Designed for Haunting
Aurora Anderson Mystery
by Sybil Johnson
Book Details:
Designed for Haunting
Aurora Anderson Mystery
Sybil Johnson
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Henery Press
October 9, 2018
About the Book:
October brings a message from Beyond The Grave...
Halloween is fast approaching in the quiet Los Angeles County city of Vista Beach, home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Rory Anderson. While her painting chapter prepares to open its annual boutique house, Rory receives an unexpected email from Beyond The Grave, a company that automatically sends out messages when someone dies.
“I think I have a stalker,” the message reads. “If you’re reading this I’m either missing or dead. My life may depend on what you do. Please find out what happened to me.”
Haunted by her friend’s disappearance and possible death, Rory begins her search with the help of best friend and fellow painter, Liz Dexter. Can they discover who has designs on the missing woman and uncover the truth before one of them becomes the stalker’s next victim?
My Review:
I'm so happy to be back in Vista Beach with Rory, Liz, and Martin, along with all the rest of the characters in Designed for Haunting.
The story's setting is just prior to Halloween and starts right in with the mystery. As the town is gearing up for the festivities, Rory is assisting in the preparation of her painting group's annual open house. As she's going through her emails she receives a haunting message from her friend Zelena Alvaraz from Beyond the Grave. Beyond the Grave is an online company that specializes in sending out email messages, set up by their clients, upon the person's death. These messages are typically stored and sent by guidelines set up by the client. Rory and Liz then begin trying to locate Zelena in hopes that she's still alive.
There are several storylines in Designed for Haunting that are seemingly distinct but the author takes each thread and magically weaves them all together. Designed for Haunting is quite engaging, flows well, and keeps the reader on their toes. The red herrings tossed in will keep the reader guessing what exactly is going on and then near the end everything seamlessly falls into place.
Rory is a great character and very compassionate and determined to find her friend, even if it means taking unsafe and unnecessary chances. Her boyfriend, Detective Martin Green, is a wonderful character and we see a bit more of their romance. I wish there was a bit more of their lives together but the amount is tasteful and doesn't overshadow the other threads in the book. Martin is my favorite character in the book. He's capable and competent, and I love his interactions with Rory, even when things are tense. I loved Liz, Rory's friend, and Arika, Rory's mother. They were unique and added to the story.
The story was a quick and easy read. There wasn't anything confusing or hard to understand. The dialogue between all of the characters was fluid and comfortable. The author does a great job creating a world that grabs the reader and pulls them in, keeping them engaged from start to finish. The characters are vibrant and exciting for the most part. I really enjoyed Designed for Haunting.
I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not
affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have
expressed are my own.
Review previously posted on Sapphyria's Books.
My Rating:
Hardcover: 276 pages
ISBN-10: 1635114055
ISBN-13: 978-1635114058
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN-10: 1635114020
ISBN-13: 978-1635114027
Digital ASIN: B07FSYFM8Q
Purchase Link:
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