Prose and Cons

Lily Dale Mystery #4

by Wendy Corsi Staub

Young widow Bella Jordan investigates a mystery with a literary twist in this charming, magical small-town cozy mystery from New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub.

It's been nine months since widowed mom Bella Jordan and her young son Max moved to Lily Dale, the quirky, close-knit New York community populated by people who can speak to the dead . . . if one believes in that kind of thing. Now she counts Valley View, the guesthouse she runs, as home and her psychic medium neighbours as friends. Even haughty, British Pandora, who used to own Valley View before her difficult divorce.

So when Pandora sweeps in, requesting an urgent tete-a-tete, Bella expects it to be another complaint about book club. It isn't. Pandora airily reveals her elderly Auntie Eudora is taking a last-minute cruise from London to New York with her gentleman friend Nigel - and minutes later Bella is bemused to find she's agreed to host them at Valley View free of charge.

Bella has enough on her plate: her son Max, their two kitties, a budding relationship with local vet Drew . . . not to mention this month's book club pick to read. But when she begins to have suspicions about one of her new guests, she's determined to uncover the truth for Pandora's sake - even if it kills her first.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Supernatural, Cozy

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 7, 2021

About the author

New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.

Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.

Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.

Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.

Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.

A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.

She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.

Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.

Reviews

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXCERPT: She turns off the overhead light so she can see outside. Pressing her forehead against the glass, she finds the porch vacant, as it should be. The stained-glass angels are twirling slowly, lacking sufficient wind to make them chime. Beyond the porch lamp's glow, there's nothing but falling rain and darkness.

Bella turns away.

'See that Chance? You don't have to worry, because everything's okay out there. In here, too.'

The cat's green eyes glitter at her across the dim hall.

'Yeah, I know. I don't believe me either.' With a sigh, Bella slowly returns to the kitchen to clean up the pomegranate confetti. The seeds are starting to thaw, pooling and glistening like droplets of blood.

ABOUT 'PROSE AND CONS': It's been nine months since widowed mom Bella Jordan and her young son Max moved to Lily Dale, the quirky, close-knit New York community populated by people who can speak to the dead . . . if one believes in that kind of thing. Now she counts Valley View, the guesthouse she runs, as home and her psychic medium neighbours as friends. Even haughty, British Pandora, who used to own Valley View before her difficult divorce.
So when Pandora sweeps in, requesting an urgent tete-a-tete, Bella expects it to be another complaint about book club. It isn't. Pandora airily reveals her elderly Auntie Eudora is taking a last-minute cruise from London to New York with her gentleman friend Nigel - and minutes later Bella is bemused to find she's agreed to host them at Valley View free of charge.
Bella has enough on her plate: her son Max, their two kitties, a budding relationship with local vet Drew . . . not to mention this month's book club pick to read. But when she begins to have suspicions about one of her new guests, she's determined to uncover the truth for Pandora's sake - even if it kills her first.

MY THOUGHTS: This was fun, and the first in this four book series that I have read, but it won't be the last.

Prose and Cons - I loved the title and it is relevant - moves along at a meandering pace, yet the read just flew by. The characters are engaging, although not entirely believable. But then, they don't have to be. Max and his friend Jiffy stole my heart. Typical young boys who are always hungry and love a good practical joke.

The women, with the exception of Pandora who is a pain in the derriere, are a delight. They revel in their characters and aren't about to change for anyone - Except for Bella, who is still trying to find her feet in this odd little town, and is trying to please everyone to her own detriment. She really needs to grow a pair! But having said that, I also loved her character and she is a great foil for Pandora.

I guessed early on what the mystery was, but it was fun following the characters in their discoveries.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#ProseandCons #NetGalley

I: @wendycorsistaub @severnhouseimprint

T: @WendyCorsiStaub @severnhouse

#contemporaryfiction #cozymystery #crime #paranormal #romance

THE AUTHOR: New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. She also writes women's fiction under the pseudonym Wendy Markham.

Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Cannongate Books, Severn House via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Prose and Cons by Wendy Corsi Staub for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Lily Dale Mysteries, but the first I have read. The mystery is self-contained, so I had no issues with that part of the story, but the characters and relationships had me wondering at times. For that reason, I wish I had read the previous books in this series. Lily Dale is a unique small town in New York and is a tourist attraction for visitors who want to help from the many spiritualist. It seems many of the residents speak to the dead, but Bella is not sure she believes in that. Bella runs the Valley View guesthouse, a Victorian Mansion that used to belong to her friend Pandora. In this book, Pandora's Aunt Eudora and her friend Nigel are visiting from London and they don't know that Pandora no longer owns the mansion, but Bella agrees to keep her secret. Shortly after they check in, Bella feels something isn't right and even Max thinks they are "bad". In order to help and possibly save her friend, Bella begins to nose around.

I enjoyed the characters in this story, especially the boys, Max and his friend Jiffy. Bella and Pandora are so different and there were times I was surprised that Bella put up with her nonsense. Bella is also developing a relationship with the local veterinarian. Juggling relationships, running the Guesthouse, raising a child and two kittens as well as trying to solve a mystery all keep Bella pretty busy. I did figure out what the mystery was relatively early and didn't really get into this story as much as I had hoped. Perhaps if I had read the previous books it might have been different. An interesting paranormal cozy mystery that was narrated by Anna Caputo. She did a nice job with the various voices, accents and characters. If you enjoy a paranormal, cozy mystery, this book might just be for you.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prose and Cons by Wendy Corsi Staub is the fourth in the Lily Dale paranormal cozy mystery series.

Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Lily Dale is a small gated community in New York State, whose population predominantly consists of psychics.  The energy in the town is known as Spirit, and most residents speak with this entity.  In the summer season, it is a very busy place, as tourists from around the world come for readings, as well as physical, spiritual and emotional healing.  Bella Jordan and her son Max ended up in the town while trying to return a cat to it's owner...who, it turned out was dead.  Bella ended up not only looking after the dead woman's pregnant cat, but also her bed & breakfast, The Valley View Guesthouse.



My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Bella is persuaded into accepting non-paying guests by her rather audacious neighour Pandora.  Pandora's aunt and boyfriend are coming from England, and Pandora has not told them that she is no longer living in Valley View since her divorce. 

Bella is busy enough without these unexpected guests.  Between trying to fix up the old inn, look after her six-year old son (and usually his best friend Jiffy as well), trying to find time to read this month's book club pick, and then their is this budding relationship with Drew.

But these guests are quite a handful, and Bella doesn't have to be psychic to know something is "off".



My Opinions:
OMG, another book in the series that showcases two of my least-liked characters - Pandora and Jiffy.  I do not like insolent children or adults.  Both characters make me feel that Bella is just a weak woman who does not stand up to anyone.  That is usually a sign that I am done with the series.

However, I have to admit that Pandora grew on me.  (Jiffy did not).  I absolutely love the other characters.   I think this was probably the best of the series thus far.  The plot was really interesting, and although I knew where things were headed, there was still a twist that I had not seen coming.

Anyway, I'm almost caught up with this series, and I am actually looking forward to the next one.  The books are not particularly deep, but they continue to be a light, fun, fast read.


For a more complete review of this book and others, (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the earlier books in this series, but this one was disappointing to me. I love the premise of there being many characters living in Lily Dale, New York with paranormal abilities with Bella not sure how she feels about their claims. Some of the best parts of the prior books are scenes with the main character, Bella Jordan who is a widow, and her six-year-old son, Max.This book was lacking in those touching scenes and had too much of Pandora, my least favorite character in the series. Pandora used to own the Vicorian manor that is now a guest house managed by Bella and doesn’t want to admit to her visiting aunt that she no longer owns it. Bella allows herself to be walked on by Pandora and Auntie Eudora throughout the book. Bella senses something is off about Eudora and her boyfriend Nigel, but the plot just didn’t grab me. I enjoyed the ending and the direction Bella seems to be taking for the future, but this was my least favorite of the Lily Dale mysteries.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Tameka Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not realize this was part of a series but didn't feel lost while reading. There is a group of people, living in a close-knit NYC community, who speak to the dead; the medium narrative plays a large role in the story. I enjoyed this story but probably would have enjoyed it better if I started with book one. There were a lot of characters and not enough time to get to know them.
I did like the chattiness and personalities of the people. They read like real people who like to gossip and I was here for it. It was like an episode of Murder She Wrote (sorry I don't have more recent comps--I don't read nor watch Mysteries too often). The mystery was interesting enough and I liked how it was solved. I will go back and read the previous books.

The narrator, Anna Caputo did a superb job.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc via audio.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prose and cons by Wendy Corsi Staub.
A Lily Dale Mystery Book 4.
It’s been nine months since widowed mom Bella Jordan and her young son Max moved to Lily Dale, the quirky, close-knit New York community populated by people who can speak to the dead . . . if one believes in that kind of thing. Now she counts Valley View, the guesthouse she runs, as home and her psychic medium neighbours as friends. Even haughty, British Pandora, who used to own Valley View before her difficult divorce..
A very good read with good characters. Great story. So hauntingly beautiful. I love this series. 5*.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 of a series. Enjoyed the characters, the setting and will definitely read books 1-3

[ItaPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so curious about this book because I really like paranormal mystery and I thought it was ok to read it without knowing what happened in the previous books, but even if every character was well described I was a little lost at times because there are many.

Back to the story, I liked to be in Lily Dale, a pictoresque small town inhabitated mainly by psychics, but our heroine, Bella, just moved out there with her young son after her husband death, is not. She runs a guesthouse but when mysterious things happen she starts to investigate.

The storyline was well developped and there are some twists at the end I didn't have predicted.

All in all Prose and Cons was a good read.

[Sarah Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really love this series and it pains me to give it 2 stars. It’s kind of like it wasn’t even Wendy Corsi Staub who wrote this. There wasn’t much mystery (except in the beginning for a few pages) and just a lot of explaining various things. This one could have been so much better. If there is a 5th, I will definitely read it cause I do love the main characters and WCS is one of my favorite authors!

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really about a 3.7 or 3.8. It bogs down a little, but overall, there is a solid mystery, dark characters, and much thought about spirits and Spirit-- it is, after all, set in the real town of Lily Dale, home of the Spiritualist movement. While the mystery drives the plot, it's the character portraits and (for want of a better word) philosophy that moves the story for me. It would probably rate higher for me except that there always seem to be some maddeningly annoying, rude, entitled characters. In fairness they usually turn out to be the bad guys but not always. In this one at least we see some cracks and explanations of Pandora's self-centeredness. But such characters drive me away from books, not to them. I guess because I deal with some such in real life and I don't want to be reminded. I also very much like that there is a tension between blind belief and truth. And speaking of truth, the books remind me of a non-fiction book I read about Lily Dale some years ago, written by a skeptical reporter. It intrigued me, in great part because the reporter stayed fairly neutral, waiting until the end to say that she felt there was something to do but stopping short of becoming a full on believer. That's sort of the line Staub tries to walk here, having skeptical Bella surrounded by believers. I also really enjoy the parenting thoughts and struggles, and the two kids come across as real kids.

[Courtnee Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROSE AND CONS was an unexpected delight! Wendy Corsi Staub has penned a cozy mystery with skillful language and subtle nods to the great Charles Dickens.
Bella Jordan has moved to Lily Dale with her son after the death of her husband, Sam. She has quirky neighbors who claim to be in tune with the energy, Spirit, around them. One such neighbor, Pandora, asks Bella for help when her aunt comes to visit. Pandora wishes to keep her current financial strain a secret from her aunt Eudora, but Pandora may not be the only one who is keeping secrets.
Spiritual warnings and hijinks-that may or may not be real-add more mystery to the intriguing tale. How much of the enigma will be uncovered by amateur sleuths, and what part will be revealed by listening to Spirit?
Anna Caputo did a fabulous job reading the story. Each Lily Dale character was brought to life with marginal changes to inflection. Her performance was professional and memorable. I will be hearing Pandora say, "Isabella!" every time I think of the story.
I enjoyed the story, and I liked the references to Charles Dickens, as well as the mention of The Who. It was well-written and moved along at a medium pace. It's a good mystery to read or hear while you sit by the fire or cozy up under a blanket.
Although I had not read the first three books in the series, I followed the story well. I feel it can be easily read as a standalone novel.
I recommend the book for teens, young adults, and experienced readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries with relatable characters.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's up with Pandora's Auntie Eudora and her love interest Nigel? Bella runs Valley View as a guesthouse where guests can speak to the dead (even though she's not a believer) but Pandora who used to own it doesn't want Eudora to know that she lost so much in her divorce- putting Bella on the spot to host Eudora without ratting out Pandora. Lily Dale is a unique small town with a distinct paranormal thing going on so know that this will figure in the mystery. I'd not read the earlier books in the series so this was a fine standalone for me. I liked Bella, her son Max, her love interest Drew and even Pandora. The mystery isn't too complicated but it's twisty enough. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Oh- and there's a book club and a cat with special powers.

[Star Gater · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay. I was looking for an adult mystery and feel like I read a Young Adult or late teen book. The story is superficial at best. It reminds me of my first draft of papers in college. There is a whole lot of nothing with no explanations and a rushed ending in an effort to make sense.

This is an audiobook, and sadly I didn't care for the narrator and this book.

Thank you Netgalley for accepting my request to read and review Prose and Cons. I'm disappointed it just doesn't work for me.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Widowed Bella is trying to raise her young son amid the spiritualists of Lily Dale, the small community where American spiritualism got its start. Pandora, the annoying, but well-meaning medium across the park, convinces Bella to entertain her aunt and her beau from England, since her aunt thinks she still owns Valley View, the house where Bella lives. Despite warnings from various ghosts, and her cats, Pandora is reluctant to find fault with the aunt whom she relied upon in her youth, and Bella is skeptical of the supernatural, for the most part. Despite an interesting premise, there's too much woo-woo here for my tastes and I don't think I'll pursue the series.

[Gail C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Lily Dale mystery series, and I had a great deal of trouble getting into the book. While I like Bella, the main character, I kept wanting her to push back when Pandora, one of the secondary characters in the book, kept taking advantage of her. It seemed unrealistic that Bella took on a great deal of extra work and yet I never got a sense of any frustration or effort on her part to manage the extra work she needs to do. Then there are the two antagonist, Nigel and Eudora, who seem just totally slimy and unlikeable and I just want Bella to realize who and what they are and kick them out of the house. There are some characters who seem likeable, particularly Luther, but he isn't in the book enough to get a good sense of who he is and the role he plays.

Lily Dale seems an intriguing place, if you are willing to put some belief in a spirit world and a place where people talk to spirit guides and discuss their conversation as easily as someone might talk to their next door neighbor and then discuss the conversation with someone else. i would like to have the characters respond more when they did communicate with spirits, but that doesn't happen until late in the book when Pandora goes off to specifically meditate.

Bella's son and his best friend are charming additions to the characters. It's easy to get a feel for these two rambunctious boys as they race around together, caging sweets, rides with adults, and puppies. They add a welcome likeability to the story and i would like to see more of it.

This is a well-like series among some readers, so I believe my reaction is more in the fact that this simply isn't the series for me. The book is well written, and moves with a good pace. I would recommend it to anyone who has read other books in the series and enjoyed them as it will offer them an opportunity to follow the lives of Lily Dale residents. My thanks to Canongate Books Severn House for providing me with an advanced copy for review. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 rounded up
This is #4 in the Lily Dale series, if you read earlier novels in this series, you know that Lily Dale is a unique small town in New York and is a tourist attraction for visitors who want to help from the many spiritualist.
Bella Jordan, our protagonist was very happy married to Sam, the love of her life. However, when you are young you don’t think of dying from an illness nor consider the importance of having life and medical insurance. When Sam died, Bella’s world was turned upside down; she was in such a state of grief that she didn’t notice that her landlord was selling their rental, she was financially in a hole, and to top off all of this she lost her teaching job due to District Budget cuts.
She is friends with Pandora who is also in a bit of financial mess. She has lost her beautiful Victorian mansion in a divorce settlement and it became Valley View guesthouse. Bella and adorable Max move to Lily Dale where she got a job running the Valley View guesthouse. Turns out that the guests have paranormal abilities and speak to the dead (which seems to be a thing in Lily Dale). Bella is an outsider and doesn’t believe in spirits. But she likes Pandora, who is quite a character.
Pandora’s Auntie Eudora and her friend Nigel will be visiting from London. Pandora doesn’t want her Aunt to know she has lost the mansion. When Pandora approaches Bella about this situation, Bella immediately thinks Pandora has another complaint about their monthly Book Club. Yes there are a few things going on! The book club is an issue but in this case, Pandora informs Bella that she volunteered to let her Aunt and Nigel stay at Valley View as her guest.
Bella isn’t thrilled with this arrangement but not much she can do. She soon discovers that something doesn’t seem right about their guests. Little Max has declared they are bad people and even the cat doesn’t like them. Bella soon becomes suspicious.
The other thing that is going on with Bella is her friendship with including Drew Bailey the veterinarian who is also a non-believe. However, she fears she is betraying Sam if she seeks a relationship with Drew.
The characters are a delight in this story. I was curious about the guest and also Bella’s relationship with Drew as well as the other Lily Dale residence.
Narrator Anna Caputo does a great job performing the characters.

I love a nice cozy and the paranormal activity was actually a fun added touch. This is my first Wendy Corsi Staub novel, I haven’t read the others in this series but I will!

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me in an early form.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 21, 2021

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

AUDIO AUDIO AUDIO Prose and Cons by Wendy Corsi Staub may well have been a good read, but I was so distracted by the narrator that I could hardly focus on the content. She was choppy, slow, and really no very good, until the end when the story moved faster. She did better. Anne Caputo narrated the book and I was not attracted by her performance.

The murder took place immediately as the book opened. The reader knew who the murder was. What the reader didn't know was why, and when and how the crime would be discovered. The story takes place in Lily Dale where a young widow, Bella, lives with her son and runs a bed and breakfast. The B&B used to be run by her "friend," Pandora until Pandora's ex-husband sold it out from underneath her. Now Pandora's aunt and her gentleman friend are coming from England to visit. Pandora has never told Eudora that she has moved out of the gorgeous old house and so she convinces Bella to, not only house them for free, but pretend that Pandora is still the owner, and the boss. To compound the situation, many of the people living in Lily Dale are able to communicate with those who have crossed over (died), and there is a ghost living in the B&B: Nadine.

The psychics were really incidental to the story as none of them helped recognize or solve the crime, but they did add a little bit of interest tot he story. Bella was not psychic, but many others, including Pandora, claimed to be. Bella had two cats and a small son, and that small son's friend, which also kept the story interesting. Over all, I think it is probably a decent cozy. My recommendation: read it rather than listen to it.

I was invited to listen to a free e-ARC of Prose and Cons by Dreamscape Media, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #dreamscapemedia #proseandcons #wendycorsistaub

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily Dale, New York, is a unique small town. It is home to the largest concentration of medium and psychics in the country and visitors flock there to get a reading or to communicate with someone they have lost. Bella Jordan and her son Max have recently moved to Lily Dale after her husband's death. She runs the Valley Vista guesthouse, which she bought from an English medium, Pandora.

But now Pandora has an urgent request. Her long lost aunt, her only living relative, is coming to visit her in Lily Dale. Pandora has never told her about her contentious divorce or that she lost the inn and she wants Bella to help her keep her secret. Pandora will move back in during the visit. Oh and by the way, she expects Bella to put Eudora and her companion Nigel up for free as they think they are staying with family.

Bella reluctantly agrees and regrets it when she meets her visitors. There is something off about the pair and she finds it hard to believe that these people are related to Pandora who is one of her favorites. Then things start to make it even more uncomfortable. Bella can tell that someone is searching every room of the house, including her and Max's rooms. Then there is the vet who is interested in her but is it too soon after her bereavement?

This is the fourth novel in the Lily Dale series. This is a cozy mystery with little violence and lots of cooking and relationship troubles. Readers who haven't heard of Lily Dale will be interested to hear about its history and continuing draw as a supernatural town. Wendy Corsi Staub has written over ninety novels and is best known for her psychological suspense novels. This book is recommended for mystery readers who prefer the cozy genre.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prose and Cons is the fourth installment in a cozy paranormal series by prolific author Wendy Corsi Staub. I have not read the previous installments of the series, but this was easily read as a stand alone. book. I have enjoyed Ms. Staub's mysteries (that are not cozies), and which are a bit more gritty and action packed. Although the writing is good and the characters engaging, this book just moved a little slow for me. However, there are lots of fans with reviews here, so put this down to personal preference.

We find out in the first couple of chapters what murder has been committed. After that there is just a lot of story wondering when the main characters will figure out what is going on. I was entertained by the characters themselves, but just found the lack of action made the story move to slow for my taste.

My biggest gripe, however, was the audio version, which is how I listened to the book. The narrator was fine when she was just reading the normal characters parts, but two characters had accents of a British sort, and her rendition of these was as if I was trying to speak with a British accent, in other words, not very well done. I found the accents, and unfortunately these two characters spoke a lot, very distracting and actually grating on my nerves. I would advise just reading the book.

Again, the majority seemed to have really enjoyed this book, so maybe it's just me. Thank you to NetGalley, Wendy Corsi Staub, and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. I would give this 3.5 stars.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prose and Cons is the fourth book in the Lily Dale series. I had not read books one through three and had a hard time with the beginning of this book because I did not have any interest in an of the characters (which are in all of the previous books). I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did. Around the middle of the book I connected with all of the characters and friends and I really liked them all. They have a very good sense of community, and therefore family. They look out for one another and have each other's back, even if they get on each other's nerves. My favorite characters were Bella's 6 year old son, Max, and his friend Jiffy, as they added some much needed comedy to the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the use of spirit in this book to help dole out the clues that something is not quite right with Pandora and Bella's house guests! I understand that psychic mediums and spirit are the overall premise behind the Lily Dale series and I like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio book version in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Caley Gredig · Rating 2 out of 5]

While Prose and Cons by Wendy Corsi Staub is part of a series, there is a considerable amount of backstory included that lets the reader know the history of the characters without having to read the earlier installments. The narrator did a good job of creating different voices for the characters but the novel was more focused on developing develop the characters and history than the actual mystery involved.

From the outset, the only thing that remained a mystery for the reader was the motive for the murder. Unfortunately, this book left nothing to engage the reader except to wonder how unbelievable some of the interactions between characters were. Most times when I read a later in series book, I find that it makes me want to go back and read the earlier ones to catch up on the characters but in not in this case.

I was provided an audio copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bella Jordan is a widow with a young son named Max. They moved to Lily Dale nine months ago and now call Valley View home. Her neighbors are a variety of psychic mediums whom she considers friends. So, when Pandora comes to her she soon finds herself agreeing to host Pandora's elderly aunt and her gentleman friend as well as Pandora herself for free. But things are not all as they seem and Bella is determined to find the truth.

I've really enjoyed this series and this book was a great addition to the Lily Dale collection. The book did start out a bit slow, but it picked up and soon became an exciting read. I love the characters and all the relationships as well as the psychic aspects of the story. Once I got into the book, I was kept hooked and was thrilled when I finished it. The mystery will certainly keep you on your toes. I'm looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.

[Pennie Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bella is back and now Pandora has asked a gigantic favor of her. Since her Auntie Eudora is coming to visit and bringing her special friend Nigel with her and she doesn't know that she no longer lives at Valley View Guesthouse. With everything Bella has been doing through the winter to refurbish the Guesthouse the last thing she wants or needs is nonpaying guests but she relents and Pandora moves in and soon Nigel and Auntie Eudora arrive a day early and start day drinking. Something is amiss as Auntie Eudora does not appear to be old enough to be Pandora's aunt and she doesn't remember many of the things from the past. Pandora is getting visions from Spirit and Bella is uneasy and Chance the Cat is restless. Yep, something is amiss and dangerous. I have really enjoyed this series and hope it continues!

**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in Staub's Lily Dale mystery series. As in the previous books, Bella continues to miss her husband, Sam, and has mixed feelings about her growing relationship with Drew. Pandora features heavily in the plot and we get to learn more about her and her past. This is the shortest novel in the series and I felt it wasn't as engaging as the others. A good chunk of the text refers back to things that happened in the previous books.

The plot centers on Pandora's aunt Eudora and Eudora's beau who are coming to visit. However Eudora thinks Valley View still belongs to Pandora and Pandora, who isn't eager to change that perception, convinces Bella to go along with the charade. As always, there's a mystery but the reader has a fairly good idea of what is going on from the beginning.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bella Jordan is a single Mother and loves her neighbors, even if they are psychic mediums who can speak to the dead. These are her friends and community now that she and Max live in Lily Dale. When the former owner of the guesthouse Bella runs comes knocking, she finds herself hosting the woman’s aunt and uncle for a visit, gratis. But it’s when one of the guests seems off that Bella vows to get to the bottom of what is going on. It wouldn’t be Bella’s first brush with death, and she sure hopes it won’t be her last.

Gotta say, I WILL be reading the first three books in this series as I really enjoyed this fourth entry. While it reads fine as a standalone, I really want to catch up on the first three entries.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bella, a non-believer in the supernatural, has made Lily Dale (home of mediums and supernaturalists) her home as she runs a local bed and breakfast. Despite her skepticism, she has made many good friends, including the local veterinarian, who is a fellow outsider.
Pandora, former owner of the house Bella lives in, has an aunt coming to visit from England and Pandora can’t bear to tell her aunt that she lost the house in a divorce and is broke. The aunt and her boyfriend show up, but the reunion seems very off. Aunt Eudora is not what Pandora remembers and the Spirit is trying to warn her, but the warning is cryptic.
This is a fun cozy with a touch of paranormal, but also a strong message about friendship and supporting each other.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been ages since last I read a Lily Dale mystery and was very happy when I got the arc for the new in this beloved series.
It was great to travel again to Lily Dale, this quaint and strange town, and to catch up with Bella and the characters.
Even if it's not the best in the series I enjoyed as the mystery is quite twisty and kept me guessing.
Lily Dale is a fascinating place and Bella is a great character, fleshed out and interesting.
I think this is a sort of new phase in the series and can't wait to read the next story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prose and Cons is the fourth book in the Lily Dale series. I had not read books one through three and had a hard time with the beginning of this book because I did not have any interest in an of the characters (which are in all of the previous books). I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did. Around the middle of the book I connected with all of the characters and friends and I really liked them all. They have a very good sense of community, and therefore family. They look out for one another and have each other's back, even if they get on each other's nerves. My favorite characters were Bella's 6 year old son, Max, and his friend Jiffy, as they added some much needed comedy to the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the use of spirit in this book to help dole out the clues that something is not quite right with Pandora and Bella's house guests! I understand that psychic mediums and spirit are the overall premise behind the Lily Dale series and I like it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio book version in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 4 in the Lily Dale Mystery series. It can be read as a stand alone but the interaction between characters may no be as easy to follow. Set in the New York town of Lily Dale, a psychic community, Bella and her son Max are settling into their new home, a B&B she manages. Her neighbor, Pandora has relatives arriving from England and wants them to stay with Bella. Bella agrees but when they arrive they seem a little unusual. I enjoy this series as I have visited Lily Dale several times. A good story with some real characters. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prose and Cons (Lily Dale Mystery #4) was a great read by Wendy Corsi Staub. It has been nine months since Bella Jordan and her son Max moved to Lily Dale. It is a quirky yet close knit New York community that is populate by people who can speak to the dead. She now runs Valley View, a guesthouse. Pandora used to run the Valley View and sweeps in requesting help from Bella. Pandora's elderly Aunt Eudora and her gentleman friend Nigel are visiting and Pandora wants them to stay at the Valley View free of charge. Bella begins to have suspicions about the new guests and is determined to uncover the truth. I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author.