Cluttered Attic Secrets

Tina Tales Mysteries #3

by Jan Christensen

After receiving a midnight phone call, professional organizer Tina Shaw rushes to her best friend’s ancestral home to determine if Leslie really saw a ghost. Tina doesn’t see one in the cluttered Newport, Rhode Island, Victorian attic, but does hear strange noises. While she tries to reassure Leslie, they’re drawn outside when police and firefighters arrive. A murdered man has been found in Leslie’s side yard. A note in his pocket reads My name is Joshua Young in childish printing. Leslie’s father’s name is Joshua Young, the men are about a decade apart in age, and the man was killed outside the house where Leslie’s father grew up. Tina must help her friend find the answers to who the murdered man really was and why he was killed. And to what’s making the noises in the attic. While Tina is absorbed in helping her friend investigate, a quarrel with her boyfriend, Hank, begins when he demands she quit because it’s too dangerous. He has ties to the police, and when Tina suspects he’s holding back information from her, her Irish temper flares even more. The secrets behind Joshua Young’s murder are bigger than Tina ever imagined. Can the murderer be stopped before killing again? Cluttered Attic Secrets illuminates the real spirit of friendship and is a suspense-filled mystery with many secrets and ghostly occurrences, a little romance, and a few organizing tips to help you tame your own secret clutter.

Genres: Mystery

242 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2015

About the author

Some short stories written by Jan Christensen began to appear in print magazines in the mid-to-late-90s. By this century, more appeared in both print and ezines, and now her list of published stories is over seventy. She‘s been nominated for two Derringer Awards, and one story from Hardluck Stories has been published in an anthology edited by Dave Zeltserman and Ed Gorman titled, On Dangerous Ground.

In 2004, one of her novels, Sara’s Search, was published and is now available on Kindle. After that, eleven more mystery books have been published. And she continues to persist.

Reviews

[Janis Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to thank Victory Editing for allowing me an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an open and honest review.

Cluttered Attic Secrets appears to be book three in a series. Not that this was indicated on Netgalley. If it had been I wouldn’t have read it, as I’ve not read any of the other books in this series and I’m not a fan of coming into a series mid-way through. Especially with this sort of book as there is no real re-cap of events, descriptions of the characters or anything in depth that would allow a new reader to catch up. You’re just thrown into it, assumed you know what’s going on and can relate to the occasional one liners that hark back to earlier tales.

I have to say, this book has left me with very mixed emotions. The blurb intrigued me, I wanted to like it and I even read it all the way to the end to give it a chance. Sadly, this book wasn’t for me.

To give it some of the positive it deserves: The overall plot idea, setting and range of characters was promising. It was a unique story idea and not one I’ve read in cosy crime/ ‘light-side of mystery’ before. I do like a good ‘old house with secrets within’ sort of story. Due to this, felt the book did start well with the minor suspense of is it a ghost… or something else and the initial first chapter did get me interested enough to continue reading.

Now for the constructive criticism side of things. Please note I’m not doing this to be mean, or negative or nasty. I provide constructive criticism to try and provide decent feedback on a story. As an author myself, I might not always appreciate people not liking my books, but if they explain it with constructive criticism I can at least learn why it didn’t work for them.

So here goes… and I’m bracing myself for the usual unlikes on Amazon. I’m a big girl, I can take them. ;-)

Okay, now I know the ARC of a book is often sent to reviewers before the final edit is done and so I do expect the usual typos, grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and the usual little errors we all make during the drafting process.

Unfortunately this book was so riddled with them I do wonder if it had seen a single edit or proof reader before being turned into an ARC and I really do hope the final version being sold is of far better quality.

Besides the usual grammatical mistakes, spelling errors and the use of words that sound like they’re the right one, but aren’t - things got messy. The characters in this book often changed names. Brandon, or is it Bandon? Was the realtor Nina or Nicole? Food used to poison someone went from being Mexican to Chinese. When the character Vicky is talking about her family, she goes from calling her daughter Sophie to referring to her as Vicky. At one point one of the “bad guys” refers the aunt by her first name, when there is no mention of them ever knowing her. So I am going to have to assume it was another wrong name used in conversation. I won’t even go into how a girl can go from being able to construct full sentences to suddenly only being able to manage two word replies as she is ‘mentally retarded’. As a mother of an autistic child I do feel some actual research in this area may have been helpful so as to look like the author had some concept of these matters, as it doesn’t come across like she knew anything other than mainstream stereotypes. I mean, this sort of thing should have been spotted in the initial read through and fixed in the first edit.

Then there is the constant recapping and repeating of the plot every half a page. As if the reader is meant to have drifted off to do something after reading a few words and needed to be caught up on what they’d just read. This should also have been smoothed out in the editing and the constant rehashing of the plot started to get to me. Add to that that nearly every chapter ended with Hank telling Tina she was off the case, only for the next chapter to start with someone asking her to help them with it and Hank being more than ready to agree. Maybe if I liked soap operas and their need to be overly dramatic I would have been able to cope with this more. Instead I just found it over the top, repetitive and anticlimactic.

I also found the characters rather two-dimensional and hard to read as there was no real emotion given to them and so I couldn’t get why they would go from seeming to be fine one moment to being so very angry, sad or about to faint from some basic news… they’d already been told a few chapters ago but were now treating as if it was new information to them. More depth and description was needed. Again, it was as if the reader was meant to know all this and was just reading the book as Cliffsnotes.

There was also not enough decent description given throughout the book. The only things that were described in a lot of detail were what people looked like and were wearing. This then makes it come across as a rather superficial and shallow story. Everything else is breezed over as if you are meant to know. Just like you’re meant to know about the character’s pasts, possibly from the previous books? Maybe if I had read them all, I wouldn’t have noticed this as much as I would have been caught up on their pasts. Then again, if the other books were written in a similar manner, maybe not?

Would I recommend this book to others? Based on the quality of the ARC, sadly I wouldn’t. If I was told by a reliable source all the above issues had been sorted out in the final edit, then yes I might recommend it. It is, after all, a good cosy crime concept. But if read in the condition I found it in the ARC, people would start to wonder why I would recommend such a thing.

Would I buy this book for myself? Again, based on the ARC I read, probably not. If I was to come across earlier books in the series in my library catalogue, I’d consider maybe reading them to see if they added more background for me (as the story’s concept was good), but I can’t see myself actually buying any of this series, as I would be worried the faults I’ve mentioned were still there. And I would not be happy to have bought a book of that quality.

In summary: I do feel this book has a great deal of potential. The story idea is fresh, fun and a good cosy crime concept. The very poor editing just really let it down for me. If all of that has been fixed up, then I would recommend this book to lovers of cosy crime as it would be a good book to curl up with on a lazy Sunday afternoon. If published in the same condition as I found it in the ARC, I wouldn’t recommend it at all.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cluttered Attic Secrets by Jan Christensen is a part of the Tina Tales. Tina Show is now a professional organizer (no website, no advertising, which means no jobs right now) in Newport, Rhode Island. Her best friend, Leslie Young has moved into her new home (that she has inherited from her Aunt Margaret). Leslie calls her late one night stating she has seen something in the attic and is scared. Tina rushes over, but does not see anything that night. Over time, though, they both hear noises from the attic. The girls call over Hank Silver (Tina’s boyfriend) and Brandon Young (Leslie’s brother and Tina’s former boyfriend—awkward).

When they hear the noises as well, they are determined to figure out what is going on. Then Brandon gets hit over the head and left unconscious. Leslie has everyone clear out of the house and she goes to stay with her parents (this part makes absolutely no sense). They know it is not a ghost (since none of them believe in the supernatural), but how is someone getting into the house. If Leslie wants to live in her house again, they will have to find out what is going on in her house. They consult an architect to see if there are any secret rooms in the house. There are a lot of older homes in the area and many of them do contain hidden rooms (underground railroad and were also used during prohibition). Turns out to be several rooms hidden within the house. They are outfitted with plumbing, beds, and storage cupboards. What has been going on in this house? Did Leslie’s Aunt Margaret know about the secret rooms?

Tina and Hank are still in the early stages of their relationship. Hank is very secretive of his job and Tina has to decide if she can handle that secrecy. Tina, Brandon, Hank, and Leslie along with the local police work to find out what is happening in the secret rooms. Is it limited to Leslie’s house? Cluttered Attic Secrets is a cute cozy mystery novel. I give Cluttered Attic Secrets 4 out of 5 stars. It is easy to read with characters that are relatable. This book can be read as a stand-alone, though, there were a couple of references (an example is previous boyfriend that is mentioned a couple of times) that are not explained in this book. The one thing I did not understand was Leslie (she was scared of her own shadow). She was all for the investigation, and then she would put a halt to it (and hide out at her parents house). She was a contradictory character.

I received a complimentary copy of Cluttered Attic Secrets from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tina Shaw gets a phone call from her best friend, Leslie, late one night, asking Tina to come to her house. Leslie is sure she has seen a ghostly image in the old house that she now lives in. To say that Leslie is freaked out would be an understatement. When Tina gets to her friend’s house, she does not see any ghosts but she does hear ghostly noises. Although neither of the girls believe in ghosts, they are having a hard time coming up with any other explanation. And when a dead body is found next door to Leslie’s house, the girls become even more anxious. They decide they need to investigate the murder and the ghostly happenings before something terrible happens to them or their friends.

The writing style flows easily and this is an easy read. The suspense and mystery kept pulling me along, and I found myself having to read “just a few” more pages until, before I knew it, I was done. This book seems to be dialogue driven as much as action driven and this combination worked nicely together. The ending was a surprise for me and I did not see it coming. I think this author is very talented in creating mystery and suspense with the written word.

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. Tina has her share of problems to deal with: solving the ghostly mystery and the murdered body, dealing with mother, who loves to butt in to her business, and working on her relationship with Hank. These difficulties made her seem more real to me and I enjoyed that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Although this is the third book in the Tina Tales series, it can be read as a stand alone. But why not grab the first two books in the series and give yourself a treat. All of the books that I have read by Jan Christensen have been great reads.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tina Shaw rushes to her best friend’s house because Leslie thinks she has seen a ghost in the attic and is shaken and wants help. Tina doesn’t see a ghost in the cluttered Newport, Rhode Island, Victorian attic, but does hear strange noises. While she tries to reassure Leslie, they’re drawn outside by the sound of police and emergency sirens. A murdered man has been found in Leslie’s side yard. Tina calls her boyfriend who has contacts within the local police to find out what is going on, and they become involved in a mystery of murder, assaults and secret rooms.

I made the mistake of reading book 3 out of this series first, I never really got the backstory of the characters. Taking the characters at face value made them less than 3-dimensional and I had never really understood their motivations. This book could use some editing, not enough to put the book down but enough to think about the word selection and phrasing. Okay read.

[Valorie Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things in the attic go bump in the night!!!!

15 stars!!!!
I love this new author, I didn't sleep much of the time while reading this book. I love the story line with Tina Shaw and Hank Silver, Brandon Young and Tina's best friend Leslie Young which is Brandon's sister and Tina's ex-boyfriend.
Tina moves back with her mother Laura and Uncle Bob.
Tina has a real big adventure with Leslie in this book, WOW, I just had to find out what was happening next to sleep.
The police are now on first name bases with Tina with so much going on.
Hidden secrets got real deadly and so many people you least suspect were involved you can't guess the right people until the very end.
YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!!! I sat and said WOW !!!! At the end.
I can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Indie Author Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting story packed with mystery and a wee bit of romance. Tina heads out to help her friend with a little issue in the attic only to find they are dealing with a much larger problem. As the danger increases, Tina’s boyfriend wants her to leave the investigation alone. Needless to say, she does the opposite. I did feel the ending to be a bit rushed. I would have liked a better explanation of the resolution of a couple of plot lines. Other than that it was an enjoyable read.

[Janka H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

A ghost in the house? Or not?

Story with funny premise and interesting clutter in the attic - but the plot and characters are one-dimensional. There is no real mystery and even the most unbelievable loopholes are taken on a face value.

Saving grace here is a lovely attic which I would love to explore myself!
Sadly, this is not enough.

[Stephanie Chorba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

I enjoyed book number three. Fast pace and I liked the characters. I would like to read books one and two to learn more about everyone.

[Andria Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything i like

Great characters, great story's love this series. So sad the next ones not out yet. A new favorite mystery series.

[Rhonda Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

In this book Tina assists her best friend in decluttering her attic. Oh the things they find in that attic! This is a great book!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I haven't read any of Jan Christensen's earlier novels. It appears that this is the third in a series about Tina Shaw, professional organiser, and the author seems to make the assumption that her readers will have read the earlier two. Apparently Tina used to be a psychologist, but is now a professional organiser who lives with her mother and uncle. There seem to be some issues between Tina and her mother which require resolution, but these are only alluded to, perhaps because the author assumes her readers have read the earlier books and will know what they are. The earlier history of Tina and her developing relationship with Hank isn't explored in this book either.

This is a mystery novel with a hint of romance and the mystery is actually quite well formulated and thought out. It's plausible and doesn't rely on improbable coincidences. It's a situation which could believably happen in the USA in 2014. It should be suspenseful and riveting, perhaps with little breaks peppered throughout to explore Tina and Hank's romance, but unfortunately the mystery is let down by the writing.

Firstly, I seriously hope the version I read did not go to publication and the author took advantage of her editor's proofreading and "Oops Detection" services, because it was absolutely riddled with typographical, autocorrect and continuity errors. Words are misspelled or the wrong case used, completely incorrect words are used which cause confusion, Tina's realtor's name changes from Nina to Nancy and in another sub-plot Brendan eats Mexican food, which later changes to Chinese. This is not acceptable for a publication the author expects people to pay money for, so I hope it gets fixed up.

Secondly, there is too much detail given to things which don't matter and not enough detail to things that do. I don't need to hear about the 4 different things they found to weigh down the corners of the blueprints, it adds nothing to the story. But I would have liked the final scene to have been fleshed out more fully. It's the climax of the whole novel and the whole confronation and resolution is over in a few pages. It felt like the author had run out of time or space and just wanted to get the book finished quickly.

This novel felt like a first draft, rather than the final edition. The pacing needs work, details need to be ironed out, the structure refined and the author could do with finding different ways to say things like "After she had fixed her coffee the way she liked it..." and "she looked at Hank and melted", which appear many times throughout the book. I didn't feel the romance between them and a lot of the suspense which could have surrounded the mystery just wasn't there.

If you're looking for a lighthearted mystery romance which you can read quickly, that doesn't contain detailed sex or violence, and you don't mind typos, then you'll probably enjoy this book.

[April Hollingworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth

This is the third book in the Tina Tales series, though each book carries on Tina’s story, they are all designed to be read as standalones, as each book is a new case for her. I found this one intriguing mainly due to the mystery Tina is trying to solve, and how Hank’s work is given a bit more insight into. With new characters and a fare amount of intrigue, this is a fabulous story in the Tina Tales series.

Opening Scene:

“Tina?” Leslie whispered when Tina answered her cell phone. “What are you doing?”

The Review:

After receiving a midnight phone call, professional organizer Tina Shaw rushes to her friend’s house, to see if she really saw a ghost. Strange noises greet Tine upon arriving at Leslie’s, cluttered Rhode Island, Victorian attic. When police and firefighters arrive outside, they discover a murdered man in Leslie’s garden, with a note proclaiming him as Joshua Young.
Tina is determined to help her friend solve not only the mystery of the noises in her attic, but why a man was killed outside her house. A man with the same name as Leslie’s father, who grew up in the house. When Tina’s boyfriend, demands she quits the case declaring it too dangerous, Tina knows this is bigger than she ever expected, after all, Hank has ties to the police. Determined to solve the mystery of Joshua Young and the secrets in the attic, can Tina solve them before the murderer strikes again?

Notable Scene:

“What have you been up to since I’ve been gone?” Hank asked.
“Just chasing a ghost with Leslie.”
Hank looked startled, but only for a second.
“You’re not serious.”
“Do I ever kid you?” Tina grinned.
“Of course not. However, you never mentioned it when we talked on the phone.”
“We just started yesterday. She heard some noises in the attic last night and called me.” Tina told him everything, only pausing when the food came. When done, she took a bite of shrimp and waited for his reaction.

FTC Advisory: Jan Christensen through Net Galley provided me with a copy of Cluttered Attic Secrets by Jan Christensen. Published through Victory Editing. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Cluttered Attic Secrets - Tina Tales 3
Author: Jan Christensen
Published: 7-6-15
Publisher: Victory Editing
Pages: 311
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Crafts & Hobbies; Women Sleuths; Amateur Sleuths; Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 9781514242833
ASIN: B00ZV45UG4
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley

.
When Tina's best friend Leslie calls her at midnight frightened b seeing what she believes is a ghost. When Tina shows up she doesn't see anything, but does hear strange noises coming from the attic. When the go outside they find that a body has been found in Leslie side yard between her house and her neighbors. The police find a note saying the man shares her father's name. Tina agrees to help Leslie investigate the going ons in her home and find out who exactly the dead man is and why someone put Leslie's father's name on the note.



This is the first book in the Tina Tales that I have read, but it will not be the last. This is story that is well written with characters that are well written with characters that are multidimensional and believable. They could be anyone in our daily lives. They have their own problems and daily distractions. The story line flows smoothly without feeling forced. You will not want to put this book down until the every last page as you wade through the clues and a few red herrings to see if you can figure out the truth before Tina and Leslie becomes part of the mystery herself.




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[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. It was a fun story and I was surprised by how the story panned out, which is a good thing. It is about a woman named Tina, grown but still living with her mother and uncle. She is a professional organizer but evidently used to be a psychiatrist or psychologist. This comes out later in the story; I'm sure if I had read the series from the beginning it would have been spelled out. One night she is called by her best friend Leslie. Leslie lives in an old Victorian house that has been left to her by her aunt. It has been in the family for many, many years and has generations of stuff in the attic. Although her aunt was a neat and organized person by nature, the attic is a disorganized mess. Leslie decides to start going through it and hears unusual sounds, and thinks she sees an apparition of some sort. Leslie calls Tina to ask her to come help her and also help investigate as she is a bit afraid. Then a man turns up murdered in the side yard of her house. The story goes from there, Tina and Lisa doing some investigating on their own, and eventually calling in the police.

This book is a part of a series and was the first one I read. I'm still on the fence if I will read another. I understand I read an advanced copy of the book, but there were many typos and at times the characters changed names, as well as other mistakes. I am curious if the other books are the same. The main character, Tina, also kind of got on my nerves, though I can't put my finger on why. Would I recommend it to someone? I'm not sure. I see others have given it four and five star reviews, so others obviously liked it more than I did. Overall not a bad book; I think if I liked "Tina" better I would maybe read another in the series.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author. The title intrigued me as well the cover. I could not put this book down, I had to read it in one sitting.
Even though I haven't read any others in the series, I could follow the story and the characters with little to no confusion. I am eager to read the others, it was just that good.
Tina Shaw is now a professional organizer who is involved in a relationship with Hank Silver. Hank is some type of a consultant with the Newport, Rhode Island police department. Tina lives back home with her mother Laura and her Great Uncle Bob. Tina's best friend Leslie calls her after midnight, frantic with fear because she hears odd thumping sounds in her attic. Tina and Leslie check out the attic, but other than it being filled with furniture and boxes, they don't see any signs of paranormal activity. The house is old, it belonged to Leslie's Aunt Margaret, and Leslie inherited when her Aunt passed away. In the light of day the girls begin to explore the attic and love the treasures they discover. They do hear odd sounds and this leads Tina to research some of the older houses in the area. The discovery leads to hidden rooms and passageways and family secrets others feel were best left forgotten. The story was so detailed and well written, I found myself eager to find the hidden truths. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written cozy mystery.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest and fair review

[Nayuleska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, secret rooms, humour, an incredible book to be read in daylight! & yet another I can't stress how much I love it. It's a fun read, with Tina's voice and point of view being full of humour. I like how close knit she is with her friends, how they all help stake out the bizarre, potentially ghost-filled attic. There are loads of breath holding moments, ones which made me only read it during the day as I'd get too freaked out at night.

I admired Tina's strength of character, that even when she was afraid (which was some of the time) she persevered in her investigation, because she wanted to know the truth. I couldn't have stayed up in the attic, or below it, not even with her friends there. The timing and situation of the murder added to the 'eeep' factor (as in eeep this is so scary). I wanted to scream at Tina to turn away from the house and never go back. Thankfully she can't hear readers' thoughts so she didn't. The truth of the haunted attic is a neat plot twist, one which I'd never expected and thought was original. I'll definitely be looking out for more of Tina's adventures! One for the reread shelf.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my blog Nayu's Reading Corner http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co...

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Tina is a good friend. Leslie called Tina after midnight and asked her to come. She heard and thought she saw a ghost. Tina Shaw goes over to help Leslie figure it out. She hears strange noises in attic too.

Lots of mysteries. Is it a ghost and if so who is it? The murder next door is that part of what is going on at Leslie's? There is a lot going on in the book. It is fast paced.

Tina Shaw is a organizer. Leslie had just inherited a big old house. The attic is so full of clutter that Tina is going to help her organize it. Tina used to date Leslie's older brother Brandon. Now she is dating Hank.
The four of them are trying to decide what is going on at Leslie's house.

There is a lot of secrets in this story. I like secrets about the houses but would have problems with the person I was involved in and not knowing what he does.

This is set in Newport, Rhode Island

I liked it so much I went and bought the first book in the series.

I was given this book to read by NetGalley and Victory Editing
In return I agree to give a honest review of Cluttered Attic Secrets.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was delighted to read a book by Jan Christiansen as all I have have been good and this one is no different. The characters are fairly well developed and catch my attention almost at once. The plots are original and fascinating. Tina is an now professional organizer . A friend Leslie calls at night telling her that she has seen a ghost in her attic. Tina goes over to the house and hears strange noises in the attic. They find the KEY to the attic and locked it. The next morning the key is on the ground and the door is unlocked. There is a murdered man in the next door yard. Accidents began happening to all who are in the house. Tina and Hank looks for answers. They wondered if it is a ghost. The suspense will keep reading until the end which is a surprise.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Victory Editing through Netgalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review this book. Thevopinions are my own.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this on Kindle Unlimited and while it seems interesting so far it really needed proof reading. Several of the issues have been minor, but the "Status of Liberty," "vivid contract" (contrast), a door "blot" (bolt) are pretty glaring errors that should have been picked up. I'm sure these are examples of word processing "help," but real live readers are still required; it makes my hand itch for a red pen. Maybe word processing isn't the only problem - just read that the Mexican food takeout was drugged and a few pages later it was Chinese food.
The overall story was interesting - who can resist secret passages and rooms? This is part of a series and references are made to events in earlier books, but the book can be read as a stand alone.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable light mystery with a bit of romance. Cozy mysteries like this often have an occupational theme these days -- this one is about a professional organizer who was trained as a psychologist. I think that one's enjoyment of this type of book is partly contingent on how interesting the reader finds the occupation, and this one interests me as a person who struggles with organization! Also, the setting in Newport, RI is well done and adds to the interest.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tina is the latest to debut in this new cozy series. She is helping her friend Leslie clean out a house she inherited from an aunt. They think they have ghost activity until they uncover a secret room. Tina's boyfriend Hank is in law enforcement and discovers a link to human slave trade. A little on the heavy side of cozy format. Looks like a good start to this new series.

[Jenni Schell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. The characters were very endearing and the story was very well written. I loved everything about it.

[Delia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light mystery. Tina Shaw is every girl's best friend - funny, supportive, and there when you need her. It's an enjoyable read.