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Readers of the series met Penelope Thornton-McClure in earlier books. Penelope and her aunt are co-owners of a book store in a small Rhode Island town. When Pen’s husband committed suicide and she needed to take their son away from his father's wealthy but screwed-up family, she came to Quindicott. Her aunt's old bookstore was not prospering but Pen saw an opportunity and invested time and money in the enterprise which resulted in a lovely and charming store, specializing in mysteries. The store has a resident ghost, Jack, who talks only to Pen. Jack was a private eye before he was shot and killed on the premises; which is why his ghost remains behind. He has helped her solve several other mysteries, most notably one in which she was a suspect. Pen is thrilled to be the bookseller for the first ever Film Noir Festival being held in a renovated old theater in town. Among the many guests appearing, one is Hedda Geist, a femme fatale actress whose career ended in the 1940s when her married lover was stabbed in her presence. There are many signings scheduled for the store and business promises to be good. When Hedda is almost the victim of a fatal accident, and a death does occur, Pen enlists the help of her 'invisible partner', Jack. He actually crossed paths at one time with the once-famous actress and has many insights into the events that ended her promising career. One definitely has to suspend disbelief; however, upon doing so, there is much to enjoy about these Haunted Bookshop books. The author obviously admires the classical old American mystery writers such as Hammett and Chandler. Pen and her friends are funny and warm characters. She is usually aided by Seymour, a wise-cracking mailman, who has a very irreverent and funny approach to delivering the mail. Some of their exploits are amusing and entertaining, but not in a slapstick way. In this adventure the references to classical old Hollywood private eye movies will be a trip down memory lane for many readers. Pen always gets the bad guy in the end, helped by dreams and ideas planted by Jack. She is an intelligent and resourceful person in her own right, and if I lived in a town with an inept police chief and oddball neighbors, I'd definitely want her on the case.
Reviewed by Lorraine Gelly, July 2008
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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