Publication Date: 08/06/2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425264270
ISBN-13: 978-0425264270
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Dawn Eastman on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Goodreads
Excerpt from Pall in the Family, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
The aptly named Crystal Haven is the destination for tourists seeking psychics, séances, and the promise of contacting the spirit world. In this small western Michigan town, everyone knows the Fortune family. Rose is gifted with tarot card readings. Her sister, Vi, is a self-proclaimed pet psychic. And Rose’s daughter Clyde is…
A cop. A cop on leave from Ann Arbor, more specifically, who’s come home to kooky Crystal Haven to reevaluate her life. Mom and Aunt Vi can’t wait for Clyde to finally embrace her own psychic gifts and join the family business. Clyde would prefer the low-stress lifestyle of a dog walker and the low-key company of her nephew, Seth.
But when a local psychic is killed, leaving behind a traumatized Shih Tzu, it seems to be in the cards for Clyde to get involved. With her old flame Mac leading the investigation, that may prove awkward. Whether she uses her skills as a cop or her long-denied psychic abilities, it’s up to Clyde to divine a killer’s identity before someone else suffers more misfortune.
Thoughts:
Dawn Eastman's first book in the new Family Fortune Mystery series, Pall in the Family is a kooky read from start to finish. With some unconventional characters and a female heroine named Clyde, how could she go wrong? Eastman's character development is exceptional and the incorporation of animals made this book not only fun to figure out but also, very entertaining. The psychic theme is thoroughly researched and adds another dimension to this charming whodunit.
Well to start off with, I'm not a believer in psychic phenomenon, ghosts, tarot readings or anything of the like. But, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the idea of those things and how they can be added to a story to give it a whole different perspective. In the case of Pall in the Family, I think Eastman does an excellent job with this aspect of the story. It is obvious that she has done her homework and understands the ins and outs of the psychic world. I loved the idea of psychics that specialize in animals and thought that was an added bonus.
I think Eastman's really strong suit here is her character development. She gives readers characters that don't fit the usual norms for the cozy sub-genre. Her heroine is a police officer who isn't quite sure that's the career for her. Clyde is one of a kind, but it's her family that's a little on the wacky side. Her mom, a tarot reader and her aunt, an animal psychic are full of hi-jinks and hilarity. I laughed a lot reading this one and had to admit, if I was going to see a psychic, these were the ladies I wanted to visit.
The animals in the story were also a big draw. A shih-tzu may hold the key to finding the killer and I thought Eastman really brought that out and made the dog a real character in the story. I liked the suspect list and the motives. Even though this one was definitely on the lighter side, the mystery aspect still packed a punch. Readers will be biting their nails trying to figure it all out. I admit it took me awhile with this one. I was right down to the wire picking who I thought it might be and then... I was wrong! LOL, love it when that happens.
Pall in the Family is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
After many years in Michigan, I now live in Iowa with my husband, son and daughter. When I'm not writing, or chauffeuring kids, I keep busy catering to the whims, of a bossy bichon-shih tzu mix who wants to rule the world.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 29th.
1. Please leave a comment describing an experience with a psyhic, a tarot reading, or anything just plain weird.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
19 comments:
I've never been to a psychic or had a tarot reading, so honestly, no strange stories here! Dawn's new book looks fun though, thanks for the chance to win.
I have never had a tarot reading nor visited a psychic, but believe that I have experienced strange feelings that are premonitions and intuition. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
i'm too chicken to dabble with tarot card readings or psychics......
but i'm willing to read about them in Pall in the Family!!!
thank you for the giveaway!!!
My parents took my to a psychic after my sister was killed in a plane crash. It was interesting but I still don't really believe in them. But the pet psychic I find fun. I'd like to know what my dogs are thinking.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
About a year after my Dad had passed away, I was making a left hand turn onto a major street by my house. All of a sudden I heard my Dad's voice in my left ear say, "Liza look out!". I looked to the left and there was a woman in a mini-van on her cellphone about to run the red light. I stepped on the gas and she barely missed hitting my car. The sad part was that she had a car full of kids and I could tell that they were all screaming because they thought they were going to hit me.
I've been to several psychics, a couple were great and a few were phony.
For a long time after my husband died he seemed to be with me on the golf course telling me which shots to take---and I played much better.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
never been to a psychic or tarot reading
Plain weird stuff happens to me quiet often. There was one time where I was watching Ghost Adventures with one of my brotherss and the guys were asking questions to the "spirits" and I heard someone whisper something in my ear in response to their question. Only there was no one else awake in the house and my brother was a good 6 feet away from me. I of course ignored it and played dumb, lol
I just picked up this book to read, so I will not be entering contest.
I did have a tarot card reading once when I took a trip to New Orleans. It was an interesting experience. She has made some true predictions but most were for when I am older so we'll have to see if it all comes true.
She did have a beautiful set of cards though. She told me they had been passed down in her family.
I have a 90 year old friend who is a psychic. She has been featured on local tv for solving many crimes.
lag110 at mchsi dot com
My cousin and I had our cards read and all most all of her stuff was right on . For mIne some of it was and some of it wasnt.
I have never been to a psychic or had any kind of reading. The closest that I have come is a machine at the New York's World Fair that anaylzed handwriting. It just told what characteristics you have but made no predictions.
My grandmother did read tea leaves and made several calls to my aunt who flew a lot to tell her to change flights. She did keep my aunt from being on two flights that later crashed.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
This sounds like it might be an interesting series. Thank you for doing this giveaway.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
I had my palm read many years ago by a girlfriend's mother. None of it came to pass. I have had some family ghosts hang out now and again. My partner's maternal grandmother felt she had to stay behind to keep watch over us for many years. She'd take laddered tights and roll them up and put them back in the drawers. She watched over the kids until they were into their teens, and then decided we were good to go and went to her reward.
My best friend is a life long psychic and she helped me with a spirit that was living in my home. After she did the home was very peaceful again. I am a firm believer in the spirit world.
I've never been to a psychic or had a tarot reading but I would still enjoy this book. I find this subject very interesting!
My mother and I used to call each other at the same time to talk about the same things. We lived over 1000 miles apart but our thoughts were very close.
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