Drowning in Amber

Marie Jenner Mystery #2

by E.C. Bell, Eileen Bell

Marie Jenner is at it again!

As she tries--one more time with feeling--to pull her life together, she takes on the case of Honoria Lowe, a woman of interest in Eddie Hansen's gruesome murder by crucifixion.

Since Marie knows where Eddie Hansen's spirit is, she figures it will be a slam dunk. All she has t do is ask him who nailed him to the tree, and she'll have one in the win column for her more or less boss, James Lavall.

But James thinks Honoria's either crazy or lying, and doesn't want to take her case. Worse than that, Marie can't find Eddie. He should be right by the crucifixion tree where he died, but he isn't. Of course.

Why is there never a ghost around when you want one?

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

321 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2015

About the author

E.C. Bell is the author of six novels in the paranormal Marie Jenner Mystery Series. She has also published short stories and anthologies, won a couple of Aurora Awards, a Bloody Words Light Mystery Award, and an Alberta Book Publishing Award for Speculative Novel.

When she's not writing, she’s scouting out new locations for her upcoming novels, or renovating her round house in Edmonton, where she lives with her husband and two rescue dogs.

You read that right. She lives in a round house.

Reviews

[Alejandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is much grimmer than Seeing The Light, with Marie and James unintentionally stumbling onto the darker side of Edmonton while deciding to keep his PI business alive. The characters, including newly deceased Eddie, are better developed; I liked how Eddie was able to provide a 3rd party view about the other characters that one would otherwise not get from listening only to Marie's point of view. I really enjoyed watching Marie grow, although sometimes it was quite frustrating. The addition of the book club, as well as the interaction with Marie's best friend lightened up an otherwise grim story.

And the ending... whaaaaaa?!?!?!

Very interested in seeing where the story is headed on the next book.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourite bit: the book club. OMG, I can't even--You have to read it yourself. Priceless.

Marie Jenner, an amateur detective who can see ghosts, is in her twenties and struggling to make ends meet. (She takes the bus. Somehow that detail really nailed it for me--I remember those years.) I like the alternating viewpoint between Marie and the ghost (the ghost is different for each book) and I like that it still feels like Marie is learning about ghosts and the world is still expanding. Awesome ending.

[Krista D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid entry in this paranormal suspense series.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Jenner is a deeply flawed individual and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't want to go out for drinks with her in real life... which makes it even more remarkable that I enjoy spending so much time with her on the page, but I really do!

I adored this book and recommend it to anyone who likes their murder mysteries with a helping of paranormal served up with a big ole side of dark humour.

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I LOVED this book! I didn't read the first book in the series, but had no trouble following the story. Now I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

The characters are lovable, the story is interesting, and I didn't want to put the book down.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know I loved paranormal mysteries until I got hooked on the Marie Jenner series by EC Bell. Obviously I know now, so let me help you get hooked on them too.
Marie and her mostly-just-a-boss James Lavall are still deciding if they want to take over the private eye business willed to James by his deceased uncle after the whole fiasco of the last case, which resulted in concussions galore and little-to-no actual cash. While James has some savings to tide him over, Marie is in dire financial straits and takes a case for Honoria Lowe, a woman of interest in the violent (and graphic) crucifixion of Eddie Hansen. Marie can talk to ghosts, so proving that Honoria didn't kill Eddie should be as simple as asking him. Of course it's not, because then this story would be 10 pages long and no one wants that. Between James' suspicions of Honoria's honesty and sanity, Eddie gallivanting about the city when most ghosts stick close to the location of their death, and Marie's various personal issues, Bell has whipped up another fast paced mystery. There's a hint of romance, a dash of danger and a liberal dollop of violence in installment number 2, plus drug use and burgeoning alcoholism so be wary if any of those are sensitive areas for you. I for one can't wait to finish the series and for the newest offering to be available come October 2019. Bring on the ghosts!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie had promised Farley in the previous book that she would help the ghost of the man who had been crucified at the church (Eddie) move on. Several scenes, including his death, made me a bit uncomfortable but not enough to stop reading. I actually have purchased the next three books.

Marie and James have a new client by the name of Honoria. She is a person of interest in Eddie's death due to her "gift" of prophetic dreams. She is able to sketch scenes from these dreams and had taken some to the police. She perceives that Marie is more than she appears, which panics Marie as she doesn't want James to find out.

At one point Marie goes to visit Eddie's mother in the hope of finding closure for him. There she encounters his mother's book club, a group of middle aged women determined to help in the investigation as they are avid mystery readers.

This is a very action packed story and I recommend it to those who enjoyed Seeing the Light.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the premise for this series is an interesting one. The heroine can communicate with the dead, which is a great way to help solve their murders, or so you would think. The heroine is at a difficult point in her life and trying to get herself sorted out. I have some issues with this book. Sometimes the grammar, punctuation, and usage were uneven, occasionally right and sometimes not in a distracting way. I was surprised at the f-bomb being dropped several times right in the first chapter or prologue, whatever it was. There is a fair amount of profanity in the entire book, which I am not a fan of in novels. I always think the author should let you know if there is an excessive amount of profanity in a book so you can avoid it if you don't want to see that. I think the idea for this series is a good one, but I just don't think it is fully realized by this author.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Linda Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really slow supernatural murder mystery. The I-see-dead-people-everywhere slant was pretty good and her conversations with the recently dead were funny. The Edmonton connection was neat as I know exactly where these streets are. My only problem with this book is the passiveness of the heroine. Surely by the time she is in her 20’s she should have come to grips with her talent and stopped hoping for a ‘normal’ life. She talks to dead people! Definitely going to put a crimp in ‘normal’!!! So own it ! Be proactive. You would have a leg up on the competition in the detective business.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There's never a ghost around when you want one." - E.C. Bell, Drowning in Amber

Drowning in Amber is the second in the Marie Jenner Mystery series and is a great paranormal mystery. Marie Jenner is a ghost-seeing P.I. with true loyalty to the people she tries to help. The characters in this story are realistic and the story is well written and fast-paced with suspense, intrigue, and some twists.

I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book with no obligation.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie Jenner's 2nd adventure is fast-paced and, though darker than the first, satisfying in raising the stakes and exploring more of what can happen to ghosts before they cross over. There are some really neat and interesting ideas executed without dwelling or being preachy. Marie can be frustrating at times but she always conveys an authentic humanity that makes you want to stick it through with her. For me, this book hit a really good mix of action, mystery and spiritual exploration.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this mystery series. I loved the first book and this one is even better. I love the characters, especially Marie who is the ghost seer! I do love great ghost stories and this is definitely one of the best. I am looking forward to book #3.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is back trying to get her life together so she takes on another case. this time it is a case of murder in a horrible way. They are found in a cross and a woman is the centre of the investigation. Will she find the truth? Who is behind it? See how she gets on

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Talena Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was even more fun than the first one. The characters were so vivid, the mystery so well-written, and I love how Ms. Bell uses such a light tone to address (and not downplay) some deep, serious issues. That mix of humour and heart is exactly what I like to see on the page. I can't wait to read the next Marie Jenner mystery!

[Catherine Fitzsimmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and fun.

[Ray Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than its predecessor, Seeing the Light.While the plot itself wasn't any more complex than in the first book, the characterization was much better. It maintained the same dual-first-person-pov that Seeing the Light did, switching between Marie and the dead person. The only thing that bugged me was that Marie is a rather passive heroine, who is content (for the most part) to let things happen to her and doesn't put up much of a fight. This is something that she hopefully overcomes in later books, as the book ends with a pretty obvious lead-in to another one...which has its own pitfalls.

[Mahrie Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wait for this one was worth it. I picked it up at an author signing (I went specifically to get the book) and read it in one sitting. Stopped only to make a sandwich for dinner. The ghost-seeing sleuth is coming into her own as a PI and her complicated relationship with her PI partner continued as she attempts to hide her unusual skill. The ghost carried his part of the tale and misbehaved even as his journey through the afterlife revealed... well no spoilers. You'll have to read it for yourself.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second of the series is as good as the first. It's a modern day mystery but with a spiritual bent because the heroine has the inherited ability to see and speak with the newly dead who need a little help figuring out where to go next. At this point she's still very uncomfortable with the role and there's a lot of humor as well as tension from mistakes she makes. The discussions she has with the ghosts about what they need to do, and the description of any final departures seem very real.

[Robert W. Easton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drowning in Amber was well written, and engaging - I read it in one day. It reminded me a lot of Chuck Wendig's Blackbirds, and if you appreciated Chuck's character Miriam, then you'll like Eileen's character Marie, and vice versa.

[Kristan Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's a print version, I'm getting it for my personal shelf.