The Deed in the Attic (Annie's Attic Mysteries) by K.D. McCrite (2011) Hardcover

Annie's Attic Mysteries #9

by K.D. McCrite

Annie Dawson discovers a deed that has been locked away for years in a trunk in the attic of Grey Gables. The discovery launches a series of adventures that reveal how and why her grandmother came to own the old estate and what happened to the original owners.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Also writes as Sydney Hope Archer.

K.D. McCrite was raised on a small dairy farm in the Ozarks. She has a degree in psychology from Drury University and has worked as a librarian and as a mental health caseworker.

She currently resides in Arkansas.

Reviews

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good...but not up to the standard for this series.

[Terri Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was certainly different from the others I have read so far in the Annie's Attic series of mysteries. Of course, that is due to the fact that different authors have written them which is a quirky thing when you are reading about the same characters and places. In this one, for example, this author had Annie using the word "y'all" which came across as ridiculous because she has never spoken like that. She also had a rather depressing situation with the widowed mayor Ian who is so sweet taking Annie out to dinner and this author had Annie wavering between being a cold fish and a hormone-crazed teen worried about her clothes and makeup which is out of character for Annie altogether.

This mystery was extremely tame. Annie received a huge box of yarn from her daughter LeeAnn back in Texas and it was supposedly so big she couldn't get it through the door and the delivery service guy wouldn't help. This led to an oddball situation which I thought was downright stupid where Norma at the post office chastised and was rude to Annie when Annie went to buy stamps because LeeAnn had not shipped it via the post office (as if that was Annie's doing) and then went off on a scary fit that seemed demented to Annie (and me) and looked like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, carrying on that people have abandoned the post office for email, Facebook, Fed Ex and UPS and giving a history the post office. Annie's response was to go back in and give Norma a salute and cookies and get all of the customers to saying how great the post office and Norma are. This was weird.

Of course, getting all that yarn led Annie to the attic of the house she inherited from her grandma Betsy and there she found a cedar chest to store the yarn in and inside the chest was a deed to another house in Stony Point (Maine) made out to Betsy so now she owns a house Betsy had never mentioned. She spends a lot of time sorting out who the owners had been and why they gave Betsy a house she let get run down. This also led to Annie and some friends going out there ghost hunting at night with the idea of it being easier to sell a house if it hasn't got ghosts (oh geez, just shoot me now) but in the end, what Annie does with the house is heartwarming.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite in this series. The ladies were so funny when they were looking for ghosts. The ending was on point, and Annie did the right thing.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading along and enjoying the story when the end came along. What Annie did with the deed she found in the attic of Grey Gables was the right thing and brought tears to me eyes. I LOVED this Annie's Attic book of the mystery series!!!

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story - hoping to find more by this author

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read more of the series. They were fun little quick reads. The mystery part of the story added a little suspense to the story.

[Josephine Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good escapist book, not serious fiction. But fun. This is such a sweet story, especially after reading so much dark literature. The story begins in April in the little town of Stony Point, Maine, located near the sea. Annie can see the ocean out of all her windows. April can get cold in Maine. Annie has moved from Texas to live in a beautiful old Victorian house, Gray Gables, left to her by her grandmother. Annie is a widow, misses Wayne very much, her daughter, husband and twins live in Texas so far away.

Annie is a member of a group of ladies who love to crochet, knit, other types of sewing and fabrics. Sewing and fabrics are important in this book. The ladies group is called the Hook and Needles meeting every Tuesday. Annie receives a large box of so many different fabrics, everything to do with sewing. The club meets in a fabric store, name, A Stitch in Time.

Readers meet many of her friends. Annie is a people person and likes to be around people. The sewing group plans to make house slippers for a retirement home. Annie's best friend, Alice, who she has known when the two were children, when Annie visited her grandmother in Maine. Betsy Holden, her grandmother, was a wonderful lady who everybody loved. And good at sewing and knowledge of fabrics.

Handsome Ian Butler, the mayor of Stony Point invites Annie to a new restaurant that has kareokee singing.

Then comes the mystery. It seems Annie finds the deed to an old, rundown house that no one has lived in for many years. This house had never been taken care of. This is strange. Betsy was not one to allow her possessions to fall apart from neglect. The house's deed was in her name. Could it be haunted. Ghosts.

The ladies group had fun, were always laughing, joking at each other, acting like teenagers, having fun. Annie enjoyed her friends so much.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite by far! I don't know why but I enjoyed this story so much. This group of characters are so very different but together become a tight "knit" circle of friends. The story was not what I expected and that made it even more delightful. The paranormal experience was hilarious.
I can't wait to start the next one.

[Linda Klager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book # 9 was very good. I like reading about the great stories of Annie's Grandmother, Betsy. What a kindhearted woman was Betsy Holden!

[Pat Forrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story in the Annie's Attic series...I am still amazed in the continuity of so many books about the same characters, setting, and similar plots written by different authors.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another light mystery set in a small Maine town with lovable characters.

[Jeanette Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do havee to agree with some of the other reviews. Its a beautiful story well written. However does not have the impact of the mystery as does some of the other books.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good

[Anna Stokkeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one also

[Irene Marston · Rating 5 out of 5]

good mystery series

[Deb Leventry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading what mysteries Annie finds in her late grandmother’s attic!

[Adina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, fun read

[G S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the series so far. It was slow and the 'mystery" wasn't as intriguing or fleshed out as it could have been.

[Tawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable read. Sweet and wholesome.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Deed in the Attic is the second book in the Annie's Attic Mystery series that I have read. I was excited to return to Stony Point and read more about the gals from the Hook and Needle Club. I like the book and the plot, but I found that I was not pulled into the story and the characters like I was in the first book I read in the series, A Spicy Secret. I have absolutely LOVED the other books by K.D. McCrite so maybe my expectations were unfairly high. I will certainly continue to read her writings. I suggest reading her Confessions of April Grace series, http://www.goodreads.com/series/61568..., as well as Eastgate Keeps on Singing, to hear her true voice. These books are better vehicles for her to display her talent for story-telling. 3 stars

[Pranjal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book out near the mailboxes along with many other used books and I grabbed this one to read first! The author takes the suspense slow and from person-to-person, each one revealing a different facade of the story. It is an excellent one day read with a hot cup of tea and "raining cats and dogs" outside the window on a weekend.
I did enjoy the richness of the author's language and the plot is quite commendable too. However, when we look at the story as a big picture there aren't many highlights. To write an engaging story with a fewer highlights must have been difficult and the story does feel digressing sometimes. Nevertheless, a goodread it is.

P.S.: There are a couple of typos in the book.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. It was easy to read and, while not very mysterious, kept my interest throughout. Annie Dawson is a widow living in Stony Point, Maine. She lives in the home that was left to her by her grandmother, a noted needlecrafter. When her daughter sends a box of new yarn for Annie to use, she finds the deed to a cottage that her grandmother never told her about, It seems that Fairview has a reputation for being haunted so Anne and her friends at the knitting circle go to the home to find out if there are ghosts or secrets hiding there. This was a nice story and I look forward to reading more of these.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never know exactly how these books in Guideposts series are going to fit since they are written by different authors. This one was a little gloomier than the others I've read in this series and that made it harder to get into.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Annie finds a deed to a property in her aunt’s attic, she does not realize that it will lead back to a family torn asunder. This story is about taking actions to correct what wrongs have been done in the past. It is a gentle uplifting story.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of those books that makes you wonder how it ever got published...

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie finds a deed to another home in her grandmother's attic that belongs to her grandmother and now her. Why did her grandmother never mention it and what is the story behind it being in the attic?

[Ann Babcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mystery!!

[Kathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mystery. Quick read.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine entry in the series. These are a no brainer cozy mystery --- enjoyable.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Annie's Attic series. Quick reads, light hearted and wholesome.