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Kate Benedict #1–4 omnibus
Kate Benedict Mysteries
A BRITISH COZY TO DIE FOR
With just a hint of the paranormal…
Kate Benedict at first seems a delightfully by-the-book cozy female lead: a successful architect at an elegant firm in rainy London with a penchant for sleuthing, even if it means landing her smack dab in the middle of the wrong place at the wrong time. But she has something else going for her no other genre investigator does—the mysterious ability to see a death-predicting aura over the people around her. And she just can’t help but help them avoid the unthinkable—at all costs.
Now available as one complete box set, this irresistible murder mystery series is sure to be a treat for international suspense armchair travelers that like their cozy female sleuths smart, savvy, and a tad psychic. Think traditional British mystery with a metaphysical twist.
THE AURA
Life spins out of control for Kate Benedict when she sees a dancing aura above certain people’s heads that seems to signal death. Suddenly she’s psychic. But that can't be! Psychic’s not acceptable in her circle, where the supernatural is strictly for the superstitious. And yet…people are dying. People close to her.
Kate's tentative attempts to talk about her new-found metaphysical gift are met with eye rolls, so much so that she can’t even tell the nice Scotland Yard detective who's investigating the death of a close friend, Rebecca Williams. And now Rebecca’s neighbor has an aura.
DOUBLE BLIND
Two politicians and her best friend have the death-predicting auras London architect Kate Benedict can see despite her most fervent wishes. She’s had the dubious gift for a year now, and suddenly there’s no longer any ignoring it.
But the only way to get to the two pols is via her old friend, DCI Clarke; yet her warnings go unheeded. Her frustration builds when her best friend, Anita, refuses to believe in the auras’ existence as well —even when one appears over Anita’s boss in the hospital where she works. And then Anita develops her own aura.
THE FLORENTINE CYPHER
What began as a quiet Friday night dinner date with an old childhood friend turns into a manhunt when Kate arrives at the rendezvous just in time to find her friend Ethan leaving in a taxi. Kate is alarmed to see the distinctive swirling pattern above his head. When Ethan’s disappearance is followed by a series of cryptic text messages, Kate goes looking for him at his sister’s house in Florence, but it’s immediately clear that whatever danger threatened Ethan in London has followed Kate to Italy—his sister Claire has a matching aura! Soon Kate and Claire are on the run, constantly watched and followed,repeatedly threatened and attacked … never knowing who they can trust.
THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION
Kate is off to a glamorous weekend party in Scotland at the formerly grand castle belonging to the uncle of her boyfriend Josh. But the festive occasion turns solemn when Kate notices an aura above the head of Josh’s beloved Uncle Fergus. Blessed – or cursed – with the ability to see auras that indicate that death is imminent, Kate can sometimes avert disaster –if she can discover the source of the danger. Otherwise, Josh’s favorite uncle will die in a matter of days.
Thus is the scene set for a deliciously traditional British cozy with a touch of the paranormal thriller – complete with ghostly characters from the past; the requisite medieval weapons collection; and a creepy, ruined, closed-off wing of
1320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
2186 people are currently reading
960 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
December 27, 2019
4.5 stars, this is the first four books in the series. This is a quasi paranormal detective series, featuring Kate Benedict. She's been through an accident & afterwards can now see auras but only of those whos death is impending. She's an architect by trade but because of her gift, she gets herself involved in many interesting situations.
The faster moving the aura, the closer to death the person is. She wants to save them all.
Each book focuses on different situations & different locations throughout Europe. You get to see her expand her abilities & sleuthing skills all while working to save those in need.
This is a solid series, I'll soon be starting book 5.
The faster moving the aura, the closer to death the person is. She wants to save them all.
Each book focuses on different situations & different locations throughout Europe. You get to see her expand her abilities & sleuthing skills all while working to save those in need.
This is a solid series, I'll soon be starting book 5.
Want to read
April 25, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/25/2019)! 🎁
September 14, 2019
The Aura Queen
This is the first thing I've read by this author. I grabbed it because it was free and a cozy mystery series. I definitely will be reading more by her!
Book#1
This is our introduction to Kate, her family, friends and co-workers. We empathize with the death of her mother and we are just as confused and intrigued with the arrival of the aura. When it appears over a dear friend's head, Kate learns that it represents death! Can she save her friend's neighbor now that she knows what it means~
Book#2
When Kate discovers the aura over her best friend's head, it's a race against time to discover why it is there. Some nice twists and turns along the way~
Book# 3
Childhood friends with auras, cryptic messages, art thieves and deadly siblings abound in this adventure. This is definitely a sit on the edge of your bed kind of story~
Book# 4
What started as a relaxing holiday quickly escalates into death, destruction and determination~
This is the first thing I've read by this author. I grabbed it because it was free and a cozy mystery series. I definitely will be reading more by her!
Book#1
This is our introduction to Kate, her family, friends and co-workers. We empathize with the death of her mother and we are just as confused and intrigued with the arrival of the aura. When it appears over a dear friend's head, Kate learns that it represents death! Can she save her friend's neighbor now that she knows what it means~
Book#2
When Kate discovers the aura over her best friend's head, it's a race against time to discover why it is there. Some nice twists and turns along the way~
Book# 3
Childhood friends with auras, cryptic messages, art thieves and deadly siblings abound in this adventure. This is definitely a sit on the edge of your bed kind of story~
Book# 4
What started as a relaxing holiday quickly escalates into death, destruction and determination~
Want to read
June 23, 2019TheFussyLibrarian
November 17, 2020
Like all half-decent reviews, and only the reader can tell you if this is a half-decent review. What I am sure of, however, is this is going to make me unpopular with someone, somewhere.
This review has (so far) been based on a previous version of these books as I believe there are updates out that remove a lot of the Americanisms from the manuscript. The update is not yet showing on my Amazon pages, so I will plough on.
According to the blurb at the end of the book,
"Born and raised in England, Carrie Bedford is the author of the award-winning Aura series of mysteries, along with the Nobilissima historical novels set in Ancient Rome. After a long career in Silicon Valley in California, she is now fully dedicated to writing fiction. She lives in Italy with her husband and their ageing yellow Labrador."
I know I am setting myself for a fall here, but I cannot believe the blurb above. unless the awards were handed out by our cousins across The Pond. If there have been awards, then when was the award given, and why? Factual errors and false explanations within the text do not make these books flow as easily for me as I would have liked. A clue to my heritage: I am British. I have old family in Scotland, and my grandmother was named Florence. I refer to Americans as Americans or our cousins across The Pond, and by The Pond I mean The Atlantic Ocean.
This is a general and technical review.
I have a problem with the title. Why you might ask? It’s that bit at the end that says Vol 1-4. I am a tad old fashioned and can remember when The Encyclopaedia Britannica came in 36 volumes or whatever it was. Every home on the planet of so it seemed was getting the chance to own them. So here I have Volumes 1-4 of the Kate Benedict series, and it is fair to say that I think I have lost the plot. Volumes used to come in leather-bound manuscripts. A collection of the completed works of one author, or one subject. Bibliographies, locations, author biography.
The thing is that the Volume did not only contain one story, but there was also the whole shebang. Here I use shebang as a thing or a group. An example might be used in the phrase "… the whole shebang." When your teacher says the test will cover the whole shebang, she means everything you've studied is fair game (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary...). If I look up Volume in the same resource (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary...), I find that the primary meanings of the volume are:
1. The property of something that is great in magnitude,
2. The magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction), and
3. A publication that is one of a set of several similar publications
What I would argue here is that this is Volume 1 of the Kate Benedict series, containing Books 1 to 4, always assuming that it is the publisher’s intent to collect later books in the series into other volumes.
Let’s move on.
“Kate Benedict Cozy British Mysteries” … What does that say to you? I bought the books on the premise that I would be able to relate to the storyteller, that the narrator would speak to me in a British-English voice, and not American. I was woefully mistaken. As referred to above, I only have the earlier version where the supposedly British female architect grew up in Dulwich, London, gained a degree at a college, has a male parent in Tuscany and a brother in Oxford.
For me a book, if it is to be considered a stand-alone story on its own, must contain all the elements necessary to make it stand alone. If the book is not a stand-alone then this should be declared as so. Reading and getting to know a character such as Kate, especially when I am going to follow her escapades over four books means that some ground rules have to be laid. Knowledge must be given. The character is supposed to be British, so where did she grow up, where did she go to school and study, why did her parents go to Italy, where did her brother grow up, etc.? Not having this basic information to hand is frustrating, and only finding the answers in Book Two going forward means I feel a little behind the curve, especially as in Book One, one of her old college friends is also in the plot.
I have two mantras which I try to stick to when I write. Both are so well known that I am surprised that no one else sticks to them.
The first is to know your audience. If you are writing a story based in the United Kingdom, then whatever your best intentions, your audience will include British readers. Therefore you must not forget your British audience even if you are writing for the US audiences. There is no such thing as an international embargo on the printed word unless it is encrypted or subjected to international law. Digital or hard copy, you cannot stop it. Try as you might, sooner or later your words will reach every corner of the world. Likewise, do not assume that your US audience will know everything about London, Oxford or Cambridge. They do not.
The second mantra is KISS. It’s not the pucker up variety but an acronym. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Words are tools, tools to help you in life. They expand your knowledge, and they drive you insane, on many different levels. If my characters use a word that is not in the ‘voice’ of my character, what should I do? I ask why has the word been introduced? Does the character know the word from school, from their work, or their background? All good reasons but are those reasons sufficient to use them on their own? I would argue that they are not. Here are a couple of examples:
(1) Susurrus. Defined by the Merriam webster dictionary as a whispering or rustling sound. It’s a great little word but unfamiliar to many people. Could not the author have found some way to incorporate the explanation so that she can use it again without question? Personally, whispering and rustling are great descriptions so why use Susurrus?
(2) This has to do with food. In “The Florence Cipher” Kate goes to meet Ethan in a French restaurant. This the text:
“I already knew what I was going to order at Le Papillon. The cassoulet was excellent.”
But despite the rest of the time spent in the restaurant, we do not hear any more about the cassoulet. This is maddening. The cassoulet is excellent. If it is a French stew, then tell me about it. What makes it excellent? The reader wants to enjoy the experience too. Herbs, cut of meat, wine, added flavours? What??!
Unfortunately, this is the first of at least two examples where we are told how good food is without experiencing it for ourselves. Scones, wine, malt whiskies and many others pass by without the reader being drawn in.
There have been rewrites, or as the email from nimblebooks.com tells me, updates. These books have the feel of someone who has spent time in London and the south of England but are not English, let alone British. They have the ‘feel’ of someone that thinks there is romance in the ‘old country’, like some expatriates who know their origins but are glad they have left. They have good vibes and remember good times but are glad they no longer live there. What happens when they start writing is that they remember the feel of places they once lived in, had good recollections about but cannot be bothered to do the proper dogged research that has to be attributed to the places, language and environmental restrictions that the author creates.
Carrie Bedford is a good storyteller, but she must assimilate herself into the places where she sets her stories into to get the best out of its settings. How many authors create a character and put them in a country that is not their own? From the very start, I am not sure if Kate Benedict is an American born of British parents, an American who thinks she is British or an English woman who can only think and write as an American. You have to read at least the first two books to get to know this basic information. Searching for answers to this quandary I emailed nimblebooks.com. This is their response.
"The irony is that it (my enquiry) arrived 24 hours after we'd just published a new version of Kate Benedict Cozy British Mysteries Vol 1-4, due to having made a number of changes in The Aura to make it more British, in keeping with the rest of the series. I hope you'll download the latest version before writing your review. The author is British but was living in the US when she wrote The Aura, so it was written with a US audience in mind. However, we had so many notes from offended Brits that we decided that since it was set in London, it was more appropriate to switch to Britishisms in the ensuing volumes. We do our best to walk the line between jarring British ears and confusing Americans. As an example, a British reader objected to some healthcare terminology, but our healthcare systems are so different that we had to go with some nonstandard terminology that would at least be comprehensible to the British audience, in order to avoid creating entirely the wrong read of the situation for US readers."
I fully understand that American-English can jar British audiences. Much of this book does this to me, however, one or two of the explanations above do not make sense. What would have made sense is if the author offered some explanations as part of the text when it was written. Regularly reaching for the online Oxford English dictionary is a right royal pain and distracted immensely from what are good storylines. So until I see a revision, I will go with what I have noted.
I am not sure if the author had spent any time in the UK when it wasn’t raining. If it doesn’t rain it is mist. If it isn’t London, it is the middle of Scotland. It still rains. The author writes of underground stops like she knows London, she uses the Tube and the tube but calls people on her cell.
To those who live outside the big cities on the planet, travelling underground does not happen. Those that do, know the lines like experts. If they are in a rush, feel like they are being followed, or just in need of some order in their life, they will know how many stations until they get out, and which colour represents their line on the map over their heads. Desperation can be enforced by counting down time on the digital clocks that keep you informed about your progress.
Sometimes the text is very descriptive, and at other times description has left the building. I like some of the similes and metaphors too, but they often they come too thick and fast for my taste. This is one of several that appear: “... bearing decaying remnants of their once vivid foliage.” For me this is overkill and out of keeping with the voice of the author throughout the books. How about this when describing a person’s hair? “… a sleek shoulder-length bob with heavy bangs that grazed perfectly.” What are the “bangs” she talks about?
My next issue is something that may be out of the author’s hands. Something you might notice as you read is that there are spaces between new paragraphs. This occurs several times in my Kindle edition. The formatting seems to force some new paragraphs over the page instead of them continuing through the page. Probably an issue with the style formatting for new paragraphs. Of course, (as I see it) the formatting error may have been intended.
Another formatting issue I have may again be out of the author’s hands. This time, it is the text that immediately follows a scene break. On a personal level, if the text follows a wonderful little image or three asterisks, the text that follows only needs to be left-justified, not indented. Here though, some of the first words of the paragraph have been formatted to be small capitals. Unfortunately, the outcome is that the surrounding text is larger than the capitalised text. In Book One this is the start after a scene break: “JOSH CAUGHT up with me in the lobby ...”
Yet another formatting issue is the use of the initial dropped capital at the beginning of a chapter. Don’t get me wrong, I love these blighters but how to use them is key to me when it comes to the presentation of your text. I wonder if these were also not of the author’s making. Changes by the editors may have been to the metadata and block changes could have been done to make sure that every initial capital to a paragraph is given a block capital. My issue is that No matter is better than “No matter”. In my opinion, initial capitals with quotation marks or double apostrophes should not happen. Therefore I would suggest that speech should be avoided at the beginning of a new chapter unless there is a better way to present them.
As mentioned above there is (and always will be) issues between two countries joined by a common language. It will be natural therefore to assume that there will also be subtle differences. The numbers of “z’s” Americans use instead of the British “s” is one. The omissions of the letter “u” from most words that contain “ors” such as rumour, vapour, or neighbourhoods are typical of phonetic English. Whilst on the subject, have a look at that last line from nimblebooks.com “… but our healthcare systems are so different that we had to go with some nonstandard terminology that would at least be comprehensible to the British audience, in order to avoid creating entirely the wrong read of the situation for US readers.” The healthcare questions probably stand out to the editors in Book Two: “Double Blind but to me they really got it wrong in Book Four, to which they tell me:
“Most of the changes are in The Aura, although Double Blind also got a light dusting. The Florentine Cypher and The Scottish Connection are unchanged in the new version.”
They should have paid attention to the little things. In Book Four: The Scottish Caper the reader could not be blamed if he had spent all his time watching American television, so here is are four little clues and to where you need to apply your research. Please remember that this story is set in a Scottish castle far away from any city. My clues are 'head', ‘medical examiner’, ‘coroner’ and ‘groundskeeper’.
The Verdict
Three and a half stars (or 3.5/5)
The storylines are good but the frustration I felt by having to visit the Oxford-English time and time again, annoyed me no end. Very often, the meanings offered in the dictionaries of the world are much more interesting that the intellectual words that are dotted over the landscape of this manuscript. Their presence is a real drawback to the flow of the narrator’s work. I have already mentioned the Americanisms and if the updates ever arrive, I will review the books again.
This review has (so far) been based on a previous version of these books as I believe there are updates out that remove a lot of the Americanisms from the manuscript. The update is not yet showing on my Amazon pages, so I will plough on.
According to the blurb at the end of the book,
"Born and raised in England, Carrie Bedford is the author of the award-winning Aura series of mysteries, along with the Nobilissima historical novels set in Ancient Rome. After a long career in Silicon Valley in California, she is now fully dedicated to writing fiction. She lives in Italy with her husband and their ageing yellow Labrador."
I know I am setting myself for a fall here, but I cannot believe the blurb above. unless the awards were handed out by our cousins across The Pond. If there have been awards, then when was the award given, and why? Factual errors and false explanations within the text do not make these books flow as easily for me as I would have liked. A clue to my heritage: I am British. I have old family in Scotland, and my grandmother was named Florence. I refer to Americans as Americans or our cousins across The Pond, and by The Pond I mean The Atlantic Ocean.
This is a general and technical review.
I have a problem with the title. Why you might ask? It’s that bit at the end that says Vol 1-4. I am a tad old fashioned and can remember when The Encyclopaedia Britannica came in 36 volumes or whatever it was. Every home on the planet of so it seemed was getting the chance to own them. So here I have Volumes 1-4 of the Kate Benedict series, and it is fair to say that I think I have lost the plot. Volumes used to come in leather-bound manuscripts. A collection of the completed works of one author, or one subject. Bibliographies, locations, author biography.
The thing is that the Volume did not only contain one story, but there was also the whole shebang. Here I use shebang as a thing or a group. An example might be used in the phrase "… the whole shebang." When your teacher says the test will cover the whole shebang, she means everything you've studied is fair game (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary...). If I look up Volume in the same resource (https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary...), I find that the primary meanings of the volume are:
1. The property of something that is great in magnitude,
2. The magnitude of sound (usually in a specified direction), and
3. A publication that is one of a set of several similar publications
What I would argue here is that this is Volume 1 of the Kate Benedict series, containing Books 1 to 4, always assuming that it is the publisher’s intent to collect later books in the series into other volumes.
Let’s move on.
“Kate Benedict Cozy British Mysteries” … What does that say to you? I bought the books on the premise that I would be able to relate to the storyteller, that the narrator would speak to me in a British-English voice, and not American. I was woefully mistaken. As referred to above, I only have the earlier version where the supposedly British female architect grew up in Dulwich, London, gained a degree at a college, has a male parent in Tuscany and a brother in Oxford.
For me a book, if it is to be considered a stand-alone story on its own, must contain all the elements necessary to make it stand alone. If the book is not a stand-alone then this should be declared as so. Reading and getting to know a character such as Kate, especially when I am going to follow her escapades over four books means that some ground rules have to be laid. Knowledge must be given. The character is supposed to be British, so where did she grow up, where did she go to school and study, why did her parents go to Italy, where did her brother grow up, etc.? Not having this basic information to hand is frustrating, and only finding the answers in Book Two going forward means I feel a little behind the curve, especially as in Book One, one of her old college friends is also in the plot.
I have two mantras which I try to stick to when I write. Both are so well known that I am surprised that no one else sticks to them.
The first is to know your audience. If you are writing a story based in the United Kingdom, then whatever your best intentions, your audience will include British readers. Therefore you must not forget your British audience even if you are writing for the US audiences. There is no such thing as an international embargo on the printed word unless it is encrypted or subjected to international law. Digital or hard copy, you cannot stop it. Try as you might, sooner or later your words will reach every corner of the world. Likewise, do not assume that your US audience will know everything about London, Oxford or Cambridge. They do not.
The second mantra is KISS. It’s not the pucker up variety but an acronym. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Words are tools, tools to help you in life. They expand your knowledge, and they drive you insane, on many different levels. If my characters use a word that is not in the ‘voice’ of my character, what should I do? I ask why has the word been introduced? Does the character know the word from school, from their work, or their background? All good reasons but are those reasons sufficient to use them on their own? I would argue that they are not. Here are a couple of examples:
(1) Susurrus. Defined by the Merriam webster dictionary as a whispering or rustling sound. It’s a great little word but unfamiliar to many people. Could not the author have found some way to incorporate the explanation so that she can use it again without question? Personally, whispering and rustling are great descriptions so why use Susurrus?
(2) This has to do with food. In “The Florence Cipher” Kate goes to meet Ethan in a French restaurant. This the text:
“I already knew what I was going to order at Le Papillon. The cassoulet was excellent.”
But despite the rest of the time spent in the restaurant, we do not hear any more about the cassoulet. This is maddening. The cassoulet is excellent. If it is a French stew, then tell me about it. What makes it excellent? The reader wants to enjoy the experience too. Herbs, cut of meat, wine, added flavours? What??!
Unfortunately, this is the first of at least two examples where we are told how good food is without experiencing it for ourselves. Scones, wine, malt whiskies and many others pass by without the reader being drawn in.
There have been rewrites, or as the email from nimblebooks.com tells me, updates. These books have the feel of someone who has spent time in London and the south of England but are not English, let alone British. They have the ‘feel’ of someone that thinks there is romance in the ‘old country’, like some expatriates who know their origins but are glad they have left. They have good vibes and remember good times but are glad they no longer live there. What happens when they start writing is that they remember the feel of places they once lived in, had good recollections about but cannot be bothered to do the proper dogged research that has to be attributed to the places, language and environmental restrictions that the author creates.
Carrie Bedford is a good storyteller, but she must assimilate herself into the places where she sets her stories into to get the best out of its settings. How many authors create a character and put them in a country that is not their own? From the very start, I am not sure if Kate Benedict is an American born of British parents, an American who thinks she is British or an English woman who can only think and write as an American. You have to read at least the first two books to get to know this basic information. Searching for answers to this quandary I emailed nimblebooks.com. This is their response.
"The irony is that it (my enquiry) arrived 24 hours after we'd just published a new version of Kate Benedict Cozy British Mysteries Vol 1-4, due to having made a number of changes in The Aura to make it more British, in keeping with the rest of the series. I hope you'll download the latest version before writing your review. The author is British but was living in the US when she wrote The Aura, so it was written with a US audience in mind. However, we had so many notes from offended Brits that we decided that since it was set in London, it was more appropriate to switch to Britishisms in the ensuing volumes. We do our best to walk the line between jarring British ears and confusing Americans. As an example, a British reader objected to some healthcare terminology, but our healthcare systems are so different that we had to go with some nonstandard terminology that would at least be comprehensible to the British audience, in order to avoid creating entirely the wrong read of the situation for US readers."
I fully understand that American-English can jar British audiences. Much of this book does this to me, however, one or two of the explanations above do not make sense. What would have made sense is if the author offered some explanations as part of the text when it was written. Regularly reaching for the online Oxford English dictionary is a right royal pain and distracted immensely from what are good storylines. So until I see a revision, I will go with what I have noted.
I am not sure if the author had spent any time in the UK when it wasn’t raining. If it doesn’t rain it is mist. If it isn’t London, it is the middle of Scotland. It still rains. The author writes of underground stops like she knows London, she uses the Tube and the tube but calls people on her cell.
To those who live outside the big cities on the planet, travelling underground does not happen. Those that do, know the lines like experts. If they are in a rush, feel like they are being followed, or just in need of some order in their life, they will know how many stations until they get out, and which colour represents their line on the map over their heads. Desperation can be enforced by counting down time on the digital clocks that keep you informed about your progress.
Sometimes the text is very descriptive, and at other times description has left the building. I like some of the similes and metaphors too, but they often they come too thick and fast for my taste. This is one of several that appear: “... bearing decaying remnants of their once vivid foliage.” For me this is overkill and out of keeping with the voice of the author throughout the books. How about this when describing a person’s hair? “… a sleek shoulder-length bob with heavy bangs that grazed perfectly.” What are the “bangs” she talks about?
My next issue is something that may be out of the author’s hands. Something you might notice as you read is that there are spaces between new paragraphs. This occurs several times in my Kindle edition. The formatting seems to force some new paragraphs over the page instead of them continuing through the page. Probably an issue with the style formatting for new paragraphs. Of course, (as I see it) the formatting error may have been intended.
Another formatting issue I have may again be out of the author’s hands. This time, it is the text that immediately follows a scene break. On a personal level, if the text follows a wonderful little image or three asterisks, the text that follows only needs to be left-justified, not indented. Here though, some of the first words of the paragraph have been formatted to be small capitals. Unfortunately, the outcome is that the surrounding text is larger than the capitalised text. In Book One this is the start after a scene break: “JOSH CAUGHT up with me in the lobby ...”
Yet another formatting issue is the use of the initial dropped capital at the beginning of a chapter. Don’t get me wrong, I love these blighters but how to use them is key to me when it comes to the presentation of your text. I wonder if these were also not of the author’s making. Changes by the editors may have been to the metadata and block changes could have been done to make sure that every initial capital to a paragraph is given a block capital. My issue is that No matter is better than “No matter”. In my opinion, initial capitals with quotation marks or double apostrophes should not happen. Therefore I would suggest that speech should be avoided at the beginning of a new chapter unless there is a better way to present them.
As mentioned above there is (and always will be) issues between two countries joined by a common language. It will be natural therefore to assume that there will also be subtle differences. The numbers of “z’s” Americans use instead of the British “s” is one. The omissions of the letter “u” from most words that contain “ors” such as rumour, vapour, or neighbourhoods are typical of phonetic English. Whilst on the subject, have a look at that last line from nimblebooks.com “… but our healthcare systems are so different that we had to go with some nonstandard terminology that would at least be comprehensible to the British audience, in order to avoid creating entirely the wrong read of the situation for US readers.” The healthcare questions probably stand out to the editors in Book Two: “Double Blind but to me they really got it wrong in Book Four, to which they tell me:
“Most of the changes are in The Aura, although Double Blind also got a light dusting. The Florentine Cypher and The Scottish Connection are unchanged in the new version.”
They should have paid attention to the little things. In Book Four: The Scottish Caper the reader could not be blamed if he had spent all his time watching American television, so here is are four little clues and to where you need to apply your research. Please remember that this story is set in a Scottish castle far away from any city. My clues are 'head', ‘medical examiner’, ‘coroner’ and ‘groundskeeper’.
The Verdict
Three and a half stars (or 3.5/5)
The storylines are good but the frustration I felt by having to visit the Oxford-English time and time again, annoyed me no end. Very often, the meanings offered in the dictionaries of the world are much more interesting that the intellectual words that are dotted over the landscape of this manuscript. Their presence is a real drawback to the flow of the narrator’s work. I have already mentioned the Americanisms and if the updates ever arrive, I will review the books again.
October 28, 2019
I'll forever be watching for auras
Recommended by one of my favorite authors as a freebee I was enticed by the fact that the protagonist Kate Benedict could see an aura above a person's head denoting an impending death. Could she somehow help to prevent it? Well it got my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series of 4 complete novels. Living in London her travels take her to Italy where her father's resides to a castle in Scotland and I now feel as if I have been to all the places and in between with her. If there happens to be a fifth book I will definitely look forward to reading it.
Recommended by one of my favorite authors as a freebee I was enticed by the fact that the protagonist Kate Benedict could see an aura above a person's head denoting an impending death. Could she somehow help to prevent it? Well it got my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series of 4 complete novels. Living in London her travels take her to Italy where her father's resides to a castle in Scotland and I now feel as if I have been to all the places and in between with her. If there happens to be a fifth book I will definitely look forward to reading it.
February 3, 2020
I love the Kate Benedict series. Each book has a different setting, and I have enjoyed immersing myself in all of them. Kate is a young British woman with a gift for seeing auras that predict death. Fortunately, this ability allows her to help some people turn their fate around, and the plots turn around this quest. Bedford supplies us with lots of twists and turns, and her prose style is lovely. I have found it a pleasure to be in the company of the smart, caring Kate and her friends and family.
January 8, 2020
Very much enjoyed reading this series. Each of the characters as they have been introduced are interesting and sometimes very intriguing. To be honest I wasn't sure I was going to like this as it progressed; however, I was more than pleasantly surprised. The mysteries seem to get more complex as the series goes on and I found myself staying up late to complete The Scottish Connection. I had my own opinions and I just wanted to know if I was right.
June 5, 2019
Not all the books were the same in reading quality. I found numerous issues with American words & products being used, instead of the proper English names. After all the reading, getting to the last book. I have to ask why the word cardigan was used over 15 times? It started getting very boring with all the repetition.
July 22, 2019
A Must Read!!!!
The entire series was well written and intriguing. I managed to read all four books within 3 weeks, I couldn't put my kindle down! Each book has twists and turns and keeps you on your toes! Book 4 was definitely my favorite!
The entire series was well written and intriguing. I managed to read all four books within 3 weeks, I couldn't put my kindle down! Each book has twists and turns and keeps you on your toes! Book 4 was definitely my favorite!
August 24, 2020
THE AURA: In book one, we meet Kate Benedict, whose mother appears to her after passing over 6 months prior. Kate suddenly starts seeing auras over some people’s heads, and the clearer the aura, the higher the risk of them dying sooner rather than later. When a friend dies, Kate’s guilt at not being able to stop their death consumes her. Yet, she’s convinced that someone murdered her friend. Kate works to solve two mysteries: how her aura ability works, and who killed her friend? The plot is sound and well written. This book drew me into the series and the characters. I like the protagonist and felt her frustration with her new aura seeing capabilities.
DOUBLE BLIND: Kate continues to see those dark swirling auras over the heads of people who will soon die. The hard part is trying to figure out what they could die from so she can save them. Imagine Kate’s shock, when she sees the aura around the head of the top candidate running for Prime Minister. Now, time is running out for Kate to figure out who the threat is and how to save the candidate from impending death! To make matters worse, Kate’s best friend, Anita, suddenly has an aura. The situation really gets interesting when Kate divulges all to Anita about her strange ability. Anita, a surgeon, thinks Kate needs psychiatric help! Can she save her friend and the candidate?
THE FLORENTINE CYPHER: The most exciting book out of the four begins with Kate leaving work at the architectural firm to meet up with an old friend for a dinner date. Before she can catch a taxi, Kate notices her friend and coworker, Ethan, leaving in a taxi. Even more disturbing is the fact that Ethan has a swirling aura over his head! After a series of strange text messages from Ethan, he vanishes. Kate searches for him in Florence, Italy, where she meets up with his sister, Claire, who also has an aura. Before long, the two are on the run. Look for rare art and antiquities, a rogue Catholic Priest, and lots of twists and turns in this story!
THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION: My favorite book… There’s just something about the Scottish moors. By now, I’m well vested in these characters. Kate and Josh are visiting his Uncle Fergus and the sprawling family mansion. Guess who has an aura? Uncle Fergus. To make matters worse, there is a series of murders. Add to the mystery a ghostly vision, and Kate is up to her eyeballs as she tries to save Josh’s uncle. There is a Russian connection to the late Tsarina that makes this story memorable. I guarantee you will not figure this one out!
I loved this four book series. British mysteries are my favorite. This author creates interesting characters and plots with a few historical twists added in. The paranormal aspects of the aura sightings predicting imminent death were brilliant. If you’re looking for a fun paranormal series to read filled with mystery and suspense, make it this one.
DOUBLE BLIND: Kate continues to see those dark swirling auras over the heads of people who will soon die. The hard part is trying to figure out what they could die from so she can save them. Imagine Kate’s shock, when she sees the aura around the head of the top candidate running for Prime Minister. Now, time is running out for Kate to figure out who the threat is and how to save the candidate from impending death! To make matters worse, Kate’s best friend, Anita, suddenly has an aura. The situation really gets interesting when Kate divulges all to Anita about her strange ability. Anita, a surgeon, thinks Kate needs psychiatric help! Can she save her friend and the candidate?
THE FLORENTINE CYPHER: The most exciting book out of the four begins with Kate leaving work at the architectural firm to meet up with an old friend for a dinner date. Before she can catch a taxi, Kate notices her friend and coworker, Ethan, leaving in a taxi. Even more disturbing is the fact that Ethan has a swirling aura over his head! After a series of strange text messages from Ethan, he vanishes. Kate searches for him in Florence, Italy, where she meets up with his sister, Claire, who also has an aura. Before long, the two are on the run. Look for rare art and antiquities, a rogue Catholic Priest, and lots of twists and turns in this story!
THE SCOTTISH CONNECTION: My favorite book… There’s just something about the Scottish moors. By now, I’m well vested in these characters. Kate and Josh are visiting his Uncle Fergus and the sprawling family mansion. Guess who has an aura? Uncle Fergus. To make matters worse, there is a series of murders. Add to the mystery a ghostly vision, and Kate is up to her eyeballs as she tries to save Josh’s uncle. There is a Russian connection to the late Tsarina that makes this story memorable. I guarantee you will not figure this one out!
I loved this four book series. British mysteries are my favorite. This author creates interesting characters and plots with a few historical twists added in. The paranormal aspects of the aura sightings predicting imminent death were brilliant. If you’re looking for a fun paranormal series to read filled with mystery and suspense, make it this one.
May 2, 2020
# The Aura
After an episode in Florence, Kate stared to see strange illusions over some people's heads.
What the meant, was a whole life changing situation, one that leaves Kate, literally, battered and bruised.
It's a very strange and intriguing tale, well worth reading further about.
#2 Double Blind
So, if you believe some one close to you, or someone important to the society you live in, is going to die, and you know that you have the potential to change that outcome, although most people wouldn't believe or understand you, would you then do everything possible to prevent their deaths?
That's Kate Benedict's problem, having her best friend and a couple of political candidates showing her, via their auras, that they have a short time on this world.
As with a lot of supernatural type situations, most people are more than sceptical if advised of the facts.
So that leaves the poor girl in a situation of trying to gather enough information to convince the powers that be, that there is a credible threat.
It's another entertaining and enthralling tale.
#3 The Florentine Cypher
A missed dinner date, a man who may have been her friend disappearing in a taxi, and someone may have broken into her friend's apartment.
So, with all this happening, Kate goes off to alert the police of possible break and enter, as well as a missing person.
Next with a couple of cryptic messages, Kate is flying off to Florence where things really become hectic.
Yes, Kate is still seeing auras, and use she did glimpse one over the head of the person, she believed was her friend in the Taxi cab.
So, another hectic chase, across Italy, with possible assassins in pursuit. Good stuff!
#4 The Scottish Connection
On visit to Kate's boyfriend, Josh's uncle's birthday party, in the Scottish Castle, that was a family estate, Kate sees an aura over the uncle.
Off course, the problem was whether it related to health issues or something more sinister.
Espionage and skull duggery on the highest level, gives one very entertaining and enthralling tale.
After an episode in Florence, Kate stared to see strange illusions over some people's heads.
What the meant, was a whole life changing situation, one that leaves Kate, literally, battered and bruised.
It's a very strange and intriguing tale, well worth reading further about.
#2 Double Blind
So, if you believe some one close to you, or someone important to the society you live in, is going to die, and you know that you have the potential to change that outcome, although most people wouldn't believe or understand you, would you then do everything possible to prevent their deaths?
That's Kate Benedict's problem, having her best friend and a couple of political candidates showing her, via their auras, that they have a short time on this world.
As with a lot of supernatural type situations, most people are more than sceptical if advised of the facts.
So that leaves the poor girl in a situation of trying to gather enough information to convince the powers that be, that there is a credible threat.
It's another entertaining and enthralling tale.
#3 The Florentine Cypher
A missed dinner date, a man who may have been her friend disappearing in a taxi, and someone may have broken into her friend's apartment.
So, with all this happening, Kate goes off to alert the police of possible break and enter, as well as a missing person.
Next with a couple of cryptic messages, Kate is flying off to Florence where things really become hectic.
Yes, Kate is still seeing auras, and use she did glimpse one over the head of the person, she believed was her friend in the Taxi cab.
So, another hectic chase, across Italy, with possible assassins in pursuit. Good stuff!
#4 The Scottish Connection
On visit to Kate's boyfriend, Josh's uncle's birthday party, in the Scottish Castle, that was a family estate, Kate sees an aura over the uncle.
Off course, the problem was whether it related to health issues or something more sinister.
Espionage and skull duggery on the highest level, gives one very entertaining and enthralling tale.
January 23, 2021
Don't get too cosy!
I'm reviewing four books here as it was bought as a set. I don't normally do "cosy" and I was a bit sceptical when I saw the description including some paranormal happenings which is not normally on my list of book elements that I enjoy, but I ploughed on and gave it a go.
I am thoroughly glad that I did! Firstly I would NOT classify these books as "cosy". No recipes or down home homilies or cutesy Nanna characters here (thank goodness!!) Each of these books are very well written and plotted and the tension escalates with each turn of the page. Characters are beautifully constructed and three dimensional for the most part. Kate's "gift/curse" is well described and we feel her frustration at every moment: being able to see trouble ahead but not knowing how, why or where it will manifest makes for a good read. Occasionally a leap of faith is needed with a few of the plot twists (nothing too jarring as it all mostly flows smoothly) and I'm ok with that. This is fiction, at its best. Enthralling and exciting and you're invested in the outcome. The "money back guarantee" at the end of each book made me giggle, but it's appreciated. The editing is superior and that is a huge tick for my enjoyment. A lot of care and research has gone into the telling of these tales and it shows. Brava! Highly recommended.
I'm reviewing four books here as it was bought as a set. I don't normally do "cosy" and I was a bit sceptical when I saw the description including some paranormal happenings which is not normally on my list of book elements that I enjoy, but I ploughed on and gave it a go.
I am thoroughly glad that I did! Firstly I would NOT classify these books as "cosy". No recipes or down home homilies or cutesy Nanna characters here (thank goodness!!) Each of these books are very well written and plotted and the tension escalates with each turn of the page. Characters are beautifully constructed and three dimensional for the most part. Kate's "gift/curse" is well described and we feel her frustration at every moment: being able to see trouble ahead but not knowing how, why or where it will manifest makes for a good read. Occasionally a leap of faith is needed with a few of the plot twists (nothing too jarring as it all mostly flows smoothly) and I'm ok with that. This is fiction, at its best. Enthralling and exciting and you're invested in the outcome. The "money back guarantee" at the end of each book made me giggle, but it's appreciated. The editing is superior and that is a huge tick for my enjoyment. A lot of care and research has gone into the telling of these tales and it shows. Brava! Highly recommended.
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January 28, 2020Review of Book 1
I had problems working out whether the author was British or not, then I read that she was born in the UK which made the errors in this book seem illogical. The spellings were US - which was fine, A LOT of Regency Romances have US spellings but in this book there are several US words that don't work in the UK.
Women wear trousers, not pants. 'Pants' are generally underwear.
An architect would not have gone to college, - she'd have gone to university and a high-rated architect would be much older.
Clarke is called a DCI, but she refers to him as Inspector, and if he WAS a DCI he was incredibly young!
Brits don't have 'bangs' - we have a fringe.
It was sloppy editing and there was no real reason for the errors, unless it was to appeal to the US market, in which case it was rather dismissive of British readers.
I decided not to read on after the first book because I was irritated by the casual disregard for British readers. If I read a story with a British setting and a British protagonist, I expect British terms to be used. Its not THAT hard is it?
Not sure how to rate this. The story was okay, and I read to the end, but it was rather too depressing for a 'cozy' mystery. There were too many deaths to be cozy.
Rating to follow.
I had problems working out whether the author was British or not, then I read that she was born in the UK which made the errors in this book seem illogical. The spellings were US - which was fine, A LOT of Regency Romances have US spellings but in this book there are several US words that don't work in the UK.
Women wear trousers, not pants. 'Pants' are generally underwear.
An architect would not have gone to college, - she'd have gone to university and a high-rated architect would be much older.
Clarke is called a DCI, but she refers to him as Inspector, and if he WAS a DCI he was incredibly young!
Brits don't have 'bangs' - we have a fringe.
It was sloppy editing and there was no real reason for the errors, unless it was to appeal to the US market, in which case it was rather dismissive of British readers.
I decided not to read on after the first book because I was irritated by the casual disregard for British readers. If I read a story with a British setting and a British protagonist, I expect British terms to be used. Its not THAT hard is it?
Not sure how to rate this. The story was okay, and I read to the end, but it was rather too depressing for a 'cozy' mystery. There were too many deaths to be cozy.
Rating to follow.
November 17, 2020
Loved it!!
Although I read the entire 4-book series one after the other, these are totally stand-alone books as well. And each one is a well-written murder mystery complete with an intricate plot which keeps you wondering until the very end.
The characters are well-developed, believable and one can easily relate to the main characters. There are always more than one likely candidate to keep you guessing but the true culprits are not so easy to identify although not so well-hidden that it is impossible to find them.
Kate, as an architect with no specialist action-hero skills, to survive all the near-death experiences with very little harm, is a bit more than lucky but each scenario on it's own is quite plausible. Reading each book by itself, this will not even cross your mind. However, reading the whole series in one go, makes you wonder how lucky one seemingly normal young lady can be. But then, Kate is not entirely as normal as you or I, is she?
Although I read the entire 4-book series one after the other, these are totally stand-alone books as well. And each one is a well-written murder mystery complete with an intricate plot which keeps you wondering until the very end.
The characters are well-developed, believable and one can easily relate to the main characters. There are always more than one likely candidate to keep you guessing but the true culprits are not so easy to identify although not so well-hidden that it is impossible to find them.
Kate, as an architect with no specialist action-hero skills, to survive all the near-death experiences with very little harm, is a bit more than lucky but each scenario on it's own is quite plausible. Reading each book by itself, this will not even cross your mind. However, reading the whole series in one go, makes you wonder how lucky one seemingly normal young lady can be. But then, Kate is not entirely as normal as you or I, is she?
August 4, 2022
Written for an American audiance
I liked the idea of the series and the first book wasn't too bad. However as the series went on it got worse.
Too many American expressions of spellings. The English don't have "bangs" we have a fringe. It is the Labour party not the labor party. The leader of the opposition doesn't generally go running around London with an armed escort. Running for office and under Secretary are all American political expressions.
Although sesame street is shown in the UK we don't get reruns. And why do all Scottish men working in London in these types of books have a family who have castle.
I found the main character was a bit simpering, probably the author trying to show her empathy. On the other hand very judgemental on someone she's only just met.
Finally a major plot point to consider, make sure the revealed killer is at least considered and not dismissed out of hand. It's a bit obvious.
Apart from that not too bad a read!
I liked the idea of the series and the first book wasn't too bad. However as the series went on it got worse.
Too many American expressions of spellings. The English don't have "bangs" we have a fringe. It is the Labour party not the labor party. The leader of the opposition doesn't generally go running around London with an armed escort. Running for office and under Secretary are all American political expressions.
Although sesame street is shown in the UK we don't get reruns. And why do all Scottish men working in London in these types of books have a family who have castle.
I found the main character was a bit simpering, probably the author trying to show her empathy. On the other hand very judgemental on someone she's only just met.
Finally a major plot point to consider, make sure the revealed killer is at least considered and not dismissed out of hand. It's a bit obvious.
Apart from that not too bad a read!
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October 29, 2021THE AURA
CARRIE BEDFORD
Review by Author Roy Murry
I rate this paranormal mystery at the top half of my read ratings as far as mysteries go. The read has some good elements, mainly Kate, but falls short on the suspense side.
Kate's reading of auras is the central item driving the story based in England. However, I did not get the 'English Feel' in this story that I have felt in other novels backgrounded there.
The book is the first in a series and gives the reader a reason to move on to book two. Kate is developing her abilities in understanding her auras and could lead to interesting situations.
Lastly, the storyline was different, making it somewhat enjoyable, so that I may go on and read another in this eight-book series. You should read one of Carrie's books during a vacation.
CARRIE BEDFORD
Review by Author Roy Murry
I rate this paranormal mystery at the top half of my read ratings as far as mysteries go. The read has some good elements, mainly Kate, but falls short on the suspense side.
Kate's reading of auras is the central item driving the story based in England. However, I did not get the 'English Feel' in this story that I have felt in other novels backgrounded there.
The book is the first in a series and gives the reader a reason to move on to book two. Kate is developing her abilities in understanding her auras and could lead to interesting situations.
Lastly, the storyline was different, making it somewhat enjoyable, so that I may go on and read another in this eight-book series. You should read one of Carrie's books during a vacation.
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October 27, 2020Engaging
Four enjoyable stories with Kate and her ability to sense mortal danger by seeing an aura over those in danger. The first was good, but her unreasonable guilt over her younger brother's drowning totally disregarded the fact she was getting the other little bit out of the pool and that was annoying. The second was also good even though the police seemed totally inept, late and unresponsive even though someone was kidnapped. The third was quite convoluted. Why carry the key? Why not eat when you are hungry and in a restaurant for an hour? The fourth was the most satisfying and enjoyable.
Four enjoyable stories with Kate and her ability to sense mortal danger by seeing an aura over those in danger. The first was good, but her unreasonable guilt over her younger brother's drowning totally disregarded the fact she was getting the other little bit out of the pool and that was annoying. The second was also good even though the police seemed totally inept, late and unresponsive even though someone was kidnapped. The third was quite convoluted. Why carry the key? Why not eat when you are hungry and in a restaurant for an hour? The fourth was the most satisfying and enjoyable.
December 29, 2024
I don’t normally read paranormal themed books, but the introduction caught my eye and I decided to give it a try! Wow, Carrie Bedford had me from the first page through the last page and I found it hard to put the book down! The plots are engaging, the characters likable and relatable, and the themes not so far out of the norm that they’re believable. I gave the series a 4-star rating because I thought the author spent a little too much time delving into details that did not add to the plot or storyline, but added to the reading time. Overall, I’ll keep reading about Kate Benedict and Bedford’s other characters!
May 17, 2019
Excellent books by an excellent author!!!
These books (4) were wonderful to read. At no time was I bored not did I ever feel lost or confused by the story, the plot, the actors.... Or anything. I loved these books.I
And I have to admit... as I generally always have mistakes in punctuation, grammar, and spelling jump up, rap me in head screaming "here I am"... But not one single mistake that me or my subconscious found through
out the series of books!
If you, as a reader, are looking for something to read... Here they are!!! I'm no way will you be disappointed!!!
These books (4) were wonderful to read. At no time was I bored not did I ever feel lost or confused by the story, the plot, the actors.... Or anything. I loved these books.I
And I have to admit... as I generally always have mistakes in punctuation, grammar, and spelling jump up, rap me in head screaming "here I am"... But not one single mistake that me or my subconscious found through
out the series of books!
If you, as a reader, are looking for something to read... Here they are!!! I'm no way will you be disappointed!!!
June 14, 2023
A book well worth your time
Mysteries within mysteries. Mis-directions galore. Well defined characters who are capable of surprising you. Villains who defy categorization.
5*! I rarely give five stars, even to my most favorite authors. This book has great character development, tight plotting, surprises at every twist and turn. This was the first time in a long time that I hated seeing that I was coming to the end of the book. Great characters and character evolution / devolution, great plot and plot development. I cannot compliment this author enough. Read it!
Mysteries within mysteries. Mis-directions galore. Well defined characters who are capable of surprising you. Villains who defy categorization.
5*! I rarely give five stars, even to my most favorite authors. This book has great character development, tight plotting, surprises at every twist and turn. This was the first time in a long time that I hated seeing that I was coming to the end of the book. Great characters and character evolution / devolution, great plot and plot development. I cannot compliment this author enough. Read it!
May 9, 2019
BRILLIANT!
The books in this set are absolutely brilliant. Each has quite a complex plot and VERY realistic characters. The author had to do monumental amounts of research simply to set the scenes and the historical references in the books. This isn't a thriller-type set of books. Instead, it totally captures one's interest and provides wonderful entertainment. I'm very impressed with this author's writing talent skills.
The books in this set are absolutely brilliant. Each has quite a complex plot and VERY realistic characters. The author had to do monumental amounts of research simply to set the scenes and the historical references in the books. This isn't a thriller-type set of books. Instead, it totally captures one's interest and provides wonderful entertainment. I'm very impressed with this author's writing talent skills.
April 24, 2024
Want a bit of paranormal, skeptism and a touch of romance....oh and a murder or 2 then have a peek a
Easy reading with a touch of paranormal and murders, trips around the world. Believable characters who are likeable and of course a few villains thrown in . Each book gets better in the series as you follow Kate and Josh in their adventures . Looking forward to reading the next instalment.
Easy reading with a touch of paranormal and murders, trips around the world. Believable characters who are likeable and of course a few villains thrown in . Each book gets better in the series as you follow Kate and Josh in their adventures . Looking forward to reading the next instalment.
February 23, 2019
Auras that Warn
Loved the novels and it's heroine Kate, who could see an aura above those who were going to die. I enjoyed the way that her character developed with each following book. I appreciated that Kate solved her cases in diverse settings. The characters were well developed and totally believable.
Loved the novels and it's heroine Kate, who could see an aura above those who were going to die. I enjoyed the way that her character developed with each following book. I appreciated that Kate solved her cases in diverse settings. The characters were well developed and totally believable.
March 4, 2019
Very much enjoyed these books. Character development is strong, and connections between the main characters, Kate and John and auxiliary characters serves to connect the different stories. Carrie is excellent at creating suspense as each story moves through to resolution, and the endings are entirely satisfying.
May 15, 2019
So glad I found Kate Benedict
Carrie Bedford has done it all again. This mystery has kept me reading late into the night and into morning. I love the setting of a Scottish castle with a search for Russian treasures from the Romanov era. We were left wondering who the aura was going to take, her boyfriend, Josh's uncle or his cousin. I'm not going to spoil the story.
Carrie Bedford has done it all again. This mystery has kept me reading late into the night and into morning. I love the setting of a Scottish castle with a search for Russian treasures from the Romanov era. We were left wondering who the aura was going to take, her boyfriend, Josh's uncle or his cousin. I'm not going to spoil the story.
August 10, 2019
What a treasure
I have spent nights up late devouuring this series of books. Carrie Bedford, just keep on writing. The books are so filled with great characters, twisty mysterious paths. I'm an avid proof reader and only noticed one little two letter word missing in all four books. Long live Kate Benedict and may many more readers enjoy these stories.
I have spent nights up late devouuring this series of books. Carrie Bedford, just keep on writing. The books are so filled with great characters, twisty mysterious paths. I'm an avid proof reader and only noticed one little two letter word missing in all four books. Long live Kate Benedict and may many more readers enjoy these stories.
August 18, 2019
The Kzts Benedict Seris
This series of four books were great and wonderful reading. She kept my attention from start to finish. I have rarely had the pleasure of reading such that it was very hard to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed these books from start to finish! I loo,k forward to reading more books by this author.
This series of four books were great and wonderful reading. She kept my attention from start to finish. I have rarely had the pleasure of reading such that it was very hard to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed these books from start to finish! I loo,k forward to reading more books by this author.
September 15, 2019
Delightfully British and creative. Couldn't turn the pages fast enough! Well woven together is a romance and a good view of mysterious history. The lead, a female tragically visited with a paranormal gift, seeks to find love while balancing her career against her need to help people who her gift identifies as being in jeopardy. Difficult job; great stories following her adventures.
September 22, 2019
Awesome
Late Benedict the main character in the series is gifted with an unusual aura as she calls it, she can see when someone is about to die. She does her best to investigate what could be the reason and most always is able to find the reason and stop the death. The police are suspect of her gift but do find eventual!y that her on-site is invaluable. Great reads!
Late Benedict the main character in the series is gifted with an unusual aura as she calls it, she can see when someone is about to die. She does her best to investigate what could be the reason and most always is able to find the reason and stop the death. The police are suspect of her gift but do find eventual!y that her on-site is invaluable. Great reads!
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