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Haunted Bookshop Mystery #5
The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion
Unabridged, 1 audiobook file (9 parts), 9 hours 43 minutes 53 seconds
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Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure didn't believe in ghosts, until she met the ghost of hard-boiled 1940s private investigator Jack Shepard. And when Pen's friend and mailman, Seymour Tarnish, gets into deep trouble, Pen not only believes in her ghost, she also thinks he can help...
And elderly lady of leisure has been found dead on posh Larchmont Avenue, her will recently, and suspiciously, revised to name Seymour as heir to the mansion. Just as eyes turn to him as the murderer, and Seymour gets busy settling into his ritzy digs, the mansion's ghosts begin plaguing him.
So he hires a team of parapsychologists to exorcise all the spirits from the town of Quindicott, and that includes Jack. Pen must act fast, because losing Jack scares Pen more than rattling chains and cold spots...
_______________
Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure didn't believe in ghosts, until she met the ghost of hard-boiled 1940s private investigator Jack Shepard. And when Pen's friend and mailman, Seymour Tarnish, gets into deep trouble, Pen not only believes in her ghost, she also thinks he can help...
And elderly lady of leisure has been found dead on posh Larchmont Avenue, her will recently, and suspiciously, revised to name Seymour as heir to the mansion. Just as eyes turn to him as the murderer, and Seymour gets busy settling into his ritzy digs, the mansion's ghosts begin plaguing him.
So he hires a team of parapsychologists to exorcise all the spirits from the town of Quindicott, and that includes Jack. Pen must act fast, because losing Jack scares Pen more than rattling chains and cold spots...
10 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2009
77 people are currently reading
1659 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 11, 2021
This has been one of my favorites of the series! I loved the supernatural investigation side of the mystery. Usually, Jack is the only supernatural part of the books. I still wish that Pen would ASK Jack if he’s happy being a ghost or if she should let him move on. Hopefully this important conversation will happen soon in the series.
July 3, 2009
I keep rating these books as just ok - and then can't help but read the next one. Sort of like potato chips.
October 19, 2019
Pen and her handsome ghost are put on the case once again! No problem when your ghost is a 1940's era private detective who can help guide you to the killer! Interesting characters with an intriguing spin by adding in a ghost with attitude help enhance a well thought out plot. I am intrigued to see what happens in the next book!
February 19, 2023
Penelope is slowly not getting on my nerves 😂🤷🏾♀️😂. Seymour trying to adjust to his new wealthy status was hilarious. Penelope had to rely on herself more in this book which was good for her growth.
September 4, 2016
You have a body found as if scared in fright, Pen's friend Seymour inherits the mansion and from there, suspicions arise. One of the being the supernatural kind.
This had a slow start but picked up in the middle. And so it changed from being a 4 to 4.5 to 5.
Only complaint I had honestly was the character of Ciders. OMG! Seriously what was going on there? Did he forgot how much Pen has done with helping solve the cases? I mean seriously why was he so quick to judge? He didn't use his head there, not even confirming the conclusions but instead was just jumping. Anyway, at least there's Eddie. I like him.
I like how the past cases of Jack are somehow relevant to the case Pen's currently trying to solve. Nice crime solving there.
Also, not enough Jack in this one but you know what? There was a reason behind that and I agree with him. Near the end, though there's a quick moment, what one of the character's say and I wonder if it'll be brought up again later on in the series. If ever the next book comes out. Yeah I'll be a little impatient waiting for it. But at least I'm caught up with this series so far.
From book one, I liked it. Even if there's some moments where you like seriously and you got to be kidding me and aww that was kind of sweet. The writing and character development helps as well. Good sequel.
This had a slow start but picked up in the middle. And so it changed from being a 4 to 4.5 to 5.
Only complaint I had honestly was the character of Ciders. OMG! Seriously what was going on there? Did he forgot how much Pen has done with helping solve the cases? I mean seriously why was he so quick to judge? He didn't use his head there, not even confirming the conclusions but instead was just jumping. Anyway, at least there's Eddie. I like him.
I like how the past cases of Jack are somehow relevant to the case Pen's currently trying to solve. Nice crime solving there.
Also, not enough Jack in this one but you know what? There was a reason behind that and I agree with him. Near the end, though there's a quick moment, what one of the character's say and I wonder if it'll be brought up again later on in the series. If ever the next book comes out. Yeah I'll be a little impatient waiting for it. But at least I'm caught up with this series so far.
From book one, I liked it. Even if there's some moments where you like seriously and you got to be kidding me and aww that was kind of sweet. The writing and character development helps as well. Good sequel.
May 9, 2014
The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion is the fifth book of the Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle. This was my favorite book so far and I really enjoy the series. Bookstore owner Penelope Thornton-McClure is on her way to deliver a book order to shut-in Miss Timothea Todd when she almost hits her good friend, mailman Seymour Tarnish running down the road. He dashes away and she continues on to Miss Todd's house to find the woman frightened to death in her living room. It was rumored that her mansion is haunted with ghosts. The situation becomes complicated when it's revealed the mailman has inherited the mansion and the grounds. When Seymour is arrested for Miss Todd's murder, Penelope decides to help prove his innocence with help from her ghost friend, dead 1940's Private investigator Jack Shepard. It turns out that Jack has had some experience with Miss Todd's ghost when he was very much alive in the 1940's. Through Penelope's dreams, Jack brings her back to work the case in the 1940's as well as continuing to work the case in present day. The two characters, Penelope and Jack, are great together and I love how this series combines both time periods, comparing clothes, culture and investigative techniques.
The Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series is a great paranormal cozy mystery series. Cleo Coyle (a pen name)also writes the Coffee-house Mysteries under pen name Alice Kimberly with her husband. If
you enjoy clever cozy mystery with a in-depth plot, pick up the mystery series by Cleo Coyle and/or Alice Kimberly.
The Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series is a great paranormal cozy mystery series. Cleo Coyle (a pen name)also writes the Coffee-house Mysteries under pen name Alice Kimberly with her husband. If
you enjoy clever cozy mystery with a in-depth plot, pick up the mystery series by Cleo Coyle and/or Alice Kimberly.
October 28, 2018
I had only ever read the first in this series, and while I'm not a fan of skipping around in a series, one of the Facebook book clubs had this as their selection a couple of weeks ago. I'm behind, of course, but they leave the event up for anyone that can't make the event. I do want to read from book 2 though.
Pen's friend Seymour the mailman has inherited a mansion on a ritzy part of town that just might be haunted. She even experienced some of the ghostly happenings in it herself and had started wondering if the older lady who lived there wasn't possibly frightened to death by someone stirring up the ghosts in the house. Later she realized she needed to hunt down a flesh and blood killer, so with her ghostly friend Jack's assistance he gives her by speaking into her mind, Pen was able to help solve this case.
Since I skipped from book one to this book, I'm not sure the other books do this but I'm pretty sure they probably do and that's having Pen travel back to Jack's time in her dreams. I know this happened only once in book 1. I liked how they tied the old case to the contemporary case. It was interesting meeting some of the people from Jack's past. I really was surprised by who the killer turned out to be, since I was sure that it was someone else.
This was a perfect Halloween read and just the level of spookiness I can handle! Before I read the newest book though, I am going to read the others in the series in order.
Pen's friend Seymour the mailman has inherited a mansion on a ritzy part of town that just might be haunted. She even experienced some of the ghostly happenings in it herself and had started wondering if the older lady who lived there wasn't possibly frightened to death by someone stirring up the ghosts in the house. Later she realized she needed to hunt down a flesh and blood killer, so with her ghostly friend Jack's assistance he gives her by speaking into her mind, Pen was able to help solve this case.
Since I skipped from book one to this book, I'm not sure the other books do this but I'm pretty sure they probably do and that's having Pen travel back to Jack's time in her dreams. I know this happened only once in book 1. I liked how they tied the old case to the contemporary case. It was interesting meeting some of the people from Jack's past. I really was surprised by who the killer turned out to be, since I was sure that it was someone else.
This was a perfect Halloween read and just the level of spookiness I can handle! Before I read the newest book though, I am going to read the others in the series in order.
May 29, 2021
A fun cozy ghost story. A modern woman, her sidekick the ghost of a private detective killed in 1949, and the inheritance of a haunted mansion have all the ingredients to entertain you till the very last word.
July 22, 2020
I listened to this wonderful tale through Chirp.com.
Fun engaging plot and characters. Fabulous narration!
I hated for it to end.
Fun engaging plot and characters. Fabulous narration!
I hated for it to end.
June 3, 2021
LOVE this series!!
August 24, 2019
I haven't read any in this series for a while, and I forgot how good they are! In this entry, a rich lady dies under mysterious circumstances in her mansion, bookstore owner Penelope Thornton-McClure finds her, and eventually her cause of death is tentatively listed as 'dying of fright', which is quite a difficult thing to proof. Penelope has her own suspicions, and also has her own 'ghost', Jack, who helps her solve the crime, despite all the possible suspects who could have done it. This is a very satisfying read.
July 7, 2019
Although I still love Jack, there isn’t a whole lot of different stuff in this book. Not that it’s bad at all, just kind of routine and typical. Body found, side story with one of the main characters, Pen and Jack investigate, case solved.
One thing I do love with this series is that the characters remain true to the storyline and we don’t have too many new characters introduced. I thought this was the last one, which would be sort of a horrible way to end, but apparently it is not...
One thing I do love with this series is that the characters remain true to the storyline and we don’t have too many new characters introduced. I thought this was the last one, which would be sort of a horrible way to end, but apparently it is not...
November 9, 2023
This was hard to get into. This is a detective, who done it murder mystery. Felt drawn out and not much action. Was a let down that there wasn't much haunting other than the ghost of the detective.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2023
Took me a little bit to get into this but I actually enjoyed the mystery of trying to solve the case. Turned out to be a good read.
April 15, 2017
I guess this is it for this series. I liked it lots.
July 5, 2017
This was the last of my ghostie books. I am going to miss this.
September 29, 2011
Fifth in the Haunted Bookshop mystery series set in an old bookstore, Buy the Books, in Quindicott, Rhode Island. One of the owners, Penelope McClure, has an odd partnership in detecting…with the ghost of a private detective, Jack Shepard, who was murdered in the bookstore in 1949.
The Story
While delivering a parcel of books, Pen stumbles over the dead body of her buyer, a Miss Todd, who lived as a recluse in her old mansion. Seymour Tarnish is on the hot seat for this one…mostly because Chief Ciders and Bull McCoy have a hard-on for hurtin' Seymour and they're both stupider than bricks. And when Pen tells them she saw Seymour running across the road with a bloodied shirt and Miss Todd's will is read and Seymour inherits just about everything, well…even if the medical examiner says she died of natural causes, Ciders will do just about anything to put Seymour away even if Pen still thinks Miss Todd was frightened to death.
The Characters
I suspect we may have a couple of new characters in the series: Emory Stoddard is/was Miss Todd's lawyer and Ophelia Tuttle is Stoddard's secretary and both are members of the Rhode Island Paranormal Society. Ophelia can see and hear Jack…you can imagine how annoyed Pen is that Ophelia can see Jack and she can't!
Mrs. Fromsette and April Briggs are mother and daughter with a huge stake in things.
My Take
This was rather fun in that Pen was so worried about ghostbusters and exorcisms taking Jack away from her. I thought she got a bit carried away about it, but Pen was definitely worried about Jack disappearing forever.
The disappointing part of it was that there just wasn't the action and excitement I've come to expect. Sure, the unveiling of how they terrified Miss Todd to death was interesting and I'm curious as to how Kimberly will use Ophelia and Stoddard in future stories—how could she resist with all the terror it inspires in Pen! But I missed having more action inside the bookstore, we hardly saw Sadie, and we didn't get much time on one of Jack's old cases in Pen's dreams.
Sadie certainly made a good pitch for an open mind about books—just because a book's subject isn't your cup of tea, it's no reason to put it down. It's made me stop and think. I'm hoping when I get down on a book, it's for the right reasons and not just because I dislike its subject.
It's been two years since this installment was published and I'm hoping Kimberly hasn't given up on the series…I want to know what happens when Bud beats the Municipal Zoning Witch at the polls, I want to see Pen have a regular date and listen to Jack bitch and moan about it, I want more action between Pen and Jack…
The Cover
The cover has us peeking in through the opened, double-arched doors of Miss Todd's mansion at the stairs just inside the door with Jack's fedora caught on the newel post. It's missing the lovely stained glass border the first four books had. Instead the top and bottom are bordered by a thick band of burgundy.
The title is a bit ho-hum but accurate as it is all about the The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion.
The Story
While delivering a parcel of books, Pen stumbles over the dead body of her buyer, a Miss Todd, who lived as a recluse in her old mansion. Seymour Tarnish is on the hot seat for this one…mostly because Chief Ciders and Bull McCoy have a hard-on for hurtin' Seymour and they're both stupider than bricks. And when Pen tells them she saw Seymour running across the road with a bloodied shirt and Miss Todd's will is read and Seymour inherits just about everything, well…even if the medical examiner says she died of natural causes, Ciders will do just about anything to put Seymour away even if Pen still thinks Miss Todd was frightened to death.
The Characters
I suspect we may have a couple of new characters in the series: Emory Stoddard is/was Miss Todd's lawyer and Ophelia Tuttle is Stoddard's secretary and both are members of the Rhode Island Paranormal Society. Ophelia can see and hear Jack…you can imagine how annoyed Pen is that Ophelia can see Jack and she can't!
Mrs. Fromsette and April Briggs are mother and daughter with a huge stake in things.
My Take
This was rather fun in that Pen was so worried about ghostbusters and exorcisms taking Jack away from her. I thought she got a bit carried away about it, but Pen was definitely worried about Jack disappearing forever.
The disappointing part of it was that there just wasn't the action and excitement I've come to expect. Sure, the unveiling of how they terrified Miss Todd to death was interesting and I'm curious as to how Kimberly will use Ophelia and Stoddard in future stories—how could she resist with all the terror it inspires in Pen! But I missed having more action inside the bookstore, we hardly saw Sadie, and we didn't get much time on one of Jack's old cases in Pen's dreams.
Sadie certainly made a good pitch for an open mind about books—just because a book's subject isn't your cup of tea, it's no reason to put it down. It's made me stop and think. I'm hoping when I get down on a book, it's for the right reasons and not just because I dislike its subject.
It's been two years since this installment was published and I'm hoping Kimberly hasn't given up on the series…I want to know what happens when Bud beats the Municipal Zoning Witch at the polls, I want to see Pen have a regular date and listen to Jack bitch and moan about it, I want more action between Pen and Jack…
The Cover
The cover has us peeking in through the opened, double-arched doors of Miss Todd's mansion at the stairs just inside the door with Jack's fedora caught on the newel post. It's missing the lovely stained glass border the first four books had. Instead the top and bottom are bordered by a thick band of burgundy.
The title is a bit ho-hum but accurate as it is all about the The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion.
September 15, 2013
I love Alice Kimberly/Cleo Coyle. Both series written by this husband/wife team are completely different but each is highly readable and great examples of the cozy mystery genre.
The Haunted Bookshop Mystery series on the surface, wouldn't be one that would normally appeal to me. I don't like ghosts. But the way that Kimberly weaves the ghost's past cases as a PI with the current mystery surrounding the bookshop and Penelope is very clever.
The characters in Quindicott are likeable and make you want to get to know them and the town more. It's interesting that this is a series set in a bookshop as physical bookstores are going by the wayside. There's nary a mention of e-readers/electronic books. Pen does a great job with her aunt Sadie promoting the store, hosting events and book clubs and stocking the best of the best in mysteries.
I do enjoy in this latest installment in the series that Aunt Sadie goes off about pretension and those that turn their noses up at certain books or people because they aren't considered highly intelligent reading material or have deep meanings. I have myself, thought the same thing over and over and hate anything pretentious - foodies, people who scoff at food with preservatives, people who only listen to certain indie labels/music only to stop listening when those artists go mainstream and try to earn a little money and those who only read literary works. As long as what you are doing makes you happy, there is no reason for anyone else to turn their nose up at it. Different strokes for different folks.
I digress though. This series and the Coffeehouse Mysteries by the same author are awesome reads. Very well-written, great characters, and both great settings!
The Haunted Bookshop Mystery series on the surface, wouldn't be one that would normally appeal to me. I don't like ghosts. But the way that Kimberly weaves the ghost's past cases as a PI with the current mystery surrounding the bookshop and Penelope is very clever.
The characters in Quindicott are likeable and make you want to get to know them and the town more. It's interesting that this is a series set in a bookshop as physical bookstores are going by the wayside. There's nary a mention of e-readers/electronic books. Pen does a great job with her aunt Sadie promoting the store, hosting events and book clubs and stocking the best of the best in mysteries.
I do enjoy in this latest installment in the series that Aunt Sadie goes off about pretension and those that turn their noses up at certain books or people because they aren't considered highly intelligent reading material or have deep meanings. I have myself, thought the same thing over and over and hate anything pretentious - foodies, people who scoff at food with preservatives, people who only listen to certain indie labels/music only to stop listening when those artists go mainstream and try to earn a little money and those who only read literary works. As long as what you are doing makes you happy, there is no reason for anyone else to turn their nose up at it. Different strokes for different folks.
I digress though. This series and the Coffeehouse Mysteries by the same author are awesome reads. Very well-written, great characters, and both great settings!
July 17, 2014
Haunted mansion, Seance- a delectable cozy!, June 11, 2012
By Ellen Rappaport (Florida)
This review is from: The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion (Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, No. 5) (Mass Market Paperback)
I couldn't have asked for a more inviting cozy if I tried. All the ingredients: a haunted mansion with the owner murdered, a seance and a P.I. who is in fact a ghost from the 1940's era. Totally fascinating and addictive!
Loved this book and this series from it's start. This particular book compelled me to read on and on.
Penelope is brought into this situation by discovering the murdered body of the haunted mansions owner while delivering a book to her. At the same time her mailman is observed running away from the mansion with a red stain on his shirt.
And so the games afoot. How will Jack be involved in the solving of this mystery and why is the mailman running away from the scene of this crime?
If I had only one cozy mystery series to choose from...it would have to be the Haunted Bookshop mystery series. More than a murder mystery...it has mysteries that span decades and relationships that cover dimensions.
A MUST read for lovers of cozies.
Ellen
November 9, 2012
I have really enjoyed Alice Kimberly's series about a newly widowed woman and her son revamping an out of date bookstore that is haunted by a private investigator who was murdered in 1949. I have given all her books a 5 star because, as cozy mysteries go, each book has a great story and each has a certain progression regarding the relationships between the characters, in particular Penelope and her Ghost. I will say that her No. 6 book was to be released awhile ago and has still not been, and online it does not give any indication of when. That is disappointing, but there could be a personal reason for this, or she is busy with other things. Unfortunately, this is such a great series that I would hate to see it slip through the cracks for another project, but that's how these things go sometimes. I would highly recommend all these books with the caution of having to wait for follow-up storylines.
October 23, 2013
I feel like the author hit her stride on book 4 and this one continues the stride, nice pacing and of course this one deals with "ghosts."
The course of the town and Pen's friends continues in this story keeping the world of Quindicott quaint and yet gives us some changes in it as well. I won't go into detail about the story itself, which was clever, but if you like this series an interesting character is introduced. One that can actually see and hear Jack. Will be interesting to see if she returns!
Also I can feel the heat ramping up against another character, Marjorie- which I hopes comes to an interesting "um" face-off of sorts.
Fun fun, If you want to read this series, you can start anywhere, but of course it would be best to start at the beginning as the series is progressive... but I started on book 3 and was fine. I am not finally getting to book 1.
Love the quotes from all the old detective mysteries that precede each chapter's start.
The course of the town and Pen's friends continues in this story keeping the world of Quindicott quaint and yet gives us some changes in it as well. I won't go into detail about the story itself, which was clever, but if you like this series an interesting character is introduced. One that can actually see and hear Jack. Will be interesting to see if she returns!
Also I can feel the heat ramping up against another character, Marjorie- which I hopes comes to an interesting "um" face-off of sorts.
Fun fun, If you want to read this series, you can start anywhere, but of course it would be best to start at the beginning as the series is progressive... but I started on book 3 and was fine. I am not finally getting to book 1.
Love the quotes from all the old detective mysteries that precede each chapter's start.
October 10, 2018
A bookstore, a ghost and a "haunted" mansion. What's not to love? This is definitely my favorite in a series that I love. The story moved quickly for me, and the interaction of the characters made it come alive. Once again, I was still pinning guilt on the wrong character, figuring it out as Pen did. I enjoyed the incorporation of the ghost hunters, and the skepticism of Pen's friends (everyone knows ghosts don't exist). Once again, I have fallen in love with a series and face the fact that I have to wait for the next publication. Major sad face! But I can't wait to read the next one....
November 19, 2021
Great paranormal cozy series! The characters are likable and interesting and their banter is often funny. Penelope (Pen) and her Aunt Sadie own a bookstore and they have a resident ghost named Jack who was a Private Investigator and died in their store in the 1940's. Pen is the only one who can interact with him. The current murder parallels a case Jack had in the past so it keeps the reader interested. In this book, Pen's friend Seymour inherits an old house from a lady he visited with while delivering the mail. Pen finds the lady dead and she doesn't believe it was natural causes. The characters, the humor, family and friendship make this such an enjoyable read!
July 2, 2010
Another delightful visit to the world of ghostly detectives is The GHOST AND THE HAUNTED MANSION (Haunted Bookshop Series, Number 5, Berkley Prime Crime, 2009), by Alice Kimberly. The main character has a sidekick, Jack Shepard, who is actually the ghost of a long-dead PI of the hard-boiled type. Penelope McClure, a bookseller, enlists his help to solve the murder of one of her loyal customers and clear her friend’s name. Alice Kimberly is the pen name of Cleo Coyle, who writes another popular series, the Coffeehouse Mysteries.
November 11, 2021
I think this one is my favorite so far. We meet up with our ghostly PI & bookseller as she is busy getting new "provocative" book standee shows up at her shop, her son is going to his first summer camp, oh AND she just happens to stumble upon the dead body of someone who she was supposed to be delivering books to. What all can go wrong from there? Oh just more ghosts, mayhem, 1940s PI case to coincide with the present-day case and psychics!
March 2, 2009
Penelope McClure, widowed and the owner of a small town bookshop, solves mysteries with the help of a ghost. This ghost is a P.I. from the 1940s who was killed in her shop.
This is a well-written, light novel. Great for a beach read or any time. It probably would not appeal to teens. Part of its humor arises from the character of Jack who is based on the Micky Spilane type character.
This is a well-written, light novel. Great for a beach read or any time. It probably would not appeal to teens. Part of its humor arises from the character of Jack who is based on the Micky Spilane type character.
December 20, 2012
This has to be one of my fave of this series so far. The details that were put into the "haunted mansion" aspect of the book was great. Though my fave part of all the books is when Pen and Jack go back in time to the 40's. Alice Kimberly does a fantastic job with the lingo, outifits and description of that time era.
May 24, 2018
I love this series & all the people in it! As it was copyrighted 2009, I thought I'd come to the end & was sad. Then I saw another will be coming out this fall! Can't wait to catch up with some of my favorite fictional people! This series is a great combination of the hard boiled detective & the cozy mystery.
September 8, 2019
A ghost haunting your bookstore is one thing, but a 1940’s PI ghost is totally something else. Fun and games follow Penelope and Jack as they try to solve who killed Miss Todd. A haunted house, a murder and lots of suspects make this a fun and enjoyable reading experience. You will love this book if you are a fan of cozy mysteries. Especially, mysteries that feature great characters.
January 11, 2022
A nice update (more or less) to Gaslight.
As with the previous mysteries, the modern day mystery — how did the woman die — is tied with one of Jack's cold cases. How the two tied together was a little harder to sort out. The modern day mystery, though, was fairly straightforward, though still entertaining.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
As with the previous mysteries, the modern day mystery — how did the woman die — is tied with one of Jack's cold cases. How the two tied together was a little harder to sort out. The modern day mystery, though, was fairly straightforward, though still entertaining.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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