Carousels and Characters - A Review

Review

CAROUSELS AND CHARACTERS by Elizabeth Pantley
The Ninth Magical Mystery Book Club Mystery

Paige Erickson is just getting used to the fact that her best friend, who also happens to be her aunt, is gone. Not gone for good, but gone just the same  After an unexpected visit from her mom, who is her usual unhappy unaccepting self, Paige is more than ready for the Snapdragon Book Club's next adventure. Remembering happier times of her youth Paige picks a mystery set in a theme park. When the gang arrives Forrest is ready for the rides and Zell the food while everyone finds the animal themed park extraordinarily realistic. They soon realize their mission: to discover why things are disappearing-before the characters themselves cease to exist!

CAROUSELS AND CHARACTERS has the book club going to a very special theme park. Although I'm not one for wild rides myself, it was enjoyable seeing the various attractions here, and seeing some characters let their hair down and embrace some thrills. Me, I'll stick to the carousel. The mystery here is unique. There are no dead bodies, but pranks, some more dangerous and upsetting than others, that could lead to the end of the park and the creatures who live there as well. The ninth outing of the Snapdragon Book Club is set at a slower pace with few clues and an almost deus ex machina ending. Despite this, spending time with the gang is always enjoyable.

It's interesting to see the dynamics change with Glo gone and Cosmo now a part of the group. Paige no longer has another stable influence, nor her confidante. There may be an interesting development between her and Atticus. I'm not sure that would a good thing, but it would be nice for her to have someone to talk with about more serious subjects.

A theme park with unusual characters makes CAROUSELS AND CHARACTERS an entertaining adventure.

New Year Nuisance - A Spotlight

Since it's the first week in the new year I thought I'd shine a spotlight on New Year Nuisance by Tonya Kappes. This book is the fourth in the Holiday Cozy Mystery Series.

Blurb:

New Year’s Eve in Holiday Junction is always magical, with its annual Sparkle Ball lighting up the night and the Merry Maker spreading joy to residents and visitors alike. But this year’s celebration turns dark when notorious troublemaker Hillary Stevens is discovered murdered in the holiday town’s enchanting mini-village.

For Violet Rhinehammer, local journalist and secret Merry Maker, solving the mystery is more than a story—it’s a mission. But as Violet digs into the secrets surrounding Hillary’s untimely death, she must also juggle the arrival of her best friend, Mae West, who can never learn Violet’s hidden identity.

With a town full of suspects, buried secrets, and mounting tension, Violet races to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again. Can she protect her Merry Maker identity while unraveling the mystery, or will this New Year’s Eve end in disaster?

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Carousels and Characters by Elizabeth Pantley. This is the ninth book in the Magical Mystery Book Club series and will be released January 15, 2025.

Paige Erickson is just getting used to the fact that her best friend, who also happens to be her aunt, is gone. Not gone for good, but gone just the same  After an unexpected visit from her mom, who is her usual unhappy unaccepting self, Paige is more than ready for the Snapdragon Book Club's next adventure. Remembering happier times of her youth Paige picks a mystery set in a theme park. When the gang arrives Forrest is ready for the rides and Zell the food while everyone finds the animal themed park extraordinarily realistic. They soon realize their mission: to discover why things are disappearing-before the characters themselves cease to exist!