Wednesday, September 2, 2015

SECOND TO NUN: A Giulia Driscoll Mystery by Alice Loweecey

Giulia doesn't believe in ghosts.  Of course, she doesn't believe in mediums either.  But when a medium tells a lady that she must hire Giulia to lay a ghost to rest, she listens.  Then she says no.  However, the size of the retainer check makes her change her mind.  After all, she and Frank haven't been on vacation since their honeymoon.  Why not spend a week at the Stone's Throw Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast?

Henery Press and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published September 22nd, so check with your bookstore then.

I'm always fascinated to read fictional stories about nuns.  I remember the sisters from grade school and some of them were very good detectives.  They could also be very sneaky.  So I have no problem seeing them as a private investigator.  After all, they understand discretion.

Giulia is an ex-nun.  The psychic people in this story describe her as the Veiled Woman.  She doesn't wear one anymore so she wonders how they know.  She'll be wondering a lot more before the story is through.

There's a rumor of hidden gold and there are folks who would like own the lighthouse themselves.  Are the ghost sightings from imagination or are they a trick from one of the mercenary guests?  There's a fire, a message left in blood, and more than one accident before the wicked ones become apparent.  Even then, they are determined to murder the old woman once they get the information they need.

This is a well told story with psychic elements, lots of theatrics, and evil in more than one place.  It kept me reading.  I especially liked the romance between Frank and Giulia.  He's an Irish cop, she's an ex-nun, they're both older and they are truly in love.  That makes a sweet addition to this tale.

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