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Stoner McTavish Mysteries #5
Jenseits: Ein Stoner Mc Tavish Roman
Sarah Dreher creates another hilarious thriller featuring Stoner McTavish, her eccentric Aunt Hermione, and her devoted lover Gwen. A Disney World vacation is complicated by mysterious phone calls and a kidnapping. A warm and engaging page-turner!
Perfect Paperback
First published August 1, 1993
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About the author
Sarah Dreher
13 books23 followersBorn March 26, 1937, in Hanover, Pa., Sarah Dreher attended Wellesley College and went on to earn her doctorate in clinical psychology from Purdue University. She moved in 1965 to Amherst, MA where she established her private practice. She was the co-founder of Sunrise-Amanecer Inc., a nonprofit organization, serving as president and clinical director for seven years. She was a member of the Welsh Society of Western New England and an activist during the women's movement.
Dreher was the author of the Stoner McTavish lesbian detective series. The seventh in the series, Shaman's Moon, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery for 1998. Dreher was also the author of several plays and a romance novel Solitaire and Brahms. She was the recipient of the 2005 Alice B. Readers' Award.
Dreher was the author of the Stoner McTavish lesbian detective series. The seventh in the series, Shaman's Moon, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery for 1998. Dreher was also the author of several plays and a romance novel Solitaire and Brahms. She was the recipient of the 2005 Alice B. Readers' Award.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 28, 2020
Book 5 in the Stoner McTavish Mysteries, originally published in 1993. This time the whole crew is on vacation in Orlando Florida at Walt Disney World.
Stoner's bestie MaryLou (who is an absolute riot and is coco-bananas crazy and high maintenance) gets kidnapped when she is mistaken for Stoner's lover. What I love about that gal is she keeps things interesting. You never know what will come out of her mouth next, and she sure knows how to keep the kidnapper on his toes! You started to wonder who really was the criminal mastermind by the end lol! It almost seemed the kidnapper was the one you should feel sorry for, having to put up with her.
Of course Stoner and Gwen are distressed trying to figure out who snatched their sweet but always hungry friend, MaryLou, and figure out what they had wanted originally with Gwen and why they are being targeted.
We also meet another lesbian couple, one who works security for Disney World and they both help with the investigation. They had bonded over discussions of tupperware and it's Museum nearby on the train ride through Disney World. lol. They are invited over for a microwave meal that is seen as a neat innovation lol.
Oh and there's a 50 year old dead spirit contacting Stoner, as she keeps experiencing more weirdly metaphysical things she can't explain. In the last hour and a half of the book, things go a bit bizarre with different planes of existence and reality. It was a bit trippy like LSD lol. But all things work out for the best in the world of Stoner McTavish.
Gwen and Stoner are still a solid adoring couple that I swoon for every time with their devotions of love to eachother.
Stoner's bestie MaryLou (who is an absolute riot and is coco-bananas crazy and high maintenance) gets kidnapped when she is mistaken for Stoner's lover. What I love about that gal is she keeps things interesting. You never know what will come out of her mouth next, and she sure knows how to keep the kidnapper on his toes! You started to wonder who really was the criminal mastermind by the end lol! It almost seemed the kidnapper was the one you should feel sorry for, having to put up with her.
Of course Stoner and Gwen are distressed trying to figure out who snatched their sweet but always hungry friend, MaryLou, and figure out what they had wanted originally with Gwen and why they are being targeted.
We also meet another lesbian couple, one who works security for Disney World and they both help with the investigation. They had bonded over discussions of tupperware and it's Museum nearby on the train ride through Disney World. lol. They are invited over for a microwave meal that is seen as a neat innovation lol.
Oh and there's a 50 year old dead spirit contacting Stoner, as she keeps experiencing more weirdly metaphysical things she can't explain. In the last hour and a half of the book, things go a bit bizarre with different planes of existence and reality. It was a bit trippy like LSD lol. But all things work out for the best in the world of Stoner McTavish.
Gwen and Stoner are still a solid adoring couple that I swoon for every time with their devotions of love to eachother.
June 2, 2011
love this series. They are keepers and I re-read them every couple of years.
October 18, 2021
Mystery and thrills at Disney World
As usual, a lot happened in book five. Marylou, and her mother, Dr. Edith Kesselbaum, play much bigger roles in the story this time. There's a ghost that hasn't crossed over, one of the characters is kidnapped, Stoner is still somewhat in denial of her intuitive gifts, and one of the ensemble is accidentally shot, resulting in a life-threatening injury. Stoner's internal dialog was both entertaining and more serious, Marylou was more over-the-top and antagonizing, while Gwen and Aunt Hermione were fairly consistent with their norm in this book. Fantastic book, and I highly recommend it.
As usual, a lot happened in book five. Marylou, and her mother, Dr. Edith Kesselbaum, play much bigger roles in the story this time. There's a ghost that hasn't crossed over, one of the characters is kidnapped, Stoner is still somewhat in denial of her intuitive gifts, and one of the ensemble is accidentally shot, resulting in a life-threatening injury. Stoner's internal dialog was both entertaining and more serious, Marylou was more over-the-top and antagonizing, while Gwen and Aunt Hermione were fairly consistent with their norm in this book. Fantastic book, and I highly recommend it.
January 1, 2025
I've read and enjoyed 3 books in this series, all of which I rated 4 stars. I like the characters and the authors sense of humor, and the basic plot of this one was not bad, but the parallel world tripping was a bit out there for me, and not well done...just my opinion. I did a bit of skimming, starting about page 168, to get through that last section in order to move the story past the terribly hodge podge weirdness and reach the conclusion.
October 6, 2020
Chapter 13 to 15 were a drag, not the level of good balance between comedy and tragedy, action and peacefulness that I am used to in this series.
The rest of the novel was good, but not as good as the first four instalments of the series.
I loved the characterisation the most.
The rest of the novel was good, but not as good as the first four instalments of the series.
I loved the characterisation the most.
November 5, 2007
The fifth Stoner McTavish book takes place at Disney World. Well, most of it does. Some of it takes place in some sort of parallel world that looks a lot like one of the rides at Epcot. This is definitely not a book for those who require cause and effect to be firmly related. This is one of those books where Things Happen and, of course, Stoner is a magnet for Things Happening.
However, if you can suspend your disbelief enough to get past that detail, it's a fun read. We get to see more of the supporting cast, particularly Marylou and the dialog and characterizations are always interesting.
Though I liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first four, it's the most overtly peculiar of the books. Strange things happen not only to Stoner but to most of the others as well. Don't expect any explanations for how or why these phenomena happen. Life will be easier on you if you do. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
However, if you can suspend your disbelief enough to get past that detail, it's a fun read. We get to see more of the supporting cast, particularly Marylou and the dialog and characterizations are always interesting.
Though I liked the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first four, it's the most overtly peculiar of the books. Strange things happen not only to Stoner but to most of the others as well. Don't expect any explanations for how or why these phenomena happen. Life will be easier on you if you do. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews