What do you think?
Rate this book
Pluto's Snitch #1
The Book of Beloved
As a young woman widowed by World War I, Raissa James is no stranger to ghosts. But when an invitation arrives from Caoin House, her uncle’s estate in Mobile, Alabama, she’s finally ready to cast off the shadows of her past. And what better way to do so than with a grand party in her honor? An aspiring authoress, Raissa’s eager to soak up more of life—and immerse herself in the dark history that haunts the estate.
But the revelries come to an abrupt end when one of her uncle’s guests takes a deadly plunge. And when a ghost from the property’s past, a Confederate soldier, reveals himself to Raissa, she’s more determined than ever to get to the heart of the mysterious deaths that plague Caoin House. Enlisting the help of Reginald Proctor, a self-proclaimed medium, she holds a séance to shed light on old secrets. But she discovers that some secrets, even those long dead, still have a startling hold on the living…
But the revelries come to an abrupt end when one of her uncle’s guests takes a deadly plunge. And when a ghost from the property’s past, a Confederate soldier, reveals himself to Raissa, she’s more determined than ever to get to the heart of the mysterious deaths that plague Caoin House. Enlisting the help of Reginald Proctor, a self-proclaimed medium, she holds a séance to shed light on old secrets. But she discovers that some secrets, even those long dead, still have a startling hold on the living…
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2016
295 people are currently reading
1278 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Haines
115 books1,573 followersCarolyn Haines is the USA Today bestselling author of over 70 books. In 2020, she was inducted into the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alabama Library Association, the Harper Lee Award for Distinguished Writing, the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, as well as the "Best Amateur Sleuth" award by Romantic Times. Born and raised in Mississippi, she now lives in Alabama on a farm with more dogs, cats, and horses than she can possibly keep track of.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
August 23, 2016
I was hooked from the first page. And, being an adventure reader did I start this book without reading the blurb before. Sure, I've read the blurb it before, but when I pick an Ebook to read do I not always read what the book is about to refreshing my memory. Much more fun that way, the less you know the better is what I feel when it comes to books.
The Book of Beloved turned out to be quite a nice book. This is the first book I have read by Carolyn Haines and I will definitely try to find more books by her to read. I have a great love for haunted houses, and that together with placing the setting in Mobile, Alabama just a couple of years after WW1 made me really enjoy the book. Haines really made the story come to life, it was like being transported back in time. A plus is that I really like Raissa James, she is such a wonderful character, well developed and interesting with a tragic past.
Storywise was the book good, I enjoyed the mystery of the house and how slowly the secrets of the house was revealed. I was surprised when the death occurred in the beginning of the book, especially since I thought the person in question was going to have a bigger part in the book. And, here with the death comes the one thing that bothered me throughout the book. The question was if the person had been pushed or not, and I had a feeling that it was not an accident and that the one characters I really liked were the one behind it all. And, I kept that feeling all through the book and it didn't help when my app did a weird thing and jumped ahead and almost revealed the ending. So, was I right? Well, perhaps I was, or perhaps I wasn't. You have to read the book to find out. All, I want to say is that I did not expect the part the Book of Beloved would play in in the story. I was really surprised about that twist to the story.
So, despite, some predictable events did I quite enjoy the book. And, it ended with a very tantalizing cliffhanger. Or rather, this story ended, but it's just the beginning for Raissa James adventures and I'm looking forward to reading the next book!
I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
The Book of Beloved turned out to be quite a nice book. This is the first book I have read by Carolyn Haines and I will definitely try to find more books by her to read. I have a great love for haunted houses, and that together with placing the setting in Mobile, Alabama just a couple of years after WW1 made me really enjoy the book. Haines really made the story come to life, it was like being transported back in time. A plus is that I really like Raissa James, she is such a wonderful character, well developed and interesting with a tragic past.
Storywise was the book good, I enjoyed the mystery of the house and how slowly the secrets of the house was revealed. I was surprised when the death occurred in the beginning of the book, especially since I thought the person in question was going to have a bigger part in the book. And, here with the death comes the one thing that bothered me throughout the book. The question was if the person had been pushed or not, and I had a feeling that it was not an accident and that the one characters I really liked were the one behind it all. And, I kept that feeling all through the book and it didn't help when my app did a weird thing and jumped ahead and almost revealed the ending. So, was I right? Well, perhaps I was, or perhaps I wasn't. You have to read the book to find out. All, I want to say is that I did not expect the part the Book of Beloved would play in in the story. I was really surprised about that twist to the story.
So, despite, some predictable events did I quite enjoy the book. And, it ended with a very tantalizing cliffhanger. Or rather, this story ended, but it's just the beginning for Raissa James adventures and I'm looking forward to reading the next book!
I want to thank Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
June 15, 2020
3.5 stars. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. An unusual mystery here. I was quite surprised. The setting is in Mobile, AL which happens to be where I live. Carolyn Haines is an imaginative author and this is the second book I have read by her.
There are some amusing characters in here, and a plot twist you will never guess. There are some dreadful characters in here too that I became very upset by. I liked the protagonist and found her to be charming, daring, and clever.
The book was entertaining, and while it held a dark mystery that shocked me, I enjoyed how it all wrapped up and look forward to the next book in the series.
There are some amusing characters in here, and a plot twist you will never guess. There are some dreadful characters in here too that I became very upset by. I liked the protagonist and found her to be charming, daring, and clever.
The book was entertaining, and while it held a dark mystery that shocked me, I enjoyed how it all wrapped up and look forward to the next book in the series.
August 9, 2016
Amazing, chilling story! So good it's hard to put down once you've started it! I was lucky enough to be a test reader for this before it was published. I just got done reading the published version, and still as chilling as the first time I read it! An amazing story set in the post-WWI era that reaches back to the Civil War. Raissa is an interesting protagonist. She's educated, smart, and witty who is a trailblazer of her time. She also has an interesting ability. Some parts are very creepy and hard to sleep if you read this at night! I had to read it during daylight hours! Haines is an amazing wordsmith with a true gift!
May 31, 2016
I loved this story! The concept is so fresh, interesting, and really held my attention. I LOVED the twists and the creepy parts were classic Carolyn Haines style that held me by the throat in a strangle hold, locked into the story. Looking forward to what's to come for this new series.
June 16, 2017
This is probably going to be one of those negative reviews on which people feel some compulsion to leave chastising comments for being too critical. Two words: Don't. Bother. It looks like quite a few other people loved this book.
I did not.
I made it about halfway, and finally decided to give it up as a lost cause. And this surprised me, because ages back I read at least a couple of the author's cozy mysteries and enjoyed them greatly. Either I was less cranky then, or the period setting here hurt the author's style.
Dialogue was stilted – I can't actually imagine someone, even in more florid 1920, saying "Ten thousand soldiers, mostly Confederates, died in that ill-conceived battle." The author just doesn't seem to trust her reader, hammering home her points – "The hair on my neck tingled, as if a chill wind had blown against me, but there was no wind." "Casualties were so high the dead were held upright by the press of bodies. There wasn’t room for the dead and wounded to fall down." Redundancy is the rule.
And it was thoroughly annoying that every time Raissa wanted to get information from her acquaintance at the soda shop (which she returns to over and over for Coca Cola like an addict – was there still cocaine in Coke in 1920?), she had to spend a page wheedling her into talking. Better, it seemed like every time she got the girl to the point where she'd tell whatever it was she was meant to tell, they'd be interrupted, and then the whole process would start all over again a couple of chapters later.
There are many examples of apparent non sequiturs: a marble statue is "lifelike and alive"; a mockingbird's song reminds main character Raissa of Hansel and Gretel (why?); questions batter at her forehead "like the wings of a moth against a streetlight"; someone is butchered and killed, in that order. Someone was seen to fall through a window, "seemingly without provocation", which wouldn't have been my choice of words. One or two or even a few incidences wouldn't have been impossible to overcome, especially if there had been no other problem, but the constant stream was tiresome.
There's more, actually; the time period felt like a very uncomfortable fit – like someone trying to wear clothes tailored for another person. Exclamations like "bee's knees" and – heaven help me – "hotsy totsy" pop up here and there, and they stand out like polka dots. They don't blend. I've said it a million times: when I trust a writer they can get away with murder. When a writer loses my trust I'm going to give the stinkeye to anything remotely questionable. And here, in this period setting, I looked askance at things like "hacks me off" and referring to a man as "gay". I'm not going to take the time to look them up – I've had to do it before for the latter, and I'm fairly certain that "gay" was not commonly used as a synonym for "homosexual" until decades after this book takes place. I could be wrong. But it doesn't feel right.
And it's the context of those last things I'm complaining about, too. Both come from Raissa's mouth, and the way she is drawn seems counter to slang like "[that] hacks me off" and casually calling someone gay. Would she, a "gently" brought up young lady, growing up in comfortable means in a time period in which women were sheltered and protected from anything her menfolk might think was ugly or inappropriate, even know about homosexuality in 1920, much less identify a gay man based on nothing more than his style, much less have no hesitation talking about him in 20th century slang with a man she barely knows? No – it was all off.
(I'm assuming that simple errors – like the excerpt from a letter dated in December and then immediately mentioning that it's November, and the fact that that's not how a caul … works – will be picked up at some point. I hope.)
So the writing was less than enjoyable; that was one major drawback. Bigger, though, was the fact that I began to develop an active dislike for Raissa. She comes off as much younger, less mature than she describes herself. The voice in which she speaks is much more that of a teenager than of a woman in her twenties who has been married, lost her husband in the Great War, and has been earning her living as a teacher for some time. She describes herself as an aspiring writer, and talks about it a great deal, but little of her process is shown to the reader, and somehow it just doesn't feel credible. She's …
She's kind of a twit.
Her goal in life is to write Poe-esque tales of horror and the macabre, and so – for the experience – she goes off to a séance. The medium's assistant greets her with some basic information about herself (she and her companions have come on a journey because of an interest in spirit communications!), and she responds with a childishly eager – "thrilled" – "Are you psychic? Did a spirit tell you?" Uh, no. You're at a séance, so the interest can kinda be assumed, and the tickets were booked in advance by someone from another state. She's so moronically credulous in this entire scene that I wanted to slap her – and it puts a dent in her credibility elsewhere in her claims of seeing the handsome ghost that traipses about her uncle's grounds. (Of course the ghost is handsome. And the one the uncle sees is a beautiful woman. Naturally.)
Some of it might have come off better if the book had been in the third person. As it is, though, with Raissa telling the story, it just made me a little embarrassed for her that she so obviously showed herself the best possible gull a medium ever had. She's going to buy anything any con artist tries to sell her, and pay top dollar. Also, it just seemed highly improbable that what was incredibly, blatantly, ridiculously obvious to me – to wit, that she immediately attracted not one but two suitors in the first pages of the book – was a complete surprise to her. She is just astonished that her uncle's lawyer, Carlton, is drooling over her – but when she realizes it she almost immediately decides that he's a bit of all right himself.
And then there's the other man who has eyes for her, Robert, for whom she gives every sign of falling head over heels. Then he, shall we say, passes out of the story, and she finds out some unsavory things about him, and has no problem changing her mind and forgetting she cared in less time than it takes to write it.
I think what played the biggest part in my decision to drop the book was a basic difference in opinion between Raissa and me regarding fake mediums. "What he did—giving information on departed loved ones—brought comfort to those he 'read' for. While it might be slightly unethical, it was not cruel or mean." I could not disagree more. I work with people who have suffered terrible losses, and who have spent absurd amounts of money going to a psychic who landed them like gaffed salmon. If someone can easily spare the money, and the process gives her comfort, then I wouldn't want to be the one to pull open the curtain to reveal the real Wizard of Oz - but in my opinion taking advantage of people in this manner is reprehensible. Part of what outrages me is that it's all designed to bring someone back to see the medium over and over, and that not everyone can spare the money easily – some people just need some kind of reassurance so badly they'll do things they can't really afford to find it. And the odds are pretty strong that it's all a tissue of lies. I find that offensive. False hope is an ugly thing – and false comfort is just as unpretty. Basically, there's a very special place in hell for someone who fleeces grieving people out of their money. Toasty.
*hops off soapbox*
So …all in all… DNF. The only reason I would have finished the book was to see if that title – and that really odd series title (Pluto's Snitch?) is ever explained. But I can live without the answer.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
I did not.
I made it about halfway, and finally decided to give it up as a lost cause. And this surprised me, because ages back I read at least a couple of the author's cozy mysteries and enjoyed them greatly. Either I was less cranky then, or the period setting here hurt the author's style.
Dialogue was stilted – I can't actually imagine someone, even in more florid 1920, saying "Ten thousand soldiers, mostly Confederates, died in that ill-conceived battle." The author just doesn't seem to trust her reader, hammering home her points – "The hair on my neck tingled, as if a chill wind had blown against me, but there was no wind." "Casualties were so high the dead were held upright by the press of bodies. There wasn’t room for the dead and wounded to fall down." Redundancy is the rule.
And it was thoroughly annoying that every time Raissa wanted to get information from her acquaintance at the soda shop (which she returns to over and over for Coca Cola like an addict – was there still cocaine in Coke in 1920?), she had to spend a page wheedling her into talking. Better, it seemed like every time she got the girl to the point where she'd tell whatever it was she was meant to tell, they'd be interrupted, and then the whole process would start all over again a couple of chapters later.
There are many examples of apparent non sequiturs: a marble statue is "lifelike and alive"; a mockingbird's song reminds main character Raissa of Hansel and Gretel (why?); questions batter at her forehead "like the wings of a moth against a streetlight"; someone is butchered and killed, in that order. Someone was seen to fall through a window, "seemingly without provocation", which wouldn't have been my choice of words. One or two or even a few incidences wouldn't have been impossible to overcome, especially if there had been no other problem, but the constant stream was tiresome.
There's more, actually; the time period felt like a very uncomfortable fit – like someone trying to wear clothes tailored for another person. Exclamations like "bee's knees" and – heaven help me – "hotsy totsy" pop up here and there, and they stand out like polka dots. They don't blend. I've said it a million times: when I trust a writer they can get away with murder. When a writer loses my trust I'm going to give the stinkeye to anything remotely questionable. And here, in this period setting, I looked askance at things like "hacks me off" and referring to a man as "gay". I'm not going to take the time to look them up – I've had to do it before for the latter, and I'm fairly certain that "gay" was not commonly used as a synonym for "homosexual" until decades after this book takes place. I could be wrong. But it doesn't feel right.
And it's the context of those last things I'm complaining about, too. Both come from Raissa's mouth, and the way she is drawn seems counter to slang like "[that] hacks me off" and casually calling someone gay. Would she, a "gently" brought up young lady, growing up in comfortable means in a time period in which women were sheltered and protected from anything her menfolk might think was ugly or inappropriate, even know about homosexuality in 1920, much less identify a gay man based on nothing more than his style, much less have no hesitation talking about him in 20th century slang with a man she barely knows? No – it was all off.
(I'm assuming that simple errors – like the excerpt from a letter dated in December and then immediately mentioning that it's November, and the fact that that's not how a caul … works – will be picked up at some point. I hope.)
So the writing was less than enjoyable; that was one major drawback. Bigger, though, was the fact that I began to develop an active dislike for Raissa. She comes off as much younger, less mature than she describes herself. The voice in which she speaks is much more that of a teenager than of a woman in her twenties who has been married, lost her husband in the Great War, and has been earning her living as a teacher for some time. She describes herself as an aspiring writer, and talks about it a great deal, but little of her process is shown to the reader, and somehow it just doesn't feel credible. She's …
She's kind of a twit.
Her goal in life is to write Poe-esque tales of horror and the macabre, and so – for the experience – she goes off to a séance. The medium's assistant greets her with some basic information about herself (she and her companions have come on a journey because of an interest in spirit communications!), and she responds with a childishly eager – "thrilled" – "Are you psychic? Did a spirit tell you?" Uh, no. You're at a séance, so the interest can kinda be assumed, and the tickets were booked in advance by someone from another state. She's so moronically credulous in this entire scene that I wanted to slap her – and it puts a dent in her credibility elsewhere in her claims of seeing the handsome ghost that traipses about her uncle's grounds. (Of course the ghost is handsome. And the one the uncle sees is a beautiful woman. Naturally.)
Some of it might have come off better if the book had been in the third person. As it is, though, with Raissa telling the story, it just made me a little embarrassed for her that she so obviously showed herself the best possible gull a medium ever had. She's going to buy anything any con artist tries to sell her, and pay top dollar. Also, it just seemed highly improbable that what was incredibly, blatantly, ridiculously obvious to me – to wit, that she immediately attracted not one but two suitors in the first pages of the book – was a complete surprise to her. She is just astonished that her uncle's lawyer, Carlton, is drooling over her – but when she realizes it she almost immediately decides that he's a bit of all right himself.
And then there's the other man who has eyes for her, Robert, for whom she gives every sign of falling head over heels. Then he, shall we say, passes out of the story, and she finds out some unsavory things about him, and has no problem changing her mind and forgetting she cared in less time than it takes to write it.
I think what played the biggest part in my decision to drop the book was a basic difference in opinion between Raissa and me regarding fake mediums. "What he did—giving information on departed loved ones—brought comfort to those he 'read' for. While it might be slightly unethical, it was not cruel or mean." I could not disagree more. I work with people who have suffered terrible losses, and who have spent absurd amounts of money going to a psychic who landed them like gaffed salmon. If someone can easily spare the money, and the process gives her comfort, then I wouldn't want to be the one to pull open the curtain to reveal the real Wizard of Oz - but in my opinion taking advantage of people in this manner is reprehensible. Part of what outrages me is that it's all designed to bring someone back to see the medium over and over, and that not everyone can spare the money easily – some people just need some kind of reassurance so badly they'll do things they can't really afford to find it. And the odds are pretty strong that it's all a tissue of lies. I find that offensive. False hope is an ugly thing – and false comfort is just as unpretty. Basically, there's a very special place in hell for someone who fleeces grieving people out of their money. Toasty.
*hops off soapbox*
So …all in all… DNF. The only reason I would have finished the book was to see if that title – and that really odd series title (Pluto's Snitch?) is ever explained. But I can live without the answer.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
August 10, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It has been a while since I have had an honest to goodness book induced hangover. The Book of Beloved is responsible for my latest. I started reading it after finishing another book and thought I will just read a couple of chapters and it was almost 3 a.m. when I put the book down after reading the whole thing.
Main character Raissa James travels to Caoin House, her uncle’s estate, which has been said to be haunted. There have been a few mysterious deaths there over the years. She is not there long when she sees her first ghost, a Confederate soldier. Her sighting happens shortly after a man falls to his death at a party at the estate. It is ruled accidental, maybe a suicide, but Raissa thinks it was murder. Raissa uses her desire to become an author to dig deeper into the recent death and those from the past. She thinks the ghosts are key to finding out the truth.
The suicide element of this story should have been a trigger for me after my son’s death and there was a lynching in part of the book as well, but after a couple of short pauses and skimming past a few lines I just kept going. Something just a few months ago that would have made me drop the book and stop reading in an instant, but I am starting to heal more every day and the story had me so enthralled that I just couldn’t stop, I had to know how this story played out. (This may not always be the case but was with this story.) Seances also play into the mystery, trying to get answers, learning more about the people that haunt Caoin House, a way to communicate with those who have passed on. This is something that has really piqued my interest since my son’s death. I truly wish I could communicate with him, maybe someday that wish will come true. So until now I have not been able to read a story with these topics, this one brought them all together in a way my mind and soul could handle.
The reason I was able to read this story is because Carolyn Haines has written it with the hand of a master. She draws the reader in almost timidly. A niece visiting her uncle at an old estate after losing her husband in World War I, then a man falls to his death and the suspense builds, then ghosts begin to appear and secrets starts to be revealed, the suspense builds a little more and things start to get scary. I should have stopped reading then but knew there was no way I was going to sleep then so I kept on reading. Then Raissa makes a startling discovery and I was reading at lightning speed. I can’t say more because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep even after I finished the book. I would advise you not to read before bedtime.
I will say I really like Raissa. She is an intelligent and independent woman that I can see being very involved in the causes of the time period, the 1920’s, like woman getting the right to vote. I also see her becoming a very successful author. I am interested to see where the author takes this character in the future.
I rarely give a Paradise Rating to the first book in a series because usually the plot takes a lesser role as the author needs introduce us to all the characters and the setting and time period. In this case Carolyn Haines does all that and gives us a fantastic mystery too.
It has been a while since I have had an honest to goodness book induced hangover. The Book of Beloved is responsible for my latest. I started reading it after finishing another book and thought I will just read a couple of chapters and it was almost 3 a.m. when I put the book down after reading the whole thing.
Main character Raissa James travels to Caoin House, her uncle’s estate, which has been said to be haunted. There have been a few mysterious deaths there over the years. She is not there long when she sees her first ghost, a Confederate soldier. Her sighting happens shortly after a man falls to his death at a party at the estate. It is ruled accidental, maybe a suicide, but Raissa thinks it was murder. Raissa uses her desire to become an author to dig deeper into the recent death and those from the past. She thinks the ghosts are key to finding out the truth.
The suicide element of this story should have been a trigger for me after my son’s death and there was a lynching in part of the book as well, but after a couple of short pauses and skimming past a few lines I just kept going. Something just a few months ago that would have made me drop the book and stop reading in an instant, but I am starting to heal more every day and the story had me so enthralled that I just couldn’t stop, I had to know how this story played out. (This may not always be the case but was with this story.) Seances also play into the mystery, trying to get answers, learning more about the people that haunt Caoin House, a way to communicate with those who have passed on. This is something that has really piqued my interest since my son’s death. I truly wish I could communicate with him, maybe someday that wish will come true. So until now I have not been able to read a story with these topics, this one brought them all together in a way my mind and soul could handle.
The reason I was able to read this story is because Carolyn Haines has written it with the hand of a master. She draws the reader in almost timidly. A niece visiting her uncle at an old estate after losing her husband in World War I, then a man falls to his death and the suspense builds, then ghosts begin to appear and secrets starts to be revealed, the suspense builds a little more and things start to get scary. I should have stopped reading then but knew there was no way I was going to sleep then so I kept on reading. Then Raissa makes a startling discovery and I was reading at lightning speed. I can’t say more because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep even after I finished the book. I would advise you not to read before bedtime.
I will say I really like Raissa. She is an intelligent and independent woman that I can see being very involved in the causes of the time period, the 1920’s, like woman getting the right to vote. I also see her becoming a very successful author. I am interested to see where the author takes this character in the future.
I rarely give a Paradise Rating to the first book in a series because usually the plot takes a lesser role as the author needs introduce us to all the characters and the setting and time period. In this case Carolyn Haines does all that and gives us a fantastic mystery too.
June 11, 2016
Mysticism and romance, history and ghosts. Carolyn Haines' book was very interesting to read, seriously. I rarely read scary books. This one started out like a picnic in the park and headed evermore quickly into the world of fear and the unknown. I wish I could say more, but I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone. Just know that the author is a master at setting the pace of a book!
October 22, 2018
So, so good! I couldn't stop reading.
January 9, 2022
A Southern Gothic cosy with ghosts, murder and mystery galore.
Raissa James, a teacher, aspiring writer and war widow, finally agrees to visit her uncle's home, Caoin House, in Mobile, Alabama, for the summer. She hopes it will be what she needs to enable her to spend time on her writing and heal from the grief that has dominated her life since the loss of her husband.
Quickly making new friends and finding the spark of a potential romantic interest, Raissa begins to think that she may be able to build her future here. But Caoin House has a dark history and may be haunted by more than just the stains of its past.
When a suspicious death occurs, Raissa finds herself determined to not let it rest. Hoping to right wrongs past and present, she unwittingly places herself in danger. The key to the mystery hinges on the secrets of the Book of Beloved - secrets someone, or something, is determined will never be uncovered.
'The Book of Beloved' is the first in Carolyn Haines' 'Pluto's Snitch' series. A cross between cosy mystery, gothic ghost story and historical fiction, it makes for a light-hearted, relaxing read, while still dealing with some underlying heavy subject matter. Set in 1920, the spectre of the First World War still looms in recent memory. Despite the progression of industry and renewed hopes for the future, the devastation of the war's effects remain evident in day-to-day life, particularly for those who lost someone.
The story is told from Raissa's perspective. She is immediately a likeable character; we encounter her afflicted by grief but beginning to look to the future, can feel her youth and naivety, her frustrations at the limitations imposed on her gender, as well as her passion and thirst for justice, both moral and social. Prejudice and discrimination are major themes of the novel; the period a pivotal time, with women poised to finally be allowed to vote, racial discrimination and the class structure still the basis of normal society, and attitudes towards sex, relationships and sexuality archaic.
The setting of Caoin House is particularly well-evoked, taking the classic manor house setting of many classic mysteries of the period and creating a Southern Gothic version complete with hauntings and the romance and tragedy of the past; the narrative serving as an introduction to the mystery series and its key players and ending with a tantalising glimpse of the next mystery in the series, 'The House of Memory'.
Raissa James, a teacher, aspiring writer and war widow, finally agrees to visit her uncle's home, Caoin House, in Mobile, Alabama, for the summer. She hopes it will be what she needs to enable her to spend time on her writing and heal from the grief that has dominated her life since the loss of her husband.
Quickly making new friends and finding the spark of a potential romantic interest, Raissa begins to think that she may be able to build her future here. But Caoin House has a dark history and may be haunted by more than just the stains of its past.
When a suspicious death occurs, Raissa finds herself determined to not let it rest. Hoping to right wrongs past and present, she unwittingly places herself in danger. The key to the mystery hinges on the secrets of the Book of Beloved - secrets someone, or something, is determined will never be uncovered.
'The Book of Beloved' is the first in Carolyn Haines' 'Pluto's Snitch' series. A cross between cosy mystery, gothic ghost story and historical fiction, it makes for a light-hearted, relaxing read, while still dealing with some underlying heavy subject matter. Set in 1920, the spectre of the First World War still looms in recent memory. Despite the progression of industry and renewed hopes for the future, the devastation of the war's effects remain evident in day-to-day life, particularly for those who lost someone.
The story is told from Raissa's perspective. She is immediately a likeable character; we encounter her afflicted by grief but beginning to look to the future, can feel her youth and naivety, her frustrations at the limitations imposed on her gender, as well as her passion and thirst for justice, both moral and social. Prejudice and discrimination are major themes of the novel; the period a pivotal time, with women poised to finally be allowed to vote, racial discrimination and the class structure still the basis of normal society, and attitudes towards sex, relationships and sexuality archaic.
The setting of Caoin House is particularly well-evoked, taking the classic manor house setting of many classic mysteries of the period and creating a Southern Gothic version complete with hauntings and the romance and tragedy of the past; the narrative serving as an introduction to the mystery series and its key players and ending with a tantalising glimpse of the next mystery in the series, 'The House of Memory'.
September 3, 2016
Author Carolyn Haines has been writing her award-winning ghostly mystery series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney for more than 15 years; however, as I’ve never read a single novel, I have no basis for comparison, other than knowing that Delaney’s a modern single gal with a ghostly plantation slave as a sidekick. I have read Haines’ darker novel, Revenant, featuring the self-destructive reporter Carson Lynch, a novel I liked very much.
With The Book of Beloved, Haines begins a new series. Unlike the Delaney books, the protagonist, Raissa James, widowed by the Great War, goes home to try to move on. Instead, she’s faced with a murder and a ghost of her own. Unfortunately, Haines peppers The Book of Beloved with anachronistic attitudes toward women, blacks, and gays, which a better writer could more deftly handle, and most readers will guess at the murderer one-third of the way into the novel. Still, Haines weaves an interesting tale of selfish evil, past and present, that provides stretches of suspense. No one will confuse Haines with John Dickson Carr, Ellis Peters, Laurie R. King, Lindsey Davis, or Robert van Gulik, gifted authors who weave flawless historical novels; however, it’s still worth a read as long as you don’t expect too much.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
With The Book of Beloved, Haines begins a new series. Unlike the Delaney books, the protagonist, Raissa James, widowed by the Great War, goes home to try to move on. Instead, she’s faced with a murder and a ghost of her own. Unfortunately, Haines peppers The Book of Beloved with anachronistic attitudes toward women, blacks, and gays, which a better writer could more deftly handle, and most readers will guess at the murderer one-third of the way into the novel. Still, Haines weaves an interesting tale of selfish evil, past and present, that provides stretches of suspense. No one will confuse Haines with John Dickson Carr, Ellis Peters, Laurie R. King, Lindsey Davis, or Robert van Gulik, gifted authors who weave flawless historical novels; however, it’s still worth a read as long as you don’t expect too much.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2016
[ I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]
"Somehow everything was linked together. It was a matter of unraveling the ball of string."
And what a ball of string this is! Raissa James, WW1 widow, "bluestocking" teacher comes to visit her uncle, Brett Airlie, in Mobile Alabama for what he hopes might be an extended stay. Mobile is a town that hasn't quite caught up with the times. Raissa is an intelligent, forward-thinking woman, a want to be writer and champion of womens' rights. Is Mobile ready for her?
She stumbles upon many secrets and family lore while at Caoin House. Hidden within its walls are laments of the past that still affect the present. Carpetbagging, the Klu Klux Klan, the Antebellum separation of race, gender and class is juxtaposed with the busy port of Mobile, where the future is unloaded every day
During the party, someone dies, and Raissa keeps wondering why as well as how. Using her brain causes her to run across many hidden tales and understandings that the budding writer weaves into her own work. With her enquiries come further intrique that will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime.
This story is so much different that Haines' contemporary series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney and really shows the skill of a wonderful writer. Highly recommended.
"Somehow everything was linked together. It was a matter of unraveling the ball of string."
And what a ball of string this is! Raissa James, WW1 widow, "bluestocking" teacher comes to visit her uncle, Brett Airlie, in Mobile Alabama for what he hopes might be an extended stay. Mobile is a town that hasn't quite caught up with the times. Raissa is an intelligent, forward-thinking woman, a want to be writer and champion of womens' rights. Is Mobile ready for her?
She stumbles upon many secrets and family lore while at Caoin House. Hidden within its walls are laments of the past that still affect the present. Carpetbagging, the Klu Klux Klan, the Antebellum separation of race, gender and class is juxtaposed with the busy port of Mobile, where the future is unloaded every day
During the party, someone dies, and Raissa keeps wondering why as well as how. Using her brain causes her to run across many hidden tales and understandings that the budding writer weaves into her own work. With her enquiries come further intrique that will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime.
This story is so much different that Haines' contemporary series featuring Sarah Booth Delaney and really shows the skill of a wonderful writer. Highly recommended.
August 26, 2016
After reading numerous positive reviews about this novel online, I was excited to start on it. It's a mystery and historical fiction, two of the genres I love most. While The Book of Beloved certainly did not disappoint, there were some things that could've been better. The main character's reaction to seeing ghosts for the first time lacked verisimilitude, causing the beginning of the story to fall flat. Also, from the beginning I felt I knew who the villain was going to be.
There were also some historical inaccuracies that could've been fixed with a quick Google search. One example is the claim that women were still fighting for the right to vote in 1930, when in fact, the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920. The author also touches on social issues, such as women's place in society along with Civil Rights for African Americans and acceptance of homosexuals. While it's great that she touches on these things, it's done from a modern woman's perspective. Societies view each of these topics has progressed greatly since the 1930s, and it's unlikely that most people at that time would have our current views.
While there were obvious problems, I was still kept on the edge of my seat throughout the story. The twists and turns were fantastic, always keeping me guessing. I even had a few “Oh shit!” moments. There was also humor that I never anticipated. This series will certainly be one to follow, and I will also look up other books by this author. The Book of Beloved was a fun and easy read deserving of it's good reviews!
There were also some historical inaccuracies that could've been fixed with a quick Google search. One example is the claim that women were still fighting for the right to vote in 1930, when in fact, the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920. The author also touches on social issues, such as women's place in society along with Civil Rights for African Americans and acceptance of homosexuals. While it's great that she touches on these things, it's done from a modern woman's perspective. Societies view each of these topics has progressed greatly since the 1930s, and it's unlikely that most people at that time would have our current views.
While there were obvious problems, I was still kept on the edge of my seat throughout the story. The twists and turns were fantastic, always keeping me guessing. I even had a few “Oh shit!” moments. There was also humor that I never anticipated. This series will certainly be one to follow, and I will also look up other books by this author. The Book of Beloved was a fun and easy read deserving of it's good reviews!
August 6, 2016
When I first started reading this book, I thought Carolyn Haines and no Sarah Booth Delaney? How can that be. Very shortly into the story, I found myself intrigued and mesmerized and wasn't even thinking about poor Sarah.
This was an excellent ghost story. I spent most of the time reading this with goose pimples. And all the twists and turns that went along with the ghost story. It was just crazy. I knew what happened to Robert early on, but I didn't know the whole story. I had definitely figured him for pond scum.
This is definitely not a book to start around bed time. However, it is one to pick up and start reading any other time.
I just want to say thanks to Carolyn for writing a really creepy book which I loved and thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an excellent ghost story. I spent most of the time reading this with goose pimples. And all the twists and turns that went along with the ghost story. It was just crazy. I knew what happened to Robert early on, but I didn't know the whole story. I had definitely figured him for pond scum.
This is definitely not a book to start around bed time. However, it is one to pick up and start reading any other time.
I just want to say thanks to Carolyn for writing a really creepy book which I loved and thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2016
Raissa James is a schoolteacher in Savannah, still grieving the loss of her husband in World War I. She is visiting her Uncle Brett, in Mobile, Alabama. While there, she decides to use her talent as a writer, informing any and all that she wants to write ghost stories. But what she also discovers about herself is that she has a talent for seeing and hearing ghosts...
When she departs for Mobile, she meets Robert Aultman on the train, a charming and handsome stranger, and finds out he is also headed to Caoin House, her uncle's estate. When Robert dies while at the party given in her honor, she wonders why he was somewhere he never should have been in the first place. While her decision is to find out more about him and how he died - she thinks it might have been murder instead of the accident the doctor proclaimed - she discovers the house holds old secrets, and someone would rather they weren't known.
Raissa soon also discovers that she can see and communicate with ghosts, especially the handsome Confederate soldier who stands beneath her bedroom window beckoning to her. But when Raissa digs deeper and begins finding more than she bargained for, she puts her life in danger, and discovers it's not only the long dead ghosts that don't want you to find out the past...
I felt that the book began well, and I enjoyed reading it for the most part. I actually like books that mix fact with fiction, but this book was...different. The historical references that were mixed in seemed more like 'moral lessons'. Unfortunately, every time I was deeply engrossed in the book, I was given another 'moral lesson' on society, and that pulled me back out, which greatly decreased my enjoyment. History I enjoy, but preaching in a novel has never sat well with me at all.
There were also other historical aspects that bothered me. A schoolteacher in 1920 smoking? It would not have been tolerated - after all, they were teaching children and were expected to be held to a certain standard. Wearing shorts to a garden party and no one was scandalized? Not one single person thought she was 'fast'. I understand that these scenes were to make us realize Raissa was an independent, forward-thinking woman, but it didn't work for me. I also had reservations about the pictures and who photographed them, but that's another story altogether. I also didn't feel that Robert was in the book long enough to even care about him, nor that his death was much a part of the storyline.
I really wanted to like this book, but there were so many situations that just didn't seem believable to me, which I won't go into here. I also felt that there were many questions that were left unanswered (ones I would like to have known the outcome). Still, this was interesting enough to be a good start to a new series that left us with a tantalizing ending to the next book.
When she departs for Mobile, she meets Robert Aultman on the train, a charming and handsome stranger, and finds out he is also headed to Caoin House, her uncle's estate. When Robert dies while at the party given in her honor, she wonders why he was somewhere he never should have been in the first place. While her decision is to find out more about him and how he died - she thinks it might have been murder instead of the accident the doctor proclaimed - she discovers the house holds old secrets, and someone would rather they weren't known.
Raissa soon also discovers that she can see and communicate with ghosts, especially the handsome Confederate soldier who stands beneath her bedroom window beckoning to her. But when Raissa digs deeper and begins finding more than she bargained for, she puts her life in danger, and discovers it's not only the long dead ghosts that don't want you to find out the past...
I felt that the book began well, and I enjoyed reading it for the most part. I actually like books that mix fact with fiction, but this book was...different. The historical references that were mixed in seemed more like 'moral lessons'. Unfortunately, every time I was deeply engrossed in the book, I was given another 'moral lesson' on society, and that pulled me back out, which greatly decreased my enjoyment. History I enjoy, but preaching in a novel has never sat well with me at all.
There were also other historical aspects that bothered me. A schoolteacher in 1920 smoking? It would not have been tolerated - after all, they were teaching children and were expected to be held to a certain standard. Wearing shorts to a garden party and no one was scandalized? Not one single person thought she was 'fast'. I understand that these scenes were to make us realize Raissa was an independent, forward-thinking woman, but it didn't work for me. I also had reservations about the pictures and who photographed them, but that's another story altogether. I also didn't feel that Robert was in the book long enough to even care about him, nor that his death was much a part of the storyline.
I really wanted to like this book, but there were so many situations that just didn't seem believable to me, which I won't go into here. I also felt that there were many questions that were left unanswered (ones I would like to have known the outcome). Still, this was interesting enough to be a good start to a new series that left us with a tantalizing ending to the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2016
4.5 stars...
This was a great southern historical mystery with the added bonus of also being a ghost story and not being too heavy. Old plantations, southern belles, ghosts, civil war soldiers, racial tensions and more!
There were so many things about this book that I loved and that surprised me! Having never read a Carolyn Haines book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I read the description on NetGalley and was intrigued. Thank goodness I was approved! In my childhood, I lived in Mobile so I thought the setting would be a fun read. Old South done right really draws you in, especially with my personal experience of living there.
Aspiring author Raissa leaves her Savannah, GA home for a visit at her Uncle's estate, Caoin House, in Mobile, Alabama. His old plantation house is rumored to be haunted and Raissa has a particular interest in the paranormal. As a member of the upppercrust Society there, and concerned about her being both orphaned and a young WWI Widow, he throws a big party to welcome his niece and introduce her around. She meets lots of people and hits it off particularly with a few. But danger is lurking. Will Raissa and her newfound friends be safe or are the threats from both ghostly and human origins prove fatal? Lots of twists and turns with things I doubt you'll see coming. Very entertaining and fun. Highly recommended! Its part of a new series called Pluto's Snitch, and I can't wait to read the next installment!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for an ARC to review!**
This was a great southern historical mystery with the added bonus of also being a ghost story and not being too heavy. Old plantations, southern belles, ghosts, civil war soldiers, racial tensions and more!
There were so many things about this book that I loved and that surprised me! Having never read a Carolyn Haines book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I read the description on NetGalley and was intrigued. Thank goodness I was approved! In my childhood, I lived in Mobile so I thought the setting would be a fun read. Old South done right really draws you in, especially with my personal experience of living there.
Aspiring author Raissa leaves her Savannah, GA home for a visit at her Uncle's estate, Caoin House, in Mobile, Alabama. His old plantation house is rumored to be haunted and Raissa has a particular interest in the paranormal. As a member of the upppercrust Society there, and concerned about her being both orphaned and a young WWI Widow, he throws a big party to welcome his niece and introduce her around. She meets lots of people and hits it off particularly with a few. But danger is lurking. Will Raissa and her newfound friends be safe or are the threats from both ghostly and human origins prove fatal? Lots of twists and turns with things I doubt you'll see coming. Very entertaining and fun. Highly recommended! Its part of a new series called Pluto's Snitch, and I can't wait to read the next installment!
**Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for an ARC to review!**
Read
October 28, 2016A quote I liked from this book is “The Book of Beloved was a dirty secret Mobile society would want to keep hidden. At any cost. Possibly even the murder of a woman who may have threatened that secrecy.”
Carolyn Haines, author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries begins a new series, Pluto’s Snitch, with this book. The first title in the Pluto Snitch series is “The Book of the Beloved”, where readers are introduced to the new heroine, Raissa James. Raissa is interested in ghosts, séances, and ghost stories along with civil rights, woman suffrage, and equal treatment for women to name a few. While it thrills us with various twists and turns of the plot, the book delves into a great many interesting historical topics. I’m hooked on the series and can’t wait to read the second book when it is published.
Find The Book of Beloved at the Westminster Public Library.
Carolyn Haines, author of the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries begins a new series, Pluto’s Snitch, with this book. The first title in the Pluto Snitch series is “The Book of the Beloved”, where readers are introduced to the new heroine, Raissa James. Raissa is interested in ghosts, séances, and ghost stories along with civil rights, woman suffrage, and equal treatment for women to name a few. While it thrills us with various twists and turns of the plot, the book delves into a great many interesting historical topics. I’m hooked on the series and can’t wait to read the second book when it is published.
Find The Book of Beloved at the Westminster Public Library.
November 19, 2017
I loved this book!!! Set in the south (Mobile Alabama) right after the Civil war which is a favorite time period of mine. The old elegant mansion the characters live in is haunted. But if you are not a paranormal buff don't let that keep you from this book! This is a thrilling suspenseful mystery with some bad entities as the side story. In fact at times the book was so intense I had to put it down and walk away. Then I went right back to it, I had to find out what happened next.. This is not a horror story but let me say if I was watching it on the big screen I would have screamed a few times, no joke.
The characters are vividly portrayed - what a good writer Carolyn Haines is!
Also' the name Pluto in the title has nothing to do with the book so don't mistake this for a Greek mythology or planet book. There is one faint reason the name Pluto came up but "Pluto" is mentioned only once on the last page.
Yes I will read this entire series and anything else written by this author.
Read this book!
The characters are vividly portrayed - what a good writer Carolyn Haines is!
Also' the name Pluto in the title has nothing to do with the book so don't mistake this for a Greek mythology or planet book. There is one faint reason the name Pluto came up but "Pluto" is mentioned only once on the last page.
Yes I will read this entire series and anything else written by this author.
Read this book!
August 31, 2016
Although "The Book of Beloved" had a solid story line, some creepy moments, and a likable enough lead character--WWI widow Raissa James, that was not enough to boost the rating any higher for me. I felt the writing was okay but something about the way the story was told seemed too unbelievable.. The setting is the deep South in 1920 and I have always enjoyed reading about that time in the U.S. However, there were two extremely shocking things that happened that I felt were way over the top. I don't want to include any spoilers in my review, but I could not suspend belief enough to feel comfortable with what I was reading. This is the first book in the series about the amateur sleuth/medium and I still find the premise promising enough that I would read the second installment.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give an honest review.
August 7, 2016
This truly delightful start to the new Pluto's Snitch series demonstrates just what a gift for storytelling Ms Haines has. I have read this author's Sarah Booth Delaney books from the onset and can attest to her characters being more than lifelike, they are charming, endearing, full of humor and substance.
A fine mystery unfolds delicately throughout the story. What you think you know as the story continues, is completely misleading, taking many twists and turns. As ghost stories go, there are heart pounding moments that will have you in the edge, waiting to see what happens next. I look forward to reading more of the series and am delighted at the new direction Ms Haines has taken with her storytelling.
This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.
A fine mystery unfolds delicately throughout the story. What you think you know as the story continues, is completely misleading, taking many twists and turns. As ghost stories go, there are heart pounding moments that will have you in the edge, waiting to see what happens next. I look forward to reading more of the series and am delighted at the new direction Ms Haines has taken with her storytelling.
This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley for my honest review.
July 29, 2016
Such a wonderful, intriguing start to a new series by one of my favorite authors!! This book combines romance, history, ghosts and deception all in one. It really kept you on the edge of your seat to turn the page and see what clue would be revealed next and how it would all turn out.
Raissa is a widowed schoolteacher. She decides to take her uncle up on an invitation to visit him in Mobile. Only there are ghosts from the past there that are angry. When a guest to the party in her honor is found dead she wonders if those angry spirits were at work, or if someone truly evil is in their midst.
I was given an advanced ecopy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Raissa is a widowed schoolteacher. She decides to take her uncle up on an invitation to visit him in Mobile. Only there are ghosts from the past there that are angry. When a guest to the party in her honor is found dead she wonders if those angry spirits were at work, or if someone truly evil is in their midst.
I was given an advanced ecopy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2016
A mystery/ghost story set in the deep south of the Mobile Alabama vicinity. The story and subject matter have a chilling factor to them which is true (unfortunately) to the time period of the plot. The heroine is both brave and gutsy in her pursuit of the truth and does not allow the numerous obstacles deter her from the truth. In the last pages, the author sets forth in bare bones, what will surely be the plot for the second book in the series.
I have given this book a five star rating and recommend it to anyone who enjoys either murder mysteries or ghost stories.
I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.
February 12, 2017
Great ghost story with some absolutely riveting parts. With that said, something was flawed. Parts dragged and some inner dialogue felt "off". It's hard to pinpoint, but l was irritated a handful of times around the over explanation (and repeated explanation) of what should be obvious to any reader.
Torn on purchasing the next in the series, but I'm leaning towards "one more shot".
Torn on purchasing the next in the series, but I'm leaning towards "one more shot".
August 11, 2016
Growing up in Lucedale, there weren’t many mysteries in the daily life of a young Carolyn Haines. As a child of the 1960s in rural Mississippi, she had plenty of time to ride her bike, play with her brothers and enjoy childhood.
That didn’t slow her imagination, though, as she listened to her grandmother’s ghost stories and read mystery after mystery stories. That love for the unknown and unseen has stayed with Haines, resulting in a prolific writing career with more than 70 books in different genres under her belt. She is best known for the Mississippi Delta “Bones” mystery series featuring crime-solving Sarah Booth Delaney and a match-making ghost named Jitty. Haines also writes under the pseudonyms Caroline Burnes, Lizzie Hart and R.B. Chesterton.
Haines is still seeing ghosts in her latest, “The Book of Beloved,” a gothic tale set in the 1920s around a Mobile, Ala., plantation following World War I. It’s a tale of what happens when past secrets can no longer stay hidden.
Raissa James is a young widow invited to visit her uncle Brett Airlie’s recently purchased estate, Caoin House. She’s ready to shake off her mourning garb and start a new life, perhaps as a ghost story writer. As Raissa quickly learns, there’s plenty of inspiration in the dark history that haunts Caoin House, a pre-Confederate War mansion built as a romantic gesture. It’s a past that includes too many deaths and too few answers.
The ghost of a Confederate soldier leads Raissa down winding roads of mystery, danger and misery. Despite the outwardly trappings of wealth, horseless buggies and southern manners, a darkness has its hold on Caoin House. Bringing its secrets to light is no easy matter, not even with the help of Reginald Proctor, a self-proclaimed medium. Raissa and Reginald, soon nicknamed Pluto’s Snitches, are determined to identify the estate’s ghosts and learn why they linger.
Adding to the mystery is a family photo album, known as the Book of Beloved, filled with haunting images from past generations. Who are those people, and what circumstances do they represent?
Everyone seems to be holding onto secrets. That includes her uncle and his fiancé Isabella Brown as well as Robert Aultman, a soon-to-be suitor Raissa meets on the train to Mobile; Winona and Travis, the estate’s housekeeper and caretaker; Pretta Paul, a local candy-maker and new friend; and her uncle’s attorney, Carlton McKay.
“The Book of Beloved,” the first book in Haines’ new Pluto Snitch series, is not a typical ghostly tale. Thanks to her extensive research, the author touches on many issues of the time, including slavery, bigotry and secret societies. However, what really sets this novel apart from others in its genre are the Haines’ storytelling skills. They are smooth as an aged bourbon, but chilling as a pair of eyes glowing in the nighttime swamp.
No matter what setting or cast of characters, she creates pictures with words. With “The Book of Beloved,” Haines writes with subtle, yet defined shades of black, white and gray, allowing readers to picture another time, one that’s not what it appears to be, and to feel the shock when the past and present collide.
With the first “Pluto’s Snitch” mystery fresh on the shelves, Haines took a break from the animal/horse rescue she runs to answer questions about her Mississippi ties and inspirations.
You were born in Lucedale, and now live in Mobile. What keeps you tied to your southern roots?
I’ve thought about leaving the South many times, especially when elected officials make really bone-headed choices. But this is my land. I know the trees and soil and woods and creeks. My memories are here. I’m a person who puts down really deep roots, and I’m a country girl at heart. I have an animal rescue with horses. I take care of them, and I love that connection to the creatures and to the land. I hate the summers in the Deep South, but the winters sure are a lot easier than those in colder climates.
You were a journalist for many years. What got you started on that path, and how has that influenced your writing career?
My parents were journalists, and I grew up in the business. I believed if I wrote the truth, people would change and do the right thing. I was a little naïve. But journalism continues to bring me a number of gifts. First and foremost, I learned to write every day and to write on deadline. I learned to be professional about my writing. I don’t procrastinate - well, at least not a whole lot. I was exposed to thousands of things the average person doesn’t see or know about. And I was one of the first female photojournalists in the South. I was part of a world that had been largely confined to men. It gives you a different perspective.
Most of your novels include a circle of trust, whether it is with co-workers, friends, family or a community. Have you experienced that growing up and living in the South?
I have. I have been blessed with good friends. Really good friends. My family is small, but I have a lot of friends. And journalists are generally a very trustworthy bunch. Or they were when I worked in that profession. We believed our job was important - to be the watchdog of the community. It was never about money. Journalists were notoriously poorly paid at that time. It was about holding elected officials and those in power accountable for their actions.
You’ve written more than 70 novels, including the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries, Christmas anthologies and southern gothic. Which is your favorite genre?
I love Southern gothic, mystery or thriller. I love a certain type of horror that is not bloody or gory. And I also love humorous stories. My favorite genre depends on the skill of the author.
You have a dark side, complete with pen name R.B. Chesterton. Why the name change? It feels as if another person takes over in the pen in some of the novels. How do you switch from the lighthearted fun of Sarah Booth to the ghost-seeing characters in “The Book of Beloved” or “The Darkling?”
I went with initials and a name change to be sure my readers didn’t get an unwelcome surprise. Those who love Sarah Booth may not want to walk on the dark side. And there is a perception that horror is a male genre. I don’t agree, but I thought it might be interesting to try a name that could be male.
I have this crazy idea that each story is a gift. It’s up to me to tell the story to the best of my ability. The story is what it is - mystery, Southern fiction, whatever. So I don’t always control the switch in genre. I just write the story I’m given to the best of my ability.
Several of your earlier novels that featured the town of Jexville, and its descendants are among my favorites. Will there be more from that line?
I am working right now to reissue those three books set in Jexville. I’m hoping late fall. I believe they’ll find new life with a re-release. There is just so much to do! Life is just very exciting right now, but I could definitely use a clone.
That didn’t slow her imagination, though, as she listened to her grandmother’s ghost stories and read mystery after mystery stories. That love for the unknown and unseen has stayed with Haines, resulting in a prolific writing career with more than 70 books in different genres under her belt. She is best known for the Mississippi Delta “Bones” mystery series featuring crime-solving Sarah Booth Delaney and a match-making ghost named Jitty. Haines also writes under the pseudonyms Caroline Burnes, Lizzie Hart and R.B. Chesterton.
Haines is still seeing ghosts in her latest, “The Book of Beloved,” a gothic tale set in the 1920s around a Mobile, Ala., plantation following World War I. It’s a tale of what happens when past secrets can no longer stay hidden.
Raissa James is a young widow invited to visit her uncle Brett Airlie’s recently purchased estate, Caoin House. She’s ready to shake off her mourning garb and start a new life, perhaps as a ghost story writer. As Raissa quickly learns, there’s plenty of inspiration in the dark history that haunts Caoin House, a pre-Confederate War mansion built as a romantic gesture. It’s a past that includes too many deaths and too few answers.
The ghost of a Confederate soldier leads Raissa down winding roads of mystery, danger and misery. Despite the outwardly trappings of wealth, horseless buggies and southern manners, a darkness has its hold on Caoin House. Bringing its secrets to light is no easy matter, not even with the help of Reginald Proctor, a self-proclaimed medium. Raissa and Reginald, soon nicknamed Pluto’s Snitches, are determined to identify the estate’s ghosts and learn why they linger.
Adding to the mystery is a family photo album, known as the Book of Beloved, filled with haunting images from past generations. Who are those people, and what circumstances do they represent?
Everyone seems to be holding onto secrets. That includes her uncle and his fiancé Isabella Brown as well as Robert Aultman, a soon-to-be suitor Raissa meets on the train to Mobile; Winona and Travis, the estate’s housekeeper and caretaker; Pretta Paul, a local candy-maker and new friend; and her uncle’s attorney, Carlton McKay.
“The Book of Beloved,” the first book in Haines’ new Pluto Snitch series, is not a typical ghostly tale. Thanks to her extensive research, the author touches on many issues of the time, including slavery, bigotry and secret societies. However, what really sets this novel apart from others in its genre are the Haines’ storytelling skills. They are smooth as an aged bourbon, but chilling as a pair of eyes glowing in the nighttime swamp.
No matter what setting or cast of characters, she creates pictures with words. With “The Book of Beloved,” Haines writes with subtle, yet defined shades of black, white and gray, allowing readers to picture another time, one that’s not what it appears to be, and to feel the shock when the past and present collide.
With the first “Pluto’s Snitch” mystery fresh on the shelves, Haines took a break from the animal/horse rescue she runs to answer questions about her Mississippi ties and inspirations.
You were born in Lucedale, and now live in Mobile. What keeps you tied to your southern roots?
I’ve thought about leaving the South many times, especially when elected officials make really bone-headed choices. But this is my land. I know the trees and soil and woods and creeks. My memories are here. I’m a person who puts down really deep roots, and I’m a country girl at heart. I have an animal rescue with horses. I take care of them, and I love that connection to the creatures and to the land. I hate the summers in the Deep South, but the winters sure are a lot easier than those in colder climates.
You were a journalist for many years. What got you started on that path, and how has that influenced your writing career?
My parents were journalists, and I grew up in the business. I believed if I wrote the truth, people would change and do the right thing. I was a little naïve. But journalism continues to bring me a number of gifts. First and foremost, I learned to write every day and to write on deadline. I learned to be professional about my writing. I don’t procrastinate - well, at least not a whole lot. I was exposed to thousands of things the average person doesn’t see or know about. And I was one of the first female photojournalists in the South. I was part of a world that had been largely confined to men. It gives you a different perspective.
Most of your novels include a circle of trust, whether it is with co-workers, friends, family or a community. Have you experienced that growing up and living in the South?
I have. I have been blessed with good friends. Really good friends. My family is small, but I have a lot of friends. And journalists are generally a very trustworthy bunch. Or they were when I worked in that profession. We believed our job was important - to be the watchdog of the community. It was never about money. Journalists were notoriously poorly paid at that time. It was about holding elected officials and those in power accountable for their actions.
You’ve written more than 70 novels, including the Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries, Christmas anthologies and southern gothic. Which is your favorite genre?
I love Southern gothic, mystery or thriller. I love a certain type of horror that is not bloody or gory. And I also love humorous stories. My favorite genre depends on the skill of the author.
You have a dark side, complete with pen name R.B. Chesterton. Why the name change? It feels as if another person takes over in the pen in some of the novels. How do you switch from the lighthearted fun of Sarah Booth to the ghost-seeing characters in “The Book of Beloved” or “The Darkling?”
I went with initials and a name change to be sure my readers didn’t get an unwelcome surprise. Those who love Sarah Booth may not want to walk on the dark side. And there is a perception that horror is a male genre. I don’t agree, but I thought it might be interesting to try a name that could be male.
I have this crazy idea that each story is a gift. It’s up to me to tell the story to the best of my ability. The story is what it is - mystery, Southern fiction, whatever. So I don’t always control the switch in genre. I just write the story I’m given to the best of my ability.
Several of your earlier novels that featured the town of Jexville, and its descendants are among my favorites. Will there be more from that line?
I am working right now to reissue those three books set in Jexville. I’m hoping late fall. I believe they’ll find new life with a re-release. There is just so much to do! Life is just very exciting right now, but I could definitely use a clone.
May 2, 2019
I chose to read this because the setting seemed to be similar to where I was vacationing and I thought that would perfectly set the mood! I enjoyed the main character and the story line that kept me guessing. Have already purchased books #2 and #3! I love the time period, too.
July 27, 2016
It’s June 1920 and America has gone through some major changes and is on the brink of many more. The Civil War ended 60 years ago and on December 6, 1865, with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, slavery officially ended in this country. Women were now on the brink of being allowed to vote.
Two years earlier in 1918, World War I ended leaving many women without husbands. One of these women was 24 year old Raissa James, a school teacher living in Savannah, Georgia. Her husband, Alex, was killed in the Great War in 1918 and she’s been trying to get over the grief his death caused her. Her only living relative, her Uncle Brett Airlie living in Mobile, Alabama worries about Raissa and has invited her to spend some time with him during the summer.
Raissa hops on a train and soon meets Robert Aultman who is on his way to Mobile for a meeting about his shipping business. Coincidentally, his meeting is with Raissa’s uncle Brett who designs steam engines for paddle-wheelers. The two are thrilled to learn that Brett has also invited Robert to the big party he’s throwing for Raissa.
Uncle Brett’s huge home is named Caoin House which in Gaelic means lament or grieve. When Raissa once again sees the 64-room Antebellum house on its 7,000 surrounding acres she has no idea how apropos the house’s name is.
Raissa tells her uncle and some friends that she’s very interested in ghosts and the occult and would like to eventually become an author of ghost stories. To her amazement her uncle and friends are very supportive of her plans. Mobile, Alabama still feels that women are not strong enough to deal with the little details of life let alone become a writer of ghost stories. And even though slavery has be abolished, Mobile still treats black men and women as if they are second class citizens. It’s not a very progressive city.
Raissa learns a little about all the tragedies that have surrounded Caoin House. Many people have suspiciously died throughout the years and these souls are haunting Brett’s home. Brett has seen a female ghost and Raissa has seen a male ghost and there are other spirits as well, some who are very angry and dangerous. But neither Brett nor his niece are completely sure who is haunting the home or why but Raissa is determined to find out the truth about the history of the house and why the dead souls can’t rest in peace even if the process harms her, her uncle, and the friends she loves.
“The Book of Beloved” by Carolyn Haines is one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while. From the very first page I was pulled into Raissa’s life, her beliefs, and her dreams. Ms. Haines beautifully explains what life was like in the south during 1920. Women had little if any rights and were ignored by men except to be their wives. If they asked any question they were threatened that their husbands would be told. That is if the women were acknowledged at all.
Blacks, unlike women, had the right to vote but were still treated as if they were slaves. Life was not easy back then and the author makes sure that readers understand that. It’s obvious that Ms. Haines does a ton of research for her stories which adds a wonderful tone of authenticity.
Ms. Haines weaves a complex tale of Raissa’s life in 1920 and the lives of those who lived in Caoin House when it was first built by Eli Whitehead for his wife Eva before the Civil War. All these lives, past and present, intertwine with each other.
And then there is the ghost story part to the tale. We aren’t talking Dean Koontz gruesome or even Stephen King’s horror. I think it more like Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw.” “The Book of Beloved” is frightening at times but not the kind of fright that will keep you up at night. It’s that kind of fear that compels you read as fast as you can to discover what is going to happen next.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Carolyn Haines will turn this into a new series. Raissa is definitely a character I need to read more about and join her in other ghostly adventures.
Not enough can be said about this prolific author. She’s won many awards that proves her talent. Give any of her books a try especially the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series. But make sure to pick up a copy of “The Book of Beloved” for a wonderful story about history, ghosts, the south, and love. It’s the perfect book to read any time of the year.
Two years earlier in 1918, World War I ended leaving many women without husbands. One of these women was 24 year old Raissa James, a school teacher living in Savannah, Georgia. Her husband, Alex, was killed in the Great War in 1918 and she’s been trying to get over the grief his death caused her. Her only living relative, her Uncle Brett Airlie living in Mobile, Alabama worries about Raissa and has invited her to spend some time with him during the summer.
Raissa hops on a train and soon meets Robert Aultman who is on his way to Mobile for a meeting about his shipping business. Coincidentally, his meeting is with Raissa’s uncle Brett who designs steam engines for paddle-wheelers. The two are thrilled to learn that Brett has also invited Robert to the big party he’s throwing for Raissa.
Uncle Brett’s huge home is named Caoin House which in Gaelic means lament or grieve. When Raissa once again sees the 64-room Antebellum house on its 7,000 surrounding acres she has no idea how apropos the house’s name is.
Raissa tells her uncle and some friends that she’s very interested in ghosts and the occult and would like to eventually become an author of ghost stories. To her amazement her uncle and friends are very supportive of her plans. Mobile, Alabama still feels that women are not strong enough to deal with the little details of life let alone become a writer of ghost stories. And even though slavery has be abolished, Mobile still treats black men and women as if they are second class citizens. It’s not a very progressive city.
Raissa learns a little about all the tragedies that have surrounded Caoin House. Many people have suspiciously died throughout the years and these souls are haunting Brett’s home. Brett has seen a female ghost and Raissa has seen a male ghost and there are other spirits as well, some who are very angry and dangerous. But neither Brett nor his niece are completely sure who is haunting the home or why but Raissa is determined to find out the truth about the history of the house and why the dead souls can’t rest in peace even if the process harms her, her uncle, and the friends she loves.
“The Book of Beloved” by Carolyn Haines is one of the best books I’ve read in quite a while. From the very first page I was pulled into Raissa’s life, her beliefs, and her dreams. Ms. Haines beautifully explains what life was like in the south during 1920. Women had little if any rights and were ignored by men except to be their wives. If they asked any question they were threatened that their husbands would be told. That is if the women were acknowledged at all.
Blacks, unlike women, had the right to vote but were still treated as if they were slaves. Life was not easy back then and the author makes sure that readers understand that. It’s obvious that Ms. Haines does a ton of research for her stories which adds a wonderful tone of authenticity.
Ms. Haines weaves a complex tale of Raissa’s life in 1920 and the lives of those who lived in Caoin House when it was first built by Eli Whitehead for his wife Eva before the Civil War. All these lives, past and present, intertwine with each other.
And then there is the ghost story part to the tale. We aren’t talking Dean Koontz gruesome or even Stephen King’s horror. I think it more like Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw.” “The Book of Beloved” is frightening at times but not the kind of fright that will keep you up at night. It’s that kind of fear that compels you read as fast as you can to discover what is going to happen next.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Carolyn Haines will turn this into a new series. Raissa is definitely a character I need to read more about and join her in other ghostly adventures.
Not enough can be said about this prolific author. She’s won many awards that proves her talent. Give any of her books a try especially the Sarah Booth Delaney Mystery Series. But make sure to pick up a copy of “The Book of Beloved” for a wonderful story about history, ghosts, the south, and love. It’s the perfect book to read any time of the year.
November 29, 2016
Before women's suffrage and before her time, Raissa James is trying to find her own way in a time when women had few rights. At every turn she made, she was being told to redirect her intentions in this backwater, racist town before her husband should find out, as if she were a child to be scolded for being nosy. She had no husband to monitor her behavior. She is a widow courtesy of Wold War I. Now that she was in charge of her own future, she is determined to never rely on any one again. She wanted to make her own money now that she has had a small bit of freedom. She didn't want to rely on her uncle's fortune. He had invited her to visit and was throwing her a welcoming party. Thinking of all this while en route on the train, she couldn't imagine giving up her new found freedom. She was not going to let her uncle force her to remarry any time soon.
It wasn't long after her arrival that strange things began to happen. The young man she had befriended on the train trip had been murdered and the crime was being covered up. For all her smarts, she was still being waylaid from finding out the truth at every turn because she is a woman. Raissa has found herself even more unnerved when she started having visions of a Civil War soldier in the front yard and his beckoning of her was mesmerizing. All of this mystery and intrigue has enticed her to begin cultivating an idea of how to gain her own fortune. She was going to use all this in a book. She was going to take charge of her own future no matter what was going on around her. That is, until her uncle was kidnapped. She was gong to have to figure out what the connection was between the ghosts of the old manor and the current drama before her uncle was lost forever.
It wasn't long after her arrival that strange things began to happen. The young man she had befriended on the train trip had been murdered and the crime was being covered up. For all her smarts, she was still being waylaid from finding out the truth at every turn because she is a woman. Raissa has found herself even more unnerved when she started having visions of a Civil War soldier in the front yard and his beckoning of her was mesmerizing. All of this mystery and intrigue has enticed her to begin cultivating an idea of how to gain her own fortune. She was going to use all this in a book. She was going to take charge of her own future no matter what was going on around her. That is, until her uncle was kidnapped. She was gong to have to figure out what the connection was between the ghosts of the old manor and the current drama before her uncle was lost forever.
February 17, 2017
Marvelous story!
This story and the characters kept me up well last my bed time. I could not out it down. If you love history and mystery and spooky goings on you wont want to miss this great read.
This story and the characters kept me up well last my bed time. I could not out it down. If you love history and mystery and spooky goings on you wont want to miss this great read.
August 10, 2016
Carolyn Haines can write the socks off a Southern ghost story! Her details are lush, pulling one back in time to Mobile in post WWI. We often romanticize the past as a gentler time -- but not so for the characters -- living or dead -- in The Book of Beloved. Lies and secrets are revealed. A sense of 'What Could Have Been' haunts the reader but ultimately the the search for truth prevails in a thoroughly fun read.
So glad this is the first in a series!
So glad this is the first in a series!
August 2, 2016
Carolyn is one of my favorite writers, so I just had to read her newest book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish. The female lead is everything I wanted her to be; smart, tough, and sassy! This story is full of interesting historical details, plot twists, and creepy spooks. Warning! Don't read it while alone in the dark! I heard the next book is just about finished and I hope I don't have to wait a year to find out what happens to this group next.
October 30, 2016
The importance of research and authenticity
I don't like, and it really makes the whole experience annoying when writers are not true to the time they are writing about. "Native American, closure, siblings, gay," are words and ideas that in the 1920's were as alien as green men.
I don't like, and it really makes the whole experience annoying when writers are not true to the time they are writing about. "Native American, closure, siblings, gay," are words and ideas that in the 1920's were as alien as green men.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews