Welcome to Litsy!

I often find that St. James‘ books take me awhile to get into, but once I do, I enjoy them very much. I‘ve been reading this one, about a woman who comes to a town to pack up her dead, ghost hunting uncle‘s things and finds much more, for about a month and still had half of it left. I finished it today. I also finished The Authority Gap (a pick) and listened to The Harlequin Tea Set on my #audiowalk .

My power is out again because they‘re replacing the pole outside my house, so I‘m sitting here by my window reading Simone St. James. Picture is not from outside my house; it‘s from the internet.

1:/ The tagged book, The Authority Gap, The Last Coyote, The Christie Curse, and Demon Copperhead.
2:/ Simone St. James, Barbara Kingsolver, Patti Callahan Henry, Jane Austen, and many more.
3:/ Let Me Be Frank — Tracy Dawson
#weekendreads

I love the way St James entangles a ghost story, a murder mystery, romance and family secrets in her writing.

An Inquiry Into Love and Death takes place in 1920s England. Jillian leaves her studies at Oxford to pack up the home of her deceased ghost hunter uncle. Thinks his death wasn‘t an accident, meets a handsome inspector and encounters legendary local ghost Walking John.
#outstandingoctober #scarathlon2022 #teamslaughter #31by31 #spookoween

Perfect day for leaf peeping and listening to a ghost story.
👀🍂🍁👻

I love her books!! Still need to read this one!

🧣💜🧡📚

#Scarf
#OminousOctober

I couldn‘t put this one down, and when I was forced to, I did so begrudgingly. A tale with twists and turns, intricately woven and full of interesting characters. It starts with a mysterious death in a small haunted town and slowly reveals more shady circumstances. I need to read more ghostly mysteries. Thanks for another great recommendation @IndoorDame #NewYearWhoDis #NYWD22 @monalyisha

We all slept in and had a late breakfast, so this is where my Luna girl and I will be until lunch 😊 It‘s been so long since I‘ve had a lazy Saturday. #DogsofLitsy

The car line for parent pick up can be frustrating, but I usually enjoy myself this way 😁 (we‘re parked, not driving)

#12booksof2021 #October @Andrew65
Decided to read some spooky stories in October, and these were both perfect for that. I‘ve read four of Simone‘s books now - she‘s a favorite ♥️😊

Thank you, @Andrew65 , for tagging me for #12booksof2021 !

January, I read a few 4 star reads, but this one was a 5 star read. I absolutely loved the spooky nature of this - ghost hunting in the early 20th century with enough sinister villagers to make you wonder what is going on. And things that go bump in the night…literally…

This was the second St James I had read, and I realized how much of a fan I am of her books thanks to this one.

#scarf
#GratefulHarvest

💙🧣📚

#Ghost
#Haunted

👻🖤🧡

Flew through this one! Decided October was the perfect time for some ghosty stories, and this one fit the bill for sure! A fabulously independent and intelligent heroine, a swoony police inspector, a resident ghost, family secrets, a coastal English town, and murder mysteries to boot! Loved it!

Thanks for the tag @hannah-leeloo

I don't have outdoor space at home, so indoors it is near a window.

Am I? Don't ask me how I do it! #sundaybuddyread #booked2021 #pop21 #thatsclassic #foodandlit #bookspinbingo #authoramonth #FairyTaleReadingChallenge and maybe #education21 & #YApril

Care to play? @AlysonCE @Apostcardlife @peanutnine

#thoughtfulthursday @moonwitch94

My March #bookspin did not disappoint! I‘m a Simone St. James fan, and have enjoyed discovering her earlier titles and strong, independent female leads. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catching up on reviews from the end of January...

I can‘t say I loved this one as much as the rest of the #SundayBuddyRead crew, but I did still like it a lot. Loved the moody setting and 1920s time period. There were parts that were kind of boring, and I zoned out in the audiobook narration, but the plot was still interesting for the most part. I think the romance worked better with the more ambiguous ending before the epilogue. 3 ⭐️

Damn it feels good to finally have another 5-star read! This book has everything: mystery, ghosts, strong female lead, a potential love interest, a picturesque English village, and a cozy cottage of you don't mind a ghost potentially being your roommate. (/end of my Stefon impression) This book kept me guessing and gave me just enough to let my imagination run a little wild. I wanted maybe a little more at the end, but that's just nitpicky.

I am officially a fan of Ms. St. James. This one had a wonderful, sometimes creepy sleepy quiet historical town as its setting. A town with a ghost. Jillian leaves Oxford to come here after the death of her uncle. She stays to unravel the mysteries of the town, her uncle's death, and the ghosts that seem so present.

#sundaybuddyread @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheBookHippie

10 of 2021. This is my second book by Simone St. James. This book had intrigue, suspense and plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged in the story. I loved Jillian. Such a strong intelligent woman. Glad I joined the #sundaybuddyread to read this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thank #sundaybuddyread for introducing me to Simone St. James with The Sun Down Motel. This is the 2nd of her books I‘ve read & enjoyed. She writes a good gothic-leaning mystery. I loved the history, ghostly & romantic elements she wove together for a story that kept me wanting to find out what happened from beginning to end. Jillian, our MC is brave, smart & easy to root for & I liked the many turns the story took. Good stormy day/night read.🌫

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

I thank you so much for joining in this month.

We visit Simone again TWICE later in the year!

We are OFF NEXT WEEK and our FIRST discussion of our new book starts February 7.

My first book for #Sundaybuddyread

This one's not as strong as The Sun Down Motel, but it also is quite a few years older. But one can already see the talent in St. James' writing - she really worked on her skills and that's I think was her newer book that good.

I enjoyed the first half of the book, but then it got a little low for me. The love story wasn't mine at all and the solution was a bit... predictable.

I really meant to finish up this week but I slept more than read when I wasn‘t working. So having a late🍿dinner & reading to the end for tomorrow‘s final #sundaybuddyread discussion.

Over all this was not my favorite book, but I am also not a huge fan of ghost stories.
I do/ did enjoy the Sunday discussions each week.
#Sundaybuddyread

#joyousJanuary #sundaybuddyread #overbookedclub #audiomystery #Islandlife #sealife
I just realized as I was posting this, that each of these books is either set in the ocean, in islands by the sea, in inlets or rivers. Water and people‘s relationship with it is a predominant theme. As for me, I visit the sea as often as I can, and live within walking distance to a river. Aquarius I am.
Finished 3. Working on Mapmaker‘s goal.

@Sargar114 wins 🤍🤍🤍🤍

#sundaybuddyread final talk on this book tomorrow and as you can tell Bernie can‘t wait 🤍🤣

Not a book I would normally pick, but so glad I did. After her Uncle‘s mysterious death, Jillian goes to the small town of Rothewell to sort out his affairs and finds herself caught up in a mystery that is much more than she bargained for. Full of twists and turns and touches of romance and supernatural. Would recommend especially if you‘re already a fan of St. James‘ other work. Read for #sundaybuddyread and Bernie cause I can‘t get enough.

Loved it and I can't wait for the discussion on Sunday ladies 😸
#SundayBuddyRead

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ So I love this author. This was yet another fantastic mystery/ghost story. I loved the 1920s England setting and the strong intellectual female main character. All the “suspects” were great. St. James had me guessing until the very end. I very much recommend to mystery lovers! Thank you #Sundaybuddyread for picking another one by this author! This was my #bookspinbingo No. 21 pick

I have not been able to sleep for days, and have started listening to this audiobook. The narrator‘s voice is so soothing, but the story is so good it‘s not helping lull me to sleep! So tired.

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

Sunday!!! Anyone who‘s read the book welcome to join our last discussion on this book.

A quiet evening - laundry tumbling in the dryer, a current read for #SundayBuddyRead (I‘m enjoying immensely), shortbread cookies and a cup of mint verbena tea. I find I usually sleep better, when my day ends like this. ☕️📖 🛌 Although, this book does have a bit of the spook factor. Reader be warned! 😳

#sundaybuddyread #joyousjanuary

Something came from the water.
It lifted from the waves a long, dark, head...

Terrified, frozen, Jillian watched this emerging thing in dread.

Finished this tonight. This is her 2nd book published (2013). The first was The Haunting of Maddy Clare( 2012) which is our May 2021 buddy read.

#SUNDAYBUDDYREAD

I‘m ready for SUNDAY and our final discussion on this book! See you then 💚

I definitely liked this but it's not my favorite book by this author. I definitely recommend it if you like a murder mystery or a ghost story.

#SundayBuddyRead with @TheBookHippie and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks final discussion Sunday. Until then 🤐🤐🤐

#BookSpinBingo square 1
@TheAromaofBooks

I nearly skipped on this #sundaybuddyread when I couldn‘t get a physical copy but I‘m so glad I didn‘t. Thank you for choosing it and for the discussions so far @TheBookHippie - looking forward to the next two in the schedule by same author.

Another great Simone St. James mystery! Jillian goes to the seaside town of Rothewell to pack up her recently deceased uncle's belongings. Rothewell is haunted by Walking John, a ghost, and Jillian thinks the ghost might have something to do with her uncle's death. #SundayBuddyRead
#LitsyAtoZ @BookishMarginalia