Review
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 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.
Once you start this series, you will be unable to stop and will wait most impatiently for the next installment. This is my all time favorite series by Ms. Carolyn. And yes, I am impatiently waiting for book 4. lol
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