🏚️ 👻 🧶 "The Brief Haunting of Raspberry Hill" (A Crabapple Yarns Mystery #2) (2018) 🧶 👻 🏚️ - Book Review
MY REVIEW
Series: Crabapple Yarns Mystery (Book #2)
Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: Independently published (December 3, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1728923395
ISBN-13: 978-1728923390
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Picture for Purchase Information
“Is Raspberry Hill haunted by more than old
regrets and lost chances? Natalie Wolcott, one third potential beneficiary, is
about to find out. When Grandma Rose passes away, she leaves her magnificent,
if slightly sinister, mansion on the edge of town to her three estranged
relatives who, according to the terms of the will, must live on site for one
year, three months and four days for before they can inherit. It is obvious
that Raspberry Hill, although given, still comes at a high price. Whispers of
murder and a town with a long memory have Natalie wondering one thing…
Who was Grandma Rose?... because it’s all too
apparent that someone doesn’t want them there. When things start to go bump in
the night, Natalie is convinced that someone from town, or perhaps even one of
her co-inheritors, is trying to force her out. That is, until she meets the
ghost in the basement. Her only comfort is her new job at Crabapple Yarns.
Unfortunately, the shadows of the past are
knitted together with the present and before she has a chance to fit in
disaster strikes the sweet little yarn shop. The plan to save Crabapple Yarns
unwittingly sets into motion a chain of events that just might end with another
murder at Raspberry Hill.”
Thank
you in advance to Book Crash for providing a complimentary copy to review. A
positive review was not required or requested, and all words are my own.
I
requested this book back at the end of February. I even sent an inquiry in March
when I didn’t get it as I was really interested in reading it. I finally got it
at the end of June.
When I
received it I actually forgot I had requested it.
So,
knowing I had about a week left before the review – I waited so long as I had
others ahead of it – I read it.
This is
going to be the “I really hate this kind of a review” review. I mean that from
the bottom of my heart. I’m really only doing this as I had promised to review
it almost six (6) months ago.
And,
this is the type of review that I don’t know quite where to begin.
Here’s
the thing …
This
story had a LOT of potential. The quirky and whimsical cover really sets up
what could be a sweet little “clean read” cozy mystery. It is a clean read with
no sex references or foul language. With only very minor references to God and
bible passages, I can hardly see where it was classified as a Christian book.
What it
doesn’t do – live up to the potential it had. It had a quirky, unpredictable,
cutesy idea written in short
chapters which should’ve moved it along quickly. But, it was by no means a quick
read. I really struggled with it, despite really putting in an effort to like
this book. And, this isn’t because Marsman is a “new-to-me-author”. It is
because there are several issues with this book.
The
characters are, to me, somewhat bland and boring. This is written in first
person from Natalie’s POV. Hers is the only voice we hear in the story. We don’t
get her mom Celia’s POV or Jack’s – especially Jack’s considering he was the
second most featured character. Jack was about the only character I really liked.
Natalie was far too indecisive, annoying, and really wound up. It was also
off-putting for Natalie to think that Jack would poison her.
The
narration style is one that is … direct. In some cases, Natalie is directly
addressing the reader, and some come off as a bit snotty. This is where the
author lost me.
Several examples of the “direct” narration:
Several examples of the “direct” narration:
“Slamming the door on someone isn’t very nice.
Especially since Mr. Garvey was out
there too. And it was cold. And raining. But, you don’t quite know all of the
facts yet, so until you do, perhaps it would be better if you didn’t say
anything and just waited until you knew everything.” (pg. 29)
“I will admit, to you only, dear reader, that
as I passed the bakery, I did weird little run and duck … just in case Jack was
inside and working.” (pg 67)
“I was staying. Unless, of course, they were
trying to kill me. Which seemed very unlikely. Right? Hey, I said … right?
Right. You could be quicker with your affirmations, you know. It would make me
feel a whole lot better. Work on that, would you? Thanks.” (pg. 120)
“They could scare me all they wanted, but it’s
not like they were going to kill me. Right? Thank you. Your response rate was
much better this time. Keep up the good work.” (pg. 124).
At
times, it is as if Natalie is rambling, but doesn’t say anything really to
advance the story.
Another
issue was a phrase that was repeated four (4x) times on the same page and a
fifth time three (3) pages later – “wicked, ungrateful granddaughter” in
reference to Natalie’s inheritance of the house.
While
there are several interesting things that happen in this story; it tends to
slug along with regard to moving the plot. Natalie was also far too dramatic
for what was going on.
The
murder mystery gets solved, but I didn’t find the entire plot very satisfying.
The entire motive was a bit far-fetched given the complexity
of the “haunting”. One character wasn’t fully explained either – Mildred. The “Knitting
Fairy” from book #1 was mentioned a few times, but it wasn’t necessary to read
the first one to understand this plot.
The
issue with the yarn shop starts about 80 pages from the end of the book, and
even by the end, there is no resolution with it or reason as to why it
happened.
The
only thing I thought was “cute” was the romance between Jack and Natalie. Also,
the dinner invite inside the bakery box of goodies – though it wasn’t clear
whether it was Ryan for Molly or Jack for Natalie.
This book
could use a bit of “cleaning” and “editing” for clarity. Even the back “blurb”
needs editing due to an error.
While
this is book #2 of a three (3) book series, I am not inclined to read books #1
and #3. I’m not likely to re-read this one.
Perhaps
fans of the author, and those who enjoyed the first book – “The Knitting Fairy”
might enjoy this novel.
RATING:
2 ⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads (It was OK)
3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub (OKAY)
3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating
explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
Other Books in the Series:
Series: Crabapple Yarns Mystery (Book #1)
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: ShadeTree Publishing, LLC (December 12, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193733127X
ISBN-13: 978-1937331276
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“Molly
Stevenson rather expected her new job at Crabapple Yarns to be deadly boring...
but somehow she just didn't expect the "deadly" part to be quite so
literal. After all, what could possibly be more sweet and innocent than a yarn
store and a bunch of ladies knitting? As a librarian, by trade and by nature,
Molly really ought to have known better. And, worse, she broke the first rule
of librarianship - never, ever judge a book by its cover. Sadly, some of us
have to learn the hard way.
Perhaps
that is why Molly didn't exist long as Assistant Librarian at Springgate
Library. The new job at Crabapple Yarns seemed like the only sensible thing to
do at the time - until she could find something better of course. But, working
at a yarn store really didn't fit into her Life Plan. She never expected to
become a knitter. Molly never expected her sweet little boss to be hiding the
fact that she was receiving threats. She never expected to discover a Knitting
Fairy. And, she most certainly never expected a Knitting Fairy to try to kill
her either.”
Series: Crabapple Yarns Mystery (Book #3)
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Independently published (December 3, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1711353655
ISBN-13: 978-1711353654
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Picture for Purchase Information
“Nothing
can wait like an untold secret. And, it’s possible that the secrets themselves
know the most terrible secret… that just because you are invisible doesn’t mean
that you’re not there. It doesn’t mean that someone can’t by sheer coincidence,
stumble upon you. And, with each year that passes, they grow just a little bit
bigger. Just a little bit deadlier. And, still, they wait.” – Molly Stevenson,
Amelda Tartan Contest Entry.
Amelda
Tartan is coming to town. Never before has the little town of Springgate hosted
such a celebrated author, and, in honor of her coming, a book contest has been
announced. Molly and Natalie are in hot competition to write a mystery worthy
of the skills of Amelda Tartan, when Molly gets the regrettable curse
of…writer’s block.No one ever told Molly about the dangers of writing. Words
have power, and to her horror and dismay, her (self-admittedly) brilliant
opening paragraph detailing the lives of secrets creates a monster that no one
can control. Because, now… Molly sees secrets everywhere… Carolyn. Ryan. Natalie.
Even Mrs. Goldmyer.
Is it
possible that Mrs. Goldmyer, the ultimate knitpicker, has been hiding a deep
and terrible secret for years and years? Is it possible that Mrs. Goldmyer is
an… axe murderer? What started as a humorous hypothesis, soon becomes all too
frighteningly real. Deadly real. Because, somehow, Molly has stumbled upon an
invisible secret with feet sunk deep in the past and rotten, gnarled fingers
firmly gripping the present. Some secrets, it seems, should stay buried..”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Writer. Knitter. Daydreamer.
It’s
amazing, isn’t it? Twenty-six humble letters in the alphabet. By themselves...
not very impressive. And yet, those tiny things are put together in endless
combinations and change the world. Every day... every day... they change your
world. That’s a lot of power. The same is true with knitting. One single
(really, really long) strand of yarn could be anything... a sweater, a scarf...
a turtleneck for a flag pole... and it’s this endless combination of words and
fiber that inspire Jaime both as a writer and as a knitwear designer for
Live.Knit.Love. Her biggest wish for you is that you, too, would use your
powers for good, realize the joy of creating, and follow your own dream and
become who you are supposed to be...YOU. And no one else.
Jaime Marsman of Live.Knit.Love
You can
follow her on the following social media accounts:
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