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A review by katreader
Skeletons in the Attic by Judy Penz Sheluk
5.0
SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC by Judy Penz Sheluk
The First Marketville Mystery
After the unexpected death of her father, Callie Barnstable figured she would inherit some old furniture and books. She certainly did not expect a house in the suburbs and definitely not a requirement that she not only live in the house for a year, but investigate her mother's murder.
As Callie gets settled in what was once her childhood home she discovers a house in ill-repair and finds herself dealing with a psychic her father put on retainer, pictures from a childhood she doesn't remember, and five tarot cards hidden under the carpeting. Is the house possibly haunted? Could it be that her mother hadn't abandoned her, but was actually murdered? With the help of a hunky contractor Callie starts to renovate the house, but who can she trust to help solve the mysteries of her past?
The first Marketville Mystery raises a multitude of questions. What is the truth? Who can you trust? What are their motives? What really happened? In answering Callie will have to face her past, a past quite different from the one she remembers. In doing so she also makes the reader think. What skeletons may be in my attic?
SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC is a compelling novel that held me enthralled. Sheluk's writing is crisp, thoughtful, and her descriptions brought this Toronto suburb and its inhabitants to life. Callie is a wonderful character with down to earth charm and a good head on her shoulders. Sheluk deftly entwines the past and the present, making connections in unexpected yet satisfying ways. However, as fantastic as the first ninety percent of the book was, the denouement a bit of a let down. I found the ending too abrupt and the conclusion a bit pat. Up until that point I felt so in tune with the book and its characters I was ready to drive North and check things out myself! Despite my reaction to the ending this book remains a top read and I eagerly await its sequel.
The First Marketville Mystery
After the unexpected death of her father, Callie Barnstable figured she would inherit some old furniture and books. She certainly did not expect a house in the suburbs and definitely not a requirement that she not only live in the house for a year, but investigate her mother's murder.
As Callie gets settled in what was once her childhood home she discovers a house in ill-repair and finds herself dealing with a psychic her father put on retainer, pictures from a childhood she doesn't remember, and five tarot cards hidden under the carpeting. Is the house possibly haunted? Could it be that her mother hadn't abandoned her, but was actually murdered? With the help of a hunky contractor Callie starts to renovate the house, but who can she trust to help solve the mysteries of her past?
The first Marketville Mystery raises a multitude of questions. What is the truth? Who can you trust? What are their motives? What really happened? In answering Callie will have to face her past, a past quite different from the one she remembers. In doing so she also makes the reader think. What skeletons may be in my attic?
SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC is a compelling novel that held me enthralled. Sheluk's writing is crisp, thoughtful, and her descriptions brought this Toronto suburb and its inhabitants to life. Callie is a wonderful character with down to earth charm and a good head on her shoulders. Sheluk deftly entwines the past and the present, making connections in unexpected yet satisfying ways. However, as fantastic as the first ninety percent of the book was, the denouement a bit of a let down. I found the ending too abrupt and the conclusion a bit pat. Up until that point I felt so in tune with the book and its characters I was ready to drive North and check things out myself! Despite my reaction to the ending this book remains a top read and I eagerly await its sequel.