This is the third book in the Deadwood series by Ann Charles. We dive in once again, only 2 or 3 days after the ending of the last book. After the ending of the second book, once would think that Violet would actually believe in ghosts, but she is stubbornly holding on to the "hmmm, maybe" mindset. In the beginning of this book, Violet has definitely earned the nickname "Spooky" Parker and has a gentleman show up at the Realty office asking for her specifically since he heard about her reputation with speaking to ghosts. Mr. Cornelius Curion wishes to by a haunted hotel, and since all Violet can think about is her children needing things like food and clothing, that she will suck it up and get him the haunted hotel.
But Ray, has another trick up his sleeve to get rid of Violet. He has gotten Jane to agree that if Violet doesn't sell the hotel, that she will be fired. So he tries to outbid her and lets her know that he wants her gone. In retaliation, Violet taunts Ray with knowing what is going on with the containers that him and George Mudder of Mudder Funeral Homes are smuggling. Ray gets extremely nasty and threatens Violet. This just drives her even more to figure out what is going on.
Since the end of the first book, Violet has been having nightmares due to what happened and then with the incidents at the end of book two, Nathalie has been sleeping over, trying to help Violet out. With her continued refusal to tell Nathalie about her and Doc, this is causing tension between them. But Violet is opening up more to Doc and actually trying to work on her issues.
The ending of this book really shook me up. I totally wasn't expecting it, and I am sure that there will be much more follow-up in the next book. Which I can't wait to come out. This was a most excellent read, and though the main mystery was wrapped up, there is still so much left unresolved. I had to give this book 5 stars on Goodreads. It was just that amazing.
The second book in the Deadwood series by Ann Charles, opens just about a week after the close of the first book. There are still plenty of unsolved mysteries going on from the first book, and we can't help but wonder what will happen. Luckily, Ms. Charles doesn't leave us hanging long, and we dive right into another mystery.
This one concerns a house in Lead (pronounced Leed), that Violet has been asked to list. She is specifically singled out because the house is rumored to be haunted and Violet has become known as the Realtor who talks to ghosts. At first, Violet has no intention of taking the listing, but upon viewing the house and getting to know a little bit about the women living there, she decides to take it on.
Violet is still in an iffy relationship with Doc and dodging letting her best friend Nathalie know that they are possibly an item. Jeff Wymonds is still working on getting Violet to see him as a potential suitor and now she is working on selling the local detective's and Harvey nephew, Cooper's house. Cooper thinks that Violet is sticking her nose into places it doesn't belong and has no problem telling her this. Doc keeps getting upset that Violet is withholding information from him, Addy keeps trying to set Violet up with Jeff while Layne, Violet's son and Addy's twin, keeps insisting that they don't need another man around the house, he is doing the job fine.
This was a fantastic follow-up to the first book, Nearly Departed in Deadwood. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads and this review is late because I had to dive right into the third book.
This is the first book in the Deadwood Mystery series by Ann Charles. In this book, we are introduced to Violet Parker, single mom of 9 year old twins and fledgling real estate agent. Violet works for Calamity Jane Real Estate in Deadwood, North Dakota. She is just a few weeks shy of losing her job, because she has yet to sell a house during her 3 month probationary period. Violet works with Jane, her boss, Mona, her mentor and Ray, the smooth talking charmer, to everyone but Violet. To her, he taunts and sneers about not waiting until she loses her job to his nephew, Benjamin, another new real estate agent. Needless to say, Violet is getting a bit desperate to make a sale.
At the start of this book, Violet finds out that another little blonde haired girl has gone missing in the area. This makes 3 in the past year. And the last little girl was the spitting image of Violet's little girl Addy. When Addy makes a friend of Kelly, who was the best friend of one of the other little girls who went missing, Violet starts investigating the kidnappings to make sure that her daughter is safe.
Along the way, she meets the new tenant of the office next door, D.R. "Doc" Neecy. She has a hard time figuring him out, but can't help but feel attracted to him. As one of her new clients, and the the man her best friend Nathalie has "claimed", she tries to keep it professional, but the sparks and tension are high.
She also ends up with Jeff Wymonds, Kelly's dad, as a client when he has to sell his house due to his wife leaving him for another woman. At first she things he might have had something to do with the little girl's disappearance, and does everything she can to keep her daughter away from that house. But as she gets to know Jeff, she finds it hard to believe that he has anything to do with the girls disappearances.
Her first listing, belonged to Willis "Old Man" Harvey, who she is introduced to with the double barrels of his shot gun "Bessie" right in her face. He is quite the character and has some of the best one liners and dialogue in the book. Harvey looks after her and helps her as she works toward figuring out just what is going on in Deadwood.
After reading the Jackrabbit Junction series, I have become a fan of Ann Charles, and she surely did not disappoint with this book. I couldn't wait to read the rest of the series, which is why writing this review took so long. *g* I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.
This is the second book in the Jackrabbit Junction Mystery series by Ann Charles. This book is set several months after the first book, with Clair Morgan returning to the Dancing Winnebagos RV Park to stay while her grandfather, Harley and Ruby, the owner of the RV park are getting married and to run things while they are away on their honeymoon.
In this book we are introduced to Claire's mother, Deborah, and her sister Kate. The book changes POV between Claire, Kate & Mac, Claire's boyfriend and Ruby's nephew. More mystery surrounding Ruby's dead husband Joe is introduced and the mines once more play an integral role in the mystery. Between Deborah's attitude and Jessica, Ruby's teenage daughter's antic's the comedy and drama levels run on about equal.
I can't say enough about how the songs that are playing in the background really set up each scene for me. Plus, I love finding out more and more history of Joe and the things he was into while he was alive. He is quite the character, even dead.
This was a great follow up to the first book, and I can't wait for the next one to come out, so I can see what happens next at the Dancing Winnebagos. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads, because I had a hard time putting it down.
This is the first book in the Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series by Ann Charles. In reading the beginning of this book, the author Ann Charles tells us about she came up with the title first, while playing hangman with a coworker. When her coworker asked her what it meant, Ms. Charles said she didn't know, but that it would make a great title for a book. And she is right, it does, I was intrigued enough to start with this series instead of her other. Additionally, Ms. Charles states that the characters in this book are related to her Deadwood Mystery characters. Though I haven't read that series yet, I didn't feel that I missed anything by starting with this series.
We are introduced to Claire Morgan, the main female character in this book as she is fighting with her grandfather, Harley Ford's dog, Henry over a bone. Claire is basically chaperoning her grandfather, while he is RVing with his old Army buddies at the Dancing Winnebagos RV Park in Jackrabbit Junction, Arizona to meet women that they chatted with online. Claire's mother, Harley's daughter, has basically guilted Claire into keeping an eye on her grandfather. The RV Park is one where Claire's grandmother and grandfather came every year to visit. Her grandmother's ashes are even scattered underneath a cottonwood near the RV Park.
Claire gets a job working as a handywoman around the RV Park and finds out that Ruby, the woman who owns the park is going to have to sell her old copper mines to pay off some Bank Loans. The mining company will then strip mine the land and disturb her grandmother's resting place. Claire embarks on a way to figure out how to help Rosy find the money without resorting to selling to the mining company.
Ruby has asked her nephew Mac, who is a geotechnician, to appraise the mines to make sure that they give her the right price. Immediately Claire and Mac end up on opposite sides of this issue. Watching them fight and circle around one another was great fun.
The secondary characters in this book were all very vivid and distinctive, from Harley and his 2 Army buddies, Manny and Chester, to Ruby and her teenage daughter Jessica. The dialogue of the old men was a hoot to read. Almost like another supporting character, was the music that was playing in the background. In nearly ever scene, there is a song playing on a radio or jukebox. Adding these songs in, really helped set the scene and make it come alive for me.
This book is told from several different POVs. There is Claire, Mac and Sophy. We find out right away that Sophy is the bad guy of this book. What kept it interesting is that we never knew exactly what she was going to do next. I was often surprised about plot points. Let's just say that the foreshadowing was very well done. *g* Overall, I liked this book. I will read the second book and go on to read the Deadwood Mystery books as well. I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads.
