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Dream Club Mystery #3
A Premonition of Murder
An elderly Southern heiress’s nightmare becomes a real case of murder in the latest Dream Club Mystery from the national bestselling author of Dream a Little Scream .
When Abigail Marchand, Savannah’s famously reclusive heiress, invites the Dream Club ladies to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion, Taylor and Ali hope for an invitation to join the distinguished Magnolia Society. But Abigail has a more pressing a recent dream that seems to foretell her death.
Taylor reassures Abigail that there are many ways to interpret a dream, but at the next meeting of the Dream Club, their discussion is cut short by a call from Detective Sam Stiles. She's at Abigail's mansion, where the elderly woman appears to have been pushed to her death down a flight of stairs. Now Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club need to catch a killer before someone else is laid to rest.
When Abigail Marchand, Savannah’s famously reclusive heiress, invites the Dream Club ladies to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion, Taylor and Ali hope for an invitation to join the distinguished Magnolia Society. But Abigail has a more pressing a recent dream that seems to foretell her death.
Taylor reassures Abigail that there are many ways to interpret a dream, but at the next meeting of the Dream Club, their discussion is cut short by a call from Detective Sam Stiles. She's at Abigail's mansion, where the elderly woman appears to have been pushed to her death down a flight of stairs. Now Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club need to catch a killer before someone else is laid to rest.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2016
12 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Mary Kennedy
142 books330 followersMary Kennedy is a national best-selling novelist and a licensed psychologist on the east coast. She has written 37 young adult novels and has a new adult mystery series with Penguin, The Talk Radio Mysteries.The first title, DEATH IS BAD KARMA was released in January 2010, and the second release, REEL MURDER, is available now. She has spoken at over 100 schools, libraries and writers' conferences all over the country. She received a grant and award for "artistic excellence in fiction" from the Delaware Division of the Arts. Please visit her online at http://www.marykennedy.net. And be sure to visit Killer Characters--it's a fun site where cozy mystery writers blog as their characters! www.killercharacters.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
June 7, 2016
Ths remarkable cozy mystery is the third one in the series, a new author and a series for me. The plot is original and it is character driven. It is set in Savannah, Georgia. Against a background of elite southern ladies and their historical mansions. The Dream Club consist a of group friends who meet weekly to discuss the meaning of their dreams. Taylor and Ali are invited to a dinner at the historical mansion. The owner, Abigail Merchand has been dreaming about her death. Later that week Abigail is found dead at the foot of a staircase. The police say it is murder and the Dream Club sets out to investigate. Abigail left a letter that asked Taylor and Ali to do an inventory of the mansion's rooms. This book takes many twists and turns that killer is hard to guess. I didn't learn who the killer was and his motive until it is revealed. A summer reading.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.
July 2, 2016
A Premonition of Murder by Mary Kennedy.
Taylor and her sister Ali are invited to Beaux Reves by Abigail Marchand. Abigail was an elderly, reclusive heiress and owner of this fabulous and equally famous mansion. Rose and Minerva Harper were present and had known Abigail for many years. They were seated outside on the patio when Abigail began relating a dream she had of her own death.
Unfortunately, that dream turned out to be a premonition come true. Shortly thereafter Abigail was found lying at the bottom of her stairs dead. Taylor and Ali find themselves in the midst of murder investigation and the suspects are more than just a few.
I enjoyed this book and have all 3 in this series to date. The beginning didn't seem that interesting but as I continued reading the characters I had become accustomed to interacted and drew me into the fact finding search for clues.
Highly recommended as a true cozy.
Taylor and her sister Ali are invited to Beaux Reves by Abigail Marchand. Abigail was an elderly, reclusive heiress and owner of this fabulous and equally famous mansion. Rose and Minerva Harper were present and had known Abigail for many years. They were seated outside on the patio when Abigail began relating a dream she had of her own death.
Unfortunately, that dream turned out to be a premonition come true. Shortly thereafter Abigail was found lying at the bottom of her stairs dead. Taylor and Ali find themselves in the midst of murder investigation and the suspects are more than just a few.
I enjoyed this book and have all 3 in this series to date. The beginning didn't seem that interesting but as I continued reading the characters I had become accustomed to interacted and drew me into the fact finding search for clues.
Highly recommended as a true cozy.
May 24, 2016
Absolutely the best installment in this wonderful series so far. Even better then I dreamed it would be!
Author Mary Kennedy has really set the bar high for herself with A PREMONITION OF MURDER. Truly an edge-of-your-seat cozy whodunit, this third book in her Dream Club Mysteries is a wonderful combination of murder, mayhem, and drama, with a healthy dose of southern class and charm!
The idea of a dream club to share and interpret dreams is such an original and intriguing idea for a cozy mystery series. There are absolutely endless possibilities for Ms. Kennedy to explore that will keep this series fresh and exciting with every new book in the series. I for one look forward to reading more!
Fans of the Dream Club series are going to love A PREMONITION OF MURDER!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for a dream symbol guide!
Author Mary Kennedy has really set the bar high for herself with A PREMONITION OF MURDER. Truly an edge-of-your-seat cozy whodunit, this third book in her Dream Club Mysteries is a wonderful combination of murder, mayhem, and drama, with a healthy dose of southern class and charm!
The idea of a dream club to share and interpret dreams is such an original and intriguing idea for a cozy mystery series. There are absolutely endless possibilities for Ms. Kennedy to explore that will keep this series fresh and exciting with every new book in the series. I for one look forward to reading more!
Fans of the Dream Club series are going to love A PREMONITION OF MURDER!
Make sure to check out the back of the book for a dream symbol guide!
May 14, 2018
A smoothly plotted mystery with two of my favorite sleuths. Ms. Kennedy never disappoints me when it comes to a mystery that is quickly paced with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing until the reveal.
June 19, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Mary Kennedy keeps topping herself with each subsequent installment to this series.
This time she takes us Beaux Reeves mansion, a wondrous place that not many of the residents of Savannah have been invited. Well they may have been invited to an event in the garden but never inside. Ali and Taylor are so excited to have been invited along with the other Dream Club members for lunch at the estate, but they are totally wrong about why they were asked. Abigail Marchand, a recluse and heiress, has asked them to come to interpret a dream. A dream that she believes indicates her death. The club members do their best to ease her fears. But then just a short time later, during a Dream Club, meeting they learn that the woman has died, and evidence says she was murdered. Can the Dream Club help shed light on killer?
I love these characters. Their group is so interesting. Unique in that their dreams can actually help solve a murder. I am not sure if there are really people out there that can do this but this author has grabbed my attention in all three of these books and made me think it may be possible. If not, it makes for a really good story.
In addition to the Dream Club meetings Ali and Taylor drawn in even farther just interpreting dream and a little investigating. There are several suspects, more than you would think for a woman that never left her home. TheY are put in a place where their observations can help them solve the case. I enjoyed that everyone really had to think and had different theories as it pertained to the murder. It sure wasn’t cut and dried. It was very entertaining to read.
I also enjoyed the little snippets of time at Oldies but Goodies. Thankfully Taylor and Ali have a great employee that can handle the store while are out chasing down suspects and trying to catch the killer.
This is a series that should be read in order. To enjoy it fully you need to meet the characters from the start and learn about their idiosyncrasies and the way the Dream Club works.
Mary Kennedy keeps topping herself with each subsequent installment to this series.
This time she takes us Beaux Reeves mansion, a wondrous place that not many of the residents of Savannah have been invited. Well they may have been invited to an event in the garden but never inside. Ali and Taylor are so excited to have been invited along with the other Dream Club members for lunch at the estate, but they are totally wrong about why they were asked. Abigail Marchand, a recluse and heiress, has asked them to come to interpret a dream. A dream that she believes indicates her death. The club members do their best to ease her fears. But then just a short time later, during a Dream Club, meeting they learn that the woman has died, and evidence says she was murdered. Can the Dream Club help shed light on killer?
I love these characters. Their group is so interesting. Unique in that their dreams can actually help solve a murder. I am not sure if there are really people out there that can do this but this author has grabbed my attention in all three of these books and made me think it may be possible. If not, it makes for a really good story.
In addition to the Dream Club meetings Ali and Taylor drawn in even farther just interpreting dream and a little investigating. There are several suspects, more than you would think for a woman that never left her home. TheY are put in a place where their observations can help them solve the case. I enjoyed that everyone really had to think and had different theories as it pertained to the murder. It sure wasn’t cut and dried. It was very entertaining to read.
I also enjoyed the little snippets of time at Oldies but Goodies. Thankfully Taylor and Ali have a great employee that can handle the store while are out chasing down suspects and trying to catch the killer.
This is a series that should be read in order. To enjoy it fully you need to meet the characters from the start and learn about their idiosyncrasies and the way the Dream Club works.
July 6, 2016
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A Premonition of Murder
A Dream Club Mystery, Book #3
By Mary Kennedy
ISBN#9780425268070
Author’s website: www.marykennedy.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
When Abigail Marchand, Savannah’s famously reclusive heiress, invites the Dream Club ladies to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion, Taylor and Ali hope for an invitation to join the distinguished Magnolia Society. But Abigail has a more pressing concern: a recent dream that seems to foretell her death.
Taylor reassures Abigail that there are many ways to interpret a dream, but at the next meeting of the Dream Club, their discussion is cut short by a call from Detective Sam Stiles. She’s at Abigail’s mansion, where the elderly woman appears to have been pushed to her death down a flight of stairs. Now Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club need to catch a killer before someone else is laid to rest.
Review:
Taylor and her friends in the Dream Club are at it again in this third installment in the Dream Club Mystery series. The concept of the series is novel, a group of ladies who interpret dreams that lead to solving murders. Unfortunately, A Premonition of Murder never quite becomes the mystery of my dreams.
Sisters and proprietors of retro candy store and café Taylor and Ali are asked to lunch with Abigail Marchand, a reclusive heiress who rarely invites people into her mansion. The pair hopes to see her beautiful home and think that an invitation to join the Magnolia Society, a philanthropic preservation group, might also be included with lunch. However, Abigail has another agenda. She has been dreaming about her own death. Though the ladies encourage her that the dream is symbolic, they are shocked to learn the next evening that Abigail has indeed died, apparently pushed down the stairs. Taylor, her ex/potential boyfriend Noah, and the Dream Club investigate as the bodies pile up, and more and more secrets are revealed.
There is quite a bit going on, mystery-wise, in A Premonition of Murder – two murders, an accidental death (or was it?), theft, art forgeries, and just plain old greed. One would think that it would be pretty exciting, but I found it repetitive. There are several viable suspects, but there is little unearthed about them to move the plot along. Again, repetitive. It also contains several distracting inconsistencies. For instance, an overflowing bathtub is mentioned, but two pages later it is noted that there is no water on the floor. What? Or headshaking moments such as when Taylor finds herself in a dark basement having a hard time finding her way out. But, right before the lights went out she took a picture with her cell phone. Why can’t she turn the phone on to light her path? Minor things, but, cumulatively, they are annoying. The ultimate reveal of the “bad guy” comes as no surprise, and I am left wanting more. It feels like there is less emphasis on the dreams solving the crimes in this installment, and I think this is good. For some reason, I have a hard time suspending reality to believe the dreams tell all.
The characters are appealing enough, including a wide variety of ages, interests, and occupations. However, Dorien’s cynical and condescending attitude left me wondering 1) why is she part of the Dream Club to begin with and 2) why do the other members put up with her? I think Ali is meant to come across as sensitive and a free spirit, but instead she is weak and has no business being in the amateur sleuthing business. I like Taylor, Noah, and the elderly twins.
I did like A Premonition of Murder, really. It is just not among my favorite cozies. I do not hesitate to recommend it to fans of the series and those who like a Savannah, Georgia, setting.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
A Premonition of Murder
A Dream Club Mystery, Book #3
By Mary Kennedy
ISBN#9780425268070
Author’s website: www.marykennedy.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
When Abigail Marchand, Savannah’s famously reclusive heiress, invites the Dream Club ladies to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion, Taylor and Ali hope for an invitation to join the distinguished Magnolia Society. But Abigail has a more pressing concern: a recent dream that seems to foretell her death.
Taylor reassures Abigail that there are many ways to interpret a dream, but at the next meeting of the Dream Club, their discussion is cut short by a call from Detective Sam Stiles. She’s at Abigail’s mansion, where the elderly woman appears to have been pushed to her death down a flight of stairs. Now Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club need to catch a killer before someone else is laid to rest.
Review:
Taylor and her friends in the Dream Club are at it again in this third installment in the Dream Club Mystery series. The concept of the series is novel, a group of ladies who interpret dreams that lead to solving murders. Unfortunately, A Premonition of Murder never quite becomes the mystery of my dreams.
Sisters and proprietors of retro candy store and café Taylor and Ali are asked to lunch with Abigail Marchand, a reclusive heiress who rarely invites people into her mansion. The pair hopes to see her beautiful home and think that an invitation to join the Magnolia Society, a philanthropic preservation group, might also be included with lunch. However, Abigail has another agenda. She has been dreaming about her own death. Though the ladies encourage her that the dream is symbolic, they are shocked to learn the next evening that Abigail has indeed died, apparently pushed down the stairs. Taylor, her ex/potential boyfriend Noah, and the Dream Club investigate as the bodies pile up, and more and more secrets are revealed.
There is quite a bit going on, mystery-wise, in A Premonition of Murder – two murders, an accidental death (or was it?), theft, art forgeries, and just plain old greed. One would think that it would be pretty exciting, but I found it repetitive. There are several viable suspects, but there is little unearthed about them to move the plot along. Again, repetitive. It also contains several distracting inconsistencies. For instance, an overflowing bathtub is mentioned, but two pages later it is noted that there is no water on the floor. What? Or headshaking moments such as when Taylor finds herself in a dark basement having a hard time finding her way out. But, right before the lights went out she took a picture with her cell phone. Why can’t she turn the phone on to light her path? Minor things, but, cumulatively, they are annoying. The ultimate reveal of the “bad guy” comes as no surprise, and I am left wanting more. It feels like there is less emphasis on the dreams solving the crimes in this installment, and I think this is good. For some reason, I have a hard time suspending reality to believe the dreams tell all.
The characters are appealing enough, including a wide variety of ages, interests, and occupations. However, Dorien’s cynical and condescending attitude left me wondering 1) why is she part of the Dream Club to begin with and 2) why do the other members put up with her? I think Ali is meant to come across as sensitive and a free spirit, but instead she is weak and has no business being in the amateur sleuthing business. I like Taylor, Noah, and the elderly twins.
I did like A Premonition of Murder, really. It is just not among my favorite cozies. I do not hesitate to recommend it to fans of the series and those who like a Savannah, Georgia, setting.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
April 11, 2016
Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club are at it again in this exciting installment of the Dream Club Mystery series.
At the request of Abigail Marchand, Savannah's reclusive heiress, the Dream Club ladies are invited to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion. Taylor and the ladies are hoping for an invitation into the Magnolia Society, however, Abigail instead wishes to talk about a dream, in which she sees her death.
When a tragedy takes place at the mansion, the list of suspects is long and Taylor will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
This is the first book I have read in this series and I really enjoyed it. I found the characters very likable and the plot captured my attention from beginning to end. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
At the request of Abigail Marchand, Savannah's reclusive heiress, the Dream Club ladies are invited to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion. Taylor and the ladies are hoping for an invitation into the Magnolia Society, however, Abigail instead wishes to talk about a dream, in which she sees her death.
When a tragedy takes place at the mansion, the list of suspects is long and Taylor will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.
This is the first book I have read in this series and I really enjoyed it. I found the characters very likable and the plot captured my attention from beginning to end. I will definitely be reading more in this series.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
October 9, 2018
Mary Kennedy, you've outdone yourself. I loved this, the 3rd Dream Club Mystery, also the 3rd I've read. I find dreams so fascinating in the directions they go. The Dream Club is a perfect example. Beginning with a wealthy, elderly lady hosting a tea-party outside her mansion, she immediately stuns them with the news she dreamed she's going to die, that was the feeling she had from the dream. The Dream Club then tries to help her sort out the dream she had. Fascinating ideas. But are they a portent or a nightmare? The Dream Club is a very mixed group, so she will certainly get a variety of suggestions, though most concur her dream of death was not necessarily what the dream is about. So many different possibilities, especially when her house is a mansion, a beautiful old Savannah home, very large and housing some of her assistants. Are the people who are living there truly caring for her? or is there a darker side to some of them. How many can be trusted?
This dream seems to be complicated as the Club begins to consider the people in the house besides Abigail Marchand, since she is somewhat of a recluse and relies on these others. Of course, with the housekeeper having worked there for over 30 years, she will be receiving an inheritance of $30,000,000. Others appear to be non-threatening, but are they? Who are some of these people who have been showing up recently? Abigail falls to her death, but actually was pushed down the stairs. Finally some questions surface in the group along with Detective Sam Styles, a member of the Dream Club, as they really get to work on what the dreams of all of them have been leading them to, Abigail's housemates and yard-workers. Who is the family member Sophie, from another country? Is she really a relative? What was the real cause of death of Abigail's sister, Desiree? Who is the student recording the artwork in the house? Lucy, the housekeeper, has a son living in the mansion, what is known about him?
Lucy murdered, by whom? Sophie is supposedly Abigail's last living relative, is that true? Abigail has requested that Tracy and Ali record all items in the house after her death. A lot going on with this book. I found the views of the Dream Club very interesting, lives being lost strangely interesting as facts became clearer. I enjoyed reading the Dream Symbol Guide in the back of the book, I wonder what the dreams of floating mean?
This dream seems to be complicated as the Club begins to consider the people in the house besides Abigail Marchand, since she is somewhat of a recluse and relies on these others. Of course, with the housekeeper having worked there for over 30 years, she will be receiving an inheritance of $30,000,000. Others appear to be non-threatening, but are they? Who are some of these people who have been showing up recently? Abigail falls to her death, but actually was pushed down the stairs. Finally some questions surface in the group along with Detective Sam Styles, a member of the Dream Club, as they really get to work on what the dreams of all of them have been leading them to, Abigail's housemates and yard-workers. Who is the family member Sophie, from another country? Is she really a relative? What was the real cause of death of Abigail's sister, Desiree? Who is the student recording the artwork in the house? Lucy, the housekeeper, has a son living in the mansion, what is known about him?
Lucy murdered, by whom? Sophie is supposedly Abigail's last living relative, is that true? Abigail has requested that Tracy and Ali record all items in the house after her death. A lot going on with this book. I found the views of the Dream Club very interesting, lives being lost strangely interesting as facts became clearer. I enjoyed reading the Dream Symbol Guide in the back of the book, I wonder what the dreams of floating mean?
October 31, 2018
I wanted to read this since I recently visited Savannah, and it's a pretty standard cozy mystery to me. I was annoyed at a few continuity errors (including a scene toward the end where a character who is busy across the room is mistakenly attributed to saying something, before actually joining the dialogue on the next page - page 267 for those interested) and the jabs at "health food" desserts (it's 2018, chia seeds are not scary and "candied tofu" is not really a thing).
December 12, 2019
I've been catching up on a lot of series I have yet to finish. This is one of them. The mystery in this one along with the characters was interesting. Glad I kept reading this throughout wondering what Taylor, Ali and the Dream Club were going to ponder next. I also like when they discuss the dreams and how it revolves around the mystery in a way. Good ending though. Like the cover.
June 26, 2016
A Premonition of Murder by Mary Kennedy is the third book in A Dream Club Mystery series. Taylor Black is living in Savannah, Georgia helping her sister, Allison “Ali” Black with her shop Oldies but Goodies. Taylor and Ali have been invited by Abigail Marchand to her home Beaux Reeves. Abigail has been having a disturbing dream, and Abigail believes it means her death is imminent. Taylor and Ali are members of the Dream Club and Abigail was hoping they could assist her. Taylor reassures her that the dream could mean many different things. She promises to discuss it at their very next meeting and get back in touch with her. Unfortunately, Abigail is found dead at the bottom of her stairs before Taylor can get back in touch with her. Abigail was pushed down her stairs. The Dream Club sets out to find Abigail’s killer. It certainly helps when Ali and Taylor are contacted by Abigail’s attorney. Abigail had left a letter requesting that the sisters take a complete inventory of the house. They will finally get a chance to see inside Beaux Reeves (very few people ever get inside the house) and, hopefully, find some clues to help their investigation. Will the Dream Club be able to find the killer before there is another victim?
A Premonition of Murder is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The author did a good job with the mystery. I liked the clues and her misdirection. I was able to pick out the killer early in the book (as soon as I read about the murder), but, thanks to the clever writing, I was starting to doubt myself a little bit (which I liked). I am not sure about the dream interpretations (my parents always taught be that it is hogwash), but I liked the candy shop Oldies but Goodies. How they make any money, though, is beyond me. It seems their intern, Dana (who is supposed to be part-time) does all the work. They are barely breaking even so I do not know how they can afford a part-time employee (we are probably not supposed to think about that). I also wondered about the amount of frozen food they use to serve to customers (instead of fresh every day). Of course, they are too busy sleuthing to make fresh. Another anomaly is the cats that are allowed in the store. You would think they would not be allowed cats in the shop since they serve cooked/prepared food as well as candy (yum). I give A Premonition of Murder 4 out of 5 stars. A Premonition of Murder is well-written and entertaining. I will definitely be reading the next book in A Dream Club Mystery series.
I received a complimentary copy of A Premonition of Murder from NetGalley (courtesy of the publisher) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
A Premonition of Murder is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. The author did a good job with the mystery. I liked the clues and her misdirection. I was able to pick out the killer early in the book (as soon as I read about the murder), but, thanks to the clever writing, I was starting to doubt myself a little bit (which I liked). I am not sure about the dream interpretations (my parents always taught be that it is hogwash), but I liked the candy shop Oldies but Goodies. How they make any money, though, is beyond me. It seems their intern, Dana (who is supposed to be part-time) does all the work. They are barely breaking even so I do not know how they can afford a part-time employee (we are probably not supposed to think about that). I also wondered about the amount of frozen food they use to serve to customers (instead of fresh every day). Of course, they are too busy sleuthing to make fresh. Another anomaly is the cats that are allowed in the store. You would think they would not be allowed cats in the shop since they serve cooked/prepared food as well as candy (yum). I give A Premonition of Murder 4 out of 5 stars. A Premonition of Murder is well-written and entertaining. I will definitely be reading the next book in A Dream Club Mystery series.
I received a complimentary copy of A Premonition of Murder from NetGalley (courtesy of the publisher) in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel.
June 14, 2016
4 Stars
My Take...
This is a new book series for me that is set around the world of dreams. And that is totally in my wheelhouse considering how much I dream and how epic all my dreams are. So, needless to say, I truly enjoyed delving into the Dreaming Club conceived of in this book.
Here is the plot: Rich lady has a dream that foretells her death and the dream club tell her that dreams are usually symbolic … but not in this case. The rich lady dies the next day.
Cue the spooky music. Something devilish is afoot.
This book was filled with twists and turns that led our heroines into murky corners and stuck inside tunnels hoping they wouldn’t die like the rich lady had. Abigail, aforementioned rich lady, made Ali and Taylor in charge of cataloguing her earthly goods once she was dead, which was pretty funny considering she had only met the lady the day before her death. But that is just a little niggle that didn’t quite make sense to me but the rest of the book was beyond stellar.
I truly enjoyed this cozy novel. It packed a great punch and I will definitely be checking out more books by Mary Kennedy.
This is book three in a series and of course, like I normally do, I started with book three and have yet to read the first two books in the series. But be sure that I will definitely be checking out these novels.
The heroines have a cool business in town called the Olde But Goodie Store/Cafe. They have all kinds of vintage stuff including food and old candies. I found the concept of that pretty interesting and always looked forward to when the scene were set in the business.
The ARC I received had a lot of extra numbers and such that curt off words and made reading this galley a challenge but I did not lessen my enjoyment of it.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this title.
My Take...
This is a new book series for me that is set around the world of dreams. And that is totally in my wheelhouse considering how much I dream and how epic all my dreams are. So, needless to say, I truly enjoyed delving into the Dreaming Club conceived of in this book.
Here is the plot: Rich lady has a dream that foretells her death and the dream club tell her that dreams are usually symbolic … but not in this case. The rich lady dies the next day.
Cue the spooky music. Something devilish is afoot.
This book was filled with twists and turns that led our heroines into murky corners and stuck inside tunnels hoping they wouldn’t die like the rich lady had. Abigail, aforementioned rich lady, made Ali and Taylor in charge of cataloguing her earthly goods once she was dead, which was pretty funny considering she had only met the lady the day before her death. But that is just a little niggle that didn’t quite make sense to me but the rest of the book was beyond stellar.
I truly enjoyed this cozy novel. It packed a great punch and I will definitely be checking out more books by Mary Kennedy.
This is book three in a series and of course, like I normally do, I started with book three and have yet to read the first two books in the series. But be sure that I will definitely be checking out these novels.
The heroines have a cool business in town called the Olde But Goodie Store/Cafe. They have all kinds of vintage stuff including food and old candies. I found the concept of that pretty interesting and always looked forward to when the scene were set in the business.
The ARC I received had a lot of extra numbers and such that curt off words and made reading this galley a challenge but I did not lessen my enjoyment of it.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this title.
May 22, 2016
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
At least this time they did not fully depend on dreams to solve the mystery - more along the lines of a gentle nudge and filling in the blanks.
In Savannah, Georgia, Taylor and her sister own a small candy shop and when they are not tending to the confection needs of their community and tourists, they are hosting weekly dream club meetings and either through symbolism or prophetic insights solving local mysteries.
Abigail Marchand is a local recluse that only opens up her home, Beaux Reves, for special occasions. Having been caught off guard, Taylor and her sister are invited for tea and hear a tale of premonition. The next thing you know, Taylor and Ali are knee deep in a murder investigation. When family secrets are unveiled, and the bodies start piling up, the women are in over their heads and beginning to wonder how this all tie back to an unsolved murder more than twenty years in the past.
As with most cozies mysteries, there are many parts that are glossed over and the central characters suddenly find themselves as experts in the most esoteric of fields. Side characters are bandied about and red herrings are dropped, but that is ok since the reader catches on quickly as to who the bad guys are.
There is a bit of rehashing of previous books, but I do not feel that the reader would need to start there. Each book is self-explanatory and comes to a complete ending with no big dangling question mark to make sure that you pick-up the next book. The Dream Club Mysteries are not my favorite series, but I do find myself coming back. Maybe it is the food talk, but I do find myself wondering what the Dream Club will be up to next.
At least this time they did not fully depend on dreams to solve the mystery - more along the lines of a gentle nudge and filling in the blanks.
In Savannah, Georgia, Taylor and her sister own a small candy shop and when they are not tending to the confection needs of their community and tourists, they are hosting weekly dream club meetings and either through symbolism or prophetic insights solving local mysteries.
Abigail Marchand is a local recluse that only opens up her home, Beaux Reves, for special occasions. Having been caught off guard, Taylor and her sister are invited for tea and hear a tale of premonition. The next thing you know, Taylor and Ali are knee deep in a murder investigation. When family secrets are unveiled, and the bodies start piling up, the women are in over their heads and beginning to wonder how this all tie back to an unsolved murder more than twenty years in the past.
As with most cozies mysteries, there are many parts that are glossed over and the central characters suddenly find themselves as experts in the most esoteric of fields. Side characters are bandied about and red herrings are dropped, but that is ok since the reader catches on quickly as to who the bad guys are.
There is a bit of rehashing of previous books, but I do not feel that the reader would need to start there. Each book is self-explanatory and comes to a complete ending with no big dangling question mark to make sure that you pick-up the next book. The Dream Club Mysteries are not my favorite series, but I do find myself coming back. Maybe it is the food talk, but I do find myself wondering what the Dream Club will be up to next.
January 13, 2017
Dream interpretation fascinates me, so I was prepared to love this book, but unfortunately a couple things about the series bothered me. First of all, I just could not buy the idea that these random women could all just happen to have dreams during the same brief time period that helped solve the mystery. That just came across as too contrived for me. Second, while the characters are well written and well developed, I just could not like delicate, scatter-brained Ali, who is one of the two main characters in the series. The other main character, Taylor, Ali's sister, is competent and intelligent and I will continue to read the series to follow Taylor's development.
June 29, 2016
Book 3 continues of using the Dream Club's members dreams to advance the solution and it is an interesting concept. The core characters are likable and I enjoy reading about them. My biggest problems with this series is how Taylor starts to investigate murders when no one in her circle of friends is even a suspect and goes at the investigation just like she is a private detective or on the police force.Taylor is very good at this work--even the police appreciate her skills. It is time for Taylor to take Noah's advice and work for him.
June 3, 2016
A Premonition of Murder is the third book in A Dream Club Mystery by Mary Kennedy. What an exciting read this was! Filled with the southern charm of Savannah, Georgia. Murder, chaos and plenty of suspects.
Ali and Taylor are invited to Beaux Reeves mansion, the home of heiress Abigail Marchand for a luncheon, hoping for an invitation into the Magnolia Society.
Instead Abigail proceeds to tell them about her dream.
The Dream Club is back and you don't want to miss out on any of this wonderfully intriguing mystery!
Ali and Taylor are invited to Beaux Reeves mansion, the home of heiress Abigail Marchand for a luncheon, hoping for an invitation into the Magnolia Society.
Instead Abigail proceeds to tell them about her dream.
The Dream Club is back and you don't want to miss out on any of this wonderfully intriguing mystery!
July 10, 2016
A Premonition of Murder is book 3 in the A Dream Club Mystery. This series is set in Savannah, Georgia and the setting is well established through local color used in the books. In this book, Taylor and Ali are invited to an exclusive luncheon and meet a society dame, who is later killed. The mystery includes theft, murder, and an old unsolved crime and of course, dreams and their interpretations. A fun and engaging mystery with a really interesting theme.
February 5, 2017
I just don't get why Taylor gets access to the crime scene - she's not a police officer; she's not a detective so why would Sam Stiles tell her anything about the "case". I've read all 3 books in the series but I think this is it for this series for me.
November 14, 2016
Taylor and Ali, sisters who work together at Ali’s Oldies but Goodies retro candy store host the Dream Club in their upstairs apartment. The Dream Club focuses on discussing dreams that are interesting or troubling to a member and seek what it might mean. Taylor was skeptical when she first came to Savannah. Since then, with multiple murders solved through the Dream Club, she is no longer skeptical. Third in A Dream Club Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone or more enjoyably in order.
Ali and Taylor have been invited to visit Abigail, a reclusive society heiress, at the elegant mansion that has been in her family over 150 years. The elder sisters in the Dream Club, Minerva and Rose, have known Abigail for decades, and they extended the invitation. Abigail believes that, based on a terrible dream she had, she is going to die in the very near future. The ladies agreed to present her dream at the next Dream Club meeting. Abigail has just run into Sophie, a family member from Europe, after dreaming about her; she was so excited she considered changing her will to leave everything to Sophie.
The group discussed Abigail’s dream at the club meeting the next evening…unfortunately, as the group broke up, Sam – a friend, member of the club and detective with Savannah PD, called from the crime scene of Abigail’s home where she was found murdered that morning.
After Abigail’s memorial service, Norman, her attorney, had a letter for the sisters from Abigail requesting that Taylor and Ali perform an inventory of the estate. It is a daunting task and unusual because she didn’t really know the sisters, and she had a university student living there for the summer to do an inventory.
The sisters would at least have an ‘in’ to see if they could discover who might have murdered the heiress. There was no shortage of suspects, including Sophie, now living there, perhaps a staff member, and the final living member of the Magnolia Society, Laura. Laura would inherit an incredibly valuable piece of property that had been bought with the funds each member had put in when joining many years ago.
There is a unique and well-defined cast of characters, the best known being Taylor, through whose eyes we see the events, and her sister Ali. We learn more about Noah, who Taylor dated in Atlanta several years prior and now had a PI firm in Savannah. The other ‘regulars’ we know less about: Dana, the assistant in the candy shop/ cafe is creative with good business sense. The Dream Club members are an eclectic group; we only know highlights about most members except Sam and the sisters, Minerva and Rose.
The author draws the reader in at the beginning, keeping this reader an eager participant throughout. How exciting it would be to go through a pre-Civil War mansion and work on an inventory! The artwork, library and furnishings would be so fascinating! The plot is intriguing due to the dreams and the various discoveries. It is a challenge to consider who the bad guy/ gal might be or the motive. With more than one surprise, the end came too quickly with all the loose ends addressed. I highly recommend ‘A Premonition of Murder’ and A Dream Club Mystery series to those who enjoy complex, well-written cozy mysteries with the added element dream interpretation and a brief Dream System Guide at the end.
With a grateful heart, I received a copy of this book from the author with no requirement for review. All opinions are my own.
Ali and Taylor have been invited to visit Abigail, a reclusive society heiress, at the elegant mansion that has been in her family over 150 years. The elder sisters in the Dream Club, Minerva and Rose, have known Abigail for decades, and they extended the invitation. Abigail believes that, based on a terrible dream she had, she is going to die in the very near future. The ladies agreed to present her dream at the next Dream Club meeting. Abigail has just run into Sophie, a family member from Europe, after dreaming about her; she was so excited she considered changing her will to leave everything to Sophie.
The group discussed Abigail’s dream at the club meeting the next evening…unfortunately, as the group broke up, Sam – a friend, member of the club and detective with Savannah PD, called from the crime scene of Abigail’s home where she was found murdered that morning.
After Abigail’s memorial service, Norman, her attorney, had a letter for the sisters from Abigail requesting that Taylor and Ali perform an inventory of the estate. It is a daunting task and unusual because she didn’t really know the sisters, and she had a university student living there for the summer to do an inventory.
The sisters would at least have an ‘in’ to see if they could discover who might have murdered the heiress. There was no shortage of suspects, including Sophie, now living there, perhaps a staff member, and the final living member of the Magnolia Society, Laura. Laura would inherit an incredibly valuable piece of property that had been bought with the funds each member had put in when joining many years ago.
There is a unique and well-defined cast of characters, the best known being Taylor, through whose eyes we see the events, and her sister Ali. We learn more about Noah, who Taylor dated in Atlanta several years prior and now had a PI firm in Savannah. The other ‘regulars’ we know less about: Dana, the assistant in the candy shop/ cafe is creative with good business sense. The Dream Club members are an eclectic group; we only know highlights about most members except Sam and the sisters, Minerva and Rose.
The author draws the reader in at the beginning, keeping this reader an eager participant throughout. How exciting it would be to go through a pre-Civil War mansion and work on an inventory! The artwork, library and furnishings would be so fascinating! The plot is intriguing due to the dreams and the various discoveries. It is a challenge to consider who the bad guy/ gal might be or the motive. With more than one surprise, the end came too quickly with all the loose ends addressed. I highly recommend ‘A Premonition of Murder’ and A Dream Club Mystery series to those who enjoy complex, well-written cozy mysteries with the added element dream interpretation and a brief Dream System Guide at the end.
With a grateful heart, I received a copy of this book from the author with no requirement for review. All opinions are my own.
July 11, 2017
Finished the book and will not purchase any more. Mystery was okay and felt story was missing that wonderful, world-famous Southern charm. I think the problem with the missing southern charm is the author lives in the north. Most northern people do not understand the southern charm, southern manners or anything southern.
The mystery was boring. The dream club just does not feel real to this reader. Then the lack of some questions that never were answered. What really happened with Abigail's will? This was talked about and people wondered what would happen with the estate. Then readers do not know anything.
Purchased at Kobo.
The mystery was boring. The dream club just does not feel real to this reader. Then the lack of some questions that never were answered. What really happened with Abigail's will? This was talked about and people wondered what would happen with the estate. Then readers do not know anything.
Purchased at Kobo.
February 6, 2017
Another delightful installment in the Dream Club mystery series. Our girls are invited to the home of a very wealthy recluse who also invites the hole Dream Club as well. The woman has a dream that she will soon die. Incredibly she in fact is murdered the very next day or that same night. There are several suspects all with very different secrets that they are hiding. The girl eventually come to the bottom of the very shady dealings and who is responsible. For not just her murder but the murder of her sister years earlier and her housekeeper who was blackmailing one of the suspects.
March 15, 2018
A mediocre and loooonnnnng story. It just did not hold my interest and I put it down and picked it back up several times over the course of a year. One of my favorite parts was the description of the food in the Italian restaurant. Any book set in Savannah gets points from me, and the description of the mansion was good. This particular novel simply didn’t strike me as top notch.
July 11, 2019
A very intersting series. This is my first read in this series and I find that I like all the Characters. In a way I would like to find out more about what we dream of and have a club to talk about them; it could be fun.
February 1, 2020
The 3rd book in the dream club series and another great murder to solve. This is one of the few murder mysteries that I didnt know who the killer was. I was hoping to continue on in the series but it seems like this is the last book.
August 4, 2017
This was a cozy mystery that I just loved. The cover of the book is so cute and the story is one that once you start you can't put down. Mary hit a home run with this!
September 26, 2017
This book was not good. From the first page it was strange. There were so many mistakes. I was so disappointed.
April 18, 2018
This 3rd book in the Dream Club Mystery series is better than the 1st 2, but still lacking something that I can't quite put my finger on.
July 9, 2018
This installment fell flat for me. I still enjoy the Savannah references but the mysteries need to have a little more zing.
June 2, 2020
A few suspects then we have a unsolved murder that is connected
enjoyable reading
enjoyable reading
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October 5, 20253.5⭐
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