh Meadow Stables and even an animal shelter. Young native american recurring character Thunder Pony - aka Tip (tracker par excellent) returns as well as Winifred "Freddie" who is a young psychokinetic whiz. The criminal arsonist is one of two men in town, each of which has a champion in the circle that threatens to tear the close friendships apart.

"A hooded figure slipped silently out of the dark pines and dashed toward the burning stable where horses were screaming in terror.  Firefighters, who had just roared into the stable's driveway and were jumping off their trucks, shouted at him but he paid no attention.  He ran swiftly and surely, never hesitating even when the heat and acrid odor of the fire hit him in the face.  As he sprinted forward, he stripped off his jacket and grabbed one of the hlaters hanging outside the bard door.  With the aid of the halter and the jacket as a blindfold, he pulled the first horse he encountered, a trumpeting stallion, out of the stable door to safety.  Someone grabbed the horse and led it into a fenced paddock, and the man darted back into the stable.  Three times he entered the burning building until the roof collapsed on the remaining animals.  When the shrieks and the stench of burning flesh had subsided, Fire Chief Mick Finn wanted to thank the hero who'd rescued three of the eighteen horses being boarded at the stable, but the man had disappeared into the woods from which he'd come."

Each Divine Circle story has a humanitarian outreach of the circle (Freddie was one such outreach in book two). This time out the circle takes in a battered woman to nurture and protect her from a sadistic ex-boyfriend.  Sylvia was sent to Cassandra by Patty Peacedale - a local pastor's wife and friend of the circle.

Cassandra may have discovered a way to spur her visions on demand, which has been an ongoing problem - now she just has to deal with seeing things she would rather not know. Tragedy will touch a member of the circle in this adventure and tears will flow. As spell wielding believers and passionate women they are tempted more than ever when the tragedy strikes to use their powers towards vengence and the reader feels their ethical struggle acutely.

This novel grabs you, surrounds you with these amazing women and historic Plymouth Massachusets so much you feel they somehow are your personal friends. When you reach the end of the story you feel empty - as if a lifelong friend has gone away. You immediately want to know when you will hear from your friends again (i.e. the next book is released.) This is the true magic of this series and this particular book. The author brings each woman alive, the setting is real in your mind's eye and the danger is palpable. The ending is of both main storylines are concluded to satisfaction.  Great read.

My only complaint would be several typos that the editing process missed. I find this a small annoyance compared to the sweeping drama of the book. Give this book a try, I think you will become a Divine Circle fan in short order.

Obtained book through: personal purchase


Until next Monday I wish you many mysterious moments.

Part of the Book Blog Carnival

You Tell Me!

Hello again my blogoshere friends,

First I would like to announce the winner of last week's give away:
sarrcbum who left a comment about Agatha Christie and her writing style.
sarrcbum please notify me with your physical address so I can mail the "I Read Banned Books" bracelet to you.

It is easy to write up little Musings for myself, but in the blogoshere it isn't just about the blogger - it is about community. You dear readers are my community that is forming. I desire to provide blog posts that entertain, inspire and inform you. But those are all subjective. I know what may entertain, inspire and inform me - but not you. I need you wonderful readers and diligent followers to share with me.

For today's Musings I want my readers to join in and tell me what content you enjoy the most.  What do you look forward to reading about?  What would you like to see more of on this blog in keeping with the theme?  Here is your chance to help shape this blog to meet your desires.  So loosen up those fingers and tell me what would make this a world-class-exciting-must-read-blog for you.  Please use the form below to give me your input.  I am really looking forward to hearing from YOU.

Until Thursday's book review, I wish you many mysterious moments!

Review: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

Lily Ivory feels that she can finally fit in somewhere and conceal her "witchiness" in San Francisco. It is in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of the Bay area that she opens her vintage clothing shop named Aunt Cora’s Closet, outfitting customers both spiritually and stylistically. She has not been in town long when the dark and dangerous Aidan Rhodes, leader in the local magical community, greets her with a housewarming present. Her powerful heriditary witchcraft has been noticed.  Lily is not happy to have the attention, even though Aidan is as handsome as he seems dangerous.

An elderly client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area. Lily has a good idea that the legendary spirit La Llorona is behind it. Lily starts snooping around to confirm her suspicion. She also tries to help Max Carmichael, a myth buster attempting to expose ghost-hunter scam artists. He does not understand her at all, yet she keeps saving him from dangerous situations.

Lily Ivory is a very powerful witch, but in this story she may be up against something more powerful than her considerable talent and skill. Even though she is resistant to seeking help, will she reach out to her employee’s women’s circle for help…or even Aidan?

To our right, I noticed a red sedan coming down the steep hill.  It seemed to be picking up speed, so I hurried a bit to get across the street and urged Maya to do the same. 

The car sped up.

We increased our pace and reached the curb on the other side.

Suddently the vehicle swerved to toward us.

I grasped Maya by the arm to get her attention.  We broke into a run and leaped over the sidewalk.

The car was still headed straight towards us.

Racing up the short driveway, we ducked into a small alley between the house and its neighbor.  A barred metal security gate kept us from going back farther than a few feet.   Maya and I plastered ourselves to the wall, huddling in the farthest corner.

The car careened into the metal garage cans, sending the heavy missiles sailing towards us.

A fraction of a second later we heard the terrible screech of steel on concrete as the car itself crashed into the buildings.  The force of the impact shook the ground.  Part of the nose of the car jutted through the opening between the two houses, coming to a stop a mere two feet from us.

Everything seemed to freeze for a moment...All I could hear was my own ragged breathing, and that of Maya.  We were clutching each other, squeezing our eyes shut.

Finally we looked up.  The grille of the car was close to us, far too close, trapping us between the walls of the houses and the metal gate at our backs.

We stood, still shaky, to peer inside the car.

There was no driver.  No one in the car at all.

I classify this new series as paranormal that is a cozy. It is too light and funny for an urban fantasy but has a strong spirits and witches element. There is plenty of humor and Lily is easy to like as she attempts to make real friends and let people into her otherwise isolated life.

Both Aidan and Max are potential love interests for the series and her employees and fellow shop owners In Haight are colorful characters. I felt the story had a strong ending with good drama as Lily and La Llorona face off. The author took a Spanish traditional legend and gave us a sinister evil. San Francisco comes alive, particularly the neighborhood where the children are disappearing. Good pacing, the story kept my interest and I did not want to stop reading it. This was an excellent first book in an exciting new series and I recommend it, and not just for a halloween read. The second installment, The Cast-Off Coven, is scheduled for June 2010 release and I am looking forward to it.

Obtained book through: Personal Purchase


For your convenience you may purchase a copy here.

Check back in on Monday for another Musings and until then I wish you many mysterious moments.