I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
Dead as a Doornail
by
Patti Larsen
cozy mystery, paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by Patti Larsen Books/Mayhem and Murder Ink on May 29, 2021 and has 193 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Merry Little Mystic Murder, Drawn to Death, "Dead Weight", "Dead Heat", Dead Even, Dead and Buried
Third in the Whitewitch Island cozy paranormal mystery series and revolving around a retired investigator, Inquisitor Georgia Drake. The focus is on Sam Spencer.
My Take
Whoa, Sam Spencer’s dark secrets are revealed, and they are. So. Totally. Unexpected. One of those 180s, twice around! That past is the reason for his “friends’” visit. And Georgia discovers Sam’s home and meets his parents.
Poor Georgia. She’s both appalled and giggling at another 180, thinking of how appalled her mother would be at how she’s dressing these days. She’s also starting to understand her parents from a different perspective. And appalled at how little she really knew about Sam. Ya gotta wonder how effective Georgia had been when she keeps missing so many clues!
How it stings, the cruelty of teens toward another. Georgia, with her condescending attitude, does not help Holly’s mother, a very tolerant woman.
Georgia is still amazed at how she’s adapting to these weird habits of normal humans, lol.
Emotions we learn of through Larsen’s use of first person protagonist point-of-view, yep, from Georgia’s perspective. Other conflicts in the story include the town council’s negative attitude toward Harriet — and Harriet is thinking of running for mayor! The corruption of the law that is so wrong. Those hotspots of death magic that keep cropping up. The distress of betrayal.
It was in Dead and Buried, 2, that Benjamin was compromised and there’s a nasty threat hanging over his future. He’s also learning about fun when Sam introduces him to an exciting new game, lol.
Benjamin’s predicament, the illegal use of magic on Georgia’s part, her mother’s interference, her father’s coldness, and Georgia’s skepticism of Olive’s claims to mediumship, and Georgia’s and Mavis’ fears of a new magic emerging are all series conflicts.
On the other hand, there’s Georgia’s meeting with Sam’s parents. What a lovely relief from all the gloom and doom!
It’s a cute series, B-grade, but some sweet characters who are very supportive, for the most part. There are those instances of betrayal, in-family and out, that are so appalling.
The Story
Georgia is starting to question her retiring to Whitewitch Island — the bodies keep piling up.
Then Sam’s past comes back, haunting him with regrets and guilt.
The Characters
Georgia Drake, a.k.a. Georgie-Porgie, is a former inquisitor for Guild Artemis, a woman who can wield magic and necromancy. Benjamin is Georgia’s Hellhound, a Hades Guardian. Conscio and Caprice are a mated raven pair rescued by Georgia. The aid these three bring to Georgia is a crack-up.
Elias Barrow had been Georgia’s partner, a hunter, who died a horrible death. SSA Tabitha Canard is an FBI agent who retired from her magic world to marry a human. She’s also a friend of Georgia’s. Gilles Thesis is the Guild Nemesis Advocate. Guild Hecate is about the actual magic.
Georgia’s family, the Drakes, are VIPs in her world. Her father, Quarian, is the Chief Defender and head of Guild Nemesis. Her brother, Mattew, is following the family plans — unlike Georgia. The suddenly cold Arimanthia is Georgia’s paternal grandmother, married to a Gold Sentinel Dragon.
Whitewitch Island is . . .
. . . located about an hour away from San Francisco. Olive Henry believes she’s a psychic and has a daughter, Holly. Both are neighbors and friends with Georgia.
Harriet Quinn is the sheriff. Dr Mavis “May” Fernsby, a retired necromancer, is the medical examiner. Minera had been Mavis’ twin sister. Dr Karling Chandra is the new forensic tech. Judge Grundle is still disgruntled with Harriet.
Sam Spencer is the local handyman with whom Georgia is fascinated. Sam employs Miles Williams (Dead Even, 1). Sam’s parents are Josephine “Jo”, an artist who owns Whitewitch Island Pottery, and Lee, who had been a handyman. Yanni had been Sam’s girlfriend in Austin.
Sam’s friends include the snotty Dr Anthony Buck, Sam’s former partner, and his drunk of a wife, Dr Carol Buck, whose habit may cause her to lose her license. Jake is their sullen son. Martin Hynes, a retired Texas Ranger from Austin, had been friends with Sam. Mr Cullimore is Carol’s and Jake’s lawyer. Derek Dunlop had been a patient. Annie had been Dunlops’ fiancée. Gabriella seems to be someone Carol knows.
Moesha Powers is extremely angry about her father’s, Harish Powers, death. Judge Attenborough was the trial judge. Gary Pious had been the assistant district attorney. Mitchell Stemmons is a warden for the Enforcement and Corrections Group.
Jim Sanger is a coffee rep. The Acropolis is THE hotel on the island where Marsha is a waitress. Queen of Beans is Georgia’s favorite coffee shop. Hitch is the Uber of Whitewitch Island.
The Cover and Title
This cover appears more active with Georgie’s long dark hair blowing in a breeze as her face is turned toward us as she looks off to the right, her body in profile and wearing a grayed cobalt top with a bateau neckline. Behind her is a collage of events in the story with a purple chandelier hanging from the right top, Conscio, the black raven, bating in front of it, and overlapping a wide horizontal beam with some carving. Beneath it appears to be an Art Deco fireplace with a curved top and a naked male statue primping as if a column for the fireplace. The text is all white outlined in black starting with the author’s name at the top. The title is below Georgia’s shoulder, and at the very bottom of the cover is the series info.
The title refers to several people (and the past), which are all Dead as a Doornail.
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