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Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries #1
Doorway to Murder,
In a small New York town, secrets lurk and betrayal is just around the corner. The morning after the worst blizzard of 1934, Detective Steven Blackwell takes on a highly charged murder case. The investigation starts one clue, lots of lies and alibis. To make things worse, Steven is seeing visions of a woman in his house. One night, she speaks. Her name is Olivia Watson and she lives in 2014. She believes time has folded over in the house they share. As their relationship deepens, Steven’s investigation intensifies. Soon he can no longer trust anyone in his own time. Can Olivia help crack the case—and catch a killer?
The past collides with the present in DOORWAY TO MURDER, an exciting new mystery by debut author Carol Pouliot.
With its fresh premise covering two eras that crackle off the page, Carol Pouliot introduces compelling characters to lead her series forward. Add a sharply written mystery with clever plot twists, and you have all the elements that make DOORWAY TO MURDER an accomplished debut.
Marni Graff, award-winning mystery author of Death Unscripted
Mystery. Romance. Time-travel adventure. DOORWAY TO MURDER is the total package. Carol Pouliot interweaves the past and present as easily as I turned the pages. I highly recommend this fun read.
Betsy Bitner, award-winning humor columnist, Times Union (Albany, NY)
There's nothing I like more than a time-travel tale, but how much better to get a crisp, fair-play police procedural, too. The atmosphere grabbed me. The ending surprised me. I'm already looking forward to Steven and Olivia's next adventure.
Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of the Edgar-shortlisted The Day She Died
Steven and Olivia make a great couple of crime busters in this era-jumping romance and hard-boiled police procedural. Join them. You’ll be glad you did!
Steve Axelrod, author of the Henry Kennis Nantucket mysteries
The past collides with the present in DOORWAY TO MURDER, an exciting new mystery by debut author Carol Pouliot.
With its fresh premise covering two eras that crackle off the page, Carol Pouliot introduces compelling characters to lead her series forward. Add a sharply written mystery with clever plot twists, and you have all the elements that make DOORWAY TO MURDER an accomplished debut.
Marni Graff, award-winning mystery author of Death Unscripted
Mystery. Romance. Time-travel adventure. DOORWAY TO MURDER is the total package. Carol Pouliot interweaves the past and present as easily as I turned the pages. I highly recommend this fun read.
Betsy Bitner, award-winning humor columnist, Times Union (Albany, NY)
There's nothing I like more than a time-travel tale, but how much better to get a crisp, fair-play police procedural, too. The atmosphere grabbed me. The ending surprised me. I'm already looking forward to Steven and Olivia's next adventure.
Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of the Edgar-shortlisted The Day She Died
Steven and Olivia make a great couple of crime busters in this era-jumping romance and hard-boiled police procedural. Join them. You’ll be glad you did!
Steve Axelrod, author of the Henry Kennis Nantucket mysteries
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2016
9 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Carol Pouliot
6 books175 followersAn unexplained vision led Carol Pouliot to create the acclaimed Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, traditional police procedurals that take place in 1934 and the present day. At the core of the series, a seemingly impossible relationship between Detective Steven Blackwell and journalist Olivia Watson simmers behind the mysteries. With their fast pace and unexpected twists and turns, Doorway to Murder (Book 1), Threshold of Deceit (Book 2), and Death Rang the Bell (Book 3) have earned praise from readers and mystery authors alike.
Carol is President of her Sisters in Crime chapter and a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks. A former teacher and business owner, she now enjoys the peace and quiet of the countryside in Upstate New York where she happily works on her series as the snow reaches over 13 feet every winter. And, as an avid traveler, her passport and suitcase are at the ready for her next adventure.
Carol is President of her Sisters in Crime chapter and a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks. A former teacher and business owner, she now enjoys the peace and quiet of the countryside in Upstate New York where she happily works on her series as the snow reaches over 13 feet every winter. And, as an avid traveler, her passport and suitcase are at the ready for her next adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 24, 2021
In Doorway to Murder the author combines a murder mystery and time travel to create an enjoyable story which is fast paced and one that I finished reading in a less than a day. Detective Steven Blackwell in 1934 and Olivia Watson in 2014 are living in the same house in the town of Knightsbridge 80 years apart and one night manage to 'see' each other while at home. After an initial hesitation both strike up a conversation and eventual friendship with each being excited at the prospect of actually experiencing the theory of time travel as described by Einstein. Their meeting coincides with a murder mystery which Steven is at that moment in charge of solving in his timeline and which, as both Steven and Olivia discover, ends up having an impact to events in the future as well. I really liked the concept of time travel described in this book--its seems simple, easy and painless and one I wouldn't mind experiencing myself.
I received an e-Arc of the book by the publisher Level Best Books and the author Carol Pouliot via NetGalley. This is first book in A Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery series.
I received an e-Arc of the book by the publisher Level Best Books and the author Carol Pouliot via NetGalley. This is first book in A Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mystery series.
June 12, 2017
For me this is a difficult book to rate. I would like to say, first of all, that I would definitely recommend this mystery. I found the characters engaging, the premise of time travel done quite differently and in a way that I enjoyed, and I really enjoyed the setting(s).
I did feel that the story could have been fleshed out somewhat. I assume that Doorway to Murder is the first book in what will be a series, and so speculate that the author will put in the details that I wanted to hear in further books.
And a point that bothered me the most was there were so many characters introduced at the beginning (and some with the same first letter in the last names) that I had to go back a number of times to see who was who. This was only at the beginning but I thought it would have been helpful to have a list of characters.
Still, all in all, I really liked this story. And am really hoping that this IS the first book in a series to see how the author proceeds with her unusual idea in time travel. I would also like to see Olivia help
Detective Steven Blackburn in another case somewhat more as the author did say that Olivia's job is finding out facts... And it would really be interesting if Detective Blackburn could help Olivia with something unusual and different!
I did feel that the story could have been fleshed out somewhat. I assume that Doorway to Murder is the first book in what will be a series, and so speculate that the author will put in the details that I wanted to hear in further books.
And a point that bothered me the most was there were so many characters introduced at the beginning (and some with the same first letter in the last names) that I had to go back a number of times to see who was who. This was only at the beginning but I thought it would have been helpful to have a list of characters.
Still, all in all, I really liked this story. And am really hoping that this IS the first book in a series to see how the author proceeds with her unusual idea in time travel. I would also like to see Olivia help
Detective Steven Blackburn in another case somewhat more as the author did say that Olivia's job is finding out facts... And it would really be interesting if Detective Blackburn could help Olivia with something unusual and different!
February 14, 2022
I think this book would have been better if it had just been a historical mystery and not had the "time travel" bits. The 1934 crime was interesting but the 2014 sections were boring and I couldn't connect to the characters. I started to skip through these bits as they didn't really add to the story. Olivia was just a sounding board really and Steven would have to the conclusion in his own time.
September 27, 2019
DOORWAY TO MURDER by Carol Pouliot
The First Blackwell & Watson Mystery
In 1934 in a small town in Central New York Detective Sergeant Steven Blackwell is called in when the Vice-President of the First National Bank and Trust Company is found murdered in his vault. What could Leo Castleman have been doing there, especially with a blizzard raging outside? As Blackwell begins to work the case he notices something strange in his house-the figure of a woman. Thinking he must be working too hard he shrugs it off. But every night he sees her. Then one night, she speaks.
The "she" who Steven has been seeing and who finally speaks is Olivia Watson, a researcher who happens to live in Steven's house...in 2014. The two subscribe to Einstein's theory that time can fold over. By day Steven investigates the murder in 1934, but in the evening he goes home and visits with Olivia.
DOORWAY TO MURDER has two distinct parts, only one of which is a clear cut mystery. Steven Blackwell's section in 1934 is the most captivating of the two. In fact, the book would have been just as good without Olivia and the time-travel concept. While I was originally thrilled with the idea of 2014 overlapping 1934 and people from each time period reacting to the other, the reality of it didn't match my expectations. Olivia's story, while interesting, didn't bring a lot to the table. While she didn't play much of a part in the mystery itself, Olivia did wind up making a huge difference, and may have changed history by one small act.
I really enjoyed the mystery of the murder of the branch manager and the methods the police department of the time used to investigate it. I found the characters in the first Blackwell and Watson Mystery to be engaging and the widow was especially intriguing.
With a captivating time-travel hook DOORWAY TO MURDER is a promising start to a brand new series.
The First Blackwell & Watson Mystery
In 1934 in a small town in Central New York Detective Sergeant Steven Blackwell is called in when the Vice-President of the First National Bank and Trust Company is found murdered in his vault. What could Leo Castleman have been doing there, especially with a blizzard raging outside? As Blackwell begins to work the case he notices something strange in his house-the figure of a woman. Thinking he must be working too hard he shrugs it off. But every night he sees her. Then one night, she speaks.
The "she" who Steven has been seeing and who finally speaks is Olivia Watson, a researcher who happens to live in Steven's house...in 2014. The two subscribe to Einstein's theory that time can fold over. By day Steven investigates the murder in 1934, but in the evening he goes home and visits with Olivia.
DOORWAY TO MURDER has two distinct parts, only one of which is a clear cut mystery. Steven Blackwell's section in 1934 is the most captivating of the two. In fact, the book would have been just as good without Olivia and the time-travel concept. While I was originally thrilled with the idea of 2014 overlapping 1934 and people from each time period reacting to the other, the reality of it didn't match my expectations. Olivia's story, while interesting, didn't bring a lot to the table. While she didn't play much of a part in the mystery itself, Olivia did wind up making a huge difference, and may have changed history by one small act.
I really enjoyed the mystery of the murder of the branch manager and the methods the police department of the time used to investigate it. I found the characters in the first Blackwell and Watson Mystery to be engaging and the widow was especially intriguing.
With a captivating time-travel hook DOORWAY TO MURDER is a promising start to a brand new series.
November 6, 2016
I love a good time travel story, so when I heard that a local author had written a time travel mystery, set here near Syracuse, NY, I just had to read it. This is Ms. Pouliot's first novel, and I met her at a book signing in the local library. I haven't been too impressed lately with the books I've read from "unknown" authors, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The writing style is very clean and easily readable. There are a lot of characters, which sometimes leads me to page back and forth ("wait, who was this guy again?"), but I'm happy to say that was not the case here.
The time travel element here is that somehow a woman in our time (Olivia) is able to talk to a police detective (Steven) who lived in her house back in 1934. How and why that happens is unclear, but it's really not important, as this really isn't a sci-fi story, it's primarily a who-dun-it with a bit of a time travel twist. There's been a murder in 1934, and Olivia gives him suggestions that help Steven solve the case. So as a sci-fi aficionado, I immediately see the hole in this: she should just look up the case in the newspaper and tell him who done it, which would make this a pretty short an uninteresting tale. But the setting is a small town outside Syracuse, and there don't seem to be archives of the local paper (Olivia does in fact find some old papers that a local resident willed to the historical society, and the only one with information on the case is teasingly damaged).
So if you're looking for a good mystery with interesting characters and a fun time-travel twist, I recommend this one. And if you have any connection to Central New York, you'll enjoy the local references (but don't worry if you don't know Syracuse from Rome, you won't be lost).
The time travel element here is that somehow a woman in our time (Olivia) is able to talk to a police detective (Steven) who lived in her house back in 1934. How and why that happens is unclear, but it's really not important, as this really isn't a sci-fi story, it's primarily a who-dun-it with a bit of a time travel twist. There's been a murder in 1934, and Olivia gives him suggestions that help Steven solve the case. So as a sci-fi aficionado, I immediately see the hole in this: she should just look up the case in the newspaper and tell him who done it, which would make this a pretty short an uninteresting tale. But the setting is a small town outside Syracuse, and there don't seem to be archives of the local paper (Olivia does in fact find some old papers that a local resident willed to the historical society, and the only one with information on the case is teasingly damaged).
So if you're looking for a good mystery with interesting characters and a fun time-travel twist, I recommend this one. And if you have any connection to Central New York, you'll enjoy the local references (but don't worry if you don't know Syracuse from Rome, you won't be lost).
November 13, 2016
Wow, my head is still trying to process the ending. It was so sudden and unexpected. Yet, I really like it! Mainly because my brain is still puzzling out what happened and what will happen. I want to read more.
One reason why I began to shy away from time traveling books was because if a romance evolved someone had to give up everything and everyone so that they can be with the other. That's a sweet going to do for love, but if it was a real event I wouldn't like the consequences (unfamiliar with every aspect, unable to explain family ties and memories).
However, I really like this unique time traveling twist. They are 80 years separated in time and the house is their anchor to glimpse back and forth. It is a friendship that is formed but each of them still desire privacy in their lives so aren't looking for anything more serious.
I don't see this as a romance. It really was a murder mystery back in 1934 and how connection to the present day helped solve the case but change history.
I was fascinated with the murder case because of all the twists and turns. I definitely couldn't guess who did it and what would come next. Very impressive.
One reason why I began to shy away from time traveling books was because if a romance evolved someone had to give up everything and everyone so that they can be with the other. That's a sweet going to do for love, but if it was a real event I wouldn't like the consequences (unfamiliar with every aspect, unable to explain family ties and memories).
However, I really like this unique time traveling twist. They are 80 years separated in time and the house is their anchor to glimpse back and forth. It is a friendship that is formed but each of them still desire privacy in their lives so aren't looking for anything more serious.
I don't see this as a romance. It really was a murder mystery back in 1934 and how connection to the present day helped solve the case but change history.
I was fascinated with the murder case because of all the twists and turns. I definitely couldn't guess who did it and what would come next. Very impressive.
February 23, 2020
This combined two of my favorite things: time traveling and mysteries thereby creating a partial historical mystery. The story alternates between the current day where a young woman is a bit disturbed to find a strange man in her apartment at night who quickly disappears. Turns out the man is from the 1930's and they are living at the same address just 80 years apart. Steven is a police officer working on a case. They end up talking each night about the case and life in general. It's such an interesting premise and the characters are quite interesting.
June 4, 2019
I met Carol Pouliot at a craft vendor booth fair in Homer NY. I was very intrigued with "Doorway To Murder" I bought the book along with another book by another author. I read it and was very good book. I can't wait for the continuing story of Olivia Watson and Detective Sergeant Blackwell. It kept me wondering what would change with the time- travel twists, thinking what little change would happen and what year.
January 30, 2020
This is a solid start to a series! I am intrigued by the premise of murder mysteries combined with a time travel sci fi twist. I really liked the plot, and hope we learn more about Olivia and Steven as the series continues forward. The mystery had me guessing almost to the end which was excellent! I won't spoil it but if you are looking for a fun mystery with an unique twist you should check this one out! I will have to pick up the sequel soon!
July 5, 2020
Great story and wonderful backdrop
Knowing Carol's family, I wanted to read this story and finally found it with a new cover. I remember the old one created by her niece. But I enjoyed the notations of central New Year. It is spellbinding. I read it in one morning. Characters seem real and the time travel believable. Terrific twist of faith and look forward to the nexr story. The references to Syracuse area, roadways and stormy weather were spot on!
Knowing Carol's family, I wanted to read this story and finally found it with a new cover. I remember the old one created by her niece. But I enjoyed the notations of central New Year. It is spellbinding. I read it in one morning. Characters seem real and the time travel believable. Terrific twist of faith and look forward to the nexr story. The references to Syracuse area, roadways and stormy weather were spot on!
November 27, 2018
DOORWAY TO MURDER, by Carol Pouliot, was a great and pleasant surprise. It has a murder mystery, a cop from the thirties, a love story and time travel. What more could you ask for? I cant wait to read the book in this series.
Jack Nanuq, author of Parabellum: When you live in Peace, Prepare for War.
March 5, 2019
I love the ability of Olivia and Steven to travel to each other's time periods. I love the settings in this book, including Syracuse, NY, my hometown. I am looking forward to the 2nd book in this series very much, to see where the author takes Olivia and Steven.
August 8, 2020
Captivating! Had me wondering who done it all the way to the reveal.
May 19, 2021
I enjoyed this first in a series mystery.
If you don't believe in time travel, this would be a difficult aspect to get past.
I don't normally read time travel books, but since this one focused on a murder...
I viewed the author being interviewed during the COVID sequestering and was interested enough to buy a copy. This author was new to me and I think she did a terrific job. I have ordered book two since my public library does not have it either.
I don't know if time travel is possible, but I enjoyed the author's use of two time periods to look at an event and to come to a resolution about who was involved and how.
This story deals with a house that is shared by Blackwell and Watson. One is in the 1930's and the other is in present day. I did not try to evaluate the science behind the premise, I just went along for the ride.
He is a detective attempting to solve the murder of a banker after hours with money missing. She is familiar with the story through newspaper articles in the museum she is volunteering to set up.
There was no cheating looking at local newspapers for the answer, but there were some clues picked up that way and I enjoyed the effect that solving the murder had on future lives, much like the movie "Its A Wonderful Life".
He is lonely after the death of his mother, and can't believe it when he see's Watson in his house.
She is also lonely and takes comfort with her friends. Surprisingly she is not overly concerned by Blackwell in her house and quickly determines that there is a time warp where she is living.
If you can accept this, then you might also enjoy this murder mystery.
If you don't believe in time travel, this would be a difficult aspect to get past.
I don't normally read time travel books, but since this one focused on a murder...
I viewed the author being interviewed during the COVID sequestering and was interested enough to buy a copy. This author was new to me and I think she did a terrific job. I have ordered book two since my public library does not have it either.
I don't know if time travel is possible, but I enjoyed the author's use of two time periods to look at an event and to come to a resolution about who was involved and how.
This story deals with a house that is shared by Blackwell and Watson. One is in the 1930's and the other is in present day. I did not try to evaluate the science behind the premise, I just went along for the ride.
He is a detective attempting to solve the murder of a banker after hours with money missing. She is familiar with the story through newspaper articles in the museum she is volunteering to set up.
There was no cheating looking at local newspapers for the answer, but there were some clues picked up that way and I enjoyed the effect that solving the murder had on future lives, much like the movie "Its A Wonderful Life".
He is lonely after the death of his mother, and can't believe it when he see's Watson in his house.
She is also lonely and takes comfort with her friends. Surprisingly she is not overly concerned by Blackwell in her house and quickly determines that there is a time warp where she is living.
If you can accept this, then you might also enjoy this murder mystery.
July 19, 2021
WOW !!! That is the first word you are going to say after reading Doorway to Murder by Carol Pouliot. There will be plenty more that will follow it but WOW is the best first word you will say !!
Doorway to Murder is a very captivating story that you will have a hard time putting down. Once you start reading it you are not going to want to stop. You will fall instantly in love with the storyline and characters and you will enjoy following the main characters as they travel from 1934 to the present time.....
In Doorway to Murder readers will meet Olivia Watson as she goes about her life in the present time which is 2014. We hang out with her and her two close friends, Liz and Sophie, and her neighbor Isabel who use to be one of her school teachers. Olivia has her own business, The Watson Agency, where she does research for people. She has a cat, Mr. Moto, and she lives alone......until one night she wakes up and sees a strange man standing in the hallway looking into her bedroom. Little does she know that the stranger is actually Detective Sergeant Steven Blackwell and he also lives in the house but the year for him is 1934 !! After a few nights of seeing each other across the doorway, they decide to try talking to each other and when that works, they find out that they can cross over into each others time periods. When Steven crosses over to Olivia's time, he is in her house with everything as it would be in that time period and when Olivia crosses over into Steven's timeline, she is in the year 1934 and around everything as it is in his time period.
As the two get to know each other Steven tells Olivia about the case that he is currently working on involving the murder of Leo Castleman, the bank manager of the First National Bank of Trust Company. Even though Olivia can just go on the computer and search for the murder and find out who the killer is, Steven will not allow it. He is a by the books police officer and knows that by doing his job, he will find the murderer and solve the case.
There is a lot to enjoy with Doorway to Murder !! Just reading about Olivia's life or Steven's life is exciting enough but when the two cross over and talk about the differences between things in their times, it adds to the story and when there is a murder to solve, even one back in 1934, it is interesting to see how it gets solved.....and the ending of the story will shock readers and you will want to go and grab the second book, Threshold of Deceit, to see what happens next !!
I highly encourage readers to read this series. There is so much to get lost in and enjoy, you will thoroughly enjoy the escape and luck for you, you do not have to cross over into different time periods. You can just sit in your comfy chair and read.......
September 1, 2021
This is a wonderful novel. I loved everything about it. Protagonist Olivia Watson is a smart, independent, 30-something woman who owns her house in Knightsbridge, New York, a fictional small town somewhere between Syracuse and the Mohawk River. She also owns the Watson Agency, a business doing research for professors and writers. One night she wakes up and sees a man in the darkness outside her bedroom. Too terrified to move, she just watches until her kitten meows. Then the man leaves, walking through a wall as he disappears. She sees him for six nights. No longer scared by him, she thinks he may be a ghost.
The man, Steven Blackwell, is a detective on the Knightsbridge police force. He also is alarmed to see a woman in his house, sleeping in his recently deceased mother’s room. How can both Watson and Blackwell own and inhabit the same house? Blackwell lives in 1934, and Watson lives in 2014. After a week of seeing each other and thinking the other was a ghost, they begin to converse and realize their house may be conducive to time travel. Watson explains later that “Einstein thought that time could fold over or twist around itself. He said that what we call the past, present, and future is only an illusion. He believed it was possible for two objects to occupy the same space but at different times. If you subscribe to his theory, which I do, why couldn’t time fold over at the moment when two people are in the same place? They could see each other. Maybe even communicate.”
Pouliot doesn’t scrimp on details, including descriptions of Knightsbridge and its inhabitants in each time period, and the details of a 1934 bank robbery which is at the center of this story.
Don’t expect fireworks between Blackwell and Watson, although the chemistry is definitely there. Pouliot, however, does lay the groundwork for an interesting crime solving duo who travel through eight decades each time they meet.
Carol Pouliot is a talented writer. Her background of travel, teaching, and mastery of languages beside English, certainly adds a richness to her writing. So much so that I did not want this novel to end. I highly recommend this book. (In exchange for an honest review, I was provided with an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.)
The man, Steven Blackwell, is a detective on the Knightsbridge police force. He also is alarmed to see a woman in his house, sleeping in his recently deceased mother’s room. How can both Watson and Blackwell own and inhabit the same house? Blackwell lives in 1934, and Watson lives in 2014. After a week of seeing each other and thinking the other was a ghost, they begin to converse and realize their house may be conducive to time travel. Watson explains later that “Einstein thought that time could fold over or twist around itself. He said that what we call the past, present, and future is only an illusion. He believed it was possible for two objects to occupy the same space but at different times. If you subscribe to his theory, which I do, why couldn’t time fold over at the moment when two people are in the same place? They could see each other. Maybe even communicate.”
Pouliot doesn’t scrimp on details, including descriptions of Knightsbridge and its inhabitants in each time period, and the details of a 1934 bank robbery which is at the center of this story.
Don’t expect fireworks between Blackwell and Watson, although the chemistry is definitely there. Pouliot, however, does lay the groundwork for an interesting crime solving duo who travel through eight decades each time they meet.
Carol Pouliot is a talented writer. Her background of travel, teaching, and mastery of languages beside English, certainly adds a richness to her writing. So much so that I did not want this novel to end. I highly recommend this book. (In exchange for an honest review, I was provided with an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.)
September 23, 2021
We've already established over the years that I love history and mystery and time travel. Throw them all together and we have a winner, folks. It wasn't a guarantee, of course. It could have been poorly written ... but, thankfully, it wasn't. Even without the personal ties to the location (I'm a Mohawk Valley Girl, after all), this was a great book.
Einstein believed that time can fold over itself -- which is pretty much what happens with Detective Steven Blackwell in 1934 and professional researcher Olivia Watson at the same address in the same fictional Mohawk Valley town of Knightsbridge eighty years later. Somehow they end up being able to see each other, hear each other, touch each other, and ease the loneliness each was feeling in their own timeline.
Oh, and solve a bank robbery-slash-murder that took place in Steven's timeline.
Not only did the mysteries of the robbery and murder keep me guessing, but also the whole wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff. How long would time fold over for them? Who else would be able to see or hear them? Then there's the whole time paradox issue. Will they do something that would negate Olivia's very existence?
Doc Brown would definitely be having a stern word or two for them already!
I still have a lot of questions to be answered but, thankfully, at least two more books to be read.
Einstein believed that time can fold over itself -- which is pretty much what happens with Detective Steven Blackwell in 1934 and professional researcher Olivia Watson at the same address in the same fictional Mohawk Valley town of Knightsbridge eighty years later. Somehow they end up being able to see each other, hear each other, touch each other, and ease the loneliness each was feeling in their own timeline.
Oh, and solve a bank robbery-slash-murder that took place in Steven's timeline.
Not only did the mysteries of the robbery and murder keep me guessing, but also the whole wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff. How long would time fold over for them? Who else would be able to see or hear them? Then there's the whole time paradox issue. Will they do something that would negate Olivia's very existence?
Doc Brown would definitely be having a stern word or two for them already!
I still have a lot of questions to be answered but, thankfully, at least two more books to be read.
July 7, 2017
I saw author Carol Pouliot featured on Jungle Reds a few weeks ago, and I encouraged my library to buy some copies. Detective Steven Brannon, in 1934, and Olivia Watson, in 2014, live in the same house, and somehow become able to see each other and eventually to interact. Most of the book is spent on the murder case that Steven is working on. He discusses it briefly with Olivia, and she gives him some encouragement. Somehow this changes history, although Pouliot doesn't clarify why. It was a moderately interesting read, but it took an awfully long time for Steven and Olivia to figure out what was going on and learn how to interact. This makes perfect sense, and is very realistic, but it made the book as a whole drag a bit. Three stars.
November 11, 2020
I'd never read a time travel mystery before and wasn't sure what to expect, but right from the start, wow! This novel pulled me right in. I loved the interaction between the two main characters, which the author handled very well, while moving the plot along at an even pace. The logic behind the time travel was well thought out and nicely executed. On the whole, this was an engaging, entertaining, suspenseful read! I couldn't wait to see what happened next!
April 1, 2022
I am not a big fan of books that alternate between the past and the present, but I have to say, this one wasn’t bad. I thought Steven Blackwell did a fine job without the influence of the 2014 time switch. The time switches were minimal, which didn’t take away from the story focused in the past. It made it interesting, intriguing, and captivating.
October 23, 2018
Excellent mash-up of genres--a time-travel murder mystery. The details of the 1930's, the cleverly plotted detective work and the interesting characters made this read a fine escape. Looking forward to reading more of Pouliot's series!
December 13, 2021
I first became aware of author Carol Pouliot's Blackwell & Watson Time-Travel mystery series when the author was featured promoting the third book in the series on one of the book blogs that I read.
I was intrigued by the premise of the series but being the completist that I am, I had to get the first book in the series and start there.
So I picked up DOORWAY TO MURDER and set about reading.
The series opens in 2014 when Olivia Watson is in her upstate New York home. It's a typical winter night. Except for when Olivia sees a man in her house. Frightened at first, she then writes it off as either a dream or a ghostly vision when the man walks through the wall.
But there's more to it. The man, police detective Steven Blackwell, is real. And he's not a ghost or a figment of her imagination. Instead, he's from 1934. And they share the same space, if not the same time. Thus the time travel aspect of the series is off and running.
As the two realize that the other is real, they begin to talk. They are amazed with what's going on but parcel out reasons for what is going on.
But Steven has other concerns in his every day life. A man, the manager of a bank, has been murdered in his own bank vault. Steven is in charge of the investigation and he is diligently tracking down what happened. But it's not easy. While the victim was well-liked, interviews with people who knew the man turn up inconsistencies. They are either lying or at least leaving something out of their statements. This leaves Steven and the rest of the police force scrambling to find out just what people are telling them and if it makes them a real suspect in the murder.
As Steven works to track down the killer, his nights are given over to seeing Olivia again. The two realize that they can cross over to each other's time and those scenes play out quite interesting when Steven finds himself in 2014.
But as the cops close in on the killer of the bank manager, another body drops and suddenly there are two murders to solve. As the suspect list is whittled down, Steven comes to the shocking realization that someone close to him might just be involved and that leaves him at a crossroads between duty and loyalty.
I have to say that I did quite enjoy the story, though I had hoped Olivia would be a little more active in the actual mystery instead of being more of a sounding board for Steven.
But I liked the mystery and Steven is a deeply interesting character. You'd think that someone from 1934 would be more than a bit discombulated with the notion of time travel but he handles things rather well (maybe too well at times?). I like Olivia too, but it's clear she hasn't been watching (or at least not paying close attention to) many time travel movies or TV shows in the beginning of the story. Otherwise, she'd know the first rule of time-travel is to not go blabbing out the future to come to those from the past. It could and usually does change the future and much like magic, there's always a price.
The cast of characters in Steven's time is pretty interesting. They are mostly cops and they make for an interesting mix but I did enjoy the way Steven brought along a cop that he wants to turn into a detective. Olivia's supporting cast has a bit less to do in DOORWAY TO MURDER but they are used to great effect in the first days of Olivia telling them about her time-traveling adventures.
While there was some bit of storytelling drag since Olivia wasn't a direct party to the mystery itself, in the overall scheme of things, I think DOORWAY TO MURDER does a grand job of setting the stage for what promises to be a rather inventive and intriguing premise for this new mystery series.
And now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to order THRESHOLD OF DECEIT, the 2nd book in the series!
I was intrigued by the premise of the series but being the completist that I am, I had to get the first book in the series and start there.
So I picked up DOORWAY TO MURDER and set about reading.
The series opens in 2014 when Olivia Watson is in her upstate New York home. It's a typical winter night. Except for when Olivia sees a man in her house. Frightened at first, she then writes it off as either a dream or a ghostly vision when the man walks through the wall.
But there's more to it. The man, police detective Steven Blackwell, is real. And he's not a ghost or a figment of her imagination. Instead, he's from 1934. And they share the same space, if not the same time. Thus the time travel aspect of the series is off and running.
As the two realize that the other is real, they begin to talk. They are amazed with what's going on but parcel out reasons for what is going on.
But Steven has other concerns in his every day life. A man, the manager of a bank, has been murdered in his own bank vault. Steven is in charge of the investigation and he is diligently tracking down what happened. But it's not easy. While the victim was well-liked, interviews with people who knew the man turn up inconsistencies. They are either lying or at least leaving something out of their statements. This leaves Steven and the rest of the police force scrambling to find out just what people are telling them and if it makes them a real suspect in the murder.
As Steven works to track down the killer, his nights are given over to seeing Olivia again. The two realize that they can cross over to each other's time and those scenes play out quite interesting when Steven finds himself in 2014.
But as the cops close in on the killer of the bank manager, another body drops and suddenly there are two murders to solve. As the suspect list is whittled down, Steven comes to the shocking realization that someone close to him might just be involved and that leaves him at a crossroads between duty and loyalty.
I have to say that I did quite enjoy the story, though I had hoped Olivia would be a little more active in the actual mystery instead of being more of a sounding board for Steven.
But I liked the mystery and Steven is a deeply interesting character. You'd think that someone from 1934 would be more than a bit discombulated with the notion of time travel but he handles things rather well (maybe too well at times?). I like Olivia too, but it's clear she hasn't been watching (or at least not paying close attention to) many time travel movies or TV shows in the beginning of the story. Otherwise, she'd know the first rule of time-travel is to not go blabbing out the future to come to those from the past. It could and usually does change the future and much like magic, there's always a price.
The cast of characters in Steven's time is pretty interesting. They are mostly cops and they make for an interesting mix but I did enjoy the way Steven brought along a cop that he wants to turn into a detective. Olivia's supporting cast has a bit less to do in DOORWAY TO MURDER but they are used to great effect in the first days of Olivia telling them about her time-traveling adventures.
While there was some bit of storytelling drag since Olivia wasn't a direct party to the mystery itself, in the overall scheme of things, I think DOORWAY TO MURDER does a grand job of setting the stage for what promises to be a rather inventive and intriguing premise for this new mystery series.
And now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to order THRESHOLD OF DECEIT, the 2nd book in the series!
April 6, 2022
Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology.blogspot.com/2022/...
This was a police procedural combined with a time travel mystery, sitting snug in the genre of a cozy mystery.
At first the pace was very slow. Things look up once they meet.
There are a lot of characters in the first half of the book, and it is hard to keep track of their names.
Most of the action takes place in 1934. Steven and his team work hard but their efforts are slowed by the lack of modern tools and techniques.
The challenges of the Depression era were brought out well. In contrast, 2014 is rather bland. The only action here is Olivia telling her best friends about Steven.
The author also does a fantastic job of describing the setting, particularly with the element of the weather, in both eras.
Better editing could have improved the prose. The dialogue between the policemen was very unrealistic. Also, the character descriptions should have been done away with. After a while, one character begins to blend into another.
The best part of this time travel mystery for me was the understanding of how fascinating our technology is and how magical it might seem to someone from the past. Especially, the magic of TV and computers, printing, photography and mobile telephony.
I also enjoyed the references to books and films on various aspects of time travel. I loved the recommendations both to old favourites and to new authors.
What I found unbelievable and too pat an explanation was that the time shift had happened because both Steven and Olivia were both open to it. But the book itself was warm and had a comfortable vibe to it.
This was a police procedural combined with a time travel mystery, sitting snug in the genre of a cozy mystery.
At first the pace was very slow. Things look up once they meet.
There are a lot of characters in the first half of the book, and it is hard to keep track of their names.
Most of the action takes place in 1934. Steven and his team work hard but their efforts are slowed by the lack of modern tools and techniques.
The challenges of the Depression era were brought out well. In contrast, 2014 is rather bland. The only action here is Olivia telling her best friends about Steven.
The author also does a fantastic job of describing the setting, particularly with the element of the weather, in both eras.
Better editing could have improved the prose. The dialogue between the policemen was very unrealistic. Also, the character descriptions should have been done away with. After a while, one character begins to blend into another.
The best part of this time travel mystery for me was the understanding of how fascinating our technology is and how magical it might seem to someone from the past. Especially, the magic of TV and computers, printing, photography and mobile telephony.
I also enjoyed the references to books and films on various aspects of time travel. I loved the recommendations both to old favourites and to new authors.
What I found unbelievable and too pat an explanation was that the time shift had happened because both Steven and Olivia were both open to it. But the book itself was warm and had a comfortable vibe to it.
December 24, 2024
This both was and was not what I expected.
A semi-time -travel mystery. As an upstate NY-er. I felt the setting was spot on upstate NY - yet at times I felt that it was too much. Too much detail and it hid the plot/story.
I enjoyed both MCs and both timelines. Yet, the current timeline...didn't really seem to serve a purpose until the very end of the book. Olivia (current timeline) could have been cut somewhat shorter in her sections.
I did like that the time crosses where just there, the author just dived in versus having the characters go through "disbelief" stage. As that can be tedious in a book. And it allowed her to drive the plot forward.
This book reads more in style to an Anne Perry, Louise Penny, or David Rosenfelt from a stylistic view. The mystery is good, the search for the murderer accurate, small or big twists (depending how you feel)...but the tone is overall steady. There's not a lot of drama, not a lot of coziness/cutsiness. It just ploddles nicely along. (Yes I know ploddle is not word, but it suits). This also lends these types of books a specific atmosphere; and at times I do enjoy these settings for the simplicity and lack of dramatic flare.
I am looking forward to book 2 and 3 (of which I have both on my shelf)- I am hoping for a bit more purpose to present timeline.
A semi-time -travel mystery. As an upstate NY-er. I felt the setting was spot on upstate NY - yet at times I felt that it was too much. Too much detail and it hid the plot/story.
I enjoyed both MCs and both timelines. Yet, the current timeline...didn't really seem to serve a purpose until the very end of the book. Olivia (current timeline) could have been cut somewhat shorter in her sections.
I did like that the time crosses where just there, the author just dived in versus having the characters go through "disbelief" stage. As that can be tedious in a book. And it allowed her to drive the plot forward.
This book reads more in style to an Anne Perry, Louise Penny, or David Rosenfelt from a stylistic view. The mystery is good, the search for the murderer accurate, small or big twists (depending how you feel)...but the tone is overall steady. There's not a lot of drama, not a lot of coziness/cutsiness. It just ploddles nicely along. (Yes I know ploddle is not word, but it suits). This also lends these types of books a specific atmosphere; and at times I do enjoy these settings for the simplicity and lack of dramatic flare.
I am looking forward to book 2 and 3 (of which I have both on my shelf)- I am hoping for a bit more purpose to present timeline.
September 4, 2021
I'm a fan of mysteries. I'm a fan of historical fiction. And I'm a fan of time-travel. All three elements are present here, and the result should have been a huge hit with me, but somehow it just wasn't...
I had a hard time connecting with this one. It felt like there were a lot more lengthy descriptions then the concept needed, especially in the beginning. It made the story read slowly, and made it hard to feel connected to the characters early on in a way that would have carried me through the whole story with more of a sense of urgency and curiosity.
I also found it a little far-fetched that after seeing a strange man in her house over the course of a week, a researcher's first thought would be time-travel - which her friends would whole-heartedly endorse as a theory. It felt a little contrived. On top of that, the historical mystery just never grabbed my interest either.
As a result I just never really connected with this one and I doubt i will be continuing with the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
I had a hard time connecting with this one. It felt like there were a lot more lengthy descriptions then the concept needed, especially in the beginning. It made the story read slowly, and made it hard to feel connected to the characters early on in a way that would have carried me through the whole story with more of a sense of urgency and curiosity.
I also found it a little far-fetched that after seeing a strange man in her house over the course of a week, a researcher's first thought would be time-travel - which her friends would whole-heartedly endorse as a theory. It felt a little contrived. On top of that, the historical mystery just never grabbed my interest either.
As a result I just never really connected with this one and I doubt i will be continuing with the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
August 26, 2019
I loved this book, and can hardly wait to read the next one. A great story, especially near the end (loved her tag, "NOT the end"), leaving me in that dizzying & common thought loop time travel stories create! And headaches...
June 16, 2021
definitely worth the read. Had me from the first paragraph. Who thought someone could communicate with another time through a house. Great story with twists, turns and an exciting ending.
January 18, 2024
This is an original take on the time travel genre. It’s a nice combination of sci-fi and mystery.
July 24, 2023
I was hooked on the Blackwell-Watson series as soon as I read the first book. The element of time travel in a detective:mystery series, combined with potential for a romance between the main characters is everything you could ask for in a fun read. Anyone who lives in Central New York, will enjoy references to landmark businesses and sights.
May 8, 2017
Although I like the concept of time travel and enjoyed recognizing the many places in Syracuse that are mentioned in the book, I thought the story was very contrived.
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