House of Ashes: A Haunted Bluffs Mystery
by Loretta Marion
This time of year, I love a good ghost story! Especially one like House of Ashes where the ghosts play a subtle, supporting role in helping to solve a mystery and where their history in the past is crucial to the present.
~Reading Is My SuperPower
House of Ashes was a smart, well-written mystery that you will get lost in . . . Great characters, fascinating location, and dark family secrets are a perfect way to spend an afternoon.
~Moonlight Rendezvous
A haunted house, a mystery with secrets…There is so much more to the story and Loretta leads me on a wild ride to the very end.
~fundinmental
I enjoyed the slightly darker feel of this mystery – almost Gothic, but not quite.
~The Book’s the Thing
From the opening chapter to the final sentence, I was completely immersed in this intensely atmospheric story made even more so by the fact that I read it during the Halloween season.
~That’s What She’s Reading
There were so many stories to unravel, personal histories to understand, and a mystery to solve that I had a hard time putting this book down each night.
~Storeybook Reviews
HOUSE OF ASHES is a layered mystery that combines the past and the present. Family history, strength, and flaws combine with a world of secrets. The hint of the paranormal adds a gothic touch creating a unique tinge to this modern mystery.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
I found myself involved with the characters–past and present–from the beginning. It was simple to care about them, which is one of the hallmarks of good fiction.
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies
The author sets up a time warp storyline that begins with the events that set the stage for the tragic deaths of her great-grandparents. . . Chapter headings clearly tell in which timeline the narrative is heading and it doesn’t take long to get into the rhythm.
~Rosepoint Publishing
This one was very well written, and I really enjoyed the authors writing style . . . The characters were compelling and well developed.
~Melina’s Book Blog
About the Author
House of Ashes: A Haunted Bluffs Mystery
Supernatural Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (November 13, 2018)
Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1683318439
ISBN-13: 978-1683318439
Digital ASIN: B07JN6NDZT
A family patriarch’s dying proclamation, an enigmatic disappearance, and a century-old curse converge in the shadows of a majestic home on Cape Cod’s craggy coast.
Thirty-seven-year-old painter Cassandra Mitchell is fourth-generation to live in the majestic Battersea Bluffs, a brooding Queen Anne home originally built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations. Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it’s by malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter―but now she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband.
Salvation seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property with the promise of companionship and much-needed help―until they vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities. Cassie is devastated, but determined to discover what’s happened to the young couple…even as digging into their disappearance starts to uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police―as well as an FBI agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism―Cassie can’t help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her family’s dark curse destroys everything in its path?
About the Author
An author of fiction, Loretta Marion’s writing bridges the genres of mystery and suspense and women’s fiction, always with hints of romance and humor, sometimes delving into the psychological and paranormal. She creates strong but flawed and struggling characters as appealing as the rich atmospheric settings in which the stories take place.
Loretta is a true bibliophile and has loved reading and creating with words since she was a young girl. And that affection for the written word followed her like a shadow throughout her life as she put pen to paper crafting marketing and advertising copy, educational brochures, and newsletters. But her passion for writing fiction evolved from the unlikely world of hospice. As a volunteer, she set out to establish a Legacy Story program to honor and preserve the rich heritage of the fascinating people who were soon to leave this world. The meaningful experience inspired her to create her own interesting characters and stories. Her debut novel, The Fool’s Truth, was a twisty and suspenseful mystery with whispers of romance. Her newest novel, HOUSE OF ASHES – A Haunted Bluffs Mystery, is the first in a series published by Crooked Lane Books.
Though born and raised in the Midwest, Loretta fell in love with New England and has made it the setting for much of her writing. When not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book. Loretta lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their beloved Mr. Peabody, a sweet, devoted and amusing “Corgador” (Corgi-Labrador cross). (www.LorettaMarion.com)
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 1 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
November 1 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 2 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
November 2 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 3 – fundinmental – REVIEW
November 3 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
November 4 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, GUEST POST
November 5 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST
November 5 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT
November 6 – Valerie’s Musings – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
November 7 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 9 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 9 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
November 10 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
November 10 – Curling Up by the Fire – SPOTLIGHT
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I like the story line. Sounds good.
This is an amazing giveaway! Thank.you!
Thank you for participating! Good luck!
It has been a wonderful tour! Thank you to Great Escapes and to all who participated! Happy reading!