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Lily Dale Mystery #2
Something Buried, Something Blue
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is back with the second in her critically-acclaimed cozy mystery series.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It's a race to figure out who killed Johneen--and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes--before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It's a race to figure out who killed Johneen--and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes--before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
70 people are currently reading
1150 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
81 books1,891 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 24, 2017
I feel like a heel giving this two stars, but honestly, even that feels generous. This is "cozy mystery" carried to the Nth degree. Every single person in the book is a "character", and not only because of the spiritualism. The "mystery" is a dead giveaway from the very first chapter (I am not kidding), so if you are going to consider your time well-spent, the characters have to be people you care about, not stereotypes of bad fan fiction. And by the way, no one else felt like stifling Jiffy? This may be the reason handsome young billionaire Grant Everard is content to give Isabella Mary Sue Jordan her instructions by text, having gotten the hell out of Lily Dale. He couldn't take one more winsome minute of the kid who lives next door.
June 13, 2017
I picked this boom up thinking it eas a continuation of the Lily series I started a long time ago. NOPE
It is another series so now I know why nothing rang a bell with me.
I found this story hard to read and the characters over the top.
It is another series so now I know why nothing rang a bell with me.
I found this story hard to read and the characters over the top.
November 23, 2022
Something Buried, Something Blue by Wendy Corsi Staub is the second in the Lily Dale paranormal cozy mystery series.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Lily Dale is a small town in New York, whose population predominantly consists of psychics. The energy in the town is known as Spirit, and if you are skeptical when you arrive, you won't be for long. In the summer season, it is a very busy place, as tourists from around the world come for readings, as well as physical, spiritual and emotional healing. Bella Jordan and her son Max ended up in the town while trying to return a cat to it's owner...who, it turned out was dead. Bella ended up not only looking after the dead woman's pregnant cat, but also her bed & breakfast, The Valley View Guesthouse.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Bella and Max have settled in to the Valley View Guesthouse for the winter, after the new owner offered her the job of a winter caretaker. Bella is hoping to make it permanent, and when Odelia, the medium who lives next door, convinces her to host a wedding at the Inn, Bella thinks this may be a way to convince the owner to keep the business going.
Unfortunately, the bride is a nightmare. Johneen Maynard may be a good friend of Odelia's granddaughter, but she doesn't make things easy for Bella. The groom isn't much better, and with the possibility of an October blizzard, things are getting worse. Then there are the predictions that the wedding could bring dangers for the bride.
Meanwhile, Bella's mother-in-law shows up with plans to take both Max and Bella back to Chicago.
My Opinions:
Admittedly, this book was not very deep. It was however, a fast read that kept me entertained. What more could I want?
I wasn't very impressed with Odelia in this one, and I still don't like Jiffy.
Bella, Drew and Luther continue to be my favorites. The plot was okay, and although I had guessed the perpetrator early on, there was still enough of a twist to surprise.
Overall, it was a good cozy mystery, and if you need a light entertaining read, I'd recommend this series.
For a more complete review of this book and others, (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
September 18, 2016
Recently widowed Bella Jordan is staying on through the winter in Lily Dale, New York, as the caretaker of the Valley View guesthouse. Bella and her young son feel at home here in Lily Dale and hope things work out so they can stay and avoid having to move to Chicago with Bella's formidable mother-in-law. Holding a destination wedding at the inn seems like a great idea to bring in money during the off-season - until the difficult bride-to-be is murdered! Now to protect the reputation of the inn, as well as herself and her son, Bella goes on a dangerous search for a killer.
Wendy Corsi Staub is the author of a popular young adult series set in Lily Dale. "Something Buried, Something Blue" is the second book in her new new adult Lily Dale series. Hopefully, this new series will find a broader audience, but I think these books would be appropriate for teens as well.
I enjoyed "Something Buried, Something Blue" even more than the first book in this series, "Nine Lives." I'm glad Bella has a little more backbone in this book and is finally standing behind her decision to stay in Lily Dale, and it's great to see her determination to make things work out. I also liked the interesting, and unexpected, development in her relationship with her mother-in-law and think it will make future books in the series even better. The bits of paranormal in the book are intriguing and entertaining and are done in the way that make them believable. I have quickly become a fan of this series and loved this book! I can't wait to see what happens next for Bella and her new friends in Lily Dale.
I received this book through Goodreads “First Reads” program and have provided my honest review of the book.
Wendy Corsi Staub is the author of a popular young adult series set in Lily Dale. "Something Buried, Something Blue" is the second book in her new new adult Lily Dale series. Hopefully, this new series will find a broader audience, but I think these books would be appropriate for teens as well.
I enjoyed "Something Buried, Something Blue" even more than the first book in this series, "Nine Lives." I'm glad Bella has a little more backbone in this book and is finally standing behind her decision to stay in Lily Dale, and it's great to see her determination to make things work out. I also liked the interesting, and unexpected, development in her relationship with her mother-in-law and think it will make future books in the series even better. The bits of paranormal in the book are intriguing and entertaining and are done in the way that make them believable. I have quickly become a fan of this series and loved this book! I can't wait to see what happens next for Bella and her new friends in Lily Dale.
I received this book through Goodreads “First Reads” program and have provided my honest review of the book.
June 19, 2017
I enjoyed this because of the setting and the presence of Spiritualism. The mystery is why the murder didn't happen sooner. I found it enjoyable way to spend a few quiet afternoons after reading a stream of intense thrillers. Not as good as Staub's other books but cute in its own way, if you are in the mood for cute.
April 1, 2017
I'd like to meet the characters in real life.
June 2, 2017
I had a great time returning to Lily Dale in Something Buried, Something Blue. As the title suggests, there is going to be a wedding in Lily Dale or is there?!
Bella and Max along with Chance and all the other residents are back to solve a wedding mystery.
With a town full of mediums there should be no secrets or surprises, right? Not entirely true because some of the mischief making spirits delight in sending cryptic messages and clues and warnings. Bella wonders why they just can't say what they mean? But, what fun would that be?
How do you interpret a floral fragrance in the air, strangling hands, a blue kitten, a spider web and strange disappearances.
This is a fun read with colorful, quirky residents including Odelia Lauder, Bella's neighbor and friend. I would love to meet Odelia with her exotic fashion sense and habit of talking to spirits as if they are standing right in front of her. I think she would be quite entertaining.
I hope to return to Lily Dale again soon and spend some time enjoying the atmosphere.
Bella and Max along with Chance and all the other residents are back to solve a wedding mystery.
With a town full of mediums there should be no secrets or surprises, right? Not entirely true because some of the mischief making spirits delight in sending cryptic messages and clues and warnings. Bella wonders why they just can't say what they mean? But, what fun would that be?
How do you interpret a floral fragrance in the air, strangling hands, a blue kitten, a spider web and strange disappearances.
This is a fun read with colorful, quirky residents including Odelia Lauder, Bella's neighbor and friend. I would love to meet Odelia with her exotic fashion sense and habit of talking to spirits as if they are standing right in front of her. I think she would be quite entertaining.
I hope to return to Lily Dale again soon and spend some time enjoying the atmosphere.
June 21, 2022
Loved it!
This is the second book in A Lily Dale Mystery series and it is just as amazing and engrossing as the first! I love the characters and the storyline. I can't find wait to delve into the next book!!
This is the second book in A Lily Dale Mystery series and it is just as amazing and engrossing as the first! I love the characters and the storyline. I can't find wait to delve into the next book!!
September 27, 2024
Another good Lilydale story from Wendy Corsi Staub. love this series. Spirits and weddings and murder set in the lovely hamlet of Lilydale, NY.
May 11, 2019
These Lily Dale mysteries are a fun read. I have not been to Lily Dale but many friends have enjoyed their time there. The mysteries are quite good and the quirky characters are delightful.
August 28, 2018
http://openbooksociety.com/article/so...
Something Buried, Something Blue
Lily Dale Mystery #2
By Wendy Corsi Staub
ISBN 9781629537726
wendycorsistaub.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is back with the second in her critically-acclaimed cozy mystery series.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It’s a race to figure out who killed Johneen–and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes–before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue. (From Goodreads)
Review:
Wow, what a great read! This is the second novel in the Lily Dale Mystery series, and I am hooked on it. The characters in Lily Dale are uniquely gifted, whether or not they have “the gift”. Anyone who wishes to own property in the Dale must have one of the psychic gifts.
Valley View Guesthouse had been owned by Leona Gatto, who was murdered just before Bella and Max come to town.. Bella, a young widow and recently laid off teacher, and her adorable 5-year old son Max were traveling from New York to Chicago. Her mother-in-law is not warm and fuzzy, but she is the only they have, and the only place they could go when her landlord sold the building they lived in. Enter Chance the Cat, who had stopped in the road ahead of Bella’s car, forcing her into events that lead her to managing the Guesthouse for Leona’s heir and nephew, Grant.
It is now time to close up for the season, as Lily Dale gets very few visitors once the snow flies. Odelia, the next door neighbor, delightfully tells Bella that she has a wedding party who wants to book the Guesthouse for a weekend in October. The bride is a close friend of her granddaughter, Calla; Johneen and her husband-to-be, Parker, want a quiet, out of the way place for a cozy wedding. The Guesthouse isn’t exactly a luxury resort, but the bride and groom will be satisfied with a few modifications.
After much cleaning and preparation, the day the wedding party is expected is here. Odelia and another psychic medium, Pandora, share ominous predictions that the wedding should not occur but aren’t clear of the explanations for what the women visualize. After several balmy days that feel more like September, the day of the wedding has a dire prediction of rain, then snow and sleet. When the first knock on the door is heard, Bella opens it to find…her mother-in-law? With a steamer trunk! And no room in the, guesthouse. Odelia offers Millicent a room until the wedding party leaves, even though Bella would rather her mother-in-law leave.
Bella tries to accommodate Johneen, a wealthy heiress, as best as she can. Members of the wedding party are a diverse group who Johneen went to college or works with. Then as sometimes happens in the Dale, odd things take place. Things appearing in Bella’s locked room or disappearing, only to reappear later. Pictures of the wedding party on her phone are completely cleared off. One of the guests has a gun between her mattress and box spring. Just before the ceremony, Johneen is dizzy, but has had little to eat. As the rain is about to fall, the bride does. Unconscious, barely breathing. Rushed to the hospital with her groom close behind.
If I were to go to Lily Dale, I would almost expect to see Bella, her boy Max, and others working in their gardens or playing with friends, so well-rounded they are. Even the reticent Drew, the veterinarian, comes to life more in this novel as he comes to Bella’s aid. The visitors to the wedding, and Millicent, are seen through Bella’s eyes. Max has a friend to play with so we don’t see him as much as in the earlier book. I like Bella. Her insecurities are, if one were to be honest, universal to many women, but her heart for doing the right thing, and loving Max, are among her finer qualities. Getting to know Millicent this time was enlightening, and seeing her love for Max is heartwarming.
Woven into the plot is sufficient humor, including how Millicent, in all seriousness, said she came to rescue Bella and Max away from the “cult” in the Dale. There are many lines of wisdom, also, from Bella and those around her. The plot twists keep coming, at times bringing spine-tingling actions and at times, chilling to the marrow of one’s bones. Being trapped in a snow and sleet storm with power and phone lines down, with these interesting guests, not knowing who the killer might be, is the kind of nightmare that would make Dame Agatha proud. I had an idea who “might be” the bad guy(s), and could take only brief “aha!” moments when seeing who it was – as the next moment brought more chills – and not just from the snow! I highly recommend this cozy mystery to those who enjoy very well-written novels with very likable characters (and cats), chilling twists, humor, and possibly even some romance.
Something Buried, Something Blue
Lily Dale Mystery #2
By Wendy Corsi Staub
ISBN 9781629537726
wendycorsistaub.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is back with the second in her critically-acclaimed cozy mystery series.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It’s a race to figure out who killed Johneen–and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes–before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue. (From Goodreads)
Review:
Wow, what a great read! This is the second novel in the Lily Dale Mystery series, and I am hooked on it. The characters in Lily Dale are uniquely gifted, whether or not they have “the gift”. Anyone who wishes to own property in the Dale must have one of the psychic gifts.
Valley View Guesthouse had been owned by Leona Gatto, who was murdered just before Bella and Max come to town.. Bella, a young widow and recently laid off teacher, and her adorable 5-year old son Max were traveling from New York to Chicago. Her mother-in-law is not warm and fuzzy, but she is the only they have, and the only place they could go when her landlord sold the building they lived in. Enter Chance the Cat, who had stopped in the road ahead of Bella’s car, forcing her into events that lead her to managing the Guesthouse for Leona’s heir and nephew, Grant.
It is now time to close up for the season, as Lily Dale gets very few visitors once the snow flies. Odelia, the next door neighbor, delightfully tells Bella that she has a wedding party who wants to book the Guesthouse for a weekend in October. The bride is a close friend of her granddaughter, Calla; Johneen and her husband-to-be, Parker, want a quiet, out of the way place for a cozy wedding. The Guesthouse isn’t exactly a luxury resort, but the bride and groom will be satisfied with a few modifications.
After much cleaning and preparation, the day the wedding party is expected is here. Odelia and another psychic medium, Pandora, share ominous predictions that the wedding should not occur but aren’t clear of the explanations for what the women visualize. After several balmy days that feel more like September, the day of the wedding has a dire prediction of rain, then snow and sleet. When the first knock on the door is heard, Bella opens it to find…her mother-in-law? With a steamer trunk! And no room in the, guesthouse. Odelia offers Millicent a room until the wedding party leaves, even though Bella would rather her mother-in-law leave.
Bella tries to accommodate Johneen, a wealthy heiress, as best as she can. Members of the wedding party are a diverse group who Johneen went to college or works with. Then as sometimes happens in the Dale, odd things take place. Things appearing in Bella’s locked room or disappearing, only to reappear later. Pictures of the wedding party on her phone are completely cleared off. One of the guests has a gun between her mattress and box spring. Just before the ceremony, Johneen is dizzy, but has had little to eat. As the rain is about to fall, the bride does. Unconscious, barely breathing. Rushed to the hospital with her groom close behind.
If I were to go to Lily Dale, I would almost expect to see Bella, her boy Max, and others working in their gardens or playing with friends, so well-rounded they are. Even the reticent Drew, the veterinarian, comes to life more in this novel as he comes to Bella’s aid. The visitors to the wedding, and Millicent, are seen through Bella’s eyes. Max has a friend to play with so we don’t see him as much as in the earlier book. I like Bella. Her insecurities are, if one were to be honest, universal to many women, but her heart for doing the right thing, and loving Max, are among her finer qualities. Getting to know Millicent this time was enlightening, and seeing her love for Max is heartwarming.
Woven into the plot is sufficient humor, including how Millicent, in all seriousness, said she came to rescue Bella and Max away from the “cult” in the Dale. There are many lines of wisdom, also, from Bella and those around her. The plot twists keep coming, at times bringing spine-tingling actions and at times, chilling to the marrow of one’s bones. Being trapped in a snow and sleet storm with power and phone lines down, with these interesting guests, not knowing who the killer might be, is the kind of nightmare that would make Dame Agatha proud. I had an idea who “might be” the bad guy(s), and could take only brief “aha!” moments when seeing who it was – as the next moment brought more chills – and not just from the snow! I highly recommend this cozy mystery to those who enjoy very well-written novels with very likable characters (and cats), chilling twists, humor, and possibly even some romance.
November 1, 2016
This is the second in a series and I'm willing to continue with future books as I think the premise of the series has possibilities and I have enjoyed other books by this author. With that said, I hope the main character Bella begins to trust herself more as in this book she was easily swayed by everything around her, even by statements and actions made by complete strangers. Also, having read the first book in the series, I didn't need the continual recap of people and events from the first book. I found that very tiring.
June 13, 2017
I've read a number of Wendy Corsi Staub's books over the years but didn't enjoy reading this one nearly as much as some of her previous works. When I picked it up at the library I either didn't realize or had forgotten that it was the second book in the series. That being said, I didn't really feel like I missed much by not reading the first one. This book was fairly light reading and wasn't bad but I don't think I would read any more books in this series.
October 16, 2016
I have read every book by Wendy Staub except the 1st Lily Dale Mystery. I have enjoyed every one of her books except for the 2nd in the series of Lily Dale. The book was dull and kept putting me to sleep. I am more than halfway through this book and don't think I can finish it.
September 7, 2017
I love this series, including Something Buried, Something Blue, 2nd in the Lily Dale Mystery Series. The characters are well-rounded, delightful, and mostly likable, and the descriptions of Lily Dale in the autumn paint a beautiful landscape.
Bella and Max have been on their own since Sam, Bella's husband, died far too young almost a year ago. Chance - literally, Chance the Cat - brought them to Lily Dale, where Bella had a short term job caring for the Valley View Guesthouse. Her job was extended through the winter. Since Bella and Max are settled in and have friends, it is a relief to stay a while.
She even, against her better judgement, plans to do a small wedding ceremony at the Guesthouse in early October. The bride is very ... elegant, which the Guesthouse, more than a century old, was not. The day before the wedding, Bella's mother-in-law arrives with clothing enough to stay awhile. The day of the wedding came, the bride was a wreck as many brides are, even dizzy at times, and many interesting things have been occurring - such as items disappearing and reappearing from rooms, for instance. The bride's moment is here, she and her bridegroom say their vows, and when she is picking at the bridal dinner, she loses consciousness. A storm crashes in, dashing down the power and phone lines down. And the bride may or may not live through the night.
The author is adept at describing the people of the Dale and the visitors, making it an interesting place to visit. She also writes the scary scenes really, really well. The plot has twists that are at times entertaining, at other times thoughtful and others, downright scary. There is wit and wisdom in the prose, until the darker hours when the bride is whisked to the hospital barely alive. At last I had an idea who the bad guys were and why, but kept watching Bella be trapped further and further into a web of deceit. This is an amazing cozy mystery that I highly recommend. The third in series will be out shortly, so you won't want to miss this novel, or the next one!
Bella and Max have been on their own since Sam, Bella's husband, died far too young almost a year ago. Chance - literally, Chance the Cat - brought them to Lily Dale, where Bella had a short term job caring for the Valley View Guesthouse. Her job was extended through the winter. Since Bella and Max are settled in and have friends, it is a relief to stay a while.
She even, against her better judgement, plans to do a small wedding ceremony at the Guesthouse in early October. The bride is very ... elegant, which the Guesthouse, more than a century old, was not. The day before the wedding, Bella's mother-in-law arrives with clothing enough to stay awhile. The day of the wedding came, the bride was a wreck as many brides are, even dizzy at times, and many interesting things have been occurring - such as items disappearing and reappearing from rooms, for instance. The bride's moment is here, she and her bridegroom say their vows, and when she is picking at the bridal dinner, she loses consciousness. A storm crashes in, dashing down the power and phone lines down. And the bride may or may not live through the night.
The author is adept at describing the people of the Dale and the visitors, making it an interesting place to visit. She also writes the scary scenes really, really well. The plot has twists that are at times entertaining, at other times thoughtful and others, downright scary. There is wit and wisdom in the prose, until the darker hours when the bride is whisked to the hospital barely alive. At last I had an idea who the bad guys were and why, but kept watching Bella be trapped further and further into a web of deceit. This is an amazing cozy mystery that I highly recommend. The third in series will be out shortly, so you won't want to miss this novel, or the next one!
February 10, 2017
Title: Something Buried, Something Blue - Lily Dale Mystery Book 2
Author: Wendy Corsi Staub
Published: 10-11-2016
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery; Ghosts
ISBN: 13: 9781629537726
ASIN: B01H082E4Y
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I received a copy of "Something Buried, Something Blue" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Description of " Something Buries, Something Blue" From the Publisher:
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It's a race to figure out who killed Johneen--and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes--before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue.
My Review of "Something Buried, Something Blue":
Set in Lily Dale, N.Y., a friendly town filled mainly with those who are practicing psychics, spiritualist, and metaphysical. An approaching blizzard and the possible murder of the bride to be. It is guaranteed to be a wedding to remember. Filled with imagery and humor Wendy Corsi Straub provides escapism at its best. Visit the unique residents of a picturesque town, stay at Bella's B&B. Stay a while and enjoy the roaring fire and fun company. Let the world fade away. My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H082E4Y/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somet...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Author: Wendy Corsi Staub
Published: 10-11-2016
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Mystery; Ghosts
ISBN: 13: 9781629537726
ASIN: B01H082E4Y
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I received a copy of "Something Buried, Something Blue" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Description of " Something Buries, Something Blue" From the Publisher:
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It's a race to figure out who killed Johneen--and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes--before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue.
My Review of "Something Buried, Something Blue":
Set in Lily Dale, N.Y., a friendly town filled mainly with those who are practicing psychics, spiritualist, and metaphysical. An approaching blizzard and the possible murder of the bride to be. It is guaranteed to be a wedding to remember. Filled with imagery and humor Wendy Corsi Straub provides escapism at its best. Visit the unique residents of a picturesque town, stay at Bella's B&B. Stay a while and enjoy the roaring fire and fun company. Let the world fade away. My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H082E4Y/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/somet...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
December 4, 2017
I noticed this book on my 2016 want to read list and could not believe I had waited this long to read it! I live about 45 minutes from Lily Dale and spend some time each year visiting the Spiritualist community, so I indeed love these books! There is nothing better than a mystery set in an area you are totally familiar with.
Widow, Bella Jordan and her son Max had stumbled onto Lily Dale during the season, on their way to move in with the mother-in-law she refers to as Maleficent. Bella had found employment as caretaker for Valley View, a Lily Dale gust house when the former owner and aunt of the bequeathed new owner, was murdered.
Bella is seeking a way to make the guest house a profitable year round establishment so that she and her son can remain in the tiny community. When a wedding is proposed; Bella jumps in with both feet; hosting the wedding party as guests as well as providing the rehearsal and wedding dinners.
But something is off; two of the local mediums are suggesting that Spirit is warning against this union. After this, Bella receives a letter, locally postmarked, again warning against this union. Then her dreaded mother-in-law, after researching Lily Dale is now convinced that Bella and Max are living in a cult that has brainwashed them.
When the wedding ring and Bella’s phone vanish and her neighbor, friend, and helper Medium Odelia fails to show to help prepare for the ceremony, Bella begins to wonder whether or not she should bring in help….
Widow, Bella Jordan and her son Max had stumbled onto Lily Dale during the season, on their way to move in with the mother-in-law she refers to as Maleficent. Bella had found employment as caretaker for Valley View, a Lily Dale gust house when the former owner and aunt of the bequeathed new owner, was murdered.
Bella is seeking a way to make the guest house a profitable year round establishment so that she and her son can remain in the tiny community. When a wedding is proposed; Bella jumps in with both feet; hosting the wedding party as guests as well as providing the rehearsal and wedding dinners.
But something is off; two of the local mediums are suggesting that Spirit is warning against this union. After this, Bella receives a letter, locally postmarked, again warning against this union. Then her dreaded mother-in-law, after researching Lily Dale is now convinced that Bella and Max are living in a cult that has brainwashed them.
When the wedding ring and Bella’s phone vanish and her neighbor, friend, and helper Medium Odelia fails to show to help prepare for the ceremony, Bella begins to wonder whether or not she should bring in help….
August 12, 2023
I would say I enjoyed this book and for the most part I did. However I couldn't help but think the author forgot to add in the mystery and it felt more like a romance. Of the eleven or so hours long story the crime only happens in the last two and a half hours, the rest was setting up the scene for the wedding. Which although fun, especially with all the kittens and interesting characters wasn't why I was listening to the book. The ghosts also never really did anything and were just eluded too as being culprits of the strange goings on. I did like the characters, of which there is a lot, especially the two young boys, with there innocents and often humorous comments.. I will probably listen to the next book because as it is about Jiffy and his premonition of being kidnapped
As a way to say in Lily Dale Bella agrees to host a wedding at the b&b. Especially when the bride is friends with her best friends daughter. It is only After meeting the bride that Bella worries that she has made a mistake. Bridezillar is understatement. Can Bella keep her happy? At the same time Bella's own mother-in-law turns up for a surprise visit. Then a storm rolls in and what was worrying signs that the bride might be a target of a stalker turns serious. Instead of making sure the wedding goes of with out a hitch Bella soon finds herself trying to keep the bride alive.
I liked the narrator, especially the voice she gave the young boys.
As a way to say in Lily Dale Bella agrees to host a wedding at the b&b. Especially when the bride is friends with her best friends daughter. It is only After meeting the bride that Bella worries that she has made a mistake. Bridezillar is understatement. Can Bella keep her happy? At the same time Bella's own mother-in-law turns up for a surprise visit. Then a storm rolls in and what was worrying signs that the bride might be a target of a stalker turns serious. Instead of making sure the wedding goes of with out a hitch Bella soon finds herself trying to keep the bride alive.
I liked the narrator, especially the voice she gave the young boys.
January 25, 2018
I have loved all of the Lily Dale book so far, this one was just so so. The author repeats information way to many times, like we get she misses Sam and finds hints that hes watching over her it doesnt need to come up in every single chapter. We know how she feels about her Mother in Law but its also mentioned in every chapter. It seems like this book had the weakest plot and the author struggled to fill pages so basic info is repeated over and over as filler. Also i disliked how she spent 5 books creating Ophelia as a certain type of Character, and then in this novel shes nothing like she has been in all previous books. This is sort of explained by her being worried about the wedding and about Calla/Jacy/Blue but in EVERY book she is faced with visions and concerns and in none oft he others was she portrayed to be unreliable and irritating. I hope the 7th book goes back to the style of the previous books.
July 31, 2020
Young widow Bella and her little boy stumbled across the Spiritualist retreat of Lily Dale in an earlier book. Bella finds herself the temporary caretaker of a battered old inn, and is quickly badgered into hosting a destination wedding. The young couple is looking for an out-of-the-way venue where they can have a semi-secret wedding. Murder and mayhem ensues.
I picked this up out of our local Little Library and I wouldn’t have taken it had I read the description more carefully. Ghosts aren’t my thing. But... it was fine. Ghosts aren’t Bella’s thing, either, but she’s still managed to make friends, and to find a community. The ghosts were mostly just a topic of conversation- they don’t actually appear (or do they???).
I thought the “solution” to the riddle of Odelia’s vision - the wet hem of the bride’s gown - was pretty lame, but for the most part, it was just another cozy.
I can’t say I’ll be tracking down the rest of the series in a hurry, but it was an okay read.
I picked this up out of our local Little Library and I wouldn’t have taken it had I read the description more carefully. Ghosts aren’t my thing. But... it was fine. Ghosts aren’t Bella’s thing, either, but she’s still managed to make friends, and to find a community. The ghosts were mostly just a topic of conversation- they don’t actually appear (or do they???).
I thought the “solution” to the riddle of Odelia’s vision - the wet hem of the bride’s gown - was pretty lame, but for the most part, it was just another cozy.
I can’t say I’ll be tracking down the rest of the series in a hurry, but it was an okay read.
July 3, 2018
I've read all the Lily Dale Mysteries, last one was Nine Lives which I really didn't like, and had hoped that Something Buried, Something Blue #2 would be better than Nine Lives...well, it was not. Reading about a character that has so much self-doubt, and questions what is real let alone what might be a spiritual occurrence becomes dreadful as it just never changes throughout most of the story which unfortunately, constitutes a lack of real interest to even continue reading as you lose the will to really go on reading as the repetition seems endless albeit the aforementioned, until the last few pages where the story picks up momentum, but by then, you really don't care about the ending. I'm afraid after this boring read, I will finally give up on reading any more Lily Dale Mysteries that continue with this main character or lack of a really interesting storyline.
October 11, 2016
4.5 stars.
Something Buried, Something Blue is the second installment in Wendy Corsi Staub's Lily Dale Mystery series featuring innkeeper Isabella "Bella" Jordan. This cozy mystery has slight supernatural elements and features a cast of eclectic yet charming characters and while it is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Having fully committed to remaining in the Spiritualist community with her young son Max, Bella reluctantly agrees to put together a destination wedding for a friend of her neighbor and friend, Odelia Lauder. Johneen Maynard and her fiancé Parker Langley have been searching for an out of the way place for their upcoming nuptials and Lily Dale turns out to be the perfect place for their big day. Unfortunately, Johneen is a bit of a Bridezilla but Bella and Odelia organize a lovely ceremony for the couple. However, Odelia soon begins receiving rather ominous messages from her Spirit guide that seem to indicate that Johneen could be in danger and Bella is concerned about an impending storm that threatens their plans for an outdoor ceremony. She becomes even more frazzled when her overbearing mother-in-law unexpectedly arrives and Odelia is a no show for last minute wedding preparations. Bella breathes a sigh of relief once the couple exchange their vows but is Johneen truly out of danger? Who (or what) is responsible for the strange occurrences that have been plaguing the Valley View Guesthouse since the wedding party's arrival? Bella is determined to find out the truth but will she inadvertently put herself in harm's way as she searches for answers?
Once again, Bella is out of her element but she rises to the challenge of planning the upcoming wedding. She is hoping a successful wedding will provide a way for the guesthouse to make some much needed revenue during Lily Dale's off season so she works hard to satisfy her unpleasant bride to be. Bella is still rather skeptical of the townspeople's psychic abilities, so she tries to come up with rational explanations for Odelia's foreboding messages about the upcoming ceremony. After the guests arrive, she is so focused on the last minute details that she is convinced she is imagining some of the odd things she has been experiencing. Bella is also trying to figure out what is behind Millicent's sudden visit and surprisingly, her mother-in-law's misgivings about her new friends raises a few suspicions of her own in the aftermath of the wedding.
Something Buried, Something Blue is a perplexing addition to The Lily Dale Mystery series. Aided by a little psychic intuition and some good old fashioned detective work, Bella uncovers the truth about the mysterious events and Wendy Corsi Staub brings the novel to an exciting, pulse-pounding conclusion.
Something Buried, Something Blue is the second installment in Wendy Corsi Staub's Lily Dale Mystery series featuring innkeeper Isabella "Bella" Jordan. This cozy mystery has slight supernatural elements and features a cast of eclectic yet charming characters and while it is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
Having fully committed to remaining in the Spiritualist community with her young son Max, Bella reluctantly agrees to put together a destination wedding for a friend of her neighbor and friend, Odelia Lauder. Johneen Maynard and her fiancé Parker Langley have been searching for an out of the way place for their upcoming nuptials and Lily Dale turns out to be the perfect place for their big day. Unfortunately, Johneen is a bit of a Bridezilla but Bella and Odelia organize a lovely ceremony for the couple. However, Odelia soon begins receiving rather ominous messages from her Spirit guide that seem to indicate that Johneen could be in danger and Bella is concerned about an impending storm that threatens their plans for an outdoor ceremony. She becomes even more frazzled when her overbearing mother-in-law unexpectedly arrives and Odelia is a no show for last minute wedding preparations. Bella breathes a sigh of relief once the couple exchange their vows but is Johneen truly out of danger? Who (or what) is responsible for the strange occurrences that have been plaguing the Valley View Guesthouse since the wedding party's arrival? Bella is determined to find out the truth but will she inadvertently put herself in harm's way as she searches for answers?
Once again, Bella is out of her element but she rises to the challenge of planning the upcoming wedding. She is hoping a successful wedding will provide a way for the guesthouse to make some much needed revenue during Lily Dale's off season so she works hard to satisfy her unpleasant bride to be. Bella is still rather skeptical of the townspeople's psychic abilities, so she tries to come up with rational explanations for Odelia's foreboding messages about the upcoming ceremony. After the guests arrive, she is so focused on the last minute details that she is convinced she is imagining some of the odd things she has been experiencing. Bella is also trying to figure out what is behind Millicent's sudden visit and surprisingly, her mother-in-law's misgivings about her new friends raises a few suspicions of her own in the aftermath of the wedding.
Something Buried, Something Blue is a perplexing addition to The Lily Dale Mystery series. Aided by a little psychic intuition and some good old fashioned detective work, Bella uncovers the truth about the mysterious events and Wendy Corsi Staub brings the novel to an exciting, pulse-pounding conclusion.
May 4, 2024
This is the second in the Lily Dale mystery series. The attraction for me was the setting and the presence of Spiritualism.
In this book, Bella is more settled in at Lily Dale and hopes to make it her home, though she's still not sure if she believes all the psychic stuff. We become better acquainted with Bella's mother-in-law and the year-round residents as Bella and Odelia are busy hosting a destination wedding in the Dale. The mystery centers around the notion that this wedding shouldn't take place and that the bride might be in danger. As the evidence (real, imagined, and psychically obtained) starts to accumulate, Bella isn't sure who she can trust.
As with the first book, this isn't great literature. However, it is a satisfying light read on a rainy afternoon.
In this book, Bella is more settled in at Lily Dale and hopes to make it her home, though she's still not sure if she believes all the psychic stuff. We become better acquainted with Bella's mother-in-law and the year-round residents as Bella and Odelia are busy hosting a destination wedding in the Dale. The mystery centers around the notion that this wedding shouldn't take place and that the bride might be in danger. As the evidence (real, imagined, and psychically obtained) starts to accumulate, Bella isn't sure who she can trust.
As with the first book, this isn't great literature. However, it is a satisfying light read on a rainy afternoon.
September 3, 2018
http://openbooksociety.com/article/so...
Something Buried, Something Blue
Lily Dale Mystery #2
By Wendy Corsi Staub
ISBN 9781629537726
wendycorsistaub.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is back with the second in her critically-acclaimed cozy mystery series.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It’s a race to figure out who killed Johneen–and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes–before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue. (From Goodreads)
Review:
Wow, what a great read! This is the second novel in the Lily Dale Mystery series, and I am hooked on it. The characters in Lily Dale are uniquely gifted, whether or not they have “the gift”. Anyone who wishes to own property in the Dale must have one of the psychic gifts.
Valley View Guesthouse had been owned by Leona Gatto, who was murdered just before Bella and Max come to town.. Bella, a young widow and recently laid off teacher, and her adorable 5-year old son Max were traveling from New York to Chicago. Her mother-in-law is not warm and fuzzy, but she is the only they have, and the only place they could go when her landlord sold the building they lived in. Enter Chance the Cat, who had stopped in the road ahead of Bella’s car, forcing her into events that lead her to managing the Guesthouse for Leona’s heir and nephew, Grant.
It is now time to close up for the season, as Lily Dale gets very few visitors once the snow flies. Odelia, the next door neighbor, delightfully tells Bella that she has a wedding party who wants to book the Guesthouse for a weekend in October. The bride is a close friend of her granddaughter, Calla; Johneen and her husband-to-be, Parker, want a quiet, out of the way place for a cozy wedding. The Guesthouse isn’t exactly a luxury resort, but the bride and groom will be satisfied with a few modifications.
After much cleaning and preparation, the day the wedding party is expected is here. Odelia and another psychic medium, Pandora, share ominous predictions that the wedding should not occur but aren’t clear of the explanations for what the women visualize. After several balmy days that feel more like September, the day of the wedding has a dire prediction of rain, then snow and sleet. When the first knock on the door is heard, Bella opens it to find…her mother-in-law? With a steamer trunk! And no room in the, guesthouse. Odelia offers Millicent a room until the wedding party leaves, even though Bella would rather her mother-in-law leave.
Bella tries to accommodate Johneen, a wealthy heiress, as best as she can. Members of the wedding party are a diverse group who Johneen went to college or works with. Then as sometimes happens in the Dale, odd things take place. Things appearing in Bella’s locked room or disappearing, only to reappear later. Pictures of the wedding party on her phone are completely cleared off. One of the guests has a gun between her mattress and box spring. Just before the ceremony, Johneen is dizzy, but has had little to eat. As the rain is about to fall, the bride does. Unconscious, barely breathing. Rushed to the hospital with her groom close behind.
If I were to go to Lily Dale, I would almost expect to see Bella, her boy Max, and others working in their gardens or playing with friends, so well-rounded they are. Even the reticent Drew, the veterinarian, comes to life more in this novel as he comes to Bella’s aid. The visitors to the wedding, and Millicent, are seen through Bella’s eyes. Max has a friend to play with so we don’t see him as much as in the earlier book. I like Bella. Her insecurities are, if one were to be honest, universal to many women, but her heart for doing the right thing, and loving Max, are among her finer qualities. Getting to know Millicent this time was enlightening, and seeing her love for Max is heartwarming.
Woven into the plot is sufficient humor, including how Millicent, in all seriousness, said she came to rescue Bella and Max away from the “cult” in the Dale. There are many lines of wisdom, also, from Bella and those around her. The plot twists keep coming, at times bringing spine-tingling actions and at times, chilling to the marrow of one’s bones. Being trapped in a snow and sleet storm with power and phone lines down, with these interesting guests, not knowing who the killer might be, is the kind of nightmare that would make Dame Agatha proud. I had an idea who “might be” the bad guy(s), and could take only brief “aha!” moments when seeing who it was – as the next moment brought more chills – and not just from the snow! I highly recommend this cozy mystery to those who enjoy very well-written novels with very likable characters (and cats), chilling twists, humor, and possibly even some romance.
Something Buried, Something Blue
Lily Dale Mystery #2
By Wendy Corsi Staub
ISBN 9781629537726
wendycorsistaub.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is back with the second in her critically-acclaimed cozy mystery series.
After agreeing to stay in Lily Dale through the winter as caretakers of the Valley View Guesthouse and its feline residents, widowed mom Bella Jordan and her son Max are looking forward to the peaceful off-season after a hectic summer. That is until the medium next door, Odelia Lauder, recruits Bella to host a destination wedding for the world’s most petulant bride, Johneen Maynard, a friend of Odelia’s granddaughter.
Things take an even more stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia a major heads up that the bride might be fated for death. And when the prediction comes true just as the storm begins to break, Bella finds herself trapped in a house full of murder suspects.
It’s a race to figure out who killed Johneen–and what clever murder weapon made it appear to be natural causes–before the killer catches on in Something Buried, Something Blue. (From Goodreads)
Review:
Wow, what a great read! This is the second novel in the Lily Dale Mystery series, and I am hooked on it. The characters in Lily Dale are uniquely gifted, whether or not they have “the gift”. Anyone who wishes to own property in the Dale must have one of the psychic gifts.
Valley View Guesthouse had been owned by Leona Gatto, who was murdered just before Bella and Max come to town.. Bella, a young widow and recently laid off teacher, and her adorable 5-year old son Max were traveling from New York to Chicago. Her mother-in-law is not warm and fuzzy, but she is the only they have, and the only place they could go when her landlord sold the building they lived in. Enter Chance the Cat, who had stopped in the road ahead of Bella’s car, forcing her into events that lead her to managing the Guesthouse for Leona’s heir and nephew, Grant.
It is now time to close up for the season, as Lily Dale gets very few visitors once the snow flies. Odelia, the next door neighbor, delightfully tells Bella that she has a wedding party who wants to book the Guesthouse for a weekend in October. The bride is a close friend of her granddaughter, Calla; Johneen and her husband-to-be, Parker, want a quiet, out of the way place for a cozy wedding. The Guesthouse isn’t exactly a luxury resort, but the bride and groom will be satisfied with a few modifications.
After much cleaning and preparation, the day the wedding party is expected is here. Odelia and another psychic medium, Pandora, share ominous predictions that the wedding should not occur but aren’t clear of the explanations for what the women visualize. After several balmy days that feel more like September, the day of the wedding has a dire prediction of rain, then snow and sleet. When the first knock on the door is heard, Bella opens it to find…her mother-in-law? With a steamer trunk! And no room in the, guesthouse. Odelia offers Millicent a room until the wedding party leaves, even though Bella would rather her mother-in-law leave.
Bella tries to accommodate Johneen, a wealthy heiress, as best as she can. Members of the wedding party are a diverse group who Johneen went to college or works with. Then as sometimes happens in the Dale, odd things take place. Things appearing in Bella’s locked room or disappearing, only to reappear later. Pictures of the wedding party on her phone are completely cleared off. One of the guests has a gun between her mattress and box spring. Just before the ceremony, Johneen is dizzy, but has had little to eat. As the rain is about to fall, the bride does. Unconscious, barely breathing. Rushed to the hospital with her groom close behind.
If I were to go to Lily Dale, I would almost expect to see Bella, her boy Max, and others working in their gardens or playing with friends, so well-rounded they are. Even the reticent Drew, the veterinarian, comes to life more in this novel as he comes to Bella’s aid. The visitors to the wedding, and Millicent, are seen through Bella’s eyes. Max has a friend to play with so we don’t see him as much as in the earlier book. I like Bella. Her insecurities are, if one were to be honest, universal to many women, but her heart for doing the right thing, and loving Max, are among her finer qualities. Getting to know Millicent this time was enlightening, and seeing her love for Max is heartwarming.
Woven into the plot is sufficient humor, including how Millicent, in all seriousness, said she came to rescue Bella and Max away from the “cult” in the Dale. There are many lines of wisdom, also, from Bella and those around her. The plot twists keep coming, at times bringing spine-tingling actions and at times, chilling to the marrow of one’s bones. Being trapped in a snow and sleet storm with power and phone lines down, with these interesting guests, not knowing who the killer might be, is the kind of nightmare that would make Dame Agatha proud. I had an idea who “might be” the bad guy(s), and could take only brief “aha!” moments when seeing who it was – as the next moment brought more chills – and not just from the snow! I highly recommend this cozy mystery to those who enjoy very well-written novels with very likable characters (and cats), chilling twists, humor, and possibly even some romance.
February 22, 2021
This book has the same issues as the first Lily Dale Mystery, it's slow to start and very repetitive. It makes me wonder if Wendy Corsi Staub gets paid by the word or something because the actual story could be told in about 30 pages or so. At least the climax in this one was slightly more exciting than the first one. Although Staub still ends this book unceremoniously without any info on what happened to the characters after. Any of the typical Lily Dale charm and spirituality revolving around the psychics is gone as it doesn't really have much of a place in this book seeing as the "visions" people were having we're meaningless and not useful to the story.
December 10, 2021
Bella is back and has been asked to stay on at Valley View Guesthouse as caretaker and going into the off season Odelia, the next door medium, has an idea to keep things going...Valley View Guesthouse becoming a Destination Wedding spot. What do she and Bella know about wedding planning? Well, nothing but that is not going to stop them. That is until the weather changes and Spirit starts to lead them to the conclusion that the bride may be destined to die. Yep, another murder in Lily Dale but who and what is going on. Crazy cast of characters but I really am enjoying this cozy mystery series. So much I already have book 3 ready to go!
October 25, 2016
This is a very entertaining mystery. Told in present tense without a hitch, it makes it seem like it's all happening in front of you.
The prologue gives one a hint about what's happening and who the killer is, but one doesn't realize it until the protagonist does some on-line searching nearly at the end.
The main characters are well-developed and although the jacket blurb overdoes the "ghost" part, one never does find out where (or what) the mysterious floral scent eminates, and the two mediums similar warnings of danger are helpful in unlocking the mystery.
The prologue gives one a hint about what's happening and who the killer is, but one doesn't realize it until the protagonist does some on-line searching nearly at the end.
The main characters are well-developed and although the jacket blurb overdoes the "ghost" part, one never does find out where (or what) the mysterious floral scent eminates, and the two mediums similar warnings of danger are helpful in unlocking the mystery.
November 19, 2017
A wedding in Lily Dale but the bride and groom armor all the seem. Bella is coerced into holding the wedding at Valley View in October weather in western New York is so changeable but an outdoor wedding is planned. The bride Johneen Maynard is rigid and a perfectionist, but from the time sh3 arrives at Lily Dale, she seems ill. Complicating matters is Odelia’s psychic concerns for the bride’s well being. Another fine tale spun by Wendy Corsi Staub
October 23, 2022
3.75 Stars. Another charming, cozy mystery that makes me want to visit the real community of Lily Dale in New York. My only complaint is how the author describes a kitten as a brilliant blue cat and said it was camouflaged in a bed of blue flowers. Blue Russian cats are a lovely blue-tinted shade of grey, but they are GREY. Also, I don't think a pair of 5-year old boys would describe a cat as being blue, especially one that had not owned a pet until 2-3 weeks prior to discovering this kitten.
July 31, 2022
The weather isn't the only thing that could ruin a destination wedding; murder definitely could. Bella runs herself ragged setting up a wedding for a spoiled rich girl and attempting to wrangle the 8 kittens in her house and another kitten in the garden. Mayhem is behind the scenes at the Inn and a good story is the result.
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