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Relatively Dead #6
Revealing the Dead
From New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly, Abby Kimball returns with stunning discoveries about her unusual ability to see the dead . . . Still undecided about a return to her teaching career, Abby Kimball has thrown herself into restoring the grand Victorian she shares with her boyfriend, Ned. She’s happy to put thoughts of her strange ability to see the dead on the back burner for a while, but she realizes that won’t be so easy when she’s faced with two new compelling encounters. First, a plumber she’s hired has a shocking experience with an old tool they find buried in the house’s walls, and then the interior life of an autistic boy streams through her mind as if he were speaking. Intrigued by the possibility that those who share her ability are more numerous and considerably more varied than she ever imagined, Abby’s forced to reconsider everything she thought she knew about her extraordinary gift. Inspired to learn more about autism and also the family history of her new plumber, Abby begins to dig deep on both topics and will discover a shocking connection that makes it clear that deeds from the past are reverberating still in the present . . . About the Sheila Connolly is an Anthony and Agatha Award–nominated author who writes four bestselling cozy mystery the Museum Mysteries, the Orchard Mysteries, the County Cork Mysteries, and the Relatively Dead Mysteries. In addition, she has published Once She Knew, a romantic suspense; Reunion with Death, a traditional mystery set in Tuscany; and a number of short stories. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three cats and travels to Ireland as often as possible.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2018
141 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Connolly
65 books1,389 followersSheila Connolly taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 12, 2018
The six installment in the Relatively Dead series covers special-needs children, autism, and physic ability. Do they work together or separate? Ned and Abby set out to learn how the brain works. They haven't made inroads very far. Abby feels she is contributing nothing and is planning to assume her teaching career. There is no murder in this book.
Abby plans to get Ned' s house in order before she starts. The plumbing needs work. Tearing an out the bathroom walls, an old wrench is found. The plumber picked up has an electric reaction. They discover a cold case that Abby finds an answer to it. She investigates s a school for Autism children and meets a couple of children. I got tired of reading Abby's frustrations with about how slow progress is coming. The ending leaves you wanting more information about the brain. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and series.
Abby plans to get Ned' s house in order before she starts. The plumbing needs work. Tearing an out the bathroom walls, an old wrench is found. The plumber picked up has an electric reaction. They discover a cold case that Abby finds an answer to it. She investigates s a school for Autism children and meets a couple of children. I got tired of reading Abby's frustrations with about how slow progress is coming. The ending leaves you wanting more information about the brain. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and series.
May 21, 2018
Revealing the Dead by Sheila Connolly is the sixth installment in Relatively Dead Mysteries. Abby Kimball is still contemplating what she wants to do career wise. In the meantime, she is going to work on renovating the Victorian home she shares with New Newhall. Abby decides to start with the tiny half bath on the first floor and contacts Maguire Plumbing. After agreeing to do away with the unusable little room, Jack Maguire starts dismantling it. Inside the back wall he finds an old wrench that belonged to his father, James. Abby can tell that Jack got a psychic shock when he touched the tool, but he takes off before Abby can talk to him. She wonders how the tool got left inside the wall and wonders if Jack Maguire has similar special abilities. Through Ellie Walker, Abby is introduced to her new classmate, Danny Allen. Ellie believes that the young autistic boy has abilities similar to her own and they can communicate in a special way. When Abby gets an opportunity to meet Danny, she is surprised by the colorful visions she receives from him. Abby begins by researching the Maguire family tree and then learns more about autism. Abby soon learns that an incident from the past has startling implications for those in the present day. Join Abby on her journey in Revealing the Dead.
Revealing the Dead is not a standalone novel. Each book in the Relatively Dead Mysteries builds upon the previous one as Abby and Ned learn more about their special abilities. It was nice to catch up with Abby and Ned in Lexington. However, I am not thrilled with the direction the series has taken (too much science). I find myself frustrated with Abby. She has such a wonderful gift and she has failed to fully explore it. Abby spent a significant amount of time researching in this story which slowed down the pace of the book plus there was a lack of action. I thought the writing was stilted which is unusual for this author and there was too much repetition. I felt that Revealing the Dead could have used polishing. My favorite character is Ellie Walker. She is a smart young lady who is open and accepting of her gift. I like her inquisitive nature and her acceptance of others. It was wonderful the way she stood up for Danny against bullies (it was handled very well). I believe it is past time for her mother, Leslie to step up. She needs to work on her relationship with Ned and Abby for Ellie’s sake. The ending felt incomplete. We are not told what decision Abby made regarding the Birch School. I am hoping to see Abby’s character grow in the next book. She has yet to complete anything since the beginning of the series. It would be nice if there was less science and more paranormal. I am rating Revealing the Dead 3 out of 5 stars.
Revealing the Dead is not a standalone novel. Each book in the Relatively Dead Mysteries builds upon the previous one as Abby and Ned learn more about their special abilities. It was nice to catch up with Abby and Ned in Lexington. However, I am not thrilled with the direction the series has taken (too much science). I find myself frustrated with Abby. She has such a wonderful gift and she has failed to fully explore it. Abby spent a significant amount of time researching in this story which slowed down the pace of the book plus there was a lack of action. I thought the writing was stilted which is unusual for this author and there was too much repetition. I felt that Revealing the Dead could have used polishing. My favorite character is Ellie Walker. She is a smart young lady who is open and accepting of her gift. I like her inquisitive nature and her acceptance of others. It was wonderful the way she stood up for Danny against bullies (it was handled very well). I believe it is past time for her mother, Leslie to step up. She needs to work on her relationship with Ned and Abby for Ellie’s sake. The ending felt incomplete. We are not told what decision Abby made regarding the Birch School. I am hoping to see Abby’s character grow in the next book. She has yet to complete anything since the beginning of the series. It would be nice if there was less science and more paranormal. I am rating Revealing the Dead 3 out of 5 stars.
May 26, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here: While I enjoy this series, I have to admit, I would not call it a mystery, not in the normal sense of the term. Yes, Abby has this incredible gift of being able to see her dead ancestors. As her abilities increase and she has the opportunity to interact with others who share her psychic talents, it seems more and more doors open. But with each door opening there are more questions. She wants to discover what it is and decide how best to use it.
In the traditional cozy mystery world, there are dead bodies. Unless you count the ancestors, there are none and no murderers to hunt. It is far more cerebral. The hunt is for information. In this outing, it is also the hunt for a way to use her skills to help others. There seem to be two independent stories going on, one that involves autistic children and another a family of plumbers who have a surprising link to Abby’s home. What appears to be stories that have nothing in common are in fact connected in an unusual way. It is enjoyable the way the tales are braided together. The reader is left with a hunger to journey farther with Abby and discover where it all leads.
So while it is not a typical mystery, it is well done and highly enjoyable especially if you are intrigued by genealogy and the paranormal.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
In the traditional cozy mystery world, there are dead bodies. Unless you count the ancestors, there are none and no murderers to hunt. It is far more cerebral. The hunt is for information. In this outing, it is also the hunt for a way to use her skills to help others. There seem to be two independent stories going on, one that involves autistic children and another a family of plumbers who have a surprising link to Abby’s home. What appears to be stories that have nothing in common are in fact connected in an unusual way. It is enjoyable the way the tales are braided together. The reader is left with a hunger to journey farther with Abby and discover where it all leads.
So while it is not a typical mystery, it is well done and highly enjoyable especially if you are intrigued by genealogy and the paranormal.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.
April 13, 2019
This was the worst book in this series. I would not call this a mystery. It more of an attempt at an explanation of what autism is. There are several instances where the timeline just doesn't add up based on what was said a chapter or two earlier. Once example is the paint that was going to get applied to day old drywall patch. No one in there right mind is going to plaster one day, then paint it the next.
The way these odd characters keep falling into the frame is just starting to become too unrealistic. One day we hire a plumber, then next we meet an autistic kid then presto! We have some tenuous family connection which may or may not have any connection to the characters in the book.
I think this ends my run on this series and I would urge the author to find another outlet for her evangelizing on topics such as autism.
The way these odd characters keep falling into the frame is just starting to become too unrealistic. One day we hire a plumber, then next we meet an autistic kid then presto! We have some tenuous family connection which may or may not have any connection to the characters in the book.
I think this ends my run on this series and I would urge the author to find another outlet for her evangelizing on topics such as autism.
August 7, 2019
I was given this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I tried a previous book in this series, and I didn't really love it, but I wanted to give it another chance because I like this author's other series.
However, Abby didn't make any better impression on me in this book than she did in the other. She lives with Ned, her boyfriend, and is trying to decide what she wants to do with her life. She wants to do something Important, and, as she points out a lot, Ned's money makes it able for her to do that. Once Ned's daughter tells her that she connected with a new autistic student, Abby decides that children who are "different" may all have special abilities.
I just find myself so annoyed with her. She speaks of the children who have autism in ways that seem inappropriate, wants to work with them without being fully honest with their parents, and she tells Ellie to keep things from her mother.
I've tried two of this series, but I won't try another. I am sure that many would find this enjoyable, but it is just not my cup of tea.
I tried a previous book in this series, and I didn't really love it, but I wanted to give it another chance because I like this author's other series.
However, Abby didn't make any better impression on me in this book than she did in the other. She lives with Ned, her boyfriend, and is trying to decide what she wants to do with her life. She wants to do something Important, and, as she points out a lot, Ned's money makes it able for her to do that. Once Ned's daughter tells her that she connected with a new autistic student, Abby decides that children who are "different" may all have special abilities.
I just find myself so annoyed with her. She speaks of the children who have autism in ways that seem inappropriate, wants to work with them without being fully honest with their parents, and she tells Ellie to keep things from her mother.
I've tried two of this series, but I won't try another. I am sure that many would find this enjoyable, but it is just not my cup of tea.
July 24, 2018
I could not finish this book. There just was not enough substance to make it a cozy mystery and it didn't read like the others in the series.
January 8, 2019
Revealing the Dead by Sheila Connolly is the sixth installment in Relatively Dead Mysteries. This series needs to be read in order as each book builds upon what happened in the previous one. Abby Kimball is still trying to figure out what she wants to do as far as a career. She is contemplating about going back to teaching. In the meantime, she is going to work on renovating the Victorian home she shares with Ned Newhall. Meeting with a jack Maguire, from Maguire plumbing, Abby realizes the Jack has paranormal connections when he reacts to a wrench he finds enclosed in the wall of the powder room he is renovating. The story of how the wrench ended up in the wall is revealed later in the story and is very intriguing. Meanwhile, Abby meets Ellie's new schoolmate, Danny Allen. Danny has autism and it seems that he and Ellie are able to communicate almost telepathically. When Abby gets an opportunity to meet Danny, she is surprised by the colorful visions she receives from him. Abby's new interest begins when she decides to investigate how people with autism may have the ability to communicate with the dead as well as with others without having to speak.
It was nice to catch up with Abby and Ned in Lexington. I did enjoy this book more than the last one, but even with the mystery in this book, I am not happy with the direction this series has taken. Abby spent a significant amount of time researching in this story which slowed down the pace of the book as well as there being a lack of action. I really like the character of Ellie. She is a smart young lady who is open and accepting of her gift. She has an inquisitive nature and easy acceptance of others. I liked how she stood up for Danny when he was being bullied. Abby is a character that I really like one moment, then am not sure the next. I know why she began to investigate autism, but I felt that she was using the children that she came across. Having a child with autism in my family, I liked that the topic was handled well, but I do not like the term Autistic Child, he is a child who happens to have autism. That is just a personal thing for me. I do not think I will continue with this series, as the direction it is going is not of interest to me. Many will continue to love this series as the writing and character development is well done.
It was nice to catch up with Abby and Ned in Lexington. I did enjoy this book more than the last one, but even with the mystery in this book, I am not happy with the direction this series has taken. Abby spent a significant amount of time researching in this story which slowed down the pace of the book as well as there being a lack of action. I really like the character of Ellie. She is a smart young lady who is open and accepting of her gift. She has an inquisitive nature and easy acceptance of others. I liked how she stood up for Danny when he was being bullied. Abby is a character that I really like one moment, then am not sure the next. I know why she began to investigate autism, but I felt that she was using the children that she came across. Having a child with autism in my family, I liked that the topic was handled well, but I do not like the term Autistic Child, he is a child who happens to have autism. That is just a personal thing for me. I do not think I will continue with this series, as the direction it is going is not of interest to me. Many will continue to love this series as the writing and character development is well done.
January 14, 2019
Abby has been living in Ned's old Victorian home for perhaps a year now (we are not given a time frame but I believe that in the last book she had already lived there for 6 months) and she has still not gotten around to fixing it up much, although she is whining about having nothing to do with her life. In this book she finally calls a plumber to have one closet sized toilet moved to behind the laundry area. Let's start with one tiny room that they never use anyway.
Although she prides herself on being organized, nothing much gets done. She says that although Ned is supporting her, she likes to pull her weight around the house. Yet there is never food and poor Ned seems to do most of the cooking after returning home from his job making $ millions at his small technology company.
Abby is an oddly intense person with no sense of humour. Conversations are often redundant or inane. She tells the plumber, "But we should have a mirror (in the new powder room).....and towel bars, right?" Well, duh.
When Abby picks up Ned's daughter (who doesn't know she is) Ellie at school, she accidentally touches a little boy she is with and "feels something". She decides he must be autistic, and since she has absolutely nothing to do with her life, immediately decides that she wants to work with autistic children, maybe open a school with Ned's money. A psychic acquaintance convinces her that she would be better working at an established school, for all the reasons that are obvious to anyone but Abby, and she sets her up with a friend who runs a nearby school for autistic children.
Ellie's little autistic friend meets Abby's plumber and they feel something like an electrical current.
Abby throws herself into researching the families and then gets the plumber and the boy's mother together for dinner to explain that they are likely related. It does not occur to them that a DNA test could quickly confirm a relationship.
Usually we like, admire, or even want to be the heroines of cozy mysteries. They are usually extremely likeable, but I seldom warm up to Sheila Connolly's protagonists. Supposedly kind, caring people, they have a tendency to be curt with their partners. Humour does not feature in these books. They may be admirable in some respects, but they are not people I would enjoy as friends.
I guess updating the wire will be left to a future book. With all Ned's money, why doesn't Abby just pick up the phone and call a contractor specializing in restorations. They would then have a comprehensive plan (formed by someone who knew what they were doing) and could still putter around on things they could do themselves. Not that decor is an issue - Abby just slaps a coat of white paint on where needed.
Although she prides herself on being organized, nothing much gets done. She says that although Ned is supporting her, she likes to pull her weight around the house. Yet there is never food and poor Ned seems to do most of the cooking after returning home from his job making $ millions at his small technology company.
Abby is an oddly intense person with no sense of humour. Conversations are often redundant or inane. She tells the plumber, "But we should have a mirror (in the new powder room).....and towel bars, right?" Well, duh.
When Abby picks up Ned's daughter (who doesn't know she is) Ellie at school, she accidentally touches a little boy she is with and "feels something". She decides he must be autistic, and since she has absolutely nothing to do with her life, immediately decides that she wants to work with autistic children, maybe open a school with Ned's money. A psychic acquaintance convinces her that she would be better working at an established school, for all the reasons that are obvious to anyone but Abby, and she sets her up with a friend who runs a nearby school for autistic children.
Ellie's little autistic friend meets Abby's plumber and they feel something like an electrical current.
Abby throws herself into researching the families and then gets the plumber and the boy's mother together for dinner to explain that they are likely related. It does not occur to them that a DNA test could quickly confirm a relationship.
Usually we like, admire, or even want to be the heroines of cozy mysteries. They are usually extremely likeable, but I seldom warm up to Sheila Connolly's protagonists. Supposedly kind, caring people, they have a tendency to be curt with their partners. Humour does not feature in these books. They may be admirable in some respects, but they are not people I would enjoy as friends.
I guess updating the wire will be left to a future book. With all Ned's money, why doesn't Abby just pick up the phone and call a contractor specializing in restorations. They would then have a comprehensive plan (formed by someone who knew what they were doing) and could still putter around on things they could do themselves. Not that decor is an issue - Abby just slaps a coat of white paint on where needed.
November 4, 2023
Dnf. Another grabbed my attn.
May 16, 2018
I was very happy to see the return of this series. I strongly recommend reading this series in order.
The premise is unique and written in an entertaining and engaging manner. The characters are learning about their skills along with the reader. Book six does not disappoint. I look forward to reading more in the series.
The premise is unique and written in an entertaining and engaging manner. The characters are learning about their skills along with the reader. Book six does not disappoint. I look forward to reading more in the series.
October 21, 2021
I expected this book to be a mystery and deal more with the psychic aspect of the characters' abilities. It doesn't, hardly at all. It's the last in the series, so I probably missed a lot of details regarding the psychic abilities and history, but this book fell a bit flat for me, unfortunately. The writing is descriptive, but the story itself was all about Abby trying to research if autistic kids have psychic abilities. This could've been expanded and weaved into a stronger story line, but it just didn't. It was heavy on the research and narrative, extremely light on the action and characters' dialogue/interactions. I hope the previous 5 books in this series are stronger than this one. Maybe I just went into it with more expectations for it to be a Halloween/psychic/mystery and it never was at all. There is a tiny mystery of relationships and families that is dealt with but not enough of one to write a book around that as the only detail, in my opinion. Also, the cover makes it look like more of a Halloween/psychic/mystery book with the gravestones, dark colors, and the house having a haunted look to it, so I think that played into my expectations as well.
***I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.***
***I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.***
July 18, 2018
This series peaked around book 3. I kept on reading to see how things wrapped up, but can't say I enjoyed these last several. And this last one has only the very weakest tie to the title. Mostly Abby spends her time researching autism as she tries to find a way to use her psychic gifts for good. She also continues with the home renovation which sets up the plot link to the title.
Having read the whole series now, I think it suffers from the same problem Abby has - trying to go off in too many directions instead of focusing on one issue. The first three did a nice job of tying Abby's visions to historical events. Could have made a nice history/mystery series. The last three diverged into spiritualism, psychics real and fake, autism and related behavioral issues. At one point, Abby and Ned attempt to map their brains to pin down real evidence of their unusual abilities, but this plot line (which I thought could have been interesting) never went anywhere.
Having read the whole series now, I think it suffers from the same problem Abby has - trying to go off in too many directions instead of focusing on one issue. The first three did a nice job of tying Abby's visions to historical events. Could have made a nice history/mystery series. The last three diverged into spiritualism, psychics real and fake, autism and related behavioral issues. At one point, Abby and Ned attempt to map their brains to pin down real evidence of their unusual abilities, but this plot line (which I thought could have been interesting) never went anywhere.
July 30, 2018
This is the 6th book in the Relatively Dead Mystery series. I enjoy these books, and I've read them all, but there's not much mystery in them in the sense that there isn't a murder to solve with a different culprit in each book. However, the stories are interesting and the premise is unusual.
Abby can see the dead. So can her boyfriend and his daughter, who lives with her mother and stepfather. It's a strange phenomenon that's hard to explain to those around them. In this book, Abby discovers the relative of one of the workmen working at her house which leads to a discussion of autism in the deceased.
I recommend this book and this series. Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Abby can see the dead. So can her boyfriend and his daughter, who lives with her mother and stepfather. It's a strange phenomenon that's hard to explain to those around them. In this book, Abby discovers the relative of one of the workmen working at her house which leads to a discussion of autism in the deceased.
I recommend this book and this series. Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2020
This is the 6th book in this series and I couldn't finish it. If had to read one more time about Brad, or Ellies relationship to Ned I might vomit. At what point do you move on in the book? I mean it's mentioned ad naseum in the same book. I won't be reading anymore in this series.
June 1, 2021
Series was okay. The writing was simple and the characters barely developed. The dialogue between characters seemed like a 50’s version of “leave it to beaver.”
February 20, 2022
SO I dislike this so much I had to write a review/rant. Not even sure where to start, glad I picked up the audio books for one. I like Emily voice it was soothing as we are redoing our floors and walls so back ground noise but for the love of truth, this book wasn't a mystery it was just a bunch of weird boring repetitive chic mind who goes back and fourth between wanting to be independent to talking about Ned money and thinking, hey Ned can buy ect. while being mad Ned has money and job. Like what does it even mean. like …hamsters on a damn wheel. They never really solved any of thier 6 million problems honestly.
There was no secrets, not with Abby around she lack what's call personal boundaries. Like in every aspect. all while saying i hate keeping secrets. Because apparently she never learn it ok to keep some things to yourself and than she tell Christina gifts too. That was her right to tell. the only normal special gift character who was believable was the short encounter with Christina whom help bring back whatever her gift is/are. she acted like someone with common sense. Like knowing you dont go around looking for other gifted people just becasue?? lots of genealogy which is something that got old. I get it. everyone's' granddad and auntie Lou related and screwed everyone. really boring and I found it all long winded.
in the third book she question people mother hood statues ect and it like girl hush you dont even got a job and you have the right to judge? <_<. All the men vs women talk was so freaking old. like I kept forgetting she was around my age she sounded more like a women in her 60's who been married for 40 years.
one of the phases she used alot "there so much we/I dont understand" yes Abbey Kimball you dont understand anything. If I had read this I would have dropped it after the first one. I love book s about people that can see the dead and this book missed the mark on so many.
First series by this author and probably will be my last. These book are being label as a cozy mystery read, if this is how these cozy whatever are, I think I am much too dark for theses. On top of being a over realistic, non fluffy type. I can subjectively conclude all of them (not just this author) would probably bore me to cry a river of blood tears.
There was no secrets, not with Abby around she lack what's call personal boundaries. Like in every aspect. all while saying i hate keeping secrets. Because apparently she never learn it ok to keep some things to yourself and than she tell Christina gifts too. That was her right to tell. the only normal special gift character who was believable was the short encounter with Christina whom help bring back whatever her gift is/are. she acted like someone with common sense. Like knowing you dont go around looking for other gifted people just becasue?? lots of genealogy which is something that got old. I get it. everyone's' granddad and auntie Lou related and screwed everyone. really boring and I found it all long winded.
in the third book she question people mother hood statues ect and it like girl hush you dont even got a job and you have the right to judge? <_<. All the men vs women talk was so freaking old. like I kept forgetting she was around my age she sounded more like a women in her 60's who been married for 40 years.
one of the phases she used alot "there so much we/I dont understand" yes Abbey Kimball you dont understand anything. If I had read this I would have dropped it after the first one. I love book s about people that can see the dead and this book missed the mark on so many.
First series by this author and probably will be my last. These book are being label as a cozy mystery read, if this is how these cozy whatever are, I think I am much too dark for theses. On top of being a over realistic, non fluffy type. I can subjectively conclude all of them (not just this author) would probably bore me to cry a river of blood tears.
June 19, 2018
This is the first in this series that I have read. It took me a while to feel comfortable with it but it can be read as a standalone. I enjoy Ms Connolly’s series to include the Glassblowing Series as Sarah Atwell.
Therefore, I jumped at the chance to read this novel offered by Netgalley.
I would not deem this a cozy, a whodunit, or a conventional mystery but it is a mystery none the less. This series deals with seeing ghost of relatives and some abnormal energy connections that let individuals know they are connected in some way. I believe this could be termed pyschic capabilities.
I did not feel at a loss for not reading the other kindle only books but found myself wondering about the relationships of individuals until it was revealed later in the story. I may have known sooner, if I had read the other books.
This story deals with autism and local families in Abby’s town. Abby is trying to find her place and in trying to work through the thought process on what to do with her life, she begins a small home remodel project.
A local plumber comes out to give her an estimate and they connect through energy when the plumber (Jack Maguire) finds his grandfather’s wrench behind the wall.
Abby’s significant other (Ned) is the father of Ellie, who also sees dead relatives. Ellie has a new friend, Danny who is autistic.
See how these families deal with their new found abilities; how and if the families are related and what it means for Ned and Abby.
I liked the characters, the story and the well-plotted revelation of what was happening to these people. The dialogue was not trite. It was what I would expect from everyday people. Ms Connolly should us that Abby was not helpless and could research the information she needed. She did not need to be an expert on every subject. I did like the interview for the job and the scenes following it.
I highly recommend this book but you may want to read the others first.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from Beyond The Page Publishing via Netgalley and these are my own opinions.
Therefore, I jumped at the chance to read this novel offered by Netgalley.
I would not deem this a cozy, a whodunit, or a conventional mystery but it is a mystery none the less. This series deals with seeing ghost of relatives and some abnormal energy connections that let individuals know they are connected in some way. I believe this could be termed pyschic capabilities.
I did not feel at a loss for not reading the other kindle only books but found myself wondering about the relationships of individuals until it was revealed later in the story. I may have known sooner, if I had read the other books.
This story deals with autism and local families in Abby’s town. Abby is trying to find her place and in trying to work through the thought process on what to do with her life, she begins a small home remodel project.
A local plumber comes out to give her an estimate and they connect through energy when the plumber (Jack Maguire) finds his grandfather’s wrench behind the wall.
Abby’s significant other (Ned) is the father of Ellie, who also sees dead relatives. Ellie has a new friend, Danny who is autistic.
See how these families deal with their new found abilities; how and if the families are related and what it means for Ned and Abby.
I liked the characters, the story and the well-plotted revelation of what was happening to these people. The dialogue was not trite. It was what I would expect from everyday people. Ms Connolly should us that Abby was not helpless and could research the information she needed. She did not need to be an expert on every subject. I did like the interview for the job and the scenes following it.
I highly recommend this book but you may want to read the others first.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from Beyond The Page Publishing via Netgalley and these are my own opinions.
June 10, 2018
Abigail (Abby) Kimball, has a unique gift in that she can commune with the dead. Ned Newhall, is Abby's significant other, who also shares this gift and happens to be a distant relative of Abby's. Abby watches Ned's daughter, Ellie, on occasion, who also shares this unique gift. Ellie informs Abby about the new kid in school, Danny. Danny is autistic and Abby suspects he is psychic.
The story surrounds Abby and Ned trying to find others similar to themselves. Abby feels something is missing from her life, and is looking for ways to spend her time. She is a former teacher, and due in part of meeting Danny, decides to find out if her gift can help reach children who are autistic. Abby considers opening a school or after school program.
I loved how the author brought the topic of autism into the story, and thought it was interesting that an autistic child could be reached using a special gift. Abby's interaction with a student, who never spoke was intriguing. I, also enjoyed the encounters with the dead, and the effects on the those who touched objects.
However, there seemed to be a lot of repetitive dialog, that got annoying. There was repeated sentences how Ned was Ellie's father, and he passed his psychic trait onto Ellie. Abby's relationship with Leslie, Ellie's mother, was repetitively stated. Also, mentioned more than necessary was eating where each chapter included Abby and Ned trying to figure out breakfast, lunch or dinner and whose turn it was to cook. Then there was Abby's wishy-washy attitude about starting a program for special needs children with psychic abilities. The repeating, seemed to be more of a filler, and not really contributing anything more to the story.
This book, had some interesting aspects that I enjoyed. I would've liked to have read more of a storyline around communing with the dead and special needs children.
I received an ARC from NetGalley by Beyond The Page Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.
The story surrounds Abby and Ned trying to find others similar to themselves. Abby feels something is missing from her life, and is looking for ways to spend her time. She is a former teacher, and due in part of meeting Danny, decides to find out if her gift can help reach children who are autistic. Abby considers opening a school or after school program.
I loved how the author brought the topic of autism into the story, and thought it was interesting that an autistic child could be reached using a special gift. Abby's interaction with a student, who never spoke was intriguing. I, also enjoyed the encounters with the dead, and the effects on the those who touched objects.
However, there seemed to be a lot of repetitive dialog, that got annoying. There was repeated sentences how Ned was Ellie's father, and he passed his psychic trait onto Ellie. Abby's relationship with Leslie, Ellie's mother, was repetitively stated. Also, mentioned more than necessary was eating where each chapter included Abby and Ned trying to figure out breakfast, lunch or dinner and whose turn it was to cook. Then there was Abby's wishy-washy attitude about starting a program for special needs children with psychic abilities. The repeating, seemed to be more of a filler, and not really contributing anything more to the story.
This book, had some interesting aspects that I enjoyed. I would've liked to have read more of a storyline around communing with the dead and special needs children.
I received an ARC from NetGalley by Beyond The Page Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2018
This mystery was incredibly interesting and now I have more questions than answers and want to know when the next book comes out???
Abby and Ned are a couple who has psychic abilities but also possess deep scientific and high educations. Ned has a biological child (8yrs) that makes a new friend in school by using telepathy. Abby sees this 'differently abled' child (Autistic) school friend as a possible way she can use her 'gift' to help the child's way to communicate. The mother of Ned's child doesn't want anything to do with the woo-woo world.
Also, the Victorian home needs plumbing work and Abby is introduced to a plumber that also shares this 'psychic' gift. How and why do only certain persons have these abilities? Why was a wrench thrown into the walls of the house and the plumber recognizes it?
What happened to the Grandfather's sister that connects the house to the plumber? What happens to Abby? You see? I have all these questions and more but I can't list all of them as I would give away the story.
This is quite a educated and scientific look into possibilities for learning how we as children absorb information. It is also a darn good read! Treat yourselves to a different viewpoint of the world and solve some mysteries.
Abby and Ned are a couple who has psychic abilities but also possess deep scientific and high educations. Ned has a biological child (8yrs) that makes a new friend in school by using telepathy. Abby sees this 'differently abled' child (Autistic) school friend as a possible way she can use her 'gift' to help the child's way to communicate. The mother of Ned's child doesn't want anything to do with the woo-woo world.
Also, the Victorian home needs plumbing work and Abby is introduced to a plumber that also shares this 'psychic' gift. How and why do only certain persons have these abilities? Why was a wrench thrown into the walls of the house and the plumber recognizes it?
What happened to the Grandfather's sister that connects the house to the plumber? What happens to Abby? You see? I have all these questions and more but I can't list all of them as I would give away the story.
This is quite a educated and scientific look into possibilities for learning how we as children absorb information. It is also a darn good read! Treat yourselves to a different viewpoint of the world and solve some mysteries.
June 5, 2018
I have not been reading this series in order and really should be. I am quite enjoying it, but I think I would make more connections if I red this series start to finish.
I really enjoy the relationship between Ned and Abby.
Abby is not happy sitting home and just redecorating. she wants to make a contribution to the world at large. She also wants to better understand her gift, that she shares with Ned and Ellie.
Much of the book is an investigation into the lives of autistic children. There is a historical aspect, a social aspect and an educational aspect to this story. I found all of it fascinating, even when parts of it raised more questions than were answered.
This has mystery elements, but in a much more cerebral way.
If you have any experience with persons who are alternatively gifted, or differently experience the world, I feel you would find this very interesting.
There is some mild violence mentioned. It happened in the past but is being psychically experienced by those discovering the truth. Overall, I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoy the relationship between Ned and Abby.
Abby is not happy sitting home and just redecorating. she wants to make a contribution to the world at large. She also wants to better understand her gift, that she shares with Ned and Ellie.
Much of the book is an investigation into the lives of autistic children. There is a historical aspect, a social aspect and an educational aspect to this story. I found all of it fascinating, even when parts of it raised more questions than were answered.
This has mystery elements, but in a much more cerebral way.
If you have any experience with persons who are alternatively gifted, or differently experience the world, I feel you would find this very interesting.
There is some mild violence mentioned. It happened in the past but is being psychically experienced by those discovering the truth. Overall, I highly recommend this book.
July 16, 2018
This is number 6 in the Relatively Dead Series with Abby still not quite sure what it is she wants to do with her life.
Restoring the Victorian home she shares with her boyfriend, Ned, has taken her mind off her gift of seeing dead people and she's spending time with Ellie helping her with her own gift. When Ellie meets a boy in her class with autism, she feels an instant connection to him. She knows he is in there somewhere and just can't communicate.
Abby sets out to learn all she can about autism and psychic abilities and if the two are connected. Can she use these gifts to communicate with Danny and more importantly have him communicate?
There was a lot of good information on the two. I learned quite a bit I did not know. This is a mystery in the sense that there are dead people around only.
There was a lot of repetitive dialogue especially surrounding the Ned, Ellie connection that I felt could have been left out.
On the whole this wasn't my favorite of the series, but it was good.
Restoring the Victorian home she shares with her boyfriend, Ned, has taken her mind off her gift of seeing dead people and she's spending time with Ellie helping her with her own gift. When Ellie meets a boy in her class with autism, she feels an instant connection to him. She knows he is in there somewhere and just can't communicate.
Abby sets out to learn all she can about autism and psychic abilities and if the two are connected. Can she use these gifts to communicate with Danny and more importantly have him communicate?
There was a lot of good information on the two. I learned quite a bit I did not know. This is a mystery in the sense that there are dead people around only.
There was a lot of repetitive dialogue especially surrounding the Ned, Ellie connection that I felt could have been left out.
On the whole this wasn't my favorite of the series, but it was good.
September 11, 2018
This is the sixth installment in this series and it was my first to the series. I found it would have helped to have read the other books prior to this one. I definitely intend to do that. The story follows Abby Kimball and her boyfriend Ned. Abby is trying to determine if she should go back to teaching and in the meantime, she is working on restoring her Victorian home. They begin to work on one of the bathrooms when the plumber finds an old wrench in the wall that belonged to his father. Abby believes he experienced a psychic episode but he runs off before Abby can talk to him. She also learns from Ellie (Ned’s daughter) that there is an autistic boy at school who might have the same ability as they do. This story is not a traditional cozy and not having read the series from the beginning, it was very hard for me to follow. I still did enjoy the writing and the story was very interesting but think I need the series from the beginning to truly appreciate all the nuances to this series.
August 7, 2019
Abby is living with Ned but has become bored of being a stay at home girlfriend. However, she is unsure of what she wants to do with her life at that moment.
She decides she does want to continue with the home improvements so she hires some plumbers. Some weird things occur with one of the plumbers. They had a reaction to the wrench of their grandfather's that was found when they were checking out the plumbing. Even with that weird occurrence, they decide to continue working on the plumbing in the house.
Then Abby meets Danny, a classmate, of Ellie. He has been diagnosed with Autism. Abby notices a connection with him so she decides to explore working with children working with autism.
This book was not as enjoyable as the first few of the series. I don't know if I believe that children or even adults with autism have psychic abilities.
She decides she does want to continue with the home improvements so she hires some plumbers. Some weird things occur with one of the plumbers. They had a reaction to the wrench of their grandfather's that was found when they were checking out the plumbing. Even with that weird occurrence, they decide to continue working on the plumbing in the house.
Then Abby meets Danny, a classmate, of Ellie. He has been diagnosed with Autism. Abby notices a connection with him so she decides to explore working with children working with autism.
This book was not as enjoyable as the first few of the series. I don't know if I believe that children or even adults with autism have psychic abilities.
April 9, 2021
I’m giving this book an extra star because it’s less bad than some of the previous ones in the series. It’s still boring and tediously details home renovations and cooking and the characters are still pretty darn dull for seeing dead people. Also Abby finally tries to update her resume! Although it seems like she’s still not actually trying to make any money and dopey old Ned won’t mind buying her new clothes for her volunteer gig she’s probably going to get fired from anyway. She and Ned spend a considerable amount of time trying to convince us Abby is smart. Abby plots ways to touch children, particularly young ones with special needs. Abby commits to exclusive home renovations on Ned’s dime. OH I almost forgot Abbys internal dialog seems to have kicked up considerably to nearly full on arguments... and she’s always telling us how she doesn’t think she’s crazy. Ok, sure.
September 30, 2018
I enjoy reading this series. It's one of my favorite cozy's that combine mystery and paranormal. Abby and Ned both communicate with the dead and Ned's daughter does also. They are busy restoring their Victorian house when a plumber touches an old tool in the wall and sees the ghost of Mary, a servant from long ago. When Ned's daughter talks about a new boy in school that tingles when she touched his hand they discover he too can see ghosts. There is no overt violence in these books and they can be read as stand alone. Abby is a good central character. and has starred in 6 books in the Relatively Dead Mysteries series. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 20, 2018
This is the first book in the Relatively Dead Mystery series that I have read, but there really wasn’t much of a mystery to the story. Abby is able to connect to some dead and some receptive people on a psychic level and seems determined to analyze her ability to death. Add in a possible ability to connect with some children on the autistic spectrum and the book seems more like a lecture than a story. Parts of the story were very good, but the dialogue and interaction between many of the characters was unbelievable and stilted.
October 29, 2018
After the scares in the previous book things are back on track for Abby and Ned, with those problems behind them they (or more to the point Abby) start to tackle the house again, stage one - before the bad weather hits make sure the plumbing is up to scratch. With a recommended plumber from Sarah (Ned's Mum) Abby starts making plans and then the plumber finds his grandfather's wrench and when he touches it ... well Abby understands what has happened but Jack (the plumber) certainly doesn't! It looks as though things are getting strange around Ned and Abby again!
May 24, 2018
Book 6 in the series.
Ms. Connolly is pretty much on my Must Read list. This series is a bit different than her others, since most of the mystery is based in the past and involves a physic element. That difference is actually what makes them interesting to me.
That said, I feel a little bit like the series is moving glacier slow. Abby spends more time researching than doing anything and frankly I am a wee bit bored. I'd rather see her trying to make a difference in her life and other people's lives, rather than just trying to figure out how to figure out who has this gift, haha.
It's still interesting enough that I will continue to read, and if the idea proposed in this book actually becomes reality, I think that will help a lot.
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*
Ms. Connolly is pretty much on my Must Read list. This series is a bit different than her others, since most of the mystery is based in the past and involves a physic element. That difference is actually what makes them interesting to me.
That said, I feel a little bit like the series is moving glacier slow. Abby spends more time researching than doing anything and frankly I am a wee bit bored. I'd rather see her trying to make a difference in her life and other people's lives, rather than just trying to figure out how to figure out who has this gift, haha.
It's still interesting enough that I will continue to read, and if the idea proposed in this book actually becomes reality, I think that will help a lot.
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*
June 12, 2018
Abby is still working on the house renovations. When a plumber has a shocking experience with a wrench he finds in the wall, and later with a putty knife handed him by a young autistic boy who is visiting Abby, she knows she's found some more people with 'It'. She gets interested in autistic children and starts to help at a special school, with the hope of finally getting a job. This ended in a sort of ciffhanger; I certainly hope there will be a book #7 before too long!
April 7, 2024
I gave it a one only because I was unable to give it less than one. Abby's whining is worsening with each installment. She recognizes this trait, but still attempts to perfect it.
Worse than her whining is her desire to experiment with children falling within the autism spectrum in order to satisfy her own need for unanswered questions regarding her ghost seeing ability.
It will be a while, if ever, I continue with this series.
Worse than her whining is her desire to experiment with children falling within the autism spectrum in order to satisfy her own need for unanswered questions regarding her ghost seeing ability.
It will be a while, if ever, I continue with this series.
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