Book Reviews by Lynn

No one could accuse Marcella Hollister’s family of being normal. Her gorgeous Native American husband, Quinn, has a compulsive cleaning problem—which works for her, since she gets a pass on housework. Her mother, who insists on being called Thelma, lives to irritate her husband. And then, there’s Ruby. Sometimes Marcella’s not sure who Quinn loves more…his wife, or his prize parakeet.

After Marcella’s beloved stepfather passes away, leaving a sizable inheritance, the family heads to the scenic Adirondacks for a much-needed vacation at the prestigious Adirondack National Bird Show. But things soon take a strange turn—a bizarre accident involving Thelma, Ruby, and an electrified hotel pool has Thelma asking for crackers and Ruby suddenly spouting Thelma’s favorite phrases.

Then Thelma is kidnapped—and Marcella learns that the inheritance her stepfather left may be connected to the largest unsolved bank heist in U.S. history.

Now Marcella and Quinn must contend with an eccentric bird psychic, mysterious white vans, aggressive FBI agents, and a dangerous chase through the mountains as they rush to find her mother, with only Ruby’s newly acquired “Thelma-vision” to guide them. Can they uncover the secrets buried with her stepfather before it’s too late?

Review 5*

This is a wonderfully quirky mystery. I loved it!

This audiobook is narrated by Hannah Seusy. I love her reading voice, which is clear and concise. She gave the characters their own voices and brought them to life. I haven't listened to her before, but would consider listening to other books she has narrated.

Marcella Hollister is a wonderful, down to earth character. I really liked her. She usually only has to deal with her husband's compulsive cleaning and her mother's constant needling of her husband. When her mother is kidnapped, Marcella and Quinn find themselves tangled in a mystery. Can they save Thelma and solve the mystery in time?

I love mysteries, quirky or serious. This book definitely falls into the quirky category. I started to listen to this story and was instantly transported into it. I loved meeting Quinn, Marcella's compulsively cleaning husband. I love characters with flaws and, since cleaning is not one of my forte's, I wouldn't mind him visiting my house. I admire Marcella's patience with his fussing but, wanted to smack her for not telling her mother where to go when she critiques Quinn. Yes, Quinn is an adult and quite able to defend himself, but if my parent did that to my significant other, I'd tell them to wind their neck in.

The story takes the reader on an adventure that is full of danger and flying feathers. There are several twists and turns that surprised me too. Tall Pines is a hotel with a difference. Each room has a large aviary, so you can take your pet birds with you. Quinn's parakeet, Ruby, has been entered in the National Bird Show which is being held there. However, there is a run in with a bird psychic called Earl Tiramisu, and the FBI gets involved when Thelma is kidnapped. As the mystery surrounding the kidnapping unfolds, I found myself holding my breath at times. The accidental connection between Ruby and Thelma had me grinning, though I don't know if it was a curse or a blessing. Being an observer, I shook my head at Marcella's and Quinn's slow uptake. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching them stumble from one problem to another as they tried to solve the mystery surrounding Marcella's stepfather's past in order to rescue Thelma. As the story reached the end (it doesn't end in a cliffhanger), I found myself grinning and I now can't wait to read/listen to the next book in the series, Essentially Yours, as soon as possible.

Aaron Paul Lazar has written a fantastic tale that captured my imagination. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and entertaining. I also love the flow. I have not read any other books by this author before, but he has now found another fan. I am now looking forward to reading more of his books in the future.

This book doesn't have any bad language, though there is some violence. Therefore, I recommend this book to older teen readers and to adults who love cozy mysteries or crime thrillers. - Lynn Worton