Amazon UK
Title: Mystery at Maplemead Castle
Author: Kitty French
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 17th March 2017
Rating: 5 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate pecan cookies come with a helping of sabotage.
Maplemead Castle is crawling with ghosts, and the new owners need them gone. When Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency arrive on scene, they quickly identify the troublemakers swinging from the chandeliers… literally.
A century ago, stunning trapeze artist Britannia Lovell plunged to her death, and has done every night since. But did she really just fall, or was there something more to her demise?
Forced to work with Leo Dark, her scoundrel ex, and infuriating, irresistible reporter Fletcher Gunn, Melody’s investigative powers are under strain (i.e. lost in a pink mist of lust and confusion). She needs her team on top form, but best friend Marina’s cake pipeline goes AWOL, assistant Artie’s distracted by a giant sausage roll, and the pug is scared witless by a lion.
Somewhere, hidden in the castle, is a heart-breaking secret, but what will it take to find it? And is there a chance it could set Britannia free, or is she doomed to repeat her last fateful act forever?
Easily one of the funniest books I've ever read. There is so much about this book that just hit my funny bones in the right way and the amount of times I was giggling out loud to myself was great.
I never knew ghostbusting could be so much fun, maybe I should go watch that film! In fact until I started reading these Chapelwick Mysteries, I never realised I could potentially enjoy a story which featured ghosts. And its the way that the ghosts are portrayed that makes my skepticism towards all things supernatural stay at bay while I read this book.
For Melody Bittersweet is just an ordinary girl, but with a rather extraordinary ability, as she introduces herself in book 1, she states "I see dead people". It just so happens she see the ghosts that surround us all as living beings, and she can converse with them as though they are still living. Of course to her friends she looks as though she is talking to herself, but luckily at her Ghostbusting agency, Marina her best friend and new friend Artie are quick to back her up and offer assistance as they try to solve the mysteries that keep some ghosts routed to the here and now, instead of free to go wherever is they are meant to!
Now in Mystery at Maplemead Castle there aren't just human ghosts that Melody has to deal with, there is a rather unusual ghost called Goliath, who I loved Melody, and also Leo (a rival ghosthunter)'s first encounter with . For the ghosts in question that are causing havoc at Maplemead castle are a ringmaster and two trapeze artists, and Goliath is a ghostly lion!
One of my favourite scenes involves Lestat, Melody's pug who has never really seemed to notice ghosts before, has an encounter with Goliath. I was laughing my head off at it, and just one of so many amusing moments. Pretty much anything Melody says while she is around skeptical reporter Fletcher Gunn is funny, as she can't seem to think straight. There is undeniable chemistry between them, despite Fletcher thinking Melody is a charlatan!
It was great to be reunited with characters from The Skeletons of Scarborough House, and although this is book two of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. The mystery in this book is not related to the previous, and all the relevant details for the recurring cast are repeated, so that newcomers can know all the useful informations about them.
I loved meeting the ghosts in this book, and their story was really enjoyable. I also loved the renewed rivalry between Leo and Melody, and also Melody and Fletcher, and Fletcher and Leo...all around fun with the interactions between the three.
Overall I just found Mystery at Maplemeads Castle to be a highly entertaining story, from a series I can't get enough of, and is a series I would urge you to take a chance on if you like laughing, are interested in ghost busting, mysteries or all around fun story writing, great dialogue and just slightly over the top characters!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Thank you also to everyone that took part in last weeks voting, especially Kim Nash, Holly Martin, Kitty French and Sheryl Browne for such an amusing evening on twitter while you all were campaigning for this or Sins of the Fathers.
Just a quick note to say the vote will be back, but is taking a temporary break while I sort out my current health issues..nothing too serious but enough to make sorting extra bits for the blog a bit painful at the moment.
I never knew ghostbusting could be so much fun, maybe I should go watch that film! In fact until I started reading these Chapelwick Mysteries, I never realised I could potentially enjoy a story which featured ghosts. And its the way that the ghosts are portrayed that makes my skepticism towards all things supernatural stay at bay while I read this book.
For Melody Bittersweet is just an ordinary girl, but with a rather extraordinary ability, as she introduces herself in book 1, she states "I see dead people". It just so happens she see the ghosts that surround us all as living beings, and she can converse with them as though they are still living. Of course to her friends she looks as though she is talking to herself, but luckily at her Ghostbusting agency, Marina her best friend and new friend Artie are quick to back her up and offer assistance as they try to solve the mysteries that keep some ghosts routed to the here and now, instead of free to go wherever is they are meant to!
Now in Mystery at Maplemead Castle there aren't just human ghosts that Melody has to deal with, there is a rather unusual ghost called Goliath, who I loved Melody, and also Leo (a rival ghosthunter)'s first encounter with . For the ghosts in question that are causing havoc at Maplemead castle are a ringmaster and two trapeze artists, and Goliath is a ghostly lion!
One of my favourite scenes involves Lestat, Melody's pug who has never really seemed to notice ghosts before, has an encounter with Goliath. I was laughing my head off at it, and just one of so many amusing moments. Pretty much anything Melody says while she is around skeptical reporter Fletcher Gunn is funny, as she can't seem to think straight. There is undeniable chemistry between them, despite Fletcher thinking Melody is a charlatan!
It was great to be reunited with characters from The Skeletons of Scarborough House, and although this is book two of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. The mystery in this book is not related to the previous, and all the relevant details for the recurring cast are repeated, so that newcomers can know all the useful informations about them.
I loved meeting the ghosts in this book, and their story was really enjoyable. I also loved the renewed rivalry between Leo and Melody, and also Melody and Fletcher, and Fletcher and Leo...all around fun with the interactions between the three.
Overall I just found Mystery at Maplemeads Castle to be a highly entertaining story, from a series I can't get enough of, and is a series I would urge you to take a chance on if you like laughing, are interested in ghost busting, mysteries or all around fun story writing, great dialogue and just slightly over the top characters!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Thank you also to everyone that took part in last weeks voting, especially Kim Nash, Holly Martin, Kitty French and Sheryl Browne for such an amusing evening on twitter while you all were campaigning for this or Sins of the Fathers.
Just a quick note to say the vote will be back, but is taking a temporary break while I sort out my current health issues..nothing too serious but enough to make sorting extra bits for the blog a bit painful at the moment.
This sounds so funny. A real giggle
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