What do you think?
Rate this book
Pluto's Snitch #2
The House of Memory
Raissa James not only sees the dead but she’s caught the ears of the living—especially now that she’s solved her first case. Word of Pluto’s Snitch, her private-investigation agency specializing in the occult, has spread far and wide. It’s even come to the notice of Zelda Fitzgerald, the nation’s most celebrated flapper. And Zelda’s in need of its services. Along with Reginald Proctor, her partner in detection, Raissa travels to Montgomery, Alabama, where Zelda’s friend Camilla has suddenly become prone to violent fits and delusions. Has Camilla gone mad…or has she been possessed? Raissa and Reginald soon discover that Camilla’s not the only young lady in the area to fall victim to something unnatural. Now it’s up to the Snitches to follow the clues and save Camilla, locked away behind the walls of the formidable Bryce Hospital asylum. But the key to her rescue might not lie among the living at all. Because Raissa knows that the dead have their secrets, too.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2017
109 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Haines
116 books1,583 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 104 reviews
January 9, 2022
Just finished this audio today for book club. Loved the setting. Good plot and storyline. Will add more thoughts later. I like narrator. I’ll add the third book 📖 for my 2022 reads! 😊
July 2, 2017
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this second book of this series Pluto’s Snitch is called on by the famous Zelda Fitzgerald. She has asked partners Raissa James and Reginald Proctor to help her friend Camilla. After two unexplainable episodes Camilla’s mother has sent her to the Bryce Hospital asylum thinking that she has gone insane. Her mother gives permission of any and all treatment the will make her daughter docile enough to get married. Raissa and Reginald quickly find this is a difficult case that may involve many more young girls. Putting themselves in danger they are determined not only to save Camilla but as many other girls as they can.
The author takes us back to the roaring 20’s with flappers, prostitution, prohibition, possession, ghosts and more. A time when women were seen but not heard and many were treated a property. She even includes Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead in the story. The author brings true history into her stories making them very believable.
What makes the story so interesting is that Raissa has a gift. She can see and hear the dead. Sometimes what she sees is quite graphic and scary but she soldiers on to get the answers she seeks. She has dead people in her dreams too, sometimes they give her more questions than answers but they almost always move her investigation forward. While Reginald cannot see spirits (yet) he is a critical thinker and has Raissa’s complete trust. Together they make a fine detective team.
Carolyn Haines is very descriptive in everything from the characters to the settings. She has to be for this story to be a success. Pictures were painted in my mind of both the human characters and the spirits. I could also clearly picture everywhere Raissa went from the Sayre house to the asylum.
There was evil at play in this story both in the living and the dead. The plot would make an excellent movie but it would be one I probably would watch peeking through my fingers over my eyes.
A fast read, hard to put down, a chilling story. You may want to read The Book of Beloved first to start this series from the beginning. I highly recommend both.
In this second book of this series Pluto’s Snitch is called on by the famous Zelda Fitzgerald. She has asked partners Raissa James and Reginald Proctor to help her friend Camilla. After two unexplainable episodes Camilla’s mother has sent her to the Bryce Hospital asylum thinking that she has gone insane. Her mother gives permission of any and all treatment the will make her daughter docile enough to get married. Raissa and Reginald quickly find this is a difficult case that may involve many more young girls. Putting themselves in danger they are determined not only to save Camilla but as many other girls as they can.
The author takes us back to the roaring 20’s with flappers, prostitution, prohibition, possession, ghosts and more. A time when women were seen but not heard and many were treated a property. She even includes Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead in the story. The author brings true history into her stories making them very believable.
What makes the story so interesting is that Raissa has a gift. She can see and hear the dead. Sometimes what she sees is quite graphic and scary but she soldiers on to get the answers she seeks. She has dead people in her dreams too, sometimes they give her more questions than answers but they almost always move her investigation forward. While Reginald cannot see spirits (yet) he is a critical thinker and has Raissa’s complete trust. Together they make a fine detective team.
Carolyn Haines is very descriptive in everything from the characters to the settings. She has to be for this story to be a success. Pictures were painted in my mind of both the human characters and the spirits. I could also clearly picture everywhere Raissa went from the Sayre house to the asylum.
There was evil at play in this story both in the living and the dead. The plot would make an excellent movie but it would be one I probably would watch peeking through my fingers over my eyes.
A fast read, hard to put down, a chilling story. You may want to read The Book of Beloved first to start this series from the beginning. I highly recommend both.
June 4, 2017
WOW! This second book in the Pluto Snitch series has taken me to highs and lows. It started me off in a languid mood of the heat of the deep south, and became nothing less than riveting until I put it down at the end of the journey. I am continually amazed at the written artistry of Carolyn Haines be it her Sarah Booth Delany series or this latest one, The House of Memory, but incorporating historical characters and weaving them with non fictional stories is such an education for the reader especially when one is not as familiar with the southern region of our Country.
A young woman Camilla, is engaged to be married to a young banker David. Camilla is part of a circle of friends that include a young Zelda Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead(what a combo right there). But not all is going smoothly in paradise as Camilla has delusional outbursts towards her fiancé when they are alone in a house he has purchased for them and is quickly dispatched by her overbearing and controlling Mother, Maude to Bryce Hospital where she is considered a candidate for a unproven surgical procedure on her brain. Zelda hires Raissa and her business partner who are Pluto's Snitch, to rescue Camilla before she is subjected to this dangerous procedure. During this challenging adventure there are young teenage girls disappearing without explanation and this too becomes part of their investigation at the same time without taking their focus on determining what is really going on with Camilla who was 'voluntarily' sent to the asylum. Is this another case of dark spirits with a grudge? There are far too many sightings, and deaths to disclose in this review, but let it be know that I found myself under its spell to have my answers post haste, even if it meant doing nothing else but read this book in a few days and finishing the bulk of this puzzle in one afternoon. I believe most fans of Ms. Haines novels will be spellbound for sure.
A young woman Camilla, is engaged to be married to a young banker David. Camilla is part of a circle of friends that include a young Zelda Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead(what a combo right there). But not all is going smoothly in paradise as Camilla has delusional outbursts towards her fiancé when they are alone in a house he has purchased for them and is quickly dispatched by her overbearing and controlling Mother, Maude to Bryce Hospital where she is considered a candidate for a unproven surgical procedure on her brain. Zelda hires Raissa and her business partner who are Pluto's Snitch, to rescue Camilla before she is subjected to this dangerous procedure. During this challenging adventure there are young teenage girls disappearing without explanation and this too becomes part of their investigation at the same time without taking their focus on determining what is really going on with Camilla who was 'voluntarily' sent to the asylum. Is this another case of dark spirits with a grudge? There are far too many sightings, and deaths to disclose in this review, but let it be know that I found myself under its spell to have my answers post haste, even if it meant doing nothing else but read this book in a few days and finishing the bulk of this puzzle in one afternoon. I believe most fans of Ms. Haines novels will be spellbound for sure.
June 27, 2017
Carolyn Haines has a gift for story telling and this book held my attention from the start. Amazing, spellbinding and chilling story that does not disappoint. Raissa and Reginald make a wonderful team.
Evil beings both dead and alive are woven throughout the story with wonderful characters and history.
Reading this story during a severe storm certainly made the creep factors higher for me!
I highly recommend this book and series and can not wait for the next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you Carolyn Haines for giving me the chance to read this story and creeping me out. Something you are so good at!!
Evil beings both dead and alive are woven throughout the story with wonderful characters and history.
Reading this story during a severe storm certainly made the creep factors higher for me!
I highly recommend this book and series and can not wait for the next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you Carolyn Haines for giving me the chance to read this story and creeping me out. Something you are so good at!!
July 23, 2017
This one shook me to the core! So suspenseful and eerie! It's atmospheric and haunting and at times terrifying! While the mystery is solvable the journey is the best part.
May 15, 2017
Raissa James is a very progressive woman living in the deep south during the early 1900’s. She can’t wait for women to finally get the vote, she smokes a little, drinks a little, knows how to drive a car, is a writer whose first story will shortly be published in the Saturday Evening Post, and she sees dead people. In fact, she owns a private investigation firm, Pluto’s Snitch, where she and her partner in investigations, Reginald Proctor, help people figure out why they’re being haunted.
Raissa’s reputation is so well known that Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s new wife, has asked Raissa to look into a problem that her friend, Camilla, is having.
Camilla is due to marry, David, the love her life. But twice when David and Camilla were alone Camilla turned violent and tried to kill David.
Camilla’s mother has sent her to Bryce Hospital asylum and wants Camilla to have a lobotomy so she will be a docile wife for David. Zelda knows that her friend would never hurt anyone, especially David, and believes there’s a lot more that’s going on than meets the eye.
Raissa and Reginald travel to Montgomery, Alabama and discovers that for some reason Camilla turns violent because of the new house she will be living in once she and David marry. Now all Raissa and Reginald have to do is figure out what evil lurks in the house and why Camilla is being haunted by it. They also have to somehow keep themselves alive since someone is trying to murder them.
“The House of Memory” by Carolyn Haines is the second in the Pluto’s Snitch mystery series and it’s terrific. I thoroughly enjoyed the first Pluto’s Snitch novel, “The Book of Beloved” and if possible “The House of Memory” is better.
There’s a lot of evil beings, both dead and alive, lurking throughout the pages, not to mention a plot line that involves the people living in Montgomery and the surrounding area. The ghostly portions are intertwined beautifully with the reasons why Camilla, and other young women in the asylum, have to be silenced.
Ms. Haines definitely knows her history and all of the books in her different series are filled with historic events that make the stories very believable.
I’m a huge fan of Carolyn Haines and have read so many of her novels that I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count them all. She’s a talented writer that knows how to get her readers so fully immersed in her tales that you don’t want to put the book down.
Plan on meeting Raissa, Reginald, Camilla, Zelda, and actress Tallulah Bankhead who is also featured in “The House of Memory.” It is a little chilling at times because of the evil house and the evil people at the mental institution so keep the lights on as you read but do not miss this new installment of this ghostly series.
Raissa’s reputation is so well known that Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s new wife, has asked Raissa to look into a problem that her friend, Camilla, is having.
Camilla is due to marry, David, the love her life. But twice when David and Camilla were alone Camilla turned violent and tried to kill David.
Camilla’s mother has sent her to Bryce Hospital asylum and wants Camilla to have a lobotomy so she will be a docile wife for David. Zelda knows that her friend would never hurt anyone, especially David, and believes there’s a lot more that’s going on than meets the eye.
Raissa and Reginald travel to Montgomery, Alabama and discovers that for some reason Camilla turns violent because of the new house she will be living in once she and David marry. Now all Raissa and Reginald have to do is figure out what evil lurks in the house and why Camilla is being haunted by it. They also have to somehow keep themselves alive since someone is trying to murder them.
“The House of Memory” by Carolyn Haines is the second in the Pluto’s Snitch mystery series and it’s terrific. I thoroughly enjoyed the first Pluto’s Snitch novel, “The Book of Beloved” and if possible “The House of Memory” is better.
There’s a lot of evil beings, both dead and alive, lurking throughout the pages, not to mention a plot line that involves the people living in Montgomery and the surrounding area. The ghostly portions are intertwined beautifully with the reasons why Camilla, and other young women in the asylum, have to be silenced.
Ms. Haines definitely knows her history and all of the books in her different series are filled with historic events that make the stories very believable.
I’m a huge fan of Carolyn Haines and have read so many of her novels that I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count them all. She’s a talented writer that knows how to get her readers so fully immersed in her tales that you don’t want to put the book down.
Plan on meeting Raissa, Reginald, Camilla, Zelda, and actress Tallulah Bankhead who is also featured in “The House of Memory.” It is a little chilling at times because of the evil house and the evil people at the mental institution so keep the lights on as you read but do not miss this new installment of this ghostly series.
July 14, 2017
Wow! This is the first book by Carolyn Haines that I have read and what a storyteller she is! It would have been better if I had read the first story in this series before this one but I was able to understand what was the gist of the background. This is a story that takes place in Alabama in the 1920's after the Great War (WWI) during the time of flappers, prohibition, suffragettes and the modern woman.
Raissa James grew up in Savannah, Georgia but moved to Mobile after her parents died and her husband was killed in the war. She is a progressive woman who has an ability to see spirits, ghosts, haints and the dead. Her friend, Reginald Proctor, is her partner in the Pluto's Snitch Investigating Agency, specializing in the occult. While he can't see ghosts, his investigative abilities compliment hers. Most men will talk to him while they won't talk to a woman since this is a time when they are not taken seriously.
They take a case in Montgomery when the infamous Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald asks them to investigate the case of her friend, Camilla, who has been committed to a mental institution in nearby Tuscaloosa by her mother. Camilla is normally very gentle and refined but on two occasions threatened her soon to be husband, David, when they were alone at the house that David bought for them to be married in and live in after their wedding. The doctor at the facility wants to do a new and dangerous procedure on Camilla where surgery is performed on her brain. Zelda wants Raissa and Reginald to investigate the situation and find out what could have caused Camilla's behavior. Could she possessed? Raissa and Reginald find out that there is more to the story as they investigate the hospital and the house. Young teenage women are disappearing in Montgomery - Tuscaloosa area with tragic results.
This is quite an entertaining read with mystery, ghostly spirits and creepiness. It would make a great movie. Don't read this book alone at night! Ms. Haines does a great job with descriptions, details and character development. July in the deep south is extremely hot, especially in the time of no air conditioning. You can practically find the humidity reading this story. Ghost stories are popular in the south and if you enjoy reading them, check this out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book to read and review.
Raissa James grew up in Savannah, Georgia but moved to Mobile after her parents died and her husband was killed in the war. She is a progressive woman who has an ability to see spirits, ghosts, haints and the dead. Her friend, Reginald Proctor, is her partner in the Pluto's Snitch Investigating Agency, specializing in the occult. While he can't see ghosts, his investigative abilities compliment hers. Most men will talk to him while they won't talk to a woman since this is a time when they are not taken seriously.
They take a case in Montgomery when the infamous Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald asks them to investigate the case of her friend, Camilla, who has been committed to a mental institution in nearby Tuscaloosa by her mother. Camilla is normally very gentle and refined but on two occasions threatened her soon to be husband, David, when they were alone at the house that David bought for them to be married in and live in after their wedding. The doctor at the facility wants to do a new and dangerous procedure on Camilla where surgery is performed on her brain. Zelda wants Raissa and Reginald to investigate the situation and find out what could have caused Camilla's behavior. Could she possessed? Raissa and Reginald find out that there is more to the story as they investigate the hospital and the house. Young teenage women are disappearing in Montgomery - Tuscaloosa area with tragic results.
This is quite an entertaining read with mystery, ghostly spirits and creepiness. It would make a great movie. Don't read this book alone at night! Ms. Haines does a great job with descriptions, details and character development. July in the deep south is extremely hot, especially in the time of no air conditioning. You can practically find the humidity reading this story. Ghost stories are popular in the south and if you enjoy reading them, check this out.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book to read and review.
June 11, 2017
It was OK. I read the whole thing and wanted to find out what happened, but it is not really a preferred genre for me. Although I'm always interested in finding a good ghost story, this one didn't really work for me. Haines is a prolific writer and certainly has a lot of fans, most of whom seemed to have loved this book.
July 6, 2017
I love Carolyn Haines books and this one did not disappoint. I miss Sarah Booth, but Raissa James is growing on me. As a matter of fact, I think I liked this second book in the series better than the first.
I liked the addition of Zelda Fitzgerald that gave it a little credibility, however, I know it was still fiction. I can't help it, but sometimes I wondered if Raissa had any relations to Jitty, Sarah Booth's haint. HA!
A good story with a lot of creepiness involved that I loved!
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I liked the addition of Zelda Fitzgerald that gave it a little credibility, however, I know it was still fiction. I can't help it, but sometimes I wondered if Raissa had any relations to Jitty, Sarah Booth's haint. HA!
A good story with a lot of creepiness involved that I loved!
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
April 11, 2017
This book is so very good! Carolyn Haines always writes good books but I thought this one was particularly good. The story grabbed me from the first page and I literally could not put it down! I can't wait for the next book in the series. I highly recommend this and the first book in the series, The Book of Beloved. Get them both!
June 23, 2017
This book was just as good, if not better than the first in the series! It was fast paced, but kept your attention and wondering what would be revealed next. Lots of puzzle pieces in this one to be put together but they all came together in the end for the big reveal and didn't disappoint.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
April 5, 2017
Carolyn Haines does it again! The House of Memory, the second book in the Pluto's Snitches series, serves up an intriguing mystery, enjoyable characters, and more than a few suspenseful and creepy moments. I can't wait to find out what the future holds for Raissa and Reginald.
April 27, 2017
Great second book,in the Pluto's Snitch series. So many twists and turns! A simple case quickly turns into something far more sinister than anyone could imagine! Brilliant writing! Excellent story and extremely satisfying ending! I also loved,the inclusion of Zelda Fitzgerald!
July 21, 2018
I enjoy this author so much that I have to rate all of her books 5 stars. This is the second book in a new series. I had to go back and reread the first book, The Book of Beloved, so I could remember what the series was about. Never mind. I enjoyed it the second time as much as the first. Looking forward to the next book by Carolyn Haines.
June 26, 2017
Author Carolyn Haines sure can spin a great Southern yarn. The House of Memory, the second book in the Pluto’s Snitch series, combines some of my favorite things – a historical setting and characters, a creepy decaying house, a good mystery (or two), and a touch of the supernatural. From the first steamy, languid summer scene moseying up the river to the tense, evil filled conclusion, I was captivated by every word.
Raissa James, war widow and modern 1920’s woman, using her ability to see ghosts, has made quite a name for herself with her investigative partner Reginald Proctor. Their PI agency, Pluto’s Snitch, which specializes in the occult, has even caught the eye of popular “it” girl Zelda Fitzgerald. Zelda hires the pair to look into events surrounding her good friend Camilla’s commitment to a mental institution. Normally very sweet natured and kind, Camilla has twice attacked her fiancé David. Her social hungry mother will do whatever it takes to ensure her daughter’s “good” marriage, even if that means Camilla undergoing a controversial lobotomy. Time is not on their side, and things become dangerous as Raissa and Rupert discover that patients and area girls are going missing and someone is trying to stop the pair by any means necessary.
I really enjoyed The House of Memory. There is a wonderful balance of mystery and paranormal. All of the characters are beautifully drawn, and I like the inclusion of real people, places, and events. I admire Raissa’s tenacity and grace, and Rupert’s debonair air is appealing. They make a good team, playing off of each other’s strengths. Zelda Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead are larger than life, as they truly were, but never come across as caricatures. I could not help but root for Camilla and David, but Camilla’s mother Maude really is a selfish , narcissistic dragon of a woman. Her tie-in to the history of Roswell House is genius, and I love that she gets her due in the end.
The mystery including the local missing girls and patients is intriguing and heartbreaking in its conclusion. The thread involving Camilla is exciting and compelling. The inclusion of the ghosts and mansion that is almost alive provides a satisfying creepiness that will please lovers of Southern Gothic tales and the paranormal. The ghosts of twin girls stayed with me even after I read the last sentence.
The House of Memory is fantastic, and I highly recommend it. I hope there are many more adventures with Raissa and Rupert to come.
I received an ARC of this title from the author through Netgalley and voluntarily shared my opinions here.
Raissa James, war widow and modern 1920’s woman, using her ability to see ghosts, has made quite a name for herself with her investigative partner Reginald Proctor. Their PI agency, Pluto’s Snitch, which specializes in the occult, has even caught the eye of popular “it” girl Zelda Fitzgerald. Zelda hires the pair to look into events surrounding her good friend Camilla’s commitment to a mental institution. Normally very sweet natured and kind, Camilla has twice attacked her fiancé David. Her social hungry mother will do whatever it takes to ensure her daughter’s “good” marriage, even if that means Camilla undergoing a controversial lobotomy. Time is not on their side, and things become dangerous as Raissa and Rupert discover that patients and area girls are going missing and someone is trying to stop the pair by any means necessary.
I really enjoyed The House of Memory. There is a wonderful balance of mystery and paranormal. All of the characters are beautifully drawn, and I like the inclusion of real people, places, and events. I admire Raissa’s tenacity and grace, and Rupert’s debonair air is appealing. They make a good team, playing off of each other’s strengths. Zelda Fitzgerald and Tallulah Bankhead are larger than life, as they truly were, but never come across as caricatures. I could not help but root for Camilla and David, but Camilla’s mother Maude really is a selfish , narcissistic dragon of a woman. Her tie-in to the history of Roswell House is genius, and I love that she gets her due in the end.
The mystery including the local missing girls and patients is intriguing and heartbreaking in its conclusion. The thread involving Camilla is exciting and compelling. The inclusion of the ghosts and mansion that is almost alive provides a satisfying creepiness that will please lovers of Southern Gothic tales and the paranormal. The ghosts of twin girls stayed with me even after I read the last sentence.
The House of Memory is fantastic, and I highly recommend it. I hope there are many more adventures with Raissa and Rupert to come.
I received an ARC of this title from the author through Netgalley and voluntarily shared my opinions here.
June 27, 2017
As with the previous book in the Pluto’s Snitch series, The Book of the Beloved (Thomas & Mercer 2016), Haines’ new book is a riveting read, an edge of the seat thriller cast firmly in the classic Southern Gothic mold. Haines, an award-winning and best-selling author, is a master of the genre, so readers should expect nothing less than the best—which Carolyn Haines delivers once again with House of Memory.
The protagonist, twenty-something Raissa James, is a former school teacher, a budding author, a war widow—and an investigator into the spirit world. Raissa can see the dead. Armed with this inherited gift, plus her quick and curious mind, she sets out to save an endangered friend of Zelda Fitzgerald, the lively and unconventional wife of famed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.
As the menace and intrigue build layer upon layer, the pacing and suspense increase exponentially. All the elements of a classic gothic are present in House of Memory—the potentially mad doctor, the ghosts, the good, bad, and sinister, the asylum, the stalker and the serial killer, and the haunted house at the center of the story. In less skillful hands, the tale could quickly devolve into cliché, but Carolyn Haines is far too talented a writer to let that happen. The story reads as fresh, enticing and exciting as if it were the first Southern Gothic ever written. This is a book to own and read.
The protagonist, twenty-something Raissa James, is a former school teacher, a budding author, a war widow—and an investigator into the spirit world. Raissa can see the dead. Armed with this inherited gift, plus her quick and curious mind, she sets out to save an endangered friend of Zelda Fitzgerald, the lively and unconventional wife of famed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.
As the menace and intrigue build layer upon layer, the pacing and suspense increase exponentially. All the elements of a classic gothic are present in House of Memory—the potentially mad doctor, the ghosts, the good, bad, and sinister, the asylum, the stalker and the serial killer, and the haunted house at the center of the story. In less skillful hands, the tale could quickly devolve into cliché, but Carolyn Haines is far too talented a writer to let that happen. The story reads as fresh, enticing and exciting as if it were the first Southern Gothic ever written. This is a book to own and read.
July 20, 2017
Carolyn Haines never fails to amaze me with her subtle humor, her erudite research, her literary narrative, and her outrageous ability to scare the bejeezus out of me. Raissa’s ability to see dead people sets the stage for another intricately plotted novel filled with strong, intelligent Southern women, including the infamous Tallulah Bankhead and Zelda Fitzgerald. I know it sounds cliché, but I couldn’t put the book down, that is until it sent me into a sense of fright about 2 a.m. Determined to forge ahead, I grabbed another glass of wine and my rosary and turned the page.
June 25, 2017
Raissa and her business partner Reginald have started a detective agency in the 1920’s which investigates cases with paranormal implications. They are invited to Alabama by Zelda Fitzgerald to help her friend Camilla. Is Camilla possessed, or mentally ill as her mother insists? Why did she try to harm her fiancé? And can Raissa figure it out before it is too late? Exploring the 1920’s fascination with spiritualism, Carolyn Haines has created a unique historical mystery.
November 19, 2017
This is the second book in this series, and it is an exceptionally thrilling read. While it does deal with the paranormal, the characters are so amazing, as well as the setting - the antebellum South - and the descriptions of the events will raise the hair on the back of your neck.
I recommend this series!!
I recommend this series!!
July 25, 2017
Not having read the first one I wasn't familiar with the characters but it did keep me interested and the characters do pull you into the story.
January 23, 2022
The Pluto's Snitch Detective Agency investigate their first case of paranormal mystery.
Raissa James and her business partner Reginald Proctor have been called upon to assist a young woman, Camilla, in hope their skills in investigating the occult and the paranormal may prove decisive. Currently residing in the Bryce Hospital asylum, Camilla attacked her fiancé while they toured their new home, Roswell House, apparently under the influence of a delusion.
This is not the only strange and unsettling occurrence they encounter. Young women have been disappearing from the surrounding areas, while other patients from Roswell House seem also to have vanished without trace. Raissa has no doubt that Camilla is in grave danger; discovering from whom or what is paramount to averting a dangerous medical operation in only a few days' time.
Feeling the presence of a malign entity at Roswell House, Raissa is convinced it will be the route to unravelling the mystery. Whether Camilla is victim to a possession or if she truly is affected by psychosis, the danger that hovers around her threatens to pull others into its orbit with deadly consequences.
Picking up following the conclusion of 'The Book of Beloved', the newly formed Pluto's Snitch agency has received its first request for help by means of a letter from Zelda Fitzgerald, which launches a challenging case. After a slower-paced start introducing the cast of characters and various plotlines, the plot picks up speed, juggling the multiple mysteries and building suspense, practically hurtling into the final scene.
Following recent events and newly opening her business, Raissa's confidence in herself and her abilities is beginning to flourish. Despite expectations to conform to society's view of women, she is striving to fight these limitations and carve out her own place in the world. I particularly enjoyed finding Raissa in the thick of the action and not relegated to the observer that society deemed appropriate. Women's independence and wider prejudice and discrimination continue to be core themes of the series, while this novel also deals with themes of mental health - with a particular focus on the treatment of 'hysterical' women and 'mad' people during this period.
There are also elements of fun to the rebellious nature of the female characters and the decadence experienced by the upper classes during the inter-war period in certain scenes, both light relief and juxtaposition to some of the darker elements of the novel and the lives of the underprivileged, making the entire concoction a thrilling and immersive read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The novel ends with the pull of another case, to lead directly into the third in the series, 'The Specter of Seduction'.
A mix of mystery and detective fiction, gothic horror and ghost stories, 'The House of Memory' is a perfect blend of Southern Gothic cosy; which, like all the best cosies, beneath the surface isn't so cosy after all.
Raissa James and her business partner Reginald Proctor have been called upon to assist a young woman, Camilla, in hope their skills in investigating the occult and the paranormal may prove decisive. Currently residing in the Bryce Hospital asylum, Camilla attacked her fiancé while they toured their new home, Roswell House, apparently under the influence of a delusion.
This is not the only strange and unsettling occurrence they encounter. Young women have been disappearing from the surrounding areas, while other patients from Roswell House seem also to have vanished without trace. Raissa has no doubt that Camilla is in grave danger; discovering from whom or what is paramount to averting a dangerous medical operation in only a few days' time.
Feeling the presence of a malign entity at Roswell House, Raissa is convinced it will be the route to unravelling the mystery. Whether Camilla is victim to a possession or if she truly is affected by psychosis, the danger that hovers around her threatens to pull others into its orbit with deadly consequences.
Picking up following the conclusion of 'The Book of Beloved', the newly formed Pluto's Snitch agency has received its first request for help by means of a letter from Zelda Fitzgerald, which launches a challenging case. After a slower-paced start introducing the cast of characters and various plotlines, the plot picks up speed, juggling the multiple mysteries and building suspense, practically hurtling into the final scene.
Following recent events and newly opening her business, Raissa's confidence in herself and her abilities is beginning to flourish. Despite expectations to conform to society's view of women, she is striving to fight these limitations and carve out her own place in the world. I particularly enjoyed finding Raissa in the thick of the action and not relegated to the observer that society deemed appropriate. Women's independence and wider prejudice and discrimination continue to be core themes of the series, while this novel also deals with themes of mental health - with a particular focus on the treatment of 'hysterical' women and 'mad' people during this period.
There are also elements of fun to the rebellious nature of the female characters and the decadence experienced by the upper classes during the inter-war period in certain scenes, both light relief and juxtaposition to some of the darker elements of the novel and the lives of the underprivileged, making the entire concoction a thrilling and immersive read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The novel ends with the pull of another case, to lead directly into the third in the series, 'The Specter of Seduction'.
A mix of mystery and detective fiction, gothic horror and ghost stories, 'The House of Memory' is a perfect blend of Southern Gothic cosy; which, like all the best cosies, beneath the surface isn't so cosy after all.
February 25, 2020
5 Stars
This is the second book in the Pluto’s Snitch series by Carolyn Haines.
I am not sure why I have never heard of this series before. It is an amazing piece of work. I just love the whole concept of the spooky, paranormal-ish series set in the 1920’s flapper age.
Raissa James and her cohort Reginald Proctor are called in to assist the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda. Her friend, Camilla is soon to be married but when she went to the new estate her soon to be husband bought for her, she turned unexpectedly violent and tried to kill him. Now she has been put into an asylum to have part of her brain cut out to make her more docile. Zelda wants to help her friend and has called in Raissa and Reginald to figure out what is really going on.
I think I like the setting almost as much as I did the whole mystery of it all. The setting almost becomes its own entity here and I am enthralled with this new to me series. I plan on doing a marathon as soon as I can compile all the rest of the books in the series.
Loved this so much! You think you know who is involved and then there is a twist at the end that blows your theories out of the water. So good! I hope more people discover this stellar series!
If you love a good cozy mystery, you have to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
This is the second book in the Pluto’s Snitch series by Carolyn Haines.
I am not sure why I have never heard of this series before. It is an amazing piece of work. I just love the whole concept of the spooky, paranormal-ish series set in the 1920’s flapper age.
Raissa James and her cohort Reginald Proctor are called in to assist the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda. Her friend, Camilla is soon to be married but when she went to the new estate her soon to be husband bought for her, she turned unexpectedly violent and tried to kill him. Now she has been put into an asylum to have part of her brain cut out to make her more docile. Zelda wants to help her friend and has called in Raissa and Reginald to figure out what is really going on.
I think I like the setting almost as much as I did the whole mystery of it all. The setting almost becomes its own entity here and I am enthralled with this new to me series. I plan on doing a marathon as soon as I can compile all the rest of the books in the series.
Loved this so much! You think you know who is involved and then there is a twist at the end that blows your theories out of the water. So good! I hope more people discover this stellar series!
If you love a good cozy mystery, you have to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
January 25, 2022
Mystery. Southern Gothic. Paranormal ghost story. Historical fiction. Some of my favorite genres all wrapped into one book!
Set in the 1920s and the second in the Pluto's Snitch series, our business-owning, ghost-seeing main character, Raissa, travels to Montgomery, AL to help out the one-and-only, infamous Zelda Fitzgerald whose friend is in the kind of trouble that only Raissa and dapper Reginold can fix. I love seeing Zelda in the chapters and Tallulah Bankhead also makes an appearance. It's so neat to see historical figures in fictional stories. I get to know the person they were a little better and it makes history come alive (even in a ghost story ;))
The story also centers upon mental health and women's rights in the '20s, which gave an excellent social commentary on the times.
Possessed book club winter read in the Southern Gothic genre
Set in the 1920s and the second in the Pluto's Snitch series, our business-owning, ghost-seeing main character, Raissa, travels to Montgomery, AL to help out the one-and-only, infamous Zelda Fitzgerald whose friend is in the kind of trouble that only Raissa and dapper Reginold can fix. I love seeing Zelda in the chapters and Tallulah Bankhead also makes an appearance. It's so neat to see historical figures in fictional stories. I get to know the person they were a little better and it makes history come alive (even in a ghost story ;))
The story also centers upon mental health and women's rights in the '20s, which gave an excellent social commentary on the times.
Possessed book club winter read in the Southern Gothic genre
January 5, 2022
Creepy romp through the early 1920s Montgomery area. Another great mystery by Haines with ghostly happenings--my second read in the series. Good balance of humor and fright.
There will be an online discussion of this book in "POSSESSED: Timeless Gothic Reads" group on Facebook from January 23-29, 2022.
There will be an online discussion of this book in "POSSESSED: Timeless Gothic Reads" group on Facebook from January 23-29, 2022.
May 12, 2019
Loved this book. Even better than the first in the series. Fast paced, laced with historical southern life, and most importantly, mystery and thrills.
October 29, 2019
Carolyn Haines, without question, knows the South inside and out. She crafts a wonderfully spooky tale here - complete with hidden secrets, malicious ghosts, speakeasies and southern charm. Raissa James and her paranormal-detective agency business partner Reginald are called in by Zelda Fitzgerald to help a friend who has committed herself to an asylum. Zelda believes there is something other than mental instability going on, and hires Raissa and Reginald to figure out what is happening.
I love the way the author adds snippets of classic "spooky" literature to help set the mood of the story. To me, this is the true mark of an author who READS at least as much as she writes! The story is chilling. The main characters manage to be Southern without being caricatures of Southerners (unless the author intends them to be stereotypes... there is a clear distinction) and we get what feels like a really good picture of life in the Old South -- good, bad and ugly. While the humans behind some of the dark deeds were not much of a mystery to me, the coming-together of the different story threads was certainly a surprise.
Recommended to readers who like a bit of paranormal in their mysteries, to fans of the roaring twenties, and people who like a good ghost story!
I love the way the author adds snippets of classic "spooky" literature to help set the mood of the story. To me, this is the true mark of an author who READS at least as much as she writes! The story is chilling. The main characters manage to be Southern without being caricatures of Southerners (unless the author intends them to be stereotypes... there is a clear distinction) and we get what feels like a really good picture of life in the Old South -- good, bad and ugly. While the humans behind some of the dark deeds were not much of a mystery to me, the coming-together of the different story threads was certainly a surprise.
Recommended to readers who like a bit of paranormal in their mysteries, to fans of the roaring twenties, and people who like a good ghost story!
July 1, 2017
Here is what I wrote about the first book of the "Pluto's Snitch" series, and I had the EXACT same feeling about the second. Last shot given.
"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"."
Alabama 1920's
"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"."
Alabama 1920's
December 6, 2018
Loved this book. A new twist on mysteries.
July 9, 2017
This and other reviews are on my blog: https://greatnorthernbookowl.wordpres...
The House of Memory by Carolyn Haines
Raissa James and her partner Reginald Proctor solve mysteries with a supernatural element. With Raissa’s ability to see the deceased around her and Reginald’s skill at reading the living, these two have started a private-investigation firm called Pluto’s Snitch. Their second case is for none other than the famous flapper Zelda Fitzgerald, who needs their help in finding out the real reason behind her friends sudden, violent and uncharacteristic behavior. However, will Raissa and Reginald be able to solve the case before becoming victims themselves of whatever nefarious goings on are happening down south? This book was provided by NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review, which follows below.
Likes: This was an easy series to read, the flow of the writing was fast paced, without feeling rushed. I enjoyed the sprinkling of history, such as Zelda, suffrage, etc. throughout the story. Without too much of a spoiler, I enjoyed the twists the book took and how the author brought everything to a close. Raissa is a strong female character, in an era not always accepting of such behavior. However, she didn’t go charging into situations demanding equality, instead she allowed her male partner to work his charm when it was better suited to the needs of the case. I appreciated the author’s subtler take. Raissa still didn’t agree with society dismissing women as inferior, but she knew when to stand up for herself and when to find a way around the issue. This was a refreshing, balanced take, from some other novels I have read with strong female leads in a mostly male setting. It prevented me from getting annoyed at unnecessary drama for drama’s sake. I also was spared from moments when the heroine didn’t listen to her instincts to run or hide or fight, only to get into trouble that was, to the reader’s point of view, avoidable.
Dislikes: There is a bit about past lives in the story and it didn’t quite fit for me. This novel is set around the 1920’s and while the occult, past lives, and ghosts fit with that era, the past lives bit just didn’t jive for me. It didn’t ruin the story, but I was left a little underwhelmed by its use in the novel. I also have a general dislike, which is not specific to this novel. I feel like lately more and more books I read wrap stuff up in as few pages as they possibly can. I understand leaving things a little vague so readers can assume their own ending or resolution, but I would appreciate a little more than just a couple pages to let me know how everything worked out for those involved.
Overall: I enjoyed this book. While it was the second in the series and I hadn’t read the first one, I didn’t feel lost or confused by this novel. I plan to read the first one, The Book of Beloved, since I enjoyed this one so much. Haines also has several other series, which I plan to check out. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, as well as the main characters. If you want an historic mystery, with a dash of the occult thrown in, then this is certainly a series to check out. At the time of this post, the book is scheduled to be released on June 27, 2017. http://carolynhaines.com/ author’s website.
The House of Memory by Carolyn Haines
Raissa James and her partner Reginald Proctor solve mysteries with a supernatural element. With Raissa’s ability to see the deceased around her and Reginald’s skill at reading the living, these two have started a private-investigation firm called Pluto’s Snitch. Their second case is for none other than the famous flapper Zelda Fitzgerald, who needs their help in finding out the real reason behind her friends sudden, violent and uncharacteristic behavior. However, will Raissa and Reginald be able to solve the case before becoming victims themselves of whatever nefarious goings on are happening down south? This book was provided by NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review, which follows below.
Likes: This was an easy series to read, the flow of the writing was fast paced, without feeling rushed. I enjoyed the sprinkling of history, such as Zelda, suffrage, etc. throughout the story. Without too much of a spoiler, I enjoyed the twists the book took and how the author brought everything to a close. Raissa is a strong female character, in an era not always accepting of such behavior. However, she didn’t go charging into situations demanding equality, instead she allowed her male partner to work his charm when it was better suited to the needs of the case. I appreciated the author’s subtler take. Raissa still didn’t agree with society dismissing women as inferior, but she knew when to stand up for herself and when to find a way around the issue. This was a refreshing, balanced take, from some other novels I have read with strong female leads in a mostly male setting. It prevented me from getting annoyed at unnecessary drama for drama’s sake. I also was spared from moments when the heroine didn’t listen to her instincts to run or hide or fight, only to get into trouble that was, to the reader’s point of view, avoidable.
Dislikes: There is a bit about past lives in the story and it didn’t quite fit for me. This novel is set around the 1920’s and while the occult, past lives, and ghosts fit with that era, the past lives bit just didn’t jive for me. It didn’t ruin the story, but I was left a little underwhelmed by its use in the novel. I also have a general dislike, which is not specific to this novel. I feel like lately more and more books I read wrap stuff up in as few pages as they possibly can. I understand leaving things a little vague so readers can assume their own ending or resolution, but I would appreciate a little more than just a couple pages to let me know how everything worked out for those involved.
Overall: I enjoyed this book. While it was the second in the series and I hadn’t read the first one, I didn’t feel lost or confused by this novel. I plan to read the first one, The Book of Beloved, since I enjoyed this one so much. Haines also has several other series, which I plan to check out. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, as well as the main characters. If you want an historic mystery, with a dash of the occult thrown in, then this is certainly a series to check out. At the time of this post, the book is scheduled to be released on June 27, 2017. http://carolynhaines.com/ author’s website.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews