Discovering

Lily Dale #4

by Wendy Corsi Staub

After finally learning who was behind her mother's death, Calla still doesn't understand why it happened. Somewhere out there, someone seems to share the powerful psychic abilities that allow Calla to see not only into the past, but to the Other Side-someone who apparently doesn't want to be found. Will Calla's journey lead to the closure she's been searching for, or will it force her to accept yet another loss and forever wonder what might have been? As new mysteries unfold and old ones are solved, this spine-tingling series continues. With an eye-catching new look, Wendy Corsi Staub's fans will not be disappointed.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mystery, Fantasy, Teen, Ghosts, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2009

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

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was better because finally the silliest protagonist stopped keeping secrets.

[shushan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

*sigh* Where do I even begin?

I'm just going to start off by saying how sad I am that this is the last book in the series. I've gotten so attached to all the characters and all their strange little quirks. I really wish I could find out what happens to the characters after the series ends.

The reason I gave this book that extra half of a star is because I had been reading this at a not-so-peaceful time and yet I managed to fully enjoy it. I was reading it during marching band rehearsal (and yes, I know, I shouldn't read during practice).

I would give a brief summary of what this book is about, but anything I say about it would be considered a spoiler and I really don't feel like writing a review with those.

[Lauren Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t get enough of Lily Dale after reading the series for adults that starts with Nine Lives. There were references to Calla, the main character of the youth novels and I was curious to learn more. I just loved all of these books. And I loaned them to a friend who felt the same. It wasn’t just typical teenage drama. There was so much more going on. The books have subplots along with the main mystery that isn’t resolved until you read all four. Well worth your time. I could not put down book #4, Discovering. Everything comes together so there are no loose ends. I just wished there were more novels in this series because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters yet.

[Harrison Jacobs]

I just got done finishing the prologue, so I haven't got that far. I can tell you a little about the beginning of the book though. "So far, I have read that there are two people. One got arrested for murder, and one is a bit scared and worried about the prisoner (their friend). They want to help get her out, but she don't know the dangers of doing that. What I think is going to happen next is the the good one is going to try and break the prisoner out without getting caught by the prison guards". One question that I have is if she is going to get away with this idea of hers, and what the game plan is?

[Linda Munro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although the other three books in this series were fairly awesome; this book wrapped too many things together, bringing the series to an abrupt conclusion and left the reader wondering WTF? It would be great if the author either continued the series to dismiss this last book or rewrote the last book. Extremely disappointing after the previous three books!

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first three, but a great ending to a great series. I will definitely read more by this author.

[Deda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovering is the 4th of four books in the Lily Dale series. I enjoyed these YA books very much and now want to visit the actual town in western New York! It's my opinion that the story should have been condensed into 1 book, instead of being divided into a series. None of the books can stand alone so much time and text is spent on refreshing the reader on characters and events from previous books... and I got weary of the repetition. I enjoyed learning about psychic mediums, I enjoyed the characters (although Calla does lie too often to the adults in her life), and the writing kept me interested and wanting to read more (minus the repeated reminders) so I give the series a solid 4 stars.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovering was an excellent wrap up to the Lily Dale series. Weight has been lifted off Calla's shoulders since her mother's killer has been found, but now Calla must decide what to do with the rest of her life. Is she going to reconnect with Kevin, and what about Jacy and Blue? Will Calla's father begin a relationship with Ramona? What about Calla's friends, Evangeline and Lisa, and the biggest question of all, does she have a sister, and if so, who is she and where has she gone? All of these questions and more are answered in this book leaving a very satisfying ending to the Lily Dale series.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four books in this series constitute very fast reading. I enjoyed the series, especially as I reside in WNY. So many of the references are familiar to me. From the standpoint of an adult (retired teacher), however, I found it disturbing that Calla, the heroine, a good and decent young woman, would find it necessary to lie so frequently. One of the major plot points of this last book in the series is also a whopper of a lie told in the past, which ended in danger for characters in the present. I hope that the young people who read this series will take away that lying is never the way to resolve their problems.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy endings!!! I'm usually not much of a' happily ever after' endings person but for some reason I can't stop reading this series, like almost compulsively lol. Really enjoying the series even though I read the most recent book first then went back to start at the beginning. Oh well, still super-duper enjoying it!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Loved it! Loved the ending to this series! I even got teary a few times toward the end of the book. Read this series, you won't be disappointed :)

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series!!! Lily Dale is a REAL psychics community!!!

[Brian Carrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.

[Trisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the lily dale mysteries. #4 and it answers more questions.

[Katie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! All storyline tied up. But, you still want more.

Great characters. Must start with book 1, Lily Dale Awakening.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number four in this interesting series about a real gated community for spiritualist in Western N.Y. Fiction

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending to this YA series!!!! I could not put this book down!!!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the last of four books for young adults set in Lily Dale, New York, a community of mediums, clairvoyants, and other spiritualists, as well as some "mere mortals". The books center on teenager Calla Delaney. Her life in Tampa, Florida was destroyed the day she found her mother's broken body at the foot of the stairs. Devastated, her father sends her to live with her grandmother in Lily Dale "temporarily " while he flees to California to teach at a university and look for a new place to live. Unbeknownst to either Calla or her dad, Calla is a powerful medium in her own right. When she begins to get "hints" that her mother's death wasn't an accident, but murder, she begins to investigate. Along the way, she she finds both friendship and love, and in the end she not only unmasks the murderer, but discovers a sister.

I've often read and enjoyed YA books, and this mini-series attracted my attention both because of the author, whose books I normally love, but the fact that it deals with spiritualism. However, I found the books borderline boring. The mystery is largely what made me stick with them. The writing suffered from inconsistencies, especially in the timeline and tenses, as well as grammatical errors (such as using 'was' when she should have used 'were'. Some of it may be written off to poor editing, but not all of it.

All in all, I think these books are an insult to the intelligence of young adults. It's really a shame, too, because Ms. Staub can, and does, write much better than these books reflect. I have to wonder if part of the problem is that Ms. Staub stepped outside her usual genre.

[Katy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another installment of Lily Dale goodness. I gather that this was meant to be the last book in the series (since it was published about 4 years ago), but I wouldn't object to reading more. The vast majority of burning questions were answered, but I often wonder what happened after the end. Did Willow stay with the Lauder/Delaney family - at least until January? Did Jeff "hook up" with Ramona - are Evangeline and Morgan her step sister and step brother respectively now? Did Calla manage to stay friends with Lisa and Kevin? Is she seriously going to be taught by the seemingly-flakey David Slayton? I figure Calla and Jacy do the happily ever after bit and that she and Laura remain close, but who knows? For that matter did Calla and/or Laura ever see Stephanie again - in a dream or otherwise? I suppose I should be happy that the ending, as far as what happens going forward, is pretty much up to me, but I also want to KNOW - what would W.C.S. have written, y'know?

As always, I found the Author's Note interesting too. Now if I could just stop crying at every book I read, that would be SUPER! In my defense, there were some really emotional parts, so it's not my fault. =P

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Probably my least favorite book in this series but still enjoyable enough to read in one sitting. Calla, from a family of mediums, is learning how to use her psychic abilities while dealing with her dad moving nearby, trying to dig up the truth about her mother's past, and wanting to find the truth about what happened to her mom and why. I thought the mystery in this book was fairly predictable, although some of the details surprised me. Though this installment did tie up some loose ends from previous books in the series, the book's self-contained mystery wasn't as engaging as it could have been and no riveting new points were revealed, almost as if the main story arc had finished in the previous book and this extra book had been later tacked on. However, having read the rest of the books in this series, it was still an interesting read and a fun way to spend an hour or two.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it although it was almost anticlimactic. Calla has the boy she wants Jacy..her father has come to live in Lilly Dale after the latest incident, where her mothers killer tried killing her. And still something is missing. As we get closure on many areas the one left open is her mom's and Darrin's past. And as we well know most secrets won't remain hidden.

In this final installment pieces start to fall in place. Friends solidify and places are found to put things we just don't know what to do with. And Calla finds something that she never dreamed of...

I enjoyed this series, I really wish there had been more. But, even good things come to an end.

[Natalie]

Calla survives her encounter with Sharon Logan, her mother's murderer, and is back in Lily Dale where she knows she belongs. Her dad is with her and seems to want to stay.

But things are far from solved. Calla finds out the baby her mom had isn't dead and may be the reason she was murdered. Now Calla wants to find her sister and help her understand everything that happened. Meanwhile, her dad is settling into Lily Dale, Jacy is ready to move their relationship forward, Evangeline has forgiven her, and Calla needs to make a decision about colleges.

I believe this is the last book in the series - an amazing conclusion. Reminds me of Marion Zimmer Bradley.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I have a strong interest in the metaphysical community, I really enjoyed this 4th volume in her Lily Dale series for Young Adults. I have now read the entire series and hope that she will continue to add more books to this series.

Even though this was a teen book written from a teen's perspective, I feel that adults could enjoy it as I did. It did not include the horror and violence of many of the metaphysical/suspense titles written for adults. I do not read these.

I am going to call it a "cozy, metaphysical, psychic novel."

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series I read when I was younger. It was both easy to read and it was a fun and intriguing book. I think hat if I had to recommend a series that is not dystopian or my all times favorites but this is something that would pique anyones interest. I also think that it is great that this place is somewhere I have went before. I really want people to go there especially during the summer time. I think that this place was a beautiful place to see and a beautiful place to read about.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discovering is the fourth book in the Lily Dale series and concludes the drama for Calla. These books have been fun to read – they are quick and the character were very likable to me. Straub does a good job weaving a little thrill and mystery into the high school drama for Calla and her friends. Books 1-3 in the series left you hanging at the end of each one, and I think this last book does a good job of finishing the series. Another fun YA read.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely my least favorite book in the series. Understandably, it was slower paced since it was basically wrapping up all the loose ends. However, it was repetitive and by the end, I was really sick of Calla. There were also some small inconsistencies from the previous book. Not a big deal, but annoying. On the whole, I enjoyed the series but I am glad it is over.

[Cathy Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had a sinus infection so I haven't felt like doing anything but reading. That's why I finished the Lily Dale books so quickly. I really don't know if this finished the series or not. It seems like Staub has left open the story line for more sequels, but didn't see anything about any upcoming books on her website. She did finally tie the main story line to a close.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another really good book to the series. It wasn't as "edge of my seat" but then it was concluding everything so it was supposed to move a bit slower. It is definately a young adult read, but I like that. It was easy to move through and I cared about the characters and was eager to see what would happen next. what more could ya ask for in a book! Hmm... not sure what I will dive into next.

[Alayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot get over these books! This last book tied up everything perfectly in a way that kept me hanging on every word. I seriously could not put any of these four books down, and they weren't like some sequels where everything slows down after the first book... In fact, I think things might actually pick up! BEWARE: Once you start to read these books, you're not going to want to stop!

[Dascha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 of the Lily Dale series. What Calla is finding out about her mother's past is shocking and confusing all-the-way to the end. Makes you want to check out the place Lily Dale is based on! Intriguing read.