A Riddle in the Lonesome October

by J.P.C. Allen

How do you survive a season of fear?

October is a hard month for Rae Riley's family. Her dad, Sheriff Walter "Mal" Malinowski lost his wife and father then. He also has to manage the trouble Halloween brings to rural Marlin County, Ohio. But this year, Rae's uncle fights for his life after a riding accident, and a family feud over a lost inheritance erupts at a local Halloween attraction. As Rae tries to support her family, she and her cousin Amber work to unravel the 70-year-old riddle that will reveal the location of the inheritance so their great aunt Lily and her kids can gain a fortune. And Rae must deal with the secretive behavior of the deputy she’s fallen for.

When a bogus medium conducts a séance to contact Cyrus Morley, the man who devised the riddle, the results stun everyone, and the aftermath is even more shocking. There's only one way to survive a season of so much fear--and only one way to unmask a killer.

"Rae Riley is at it again, navigating complex family dynamics, potential romance, and a high-stakes treasure hunt with her usual faith and aptitude. Allen never fails to bring Marlin County to life, all the more vividly in this installment with the addition of fall colors and new personalities! A Riddle in the Lonesome October gives off the perfect spooky vibes for a Halloween read, yet shines a light of hope that good will always triumph in the end."
~Laurie Lucking, award-winning author of Common

"J.P.C. Allen takes readers on a journey into mystery, suspense, and Bigfoot. Rae Riley is the perfect brave, compassionate, but still deals with her own struggles as she processes life. A Riddle in the Lonesome October is my favorite of the series because of the intense drama and mystery that keeps you guessing right up until the last page."
--Jennifer Hallmark, author of Jessie’s Hope and Smoking Flax

JPC Allen’s A Riddle in the Lonesome October is a perfect addition to your fall reading list, continuing the Rae Riley Mystery series with intrigue, heart, and a touch of the mysterious.

As Rae’s town prepares for an October celebration at the abandoned home of its most infamous villain, a mysterious riddle tied to a long-lost treasure sparks a frantic search. But when a horrifying accident leaves Rae’s uncle gravely injured, and her cousin paralyzed by fear of a monster lurking in the woods, the stakes rise. With rumors swirling and strangers flooding into town, Rae must summon her courage and unravel the riddle before greed, danger, and darkness claim another life.

JPC Allen masterfully blends suspense with themes of faith, family, and sacrificial love—reminding readers that true strength often comes in the face of fear. A discussion guide is included, making it a thoughtful pick for book clubs.

-- Felicia Bridges, author of the award-winning International Mission Force series

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2025

About the author

JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo. She’s been tracking down mysteries ever since. Her Christmas mystery “A Rose from the Ashes” was a Selah-finalist at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2020. Her first Rae Riley mystery, A Shadow on the Snow, released in 2021. Online, she offers tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer . She also leads workshops for tweens, teens, and adults, encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she is a life-long Buckeye. Follow her to the next mystery on her website, JPCAllenWrites.com., where you can sign up for her newsletter and receive her latest writing news and exclusive content.

Reviews

[Michelle Levigne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rae Riley is one of those plucky characters who keeps stepping into danger even though she knows better, because she cares. She wants to help. And she has to understand why.

Love reading her adventures. Start with "A Rose from the Ashes," the short story that launched it all, as Rae confronts the men who could possibly be her father, to find out the truth of who tried to kill her mother before she was born. Then go on to the full-length books, set in the fictional Marlin County, Ohio.

This YA mystery series will keep you on the edge of your sat, cheering for Rae and her family as they get to know each other, and as she faces lies and schemes and fights to help her friends and the people she is coming to care about.

In this adventure, Rae works at a Halloween attraction featuring scenes from Edgar Allen Poe stories, while trying to solve a treasure hunt to help some impoverished relatives, and deal with a near-tragedy that affects her family. I love her interaction with her cousins, being a big sister and confidant, and helping them figure out the big questions of courage and cowardice. And then there are the hijinks of her half-brothers, always amusing, and usually making an accidental target of their father, the sheriff.

And oh, yeah, there are possible Big Foot sightings. Yes, Ohio has Big Foot legends too!

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel for youth is a wild October ride. There is plenty of Halloween influence, including a fortune teller and a seance. There are many characters in the novel and Allen has provided a chart at the beginning. A few pages in and I had to consult it. The families include many illegitimate children so it gets quite confusing. The major families represented are dysfunctional and there is anger and arguments among family members. Potential readers should be aware of possible trigger experiences.

Rae is quite the heroine. She relentlessly works to solve the riddle as well as determine the murderer. The most character growth comes from Amber, however. She faces her previous lack of courage and finds it in a crucial situation. There is a faith message included.

The plot is complex with lots going on. There is a hidden treasure, or is there? There is a foul smelling monster, or is there? It is a novel full of action, suitable for readers who do not mind getting deeply immersed in vigorous Halloween celebrations.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Riddle in the Lonesome October was the perfect book for the fall season with major Halloween vibes! I fell in love with the characters almost immediately and that alone made me want to keep reading. Allen wove several mysteries (one is a treasure hunt!) together in such a fun and clever way. This is the first of Allen’s books I have read: I’m going to absolutely read the others very soon!

[M. Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This addition to the Rae Riley series was another page-turner! The mysteries, complicated family dynamics, and Rae's budding relationship with Chris kept me reading just one more chapter. I recommend this book to fans of clean mystery, Christian values, and family that has each other's back!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Riddle in the Lonesome October is a wonderful mystery book that you’re going to love. It’s also part of a series for bonus reads! And yes, you should read the entire series in order. Don’t just skip to this book, or you’ll miss out on things that you need to know!

This is a series for young people, youth. But, if you’re older than the recommended age, you can still read this series! It’s a great one, and you’re going to need to read the full series!

I’ve loved this series. It’s clean and works well for the age range. However, I did see some things in this one that I’d prefer not to be there, like a seance and a fortune teller. Having said that, faith is still a great message within the novel.

There are a lot of characters in this novel. But if you have trouble keeping them straight, there is a chart in the book that will help you figure out who is who. But most importantly, you’re going to love following Rae as she figures out the riddle!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

[Kendra Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Adult is a genre that I have become interested in the last year or so. I really enjoy Christian Cozy Mystery books also. A Riddle in the Lonesome October by JPC Allen is Book 2 in the Rae Riley mystery series. I have not read the first 2 books in this series yet, but it seems to be a good standalone book.

I will admit it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the book. Rae Riley is the main character of this book. She always dreads the month of October as many unfortunate happenings have come in October for her family. The month of October has come again and 2 major happenings are going on. Her uncle has been in a riding accident and has medical issues to go through. Also, the family is trying to find an inheritance, which creates family drama. I wasn't sure what to expect from this story, especially since the synopsis discussed a Medium conducting a seance. I did like the mystery part of the book where Rae and her friend were trying to solve a riddle. Although, the part in regards to the seance was a little distracting for a Young Adult book. I think this book would intrigue those who enjoy Halloween and Cozy Mystery. I would recommend it for that audience, but it admittedly wasn't a book that reeled me in. I know others will enjoy it though.

[Patti Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

With twists and turns, you probably should read the previous two books in the series first. Doing so will allow you to get to know the characters, especially Rae Riley, the main character. In this book trouble comes to Marlin County, Ohio. Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski, Rae’s father, has to deal with the trouble that comes to their community around Halloween.

With a riding accident for Rae’s uncle, a family feud, a “monster” sighting, and more this book packs a lot into its pages. However, if books involving Halloween are not your cup of tea, you may want to skip this book. I appreciated the author’s development of the characters and storylines, but admit freely that Halloween or Halloween-centered stories are not my favorite. But I feel like the author did a good job developing the family dynamics, backstory, and more in this book.

So if you want a YA Christian Cozy mystery, check out A Riddle in the Lonesome October by JPC Allen and the rest of the Rae Riley Mysteries.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

[Deana Dick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book was a little off putting. There are so many characters I had a hard time keeping up with them. What really bothered me was the relationships of children that are illegitimate, talk of seances, Halloween scary things and strange characters.

The story does have some redeeming qualities such as trying to solve a mystery that many have tried to uncover. October is a month that doesn’t give much happiness as a family member is remembered. That loss is felt deep and although Rae didn’t have a relationship with her brother’s mom, she still wanted to pay her respects.

I did find a little faith element in the story but this book wasn’t for me. Although the mystery is entertaining I didn’t like all the family fights and unnecessary emotional turmoil. I don’t care for Halloween so perhaps this story is not suited for me. I would caution parents to be aware of fortune telling and other talks of Halloween themes that may not be something you would want your teenagers to read.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like "A Riddle in the Lonesome October " by JPC Allen but I do recommend it for readers who likes cozy murders that actually makes you laugh out loud when the mystery is solved. I did like that one character learned that courage comes when needed. The book got better the more I read. This book is written for youth and like the title says the setting is in October and has Halloween influences like a fortune teller and a seance and digging in a cemetery. There are many illegitimate children, and I was getting tired of reading that the children were illegitimate a lot in the beginning of the book. There is a faith message as part of the story at the end.

I receive a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just right for this time of year with the haunting season upon us. Although this is the third book in the Rae Riley Mystery series, I think it can be read as a standalone story. It's an enjoyable read from the beginning all the way to the very end. I like the families' dynamics of sticking together in which the characters portray in this twisted and page turning book. It's a young adult thriller and Christian book that I think is an amusing read!

*Thanks to this author for allowing me to read her book in exchange for my honest opinion/review. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

[Holly Bleggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good mystery with lots of twist and turns. I liked the different characters and the setting. I also liked how the mystery was tied into Rae’s family and how she helped solve it. I liked how unique each of the characters were that were after the treasure and the interesting things they did to try and find it. I liked Rae as a character and would be willing to read other books with her as a character.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

[B. Anne Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this perfect Fall read, JPC Allen weaves a highly intelligent and intricate mystery into an intriguing Halloween backdrop, while continuing Rae Riley’s discipleship journey of learning to obey God’s voice. This clean, YA Christian mystery delivers with edge-of-your seat suspense and quirky characters, plus a bit of romance and inspiration. Teens and adults alike will love this book. There’s something for everyone including a treasure hunt, murder mystery, and navigating familial relationships. Great job!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this mystery! The suspense and unexpected twists kept me hooked from start to finish—I highly recommend it!