I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Harvest of Bones
by
Yasmine Galenorn
cozy mystery, paranormal fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by Nightqueen Enterprises LLC on November 12, 2016 and has 292 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hexed, Witchling, Changeling, Never After, Darkling, Demon Mistress, Dragon Wytch, Bone Magic, Night Huntress, Harvest Hunting, Blood Wyne, Courting Darkness, Shaded Vision, Shadow Rising, Haunted Moon, Night Myst, Night Veil, Night Seeker, Autumn Whispers, Night Vision, Night’s End, Priestess Dreaming, Panther Prowling, "Flight From Hell", Flight From Death, Souljacker, Legend of the Jade Dragon, Darkness Raging, Fury Rising, Murder Under a Mystic Moon, Ghost of a Chance, Once Upon A Curse, One Hex of a Wedding, Starlight Hollow
Fourth in the Chintz ‘n China cozy paranormal mystery series and revolving around Emerald O’Brien. The focus is on a Brigit O’Reilly’s ghost and that of her cat. It’s been three years since Em moved to Chiqetaw in Washington state.
My Take
It’s a sad tale of valuing appearance over heart, which I adored. It’s that coziness with Em’s assortment of friends and her family.
There’s plenty of action and it’s equally paced with the characters with Galenorn using first person protagonist point-of-view from Em’s perspective so we know everything that she experiences, thinks, and feels.
I do appreciate the script font Galenorn uses to distinguish Brigit’s journal entries from the main story, and she’s quite sneaky with her allusions to what’s happening in the house with the Brunswick family — and Brigit’s “condition”. You know what her problem is, but you don’t know the who. And it drove me mad. Hmmm, the issues Brigit had with secrets was also maddening!
I am so jealous that Joe bought the empty lot next door to Em! And what a sweetheart. That Joe, he’s definitely a keeper, willing to fit in with the family and so supportive. Sounds like he’s good in bed too, ahem. No, no, Galenorn is quite discreet about sex; there’s nothing overt. He does worry though about all the dead bodies, curses, and nasty legends Em encounters.
Em’s kids are definitely their own characters. Miranda is a cold child who’s a genius fascinated with astronomy and starting to enjoy cooking while Kip is warmer, fascinated by the magic his mother performs, but too quick to act before he thinks. Yep, they’ve got their character arcs going on *grin*.
Both Randa and Kip have some of their mother’s magical abilities, but Randa prefers science and is fearful of the magic while Kip loves it. As for Roy, Em’s ex and the children’s sperm donor, oh lordy, he is SUCH a jerk! Thank god Em is standing up to him.
I do love that Em is not perfect and willing to admit it — that “far-from-spotless kitchen”, lol. She’s also lucky in her friends. They’re supportive and willing to challenge her. She’s also a, um, regular at the hospital.
I don’t get it. How can Cinnamon’s boyfriend not afford to live with her (at her mother’s)? As for Gunner’s new life issues . . . it feels more like filler. Sad, but was it really needed? That Murray is a hard one — she expects the men under her to pass their physicals, lol.
The ending is cathartic, a lesson and a sad, sad story that never had to happen. A “love lost to fear and hatred and social mores”.
The Story
Excited about the potential, Emerald and Joe are busy clearing the lot next door . . . until they come across an unexpected hole in the ground and will-o’-the-wisps surround them.
Dangerous beings from Faerie, Em will have to solve the mystery as to why the will-o’-the-wisps are threatening Em and her family . . . and who the ghosts are. And why Samantha is missing.
The Characters
Emerald “Em” O’Brien, the divorced mother of two: Miranda “Randa” and Kipling “Kip”, owns a tea shop and has finally accepted that she’s the town witch. The ten years younger Joseph “Joe” Files is in love with Em and the captain of the town’s medical rescue unit. He loves to cook! The O’Briens rescued Samantha and her three kittens, Nigel, Noël, and Nebula. Nanna is her grandmother who taught her how to use her psychic abilities. Although she’s dead, she still visits and advises Em.
Chiqetaw, Washington, is . . .
. . . a small town where Em opened Chintz ’n China to great success. Her employees include Cinnamon Juarez (David is her jerk of a boyfriend and they have three kids), Lana, and Larry. Customers include Maeve, who knows a lot about the fae and magic; Purdy Anderson, who is an influential matron and a notorious gossip; the questioning Amanda Withers; and, Farrah Warnoff with a niece, Mandy.
Chiqetaw PD
Anna “Mur” Murray, Em’s best and oldest friend from the University of Washington, is the head of detectives with a couple of pet boas: Sid and Nancy. The usually supportive police chief is Tad Bonner. Other cops include Deacon Wilson, Greg Douglas, and Sandy Whitmeyer. Rusty Jones is a clerk in the office. Judge Chambers. Nerisa Johansen is the new medical examiner who replaced the corrupt Bob Stryker (Murder Under a Mystic Moon, 3).
The sometimes psychic James “Jimbo” Warren, a.k.a. Jimmie, Anna’s sweetie, is with a motorcycle gang and lives off the land by Miner’s Lake. His grandma had been a hoodoo woman. Roos is his three-legged dog while Snidely and Whiplash are his cats. White Deer is Murray’s Native American aunt and a medicine woman who lives on the Quinault reservation.
Other members of the medical rescue unit include Roger and Robert Kindle. Gunner Lindemeyer is tutoring Miranda in English. (Gunner’s aunt is a nutter who thinks Em is evil.) Mrs García de Lopez is a school advisor. Sly is Kip’s banned best friend. Tommy and Tony are more of Kip’s friends. The chubby Lori Thomas is Randa’s only real girlfriend; her mother is constantly criticizing her. Dexter, a compulsive gambler, had been Maggie’s half-brother and Joe’s irresponsible father. Terri had been Joe’s mother with a series of boyfriends. Nathan is Joe’s equally irresponsible brother.
Harlow Rainmark, a former supermodel, fabulous researcher, and new mother, is another of Em’s best friends and is married to James, a famous photographer. The two-month-old baby is Eileen Eugenia Rainmark. Lily is Harl’s nanny. When not tending the baby, Harlow works for Professor Abrams. Two of the O’Briens’ neighbors, Horvald Ledbetter, a retired security guard with a green thumb, is dating Ida Trask, a regular babysitter; both treat the children as if they were their grandchildren. Dr Lanford “Lanny” Willis, retired, is dating the strong-willed Maggie.
Roy O’Brien is Em’s jerk of an ex, handy with his fists and his mouth, who treats his children badly. Tyra is his second wife. Cathy Sutton is the star reporter at KLIK-TV. The Bread & Butter House is a combination food pantry and meal site. The Delta Mae is an apartment building where the Lindemeyers lived. Davida’s Choco-hol Bakery does great desserts. Daniel had been in Legend of the Jade Dragon, 2. Beatrice MacAlvy is a local candy maker. Forest’s End Diner is an upscale bistro. Andrew is Em’s stalker ex-boyfriend (Murder Under a Mystic Moon, 3).
Fifty-some years ago
Brigit O’Reilly from Glengarriff, Ireland, is a disappointed housekeeper with a cat, Mab, working for the Brunswicks: the hoitytoity (and brutal) Edward and his wife, the abused Lauren. The nasty Irena Brunswick Finch had been their daughter who married Thomas Finch, a man with status and old money. Brent Brunswick, Irena’s twin brother, had run off to Europe. William appears to have been Brigit’s fiancé back in Ireland. Jonathon had been Brigit’s great-grandfather who caused the family to be blessed by the Sidhe. Mary Kathryn O’Reilly is a cousin. Margaret “Maggie” Files, Joe’s great-aunt and a retired county clerk, and Angela are friends of Brigit’s. Patricia Jones had known the parents. George Williams is Irena’s lawyer today.
Will-o’-the-wisps, a.k.a. corpse candles or Ignis Fatuus, are faeries who lead humans into danger. Bean Sidhe, a.k.a. banshee, warn of death. Fairhaven Psychiatric Hospital has been around for decades and is run by Dr Ziegler. Nurse Martin works there as well. The remains of Kennewick Man was contested over by Native Americans and archeologists. A yew is a tree often found in graveyards.
The Cover and Title
The cover s dark with a ghostly black and white cat crouched in front of a window that looks onto a night sky with a silhouetted tree and bush and balls of light. Pumpkins are piled up behind a burning candle which is behind a scary skull teapot framed by purple and pink flowers. At the top is the author’s name in white framing an info blurb and the publisher’s colophon in the upper right corner. Another info blurb is below the name on the left. The title is in a script below the graphic and a fading banner of coral provides a background for the series info that’s in black.
No kidding! It truly is A Harvest of Bones as Em solves a 50+ year-old murder.
