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Blue Moon Investigations: Sacramento #7
Mermaid Charade
Beware the voices in the mist. Their promises are lies.
On a research trip to Alaska, Maya Adler has no business investigating a mysterious ghost ship, but she’s not the kind of person who listens to reasonable advice and one of her best friends is a paranormal detective after all.
However, what started with innocent curiosity soon becomes a quest for the truth when five strangers arrive in town claiming to be survivors from the ship. What happened to them? Why do they all remember the incident so differently.
Did they kill the rest of the crew?
Alone, unprotected, and embroiled in a case she should have left alone, Maya would love to walk away, but when she spies a glimpse of the truth, a new threat emerges, and now she has no choice but to see it through.
Will she be able to send the terrible menace back to the depth of the cold, dark sea, or is there a simpler explanation for the strange mystery?
Either way, they all should have heeded the voices in the mist.
On a research trip to Alaska, Maya Adler has no business investigating a mysterious ghost ship, but she’s not the kind of person who listens to reasonable advice and one of her best friends is a paranormal detective after all.
However, what started with innocent curiosity soon becomes a quest for the truth when five strangers arrive in town claiming to be survivors from the ship. What happened to them? Why do they all remember the incident so differently.
Did they kill the rest of the crew?
Alone, unprotected, and embroiled in a case she should have left alone, Maya would love to walk away, but when she spies a glimpse of the truth, a new threat emerges, and now she has no choice but to see it through.
Will she be able to send the terrible menace back to the depth of the cold, dark sea, or is there a simpler explanation for the strange mystery?
Either way, they all should have heeded the voices in the mist.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2024
About the author
Alex Gates
38 books81 followersA product of Small Town, California, Alex Gates is a loving husband, skilled educator, true Gryffindor, dragon-slayer, wizard of the highest order, defender of the realm, Cowboys fan, and connoisseur of cheap beer. He spent four years at California State University, Sacramento studying literature, watching football, and day drinking before obtaining a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 2, 2024
Maya Adler takes the helm in this Bluemoon investigation. She’s on a research mission in Alaska. A cold case ( excuse the pun) of a ghost ship with one survivor coming later , and tell of Mermaids….shes sunk all her savings in this as curiosity gets the investigative journalist and podcaster a voice to tell the strange and deadly story … with a town that has its secrets hidden and an event so far fetched that it’s taken sixteen years to come to light , there’s answers to find but with misleading information and misdirection, can Maya find the truth and do Mermaids really exist , a trip to Knights island ensues to seek out the myth…Brilliant ,immersive , tense thriller of a mystery. Great writing and atmospheric descriptions. I read an advance copy of this story and I’m leaving a voluntary review in my own words.
January 11, 2024
I enjoyed reading Mermaid Charade as it's a mystery story that wovens mythical beings, crime, and a relentless investigator turned podcaster who invests all her savings and moves to Alaska to search for the culprit of a cold case that happened 16 years prior. Maya will be tangled in the web of the small-town residents, each one of them with motives to hide information and mislead her. Till the moment she realizes who is responsible for the killing of 3 people she will face danger and will get hurt. Another great Blue Moon story, really entertaining!
I thank Mr. Gates and Mr. Higgs for this ARC.
I thank Mr. Gates and Mr. Higgs for this ARC.
February 2, 2024
Mermaid Charade: Blue Moon Investigations Sacramento by Alex Gates and Steve Higgs is a great who-done-it. It’s been 16 years since an abandoned vessel came on shore, and many questions still remain unanswered.
Convoluted relationships, love interests, money, etc. All the makings for a real crime mystery.
Will Maya be able to untangle this years old mystery that has bewildered the police all of this time?
I loved this story because the answer isn’t obvious; but once the clues are laid out it totally makes sense. You’ll love it too!
Convoluted relationships, love interests, money, etc. All the makings for a real crime mystery.
Will Maya be able to untangle this years old mystery that has bewildered the police all of this time?
I loved this story because the answer isn’t obvious; but once the clues are laid out it totally makes sense. You’ll love it too!
February 4, 2024
This book is complicated
I have enjoyed all of the Blue Moon investigations books. This one is very complicated. Maya tries to understand a 16 year old mystery. The things she does and finds are all such a mess of information. You truly need to pay attention to all of the characters and the details. I did enjoy this book overall, I just wonder if the author had a cheat sheet to keep the characters as well as family information straight. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I have enjoyed all of the Blue Moon investigations books. This one is very complicated. Maya tries to understand a 16 year old mystery. The things she does and finds are all such a mess of information. You truly need to pay attention to all of the characters and the details. I did enjoy this book overall, I just wonder if the author had a cheat sheet to keep the characters as well as family information straight. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
March 29, 2024
Mermaid Charade
What a great next step!!! Beautiful kick-a$$ Mya moves to find answers to a 16 year old cold case in Alaska—without backup from Sacramento….and she solves it! What can be next? Will she return to Sacramento or stay with the friends she made during the case? Will her pod cast be successful?
Hurry up with the next book!
This book can be read without having read the series. That said, the characters are strong, detailed and consistent. The plot well planned with twists. Completely captivating!
What a great next step!!! Beautiful kick-a$$ Mya moves to find answers to a 16 year old cold case in Alaska—without backup from Sacramento….and she solves it! What can be next? Will she return to Sacramento or stay with the friends she made during the case? Will her pod cast be successful?
Hurry up with the next book!
This book can be read without having read the series. That said, the characters are strong, detailed and consistent. The plot well planned with twists. Completely captivating!
February 2, 2024
I quite liked this story featuring Maya, out on her own, in Alaska.
16 years ago, a bunch of people went out on a ship that had been rebuilt after being dredged back up from the ocean. Only one returned, two weeks later. Now, the granddaughter has asked Maya to help clear her grandmother's name, and it's quite a story, one that seems to change a lot.
A great book and another hit in the Blue Moon San Francisco series.
16 years ago, a bunch of people went out on a ship that had been rebuilt after being dredged back up from the ocean. Only one returned, two weeks later. Now, the granddaughter has asked Maya to help clear her grandmother's name, and it's quite a story, one that seems to change a lot.
A great book and another hit in the Blue Moon San Francisco series.
February 2, 2024
Not your sweet and innocent everyday mermaid story
A mermaid's siren call can entrance even the strongest person. The cast of characters in this story are intense and each one exudes a possibility of guilt. Ruling them out one by one becomes tricky and very dangerous. As the list shrinks the body count rises. A fast-paced murder mystery that will keep you guessing all the way to the end! This author is an excellent story teller! Highly recommended!
A mermaid's siren call can entrance even the strongest person. The cast of characters in this story are intense and each one exudes a possibility of guilt. Ruling them out one by one becomes tricky and very dangerous. As the list shrinks the body count rises. A fast-paced murder mystery that will keep you guessing all the way to the end! This author is an excellent story teller! Highly recommended!
August 5, 2024
Not the author I know and love
I have read dozens of books by Steve Higgs, and six books by Steve Higgs and Alex Gates, all of which up until now have been great reads. However, Mermaid Charade, has more echoes and similarities to a ghastly, murderous soap opera than to the usual fare these authors have treated us to. I remain hopeful for the next book in the series though and the welcome return of August, Alina and Fred.
I have read dozens of books by Steve Higgs, and six books by Steve Higgs and Alex Gates, all of which up until now have been great reads. However, Mermaid Charade, has more echoes and similarities to a ghastly, murderous soap opera than to the usual fare these authors have treated us to. I remain hopeful for the next book in the series though and the welcome return of August, Alina and Fred.
October 26, 2025
These books are definitely better when you read them instead of the narrator that did the audible books for the first five books of the blue Moon Sacramento series. Then you can really focus on the mystery and they’re really good. Just really very clever and surprisingly tough to figure out sometimes. Really enjoy them and there’s not a pretty clean solution, which doesn’t quite work with these mysteries.
February 20, 2024
Best story yet
A convoluted mess of a mystery in the same vein as the other books in the series. This one is even more twisted and the final twists did surprise me. I like the change to Maya as the main investigator. I was about to give up on this series but new I an looking forward to the next installment.
A convoluted mess of a mystery in the same vein as the other books in the series. This one is even more twisted and the final twists did surprise me. I like the change to Maya as the main investigator. I was about to give up on this series but new I an looking forward to the next installment.
May 6, 2024
Disappointing that August was not in story apart from a phone call- very repetitive (diary, blog, video) all of the same thing but by three characters. Took ages for story to get going then when it did , it was hurry up and solve the mystery as quick as possible. I will keep reading as it is a series but hopefully th next one is back to the usual format( and in Sacremento not Alaska)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
Blue Moon!
So this was a crazy book to get through. There were so many twists and turns and so many people coming in. It was a good book but harder than some to get through but worth it
So this was a crazy book to get through. There were so many twists and turns and so many people coming in. It was a good book but harder than some to get through but worth it
February 16, 2025
The BEST So Far
This, book #7, was an outstanding read in this Blue Moon Sacramento series! So very much better than books 4, 5 & 6! Not near as much gore and negativity! Well done ~Thanks
This, book #7, was an outstanding read in this Blue Moon Sacramento series! So very much better than books 4, 5 & 6! Not near as much gore and negativity! Well done ~Thanks
March 2, 2024
Great
Love these books and letting the gang have their own adventures was great, well written with plenty of twist and turns, living this series, can't wait for the next one
Love these books and letting the gang have their own adventures was great, well written with plenty of twist and turns, living this series, can't wait for the next one
July 12, 2024
Well this is a long way from Sacramento!
Great to delve into the world of Maya, but I miss everyone in Sacramento! This series is really good, start with book 1.
Great to delve into the world of Maya, but I miss everyone in Sacramento! This series is really good, start with book 1.
July 20, 2024
This is a slightly darker version of the usual Steve Higgs books. It must be so exhausting being this main female character: the action never lets up.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews