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The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries #8
The Skeleton Wore Diamonds
The town of Legacy unexpectedly scores a major financial windfall when the regional Gen Conference is relocated to their small burg, but their good fortune is short-lived when one of Donna’s guests dies mere hours after arriving at the inn. And that’s only the beginning of what will turn into a full-fledged disaster as she, Mark, and the uncooperative police commissioner wrangle with a suspicious death, the identity of a human skeleton and a mysterious box that could be the origin to Legacy’s most famous urban legend.
It will take more than a ten-sided die to locate the killer.
It will take more than a ten-sided die to locate the killer.
- GenresMystery
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2018
25 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Scott
33 books769 followersM. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries, The Talking Dog Detective Agency, which is set In Indianapolis, and The Way Over the Hill Gang series.
Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities.
Morgan’s daughter, who works at a hotel, has contributed a guest horror tale or two to fuel plot lines along with housekeeping details. Overall, the series are a family effort.
Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities.
Morgan’s daughter, who works at a hotel, has contributed a guest horror tale or two to fuel plot lines along with housekeeping details. Overall, the series are a family effort.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 7, 2018
Donna and Mark have just gotten married, but no time for a honeymoon just yet. Gen-Con has relocated to their town of Legacy, and the Inn is full, plus the new police commissioner has assigned all police (including Detective Mark Tabor) to long shifts at the convention site. But a full house and working their other jobs will make a honeymoon possible in the future, right?
Meanwhile the elevator is at long last nearly a reality. Work is halted suddenly however, when a skeleton is discovered along with a locked box, buried under the new elevator shaft. Overnight Mark is able to get a forensic team in to assemble the skeleton and determine age, sex, and whatever they can. Meanwhile the guests have started checking in for the Gen Con, and the first early one tumbled down the stairs and died while wearing a unicorn head mask. Upon closer examination the dead man wearing the unicorn head died of an allergic reaction. Of course Donna isn't willing to accept such an obvious decision, and tries to find out if someone murdered him!
The matter of the skeleton became the focus, as the team assembled it on the dining room table and determined it was a female. The box remained secured and stored in the locked trunk of Mark's car. However that didn't stop speculation or even long distance gossip. Former neighbor Herman returned to the Inn to "help" which meant to see if there were jewels in the box or not.
This book was a little different than previous ones in the series in that not only was there a death that wasn't recognized as a murder, a convention, Donna actually participating in the Gen-Con by doing an escape room with Herman, her mom, and her mom's beau Simon. In other books Donna only escaped the work st the Inn by work at the hospital.Doing something for fun is a foreign concept. Also in the past a lot of focus was on who was a guest at the Inn. This time it was a more casual approach, I liked the way the authors mixed it up and even the ending was unpredictable.
This was a fun book to read and to finally give Herman's diamond thief story an ending. There were some elements of shocking surprise that made this book much more than just another book in the series. I felt it was delightful and suitable for all ages and sex to enjoy. I recommend it and appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I am please to write my unbiased review and hopefully help others decide to read the book and the whole series. It is definitely a series that when read in order help the reader understand the current book better.
Meanwhile the elevator is at long last nearly a reality. Work is halted suddenly however, when a skeleton is discovered along with a locked box, buried under the new elevator shaft. Overnight Mark is able to get a forensic team in to assemble the skeleton and determine age, sex, and whatever they can. Meanwhile the guests have started checking in for the Gen Con, and the first early one tumbled down the stairs and died while wearing a unicorn head mask. Upon closer examination the dead man wearing the unicorn head died of an allergic reaction. Of course Donna isn't willing to accept such an obvious decision, and tries to find out if someone murdered him!
The matter of the skeleton became the focus, as the team assembled it on the dining room table and determined it was a female. The box remained secured and stored in the locked trunk of Mark's car. However that didn't stop speculation or even long distance gossip. Former neighbor Herman returned to the Inn to "help" which meant to see if there were jewels in the box or not.
This book was a little different than previous ones in the series in that not only was there a death that wasn't recognized as a murder, a convention, Donna actually participating in the Gen-Con by doing an escape room with Herman, her mom, and her mom's beau Simon. In other books Donna only escaped the work st the Inn by work at the hospital.Doing something for fun is a foreign concept. Also in the past a lot of focus was on who was a guest at the Inn. This time it was a more casual approach, I liked the way the authors mixed it up and even the ending was unpredictable.
This was a fun book to read and to finally give Herman's diamond thief story an ending. There were some elements of shocking surprise that made this book much more than just another book in the series. I felt it was delightful and suitable for all ages and sex to enjoy. I recommend it and appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I am please to write my unbiased review and hopefully help others decide to read the book and the whole series. It is definitely a series that when read in order help the reader understand the current book better.
April 8, 2018
With the Gen Con coming to Legacy, Donna is hoping for a full house at the Painted Lady Inn. But when the crew fixing the elevator digs up a skeleton with a mysterious box, any hope for a quiet week suddenly comes unraveled. To make matters worse, Joseph Carpenter, one of the Gen Con participants who checked in early, is found dead at the bottom of the inn's staircase. The cause appears to be an allergic reaction, but being a nurse, Donna has her doubts.
With an anthropologist staying at the inn to examine the skeleton, Mark and Donna have to give up their room. They stay at Mark's former residence. Tennyson says that many of the Gen Con guests are pretty rowdy and want to party late into the night.
Will the Inn survive this year's Gen Con guests? Is the skeleton really connected with the "missing diamonds" legend? How long has the skeleton been buried and what was the cause of death? How did Joseph really die? Can Mark and Donna sort things out? Will the Gen Con be a success?
This book has two simultaneous mysteries, with neither one being primary. This makes the story a little harder to get wrapped up in and slows down the reading. On the plus side, both are resolved by the end of the book.
With an anthropologist staying at the inn to examine the skeleton, Mark and Donna have to give up their room. They stay at Mark's former residence. Tennyson says that many of the Gen Con guests are pretty rowdy and want to party late into the night.
Will the Inn survive this year's Gen Con guests? Is the skeleton really connected with the "missing diamonds" legend? How long has the skeleton been buried and what was the cause of death? How did Joseph really die? Can Mark and Donna sort things out? Will the Gen Con be a success?
This book has two simultaneous mysteries, with neither one being primary. This makes the story a little harder to get wrapped up in and slows down the reading. On the plus side, both are resolved by the end of the book.
January 10, 2020
Just when I think they can't get any better, they do!! From dead guests and skeletons with hidden boxes to Alice in Wonderland costumes, this episode has it all and then some.
Donna funds herself with two mysteries to solve. But she has plenty of help including her new husband and her beloved neighbor Herman who is back to visit and of course eat, lol.
With a full inn, Donna and Mark give up their room so the archeologist and her assistant have a place to stay. Her male assistant was no problem, he was able to take the room of the dead guest.
Even if you haven't read any of the other books in this series you'll enjoy this as a stand alone novel since the author does a great job letting you know pertinent background information. Warning though, you'll be hooked. This series is awesome!
Donna funds herself with two mysteries to solve. But she has plenty of help including her new husband and her beloved neighbor Herman who is back to visit and of course eat, lol.
With a full inn, Donna and Mark give up their room so the archeologist and her assistant have a place to stay. Her male assistant was no problem, he was able to take the room of the dead guest.
Even if you haven't read any of the other books in this series you'll enjoy this as a stand alone novel since the author does a great job letting you know pertinent background information. Warning though, you'll be hooked. This series is awesome!
March 20, 2018
Donna invested quite heavily in the installation of a lift at the inn, but she felt that it was now necessary. She had resisted for some while thinking that it would spoil the lines of the beautiful inn, but has finally given in to the many requests (more like demands!) of her visitors. The team of builders assured her that it will not take long, but she soon found that builders were not the most truthful of people when it comes to promises to customers, but she only hoped that the lift will be installed in time for the onslaught of visitors expected with the Gen Con scheduled in her little town of Legacy. But her hopes were dashed when on extending the foundations of the lift, the contractors come across a skeleton, buried in the basement of the inn.
The old rumour that her ex-neighbour insists on perpetrating raises its ugly head - this has to be the bones of the jewel thief - but here is the Lowrey fortune in diamonds that was supposed to have been hidden somewhere in the inn? And never mind the century old skeleton, what about the present day young man who decides to drop dead down the stairs in her inn, just before the rest of the guests booked in for the Gen Con arrive?
I love the fact that Mark, Donna's sweetie is always so patient and steadfast and supportive of her. I can certainly empathise with Donna when the world appears to have gone crazy with all the goings on, never mind her Mum also being one of the contributors to this new mad world that she is unfamiliar with! Another fun read from the pen of M K Scott
The old rumour that her ex-neighbour insists on perpetrating raises its ugly head - this has to be the bones of the jewel thief - but here is the Lowrey fortune in diamonds that was supposed to have been hidden somewhere in the inn? And never mind the century old skeleton, what about the present day young man who decides to drop dead down the stairs in her inn, just before the rest of the guests booked in for the Gen Con arrive?
I love the fact that Mark, Donna's sweetie is always so patient and steadfast and supportive of her. I can certainly empathise with Donna when the world appears to have gone crazy with all the goings on, never mind her Mum also being one of the contributors to this new mad world that she is unfamiliar with! Another fun read from the pen of M K Scott
March 27, 2018
What an interesting book. This is the first book I've read in this series. I found it is fast paced and kept me ingrossed in the story. I definitely can't wait to read more in this series. If you liked this series you might enjoy another series from this author, it is The Talking Dog Detective Agency. I will definitely be reading more books from The Painted Lady Inn mysteries, it kept me guessing until the very end.
March 20, 2018
Well, I for one was delighted to have a cosplay convention as background *laughs*.
But really, this is a very pleasurable read, entertaining, and fun; with attractive characters, well written and a great story-line. And I really, really liked Donna and her devoted Mark :D
A recommended read for the lovers of the genre.
But really, this is a very pleasurable read, entertaining, and fun; with attractive characters, well written and a great story-line. And I really, really liked Donna and her devoted Mark :D
A recommended read for the lovers of the genre.
March 22, 2018
Wow the Painted Lady Inn is a fun place to visit. But I would not like to be murdered there. Why is it that Donna and Mark cannot have a quiet week? There were many twists and turns in this story. Following each one was half the fun of the story. The number of clues and detours made the story interesting and a good reading experience. This was a good book and you will enjoy reading it.
August 27, 2020
A good mystery.
Donna has two mysteries to solve. Who murdered a guest at her inn, and whose skeleton it is that ed found in her priority. I like the characters and plot. Donna had enty of suspects. I like there is a Cosplay convention being held on her town. This is an enjoyable story.
Donna has two mysteries to solve. Who murdered a guest at her inn, and whose skeleton it is that ed found in her priority. I like the characters and plot. Donna had enty of suspects. I like there is a Cosplay convention being held on her town. This is an enjoyable story.
March 13, 2018
Running an Inn is not easy…Juggling schedules, finances, finicky guest, and meals takes skill. Add a murder and a skeleton and things can really get complicated. Come join the chaos, wit6h quirky characters and a good plot.
February 8, 2019
An innkeeper manages to get tangled up in multiple problems; a dead man on her floor wearing a unicorn mask and a skeleton is found while she is trying to renovate. Whatever can an innkeeper do? This book was an interesting little mystery and kept me entertained. Would recommend.
March 20, 2018
Each character reached out, took my hand, and invited me to join in the journey, and I willingly and enthusiastically accepted their invitations.
February 21, 2019
Received a free copy for a review. Loved the characters and the story. this has a little twist to it that was unexpected. Loved it and will be reading more in this series.
June 30, 2023
This is a 3.5 🌟 read rounded ⬆️ to 4 🌟.
Yet another of my books that seems to have disappeared off GR, so essentially this is a 2nd read.
Yet another of my books that seems to have disappeared off GR, so essentially this is a 2nd read.
March 21, 2018
I can relate to the characters and the real struggles they go through. Trying to operated a bed and breakfast with people who are demanding, a husband who shakes his head at his wife's antics and dealing with a skeleton. A fun quick read. I'll be reading more of this series.
July 17, 2018
Not my favourite out of the series. Too busy.
Didn't really like this one as much as the others in the series. It was a good read but had something missing. Their honeymoon seems to be over. Gen Con is coming to town, the elevator repair has turned up a skeleton and a iron box and one of their guests has been discovered dead on the stairs. Plus add in the harassment that Mike is getting from the new chief. Her instincts are aroused as she doesn't think that the fall was in fact a simple case of accidental death but was in fact murder. Plus the anthropologist sets her back up when she starts to date the bones. The plot would have been better (for me anyway) to have dealt with one thing only. Found the story behind the fall really missing that special something I have come to expect from these books. Having said that the characters were fantastic as always but just wish Ten was more involved.
Didn't really like this one as much as the others in the series. It was a good read but had something missing. Their honeymoon seems to be over. Gen Con is coming to town, the elevator repair has turned up a skeleton and a iron box and one of their guests has been discovered dead on the stairs. Plus add in the harassment that Mike is getting from the new chief. Her instincts are aroused as she doesn't think that the fall was in fact a simple case of accidental death but was in fact murder. Plus the anthropologist sets her back up when she starts to date the bones. The plot would have been better (for me anyway) to have dealt with one thing only. Found the story behind the fall really missing that special something I have come to expect from these books. Having said that the characters were fantastic as always but just wish Ten was more involved.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews