Review - The Mystic and the Missing Girl

 Vikki Vansickle has worked as a bookseller, children's book author, and publishing professional with Penguin Random House Canada. Currently, she lives and writes in Toronto and hosts a book segment on a national morning show.

"Small town secrets, a reluctant psychic, and a cold case that could expose them all."

Author: Vikki Vansickle

Copyright: Sept 2026 (Minotaur Books) 336 pgs

Series: 1st in Drew Benson Psychic Mysteries

Sensuality: Some swearing sprinkled throughout, mild seduction

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy mystery, Amateur Sleuth, Mystical touches

Main Character: Drew Benson, psychic and owner of "Good Vibrations"

Setting: Modern day, lakeside hometown of Stanfield (In Canada I'm guessing)

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review/NetGalley

Book Blurb: "Drew Benson can read tarot cards and get impressions from objects—she just never expected to use her gifts to investigate an infamous cold case.

Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn’t tapped into since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved disappearance of a local teenager. Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque lakeside hometown.

But when Drew's arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those years ago, it’s Drew’s ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery. With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain—finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt’s name, and a second chance at belonging—could change everything."

My Thoughts:

Drew Benson was a touch of a wild child in small town viewpoints. Returning to the small town after the death of her  famous psychic aunt it was inevitable to cross paths with many from her checkered past. 

Hannah Mystic has crossed over but seemed close as the twenty year anniversary of the case she couldn't solve brings a reporter doing an article about the missing girl and the psychic involved. 

Gigi is Drew's "ride or die" best friend since childhood and is the sort of friend we all wish we had. Drew is happy to be in the same town with Gigi, but not her old disastrous and wealthy boyfriend Foster Banks. Drew struggles with seeing him again.  Then there is the reporter digging up the past, Nick Campbell, a former classmate who spurs Drew to go through her aunt's old notebooks about the case, drawing her into the investigation.  I can't leave out the shop-cat, Willow, as she would never forgive me.

The setting is unobtrusive for the most part, like a watercolor background providing some soft color but not very memorable of itself. The basic plot of a TV psychic providing clues of "lake, saint, gardenia" for the missing girl's location and twenty years later the town is still bitter and blames said psychic for the girl never being found as the reporter digs up the past is a great setup. It provides tension in the town (which is the memorable setting) towards Drew and her shop along with a difficult cold case mystery. 

The pacing is well constructed to keep reader interest and I had a hard time not reading all night and day. 

The reveal had a final twist that also was logical and probable. Hannah's psychic clues finally all fell into place. The scene was slightly tense, mild for me but also more likely.

The wrap-up was particularly well done and I loved it. Overall I would say this debut is stellar on all points, there isn't anything I would change and no parts I would do differently. Well done and dare I say... fun.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

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Mystery Movie Review - Kiss the Girls

 This 1997 movie was based on James Patterson's best-selling 1995 novel of the same name. It has neo-noir touches within a psychological thriller framework.  Four years after "Kiss the Girls," a film adaptation of another in the Alex Cross novels "Along Came a Spider" was released in 2001 where Morgan Freeman starred as Cross. 

Later, the franchise was rebooted with a 2012 adaptation of the novel Cross, titled "Alex Cross," starring Tyler Perry rather than Morgan Freeman. Currently there is a television series titled "Cross" on Paramount+ or Prime Video starring Aldis Hodge from "Leverage."  The television series thus far has 4 award wins & 20 nominations.

     

What it's about:

Washington D.C. Detective and forensic psychologist Dr Alex Cross is devastated to learn that his niece, Naomi, a college student in Durham, North Carolina, has been missing for four days. He pulls some strings to tag along with the Durham police investigation

In a parallel plotline, Dr. Kate McTiernan - a doctor and kickboxer - is abducted from her home becoming the latest victim of the "Casanova" kidnapping spree. She wakes up in a stone-walled room sick from the knock-out drugs her abductor used and discovers that other women are held captive with her, including Alex Cross' niece. 

Kate overpowers Casanova with her kickboxing abilities during one of his visits and escapes running through the woods. She is later found and taken to a hospital. Before long, Cross and Kate join forces to hunt down "Casanova" and rescue the remaining captive women.

      

Taglines:

A detective is searching for a deadly collector. His only hope is the woman who got away.

Smart Girls. Pretty Girls. Missing Girls.

      

Cast:

Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross Ashley Judd as Kate McTiernan Cary Elwes as Nick Ruskin Brian Cox as Chief Hatfield Tony Goldwyn as William Rudolph Jay O. Sanders as Kyle Craig Gina Ravera as Naomi Cross Roma Maffia as Dr. Ruocco Jeremy Piven as Henry Castillo William Converse-Roberts as Dr. Wick Sachs Writer: James Patterson and David Klass Director: Gary Fleder

Rated R  1 hour 55 minutes

      

Rotten Tomatoes and critics reviews:

35% critics, 62% audiences 

Critics were mostly critical while audiences appreciated it more for its entertainment value.

     

Noteworthy awards or rankings:

1998 Satellite Awards:

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Drama: Ashley Judd nominee

      

1998, 1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards:

1999 Favorite Actress - Video:  Ashley Judd nominee

1998 Favorite Actor - Suspense: Morgan Freeman nominee 

1998 Favorite Actress - Suspense: Ashley Judd nominee

1998 Favorite Supporting Actor - Suspense: Cary Elwes Nominee

        

Trivia (from IMDB & others):

• Principal photography began on April 16, 1996  and was completed on July 10. The film was shot two weeks on location in North Carolina on the streets of Durham, in nearby county parks, and outside a Chapel Hill, North Carolina residence. 

• The police station was constructed in a downtown Durham warehouse.

• The majority of filming occurred in the Los Angeles area, with locations including the Disney Ranch, The Athenaeum at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, a house in the Adams historic district of Los Angeles, and on the campus of the University of Southern California in University Park. 

• Designed by American production designer Nelson Coates, the majority of the sets, including the tunnels and underground chambers, were constructed in sound stages on the Paramount Studios lot. 

• The film was not shown in some theaters in central Virginia at the time of release, due to the unsolved murders of three teenage girls in the area. This decision was out of respect for the families and surrounding communities. The murders were eventually solved.

• Ashley Judd took kick-boxing lessons from stuntman David Lea before filming. She insisted on doing many of her own stunts, but the studio finally put its foot down when she wanted to leap off a 150-foot waterfall. A stuntman, wearing a wig, made the jump instead, narrowly missing the rocks as he plummeted through the falls to the water below.

My Thoughts:

Great cast in this thriller. The book went into more graphic violence which, thankfully, wasn't included in the movie. It does have toned down and minimal violence. 

I have to hand it to the two lead stars. Morgan Freeman brings what could be a very dry role (a forensic psychologist isn't very sexy or flashy) skillfully handling making the character smart and compassionate, a touch cunning, but above all very human. Ashley Judd delivers in this difficult role of a smart and successful woman dealing with PTSD and guilt over escaping without the other captives. It's a dichotomy that takes skill and I feel her portrayal was deftly done.  

I also have to say that the movie aged well (in my opinion) as I recently re-watched it. I felt I picked up more of the nuanced acting and gained a new appreciation. It is atmospheric, the cinematography gives it the noir mood with some tension and Hitchcock-esque building of suspense. The music, while not stellar, is effective and appropriate without overpowering scenes. I don't know if this movie was par for the moment it came out but re-watching it in today's movie landscape it shines a bit brighter or I just love older movies.

There are twists to the storyline to keep it interesting, the final twist providing a gripping climatic crescendo. I appreciated that as much as I do a tense killer reveal/confrontation in books.  

I know it isn't perfect, and you can view it with a critical eye and find those imperfections, or go into it for the entertainment value and have a good movie night.  I don't think the movie was ever aiming for an Oscar, rather an engrossing time, pure escapist movie time. Mission accomplished in my opinion.

       

Please share in the comments your thoughts on this movie. I would love to hear from you.

          

Movie Trailer:

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Review - Monster in the Moonlight

Annelise Ryan is the bestselling author of the highly popular Monster Hunter Mysteries (Berkley), the hilarious Mattie Winston Mysteries (Kensington) and the Helping Hands Mysteries (Kensington). Annelise Ryan is a pseudonym for Beth Amos, who also writes the Mack's Bar Mysteries (Kensington) as Allyson K. Abbott. As Beth Amos she has three stand-alone thrillers that were published by HarperCollins and two self-published paranormal thrillers. Beth is a recently retired emergency room RN living in Wisconsin.

"A fascinating and complex novel that will appeal to both mainstream mystery lovers and fans of paranormal mysteries. Ryan has created a unique character in cryptozoologist Morgan.”—Library Journal

I read the first in the series a little while back, but didn't read the ones in between it and this fourth entry.  That didn't impact my following and understanding the storyline. Read on to see what I think. 

1) A Death in Door County (click here)  

Author: Annelise Ryan

Copyright: Nov 2025 (Berkley) 330 pgs

Series: 4th in Monster Hunter Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild, mature topics

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth, cozy mystery

Main Character: Morgan Carter, owner of the Odds and Ends bookstore and a Cryptozoologist

Setting: Modern day in Door County, Wisconsin

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review/NetGalley

Book Blurb: "When a dead body turns up along a lonely country byway in rural Wisconsin, rumors of The Beast of Bray Road, a werewolf-like creature that is said to inhabit the area, are reinvigorated. For years locals have reported sightings of the terrifying creature, but this would be its first verified attack.

Marks on the dead woman’s body indicate a mauling by some kind of large animal. The wounds plus deep scratches on the victim’s car convince the community that the legendary beast is not only real but responsible for this brutal killing.

If the police have any hope of solving this crime, they’re going to need an expert—enter cryptozoologist Morgan Carter. She’s investigated sightings of eerie creatures throughout the upper Midwest. If anyone is going to track down the killer, it’s Morgan, but she may find that the Beast is not the worst thing lurking on Bray Road."

My Thoughts:

I like Morgan, she is an interesting mix of practical but not dismissive of paranormal. She tries to find logical explanations but she is open to their being cryptids if proven to her satisfaction. She is a bit stubborn at times.

In this outing she works with a different policeman. Detective Wyatt Moorhead from the town of Elkhorn. Wyatt is tall, dark, and handsome but Morgan is hoping her detective boyfriend, Jon Flanders, and her can patch up their relationship. I like Wyatt, he seems a good cop who helps people and I hope he makes appearances in further books.

I love how the author can make scenes eerie and tense just using the setting and a few elements. The mystery plot is good with a few twists nicely done. The pace is done so well I was riveted to the pages. 

The killer was revealed without threats or gun fire, no dash to get away either. It was done to be a surprise to the reader, but I had a strong suspicion and was right. Not because it was obvious. Also, Morgan solves what the sightings were!  I really liked the wrap-up as it will change a few things, but I think for the better.  I am really looking forward for the next outing.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

Just for fun, here is a short video on the legendary Beast of Bray Road.

____________________________________________

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Mystery Movie Review - Zodiac

 This 2007 movie was based on the nonfiction books by Robert Graysmith: Zodiac (1986) and Zodiac Unmasked (2002). Graysmith was a cartoonist working for the San Francisco Chronicle when the Zodiac murders started.  

The Zodiac is an unidentified (unless you believe Graysmith's books) serial killer who murdered at least five people (he took credit for 37 murders via letters) in the San Francisco Bay Area between December 1968 and October 1969. 

The Zodiac attacked three couples and a cab driver in Benicia, Vallejo, unincorporated Napa County, and the city of San Francisco. Two of the Zodiac's seven victims survived. From 1969 to 1974, the Zodiac sent over twenty letters to newspapers, police, Chronicle reporter Paul Avery, and attorney Melvin Belli.

What it's about:

Even though the books the movie is drawn from are non-fiction this isn't a documentary. It is a fictional portrayal of what the author, Robert Graysmith (who worked the the San Francisco Chronicle), personally did over several years to find evidence that points to one man.  

The movie is a drama/police thriller that gives a picture of the police in several jurisdictions and the Chronicle reporters efforts and the suspects they pursued but were never able to gather solid proof. 

Tagline: There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer.

Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith

Robert Downey Jr. as Paul Avery

Mark Ruffalo as Inspector David Toschi

Dermot Mulroney as Captain Marty Lee

Chloë Sevigny as Melanie

Anthony Edwards as Inspector William Armstrong

Brian Cox as Melvin Belli

John Carroll Lynch as Arthur Leigh Allen

Director: David Fincher

Writers: James Vanderbilt & Robert Graysmith

Rated R  2 hour 37 minutes

Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images

Rotten Tomatoes 90% 

Noteworthy awards or rankings:

3 wins & 71 nominations

    

Trivia (from IMDB):

• The murder victims' costumes were meticulously recreated from forensic evidence that was lent to the production.

• The film starts and ends with real-life Zodiac survivor Michael Renault Mageau's character.

• The producers hired a private investigator to track down the real-life Zodiac survivor, Michael Renault Mageau.

• Bryan C. Hartnell: the real-life survivor of the Lake Berryessa attack appears as an extra alongside his wife in the background of the scene where Marty Lee suggests to David Toschi that he take some time off work.

• When Mark Ruffalo met David Toschi, the investigator he plays in the film, he was very impressed to learn that Toschi had perfect recall of every detail of every case.

• David Fincher, screenwriter James Vanderbilt, and producer Bradley J. Fischer spent 18 months conducting research into the Zodiac murders. They interviewed witnesses, family members, suspects, retired and active investigators, the only two surviving victims, and the mayors of San Francisco and Vallejo.

• Nancy Slover, the Vallejo operator who took the first Zodiac call, was asked to help provide voice direction by selecting an audio recording of readings by various, unidentified actors. After selecting the recording that sounded closest to Zodiac, it was revealed that she'd selected a reading by John Carroll Lynch who plays prime suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen.

     

My Thoughts:

This is a thoughtful movie that builds an atmospheric San Francisco in the grip of fear during the murders.  It isn't a car chase-shooting-explosions type of movie. It provides realism in the work that went into the investigation on both the police, reporters, and Robert Graysmith's part plus the toll on their personal lives.  

The tagline gives the theme away: "There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer." It's referring to how Robert Graysmith (portrayed by Gyllenhaal) becomes obsessed with finding proof of who the killer was which takes a toll on his new marriage. Even Police Detective David Toschi (portrayed by Ruffalo) has professional problems because of the case.    

Adding up all the gathered evidence, although mostly circumstantial, does point to one man. I tend to think that primary suspect really was the killer. At the end of the movie, just before credits roll there is this statement: "...authorities scheduled a meeting to discuss charging [Arthur Leigh] Allen with the murders. Allen suffered a fatal heart attack before this meeting could take place... He [Robert Graysmith] claims he has not received a single anonymous call since Allen's death."

I found this movie on many lists for best murder mysteries or thrillers. I put off watching, thinking I didn't want to see a gory serial killer tale. I finally gave in and watched it, and I'm glad I did. 

It doesn't focus on the gore much, but rather the horror showing just enough to get the cold-blooded murders across without feeling you're bathing in blood. It had several scenes that were quite tense that added some scares. I found the script very well done, so much so that the 2 1/2 hours didn't seem that long. The cast was excellent in their roles and the cinematography was A+, even the music really set the tone well. I recommend this movie for adult audiences.

     

Please share in the comments your thoughts on this movie if you've seen it. I would love to hear from you.

Movie Trailer:

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Review - Murder at Somerset House

"Andrea Penrose is the USA Today bestselling author of Regency-era historical fiction, including the acclaimed Wrexford & Sloane mystery series, as well as Regency romances written under the names Andrea Pickens and Cara Elliott. Published internationally in ten languages, she is a three-time RITA Award finalist and the recipient of numerous writing awards... Andrea fell in love with Regency England after reading Pride and Prejudice and has maintained a fascination with the era’s swirling silks and radical new ideas throughout her writing career. She lives in Connecticut." Website

Check out my prior reviews of books in the series:

1)  Murder on Swan Lake (click here) 

2)  Murder at Halfmoon Gate (click here)  

3)  Murder at Kensington Palace (click here)   

4)  Murder at Queen's Landing (click here) 

5)  Murder at Royal Botanic Gardens (click here) 

6)  Murder at the Serpentine Bridge (click here) 

7)  Murder at the Merton Library (click here) 

Author interview (click here) 

I have adored this series since it's very beginning. Let's see how the ninth in this series has held up over the years. I somehow didn't notice the eighth book release, so I missed that one but it didn't impact my enjoying this book.

Author: Andrea Penrose

Copyright: Sept 2025 ( Kensington Books) 369 pgs

Series: 9th in Wrexford & Sloane 

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy, historical amateur sleuth

Main Character: Charlotte Sloane, a satirical cartoonist under the name A.J. Quill and the Earl of Wrexford

Setting: Regency Era, London England

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb: "Beyond the gilded ballrooms and salons of Regency London lurks a sinister web of intrigue and deception, and when a murder occurs within the scientific community, Lord Wrexford and Charlotte are the perfect pair to unravel it . . .

A welcome interlude of calm has descended on Wrexford and Charlotte, though with three lively young boys in their care and an unconventional circle of friends and allies, quiet rarely lasts long. And sure enough, in the dead of night, an old acquaintance appears and asks for help. His

brother-in-law has been accused of murdering a fellow member of the prestigious Royal Society at their London headquarters, Somerset House.

Wrexford agrees to investigate, and with a little unexpected help from their young charges, discovers that what seemed a simple case may be part of a darker, more dangerous plot, where science, money, and politics collide. A mysterious new technical innovation threatens to ignite a crisis throughout Europe, with frightening consequences for London’s financial world.

There is also personal upheaval for Wrexford and Charlotte, when a shocking secret from the past brings a profound change to their family, testing the bonds of loyalty and trust as never before . . ."

My Thoughts:

I love all the characters. Charlotte and Wrexford are cohesive, Raven and Hawk are blossoming and Peregrine has settled in well.  Great Aunt Alison is a delight.  Kit Sheffield is Wrex's best friend and newly married to Lady Cordelia. Both are practically family as well.  But this family unit will be shook by the events that will unfold. Von Munch, frenemy with questionable loyalties, plays a role in this outing, too.

As always Ms. Penrose is excellent at the sense of place and Regency era London jumps off the page with the glitz and the grime. The plot seems simple enough but gets some twists mixed with the complexities of the British stock market. Plus Napoleon's escape from his island prison to plot revenge against Britain make this interesting and intriguing.  The pace kept me interested throughout. The exciting killer confrontation takes place in fantastically atmospheric ruins of an abbey!

Overall another excellent entry in this series.

One thing I found irritating was how the writing would jump to a completely different scene without any indication or warning. Suddenly you are reading about different characters than the sentence before and it really throws the reader off track.  This happened throughout my ebook and would jar me out of the story.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

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