Monkey Heart

by J. Elliott

Monkey Heart (the second in the series) picks up where Monkey Mind left off. Haint Blue has invested her savings in her new business, a meditation retreat in Catfish Springs, Florida. Bookings are few. Bills are piling up. Her brother Iggy isn't returning her calls. What is he hiding? Why won't he talk to her? Haint struggles to stay positive. As Halloween approaches, bookings pick up. Guests include a group of Wiccans, three cryptozoologists after the Florida Skunk Ape, a dieting club, survivalists planning for TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) and an overflow of Halloween revelers fresh from a drag show. The camp is lit up with activity and merriment. Haint is aglow as well, preoccupied by the attention of the lead cryptozoologist, Buster. All Saint's day begins with the sheriff banging at her door. One guest is missing. Murder? Foul play? Bigfoot abduction? This quasi-cozy goes French farce as the events of the previous evening are reviewed. And while someone or something has snatched her guest, Buster is capturing her heart.

343 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2020

About the author

J. Elliott has written three novels in a funny, Buddhist-theme-dusted, cozy series set in Florida (Monkey Mind, Monkey Heart, and It's a Haint Blue Christmas). The next installment is due out by May 2026.
A huge fan of the classic ghost story tradition, Elliott grew up watching The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. She loves creepy, uncanny stories especially when funny and unease collide. She's published four collections of spooky short stories (Ghost Lite, Tales from Kensington & Other Macabre & Unsettling Offerings, Uncanny Stout and The Odds.) If you seek true horror, these will be way too light for you.
In 2024 she published her first ghost story novel, Jiko Bukken set in Japan in 1993.
She has made a few videos of some her stories that can be seen on her YouTube channel, Hedonistic Hound Press. She is a regular illustrator for two online horror magazines, Black Petals and Yellow Mama.
She resides on six acres of overgrown Florida hammock with her indulgent boyfriend, and sweet basset hound.

Reviews

[Cynthia Bertelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As other reviewers state, Jess Elliott is one of those rare writers who combines humor, mayhem, and philosophy all in one delicious read. A whole parade of characters tramps through "Monkey Heart," along with dogs, ghost stories, love tangles, and delightful allusions to a wonderful city in North Florida. Grab a cup of tea, no, make that a few cups, and settle down for a day of reading in your favorite chair. Witty and winsome, that's Haint, a character you won't soon forget.

[Sam Berretti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Five-Star Treat
Jess Elliott bags a big one in this hilarious escapade about monster hunters, Wiccans, hounds and a whole collection of off-kilter characters. Haint Blue is an albino owner slash host of a backwoods yoga/meditation retreat on a scenic Florida river. Extra bonus – the reader gets to learn about yoga and meditation! Did I mention the ghosts? Did I mention her crush in this tale of mysterious lovers and missing people? Well, you get the idea. It’s a hot mess of twisty turns and laughs. Great story telling, great read. Don’t miss it.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read - relaxing and light. Loved it. Great characters

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jess Elliott continues her witty, madcap and hilarious adventures with Monkey Heart. You won’t forget the people portrayed in this second of the Haint Blue books – many of whom you have probably already met in your life, although with different names. Love how she also includes the “inner monologue” from her main character, whose inner musings will also strike chords with the readers. How many similar thoughts have you had and kept to yourself. If you’re looking for a book to keep you laughing as well as thinking about spiritual matters, this is a fun and captivating read! Can’t Wait For The Next Haint (adventure)!

[Stormy McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun adventure with Haint Blue at the Lotus Lodge! What do you get when you mix cryptologists, Wiccans, preppers, a weight-loss group, an over-zealous bible group, and a wild Halloween party? A ton of laughs!

Do yourself a favor, and take a trip to Catfish Springs, Florida, where anything can (and usually does) happen!