The Corpse with the Crystal Skull (The Cait Morgan Mysteries)
by Cathy Ace
About The Corpse With The Crystal Skull
The Corpse with the Crystal Skull (The Cait Morgan Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting – Jamaica
Publisher: Four Tails Publishing Ltd. (June 29, 2020)
Print Length: ~300 pages
Digital ASIN: B086FVBTTN
Welsh Canadian globetrotting sleuth, and professor of criminal psychology, Cait Morgan, is supposed to be “celebrating” her fiftieth birthday in Jamaica with her ex-cop husband Bud Anderson. But when the body of the luxury estate’s owner is discovered locked inside an inaccessible tower, Cait and her fellow guests must work out who might have killed him – even if his murder seems impossible. Could the death of the man who hosted parties in the 1960s attended by Ian Fleming and Noël Coward be somehow linked to treasure the legendary Captain Henry Morgan might have buried at the estate? Or to the mission Bud and his secret service colleagues have been sent to the island to undertake?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
A locked room, a dead host, and a crystal skull . . . who knew turning 50 in Jamaica could bring so much drama. Then again drama does follow Cait Morgan and Bud Anderson everywhere they go. Bud inviting his friends Jack and John with their significant others has Cait thinking there is something else going on besides their holiday and celebration. In fact, they could be suspects in the murder of dear Freddie.
After nine stories in this series, you would think I would know Cait Morgan very well but the author continues to find ways to keep her fresh. A professor of criminal psychology, excellent amateur sleuth with a very analytical way of looking at clues and forming theories. My absolute favorite part of the story is near the end when Cait uses her eidetic memory to untangle all her observations and puts them in order and explains what happened and whodunit.
The supporting characters are complex, all dealing with real-life issues. This really adds to the story and gives the characters more depth than expected in one book of a long-running series.
Again, Ms. Ace has written a complicated mystery, so much so that Cait has trouble eliminating suspects especially living in such close quarters with people who all seem to be hiding something. She knows Bud didn’t kill Freddie but she knows he is keeping something from her. Twists and turns galore set this mystery on a new course more than once keeping the characters and this reader on their toes.
I loved the descriptions of former Lieutenant Sir Henry Morgan’s estate. It is an extraordinary place with quite a history and a perfect place to set a murder mystery. It is very private, not your typical Jamaican beach locale. Full of treasures like the crystal skull, who knows what is truly hidden in this idyllic place. Because of the privacy the guests don’t run into other tourists and we know a pretty penny was paid for this amazing vacay.
The Corpse with the Crystal Skull was a Perfect Escape for me. I had to force myself to put the book down to go to sleep. Each book in this series can be read on its own but to really get to know Cait and Bud and all their adventures I recommend starting at the beginning.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
PRAISE FOR THE CAIT MORGAN MYSTERIES
“…touches of Christie or Marsh but with a bouquet of Kinsey Millhone.” —The Globe and Mail
“A sparkling, well-plotted, and quite devious mystery…” —The Hamilton Spectator
“…a sympathetic amateur detective, a locked-room mystery, a small cast of colourful suspects, loving descriptions of food and drink, and a few red herrings thrown our way…with a nod to a fresh literary or filmic artifice in each novel in the series…” – Crime Fiction Lover
About Cathy Ace
Born and raised in Wales, now-Canadian Cathy Ace is the author of the Cait Morgan Mysteries, featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries, featuring a quartet of female PIs, working from a Welsh stately home. Both series are traditional, entertaining, and have been well reviewed.
Author Links: Website Facebook Twitter: @AceCathy GoodReads
Purchase Links – Amazon – Kobo
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
June 18 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
June 18 – La libreria di Beppe – SPOTLIGHT
June 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 20 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT
June 21 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW
June 22 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 23 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – REVIEW
June 24 – Diane Reviews Books – SPOTLIGHT
June 25 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
June 26 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW
June 27 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
June 28 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW
June 29 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT
June 30 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 1 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – REVIEW
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!
The Corpse with the Crystal Skull appeals to me on so many levels, and with my maternal ancestors hailing from Wales, I really want to read this writer’s work!
I’m so pleased you like the sound of it, Lisa Cathy x
I like the sleuth is older & I’m looking forward to reading this!.. Ongoing prayers for Dollycas