BOOK REVIEW AND MY THOUGHTS
The plot in a nutshell with many diverse characters, within one family and among friends, and a home having an apparent connection to each other. Having crafted this novel pretty cleverly as it revolved around the Racine family, the story takes a twist in the beginning chapters when Gil Racine, the predatory publisher of New York is poisoned at his piano and brutally murdered that night at the Christmas party. Steven and Olivia when invited to the party are set to investigate the murder and find the killer among them.
I really enjoyed the setting and the timeline of the book moved wonderfully between 1934 to 2014. A great camp Onontago in all its glory and warmth, especially decorated for Christmas and snowflakes hitting the window and three feet of snow around them, a time for trekking as well. Getting out of the sub-zero temperature and the brutal snow was out of the question for Steven and Olivia. Where did the poison come from? Why was Gil Racine murdered? Gil had a lot of business rivals at the same time he had disagreements with his family members in certain matters. There is a motive for the murder. It can be all the wealth Gil left behind has to figure into the killer's motive. Soon Gil's son Julian goes missing and is found murdered in the freezing snow. Before the murder strikes again Stephen and Olivia race against the time.
Thanks to Level Books best publishers and Partners in crime tours for an advanced digital copy for my honest review.
RSVP to Murder
by Carol Pouliot
November 6 – December 1, 2023 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:
A new twist on the 1930s English country house mystery.
Embarking on their most daring time-travel experiment to date, Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and his 21st-century partner-in-crime Olivia Watson travel to the Adirondack Mountains for a Christmas party at one of the legendary Great Camps. Their host, a wealthy New York publisher, has planned a weekend filled with holiday activities, but, as the last guest arrives, temperatures plummet and a blizzard hits. Before long, the area is buried in snow, the roads are impassable, and the publisher is poisoned.
Unwilling to wait until the local police can arrive, the victim’s widow convinces Steven to launch an unofficial investigation. Soon, a family member goes missing and Steven and Olivia discover a second victim. Trapped with a killer, Steven and Olivia race against the clock before the murderer strikes again.
Praise for RSVP to Murder:
“A classic holiday movie and Agatha Christie novel mashup”
~ Shawn Reilly Simmons, author of the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series
“RSVP to Murder is Agatha Christie with a time-travel twist. Pouliot supplies us with just what we crave in a great locked-room mystery: a blizzard, closed roads, dead phone lines, roaring fires, and lots of suspects and motives—all set in a luxurious Adirondack Great Camp in 1934. Snap on your seatbelt and travel with Steven and Olivia, you’ll be happy you did!”
~ Tina deBellegarde, Author of The Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Series.
“A Great Camp in the Adirondacks serves up a sumptuous setting of plump armchairs, roaring fireplaces, and the heady scent of Christmas pines—all begging to be settled into with this thumping good vintage whodunit set in the 1930s. Cleverly plotted with plot-twists aplenty and some time-travel to boot, this immersive mystery is a gem.”
~ Laurie Loewenstein, Author of the Dust Bowl Mystery Series
“Readers are invited to the glamour of the Thirties, where the rich are putting on the Ritz, until there’s a murder to solve. Join time-travelers Blackwell and Watson in a race to the Racines’ Adirondack Great Camp to catch a killer. A clever…and a thoroughly unique must for fans of the paranormal and historical. RSVP today!”
~ Gabriel Valjan, Author of the Shane Cleary Mysteries series
“The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries’ latest installment, RSVP to Murder, combines the thrilling and “timeless” aspects of Jack Finney’s classic TIME AND AGAIN mixed with the wit and charm of a modern, puzzling mystery. Highly recommended for all lovers of time travel, history, romance and wily sleuths.”
~ L.A. Chandlar, Best-selling author of the Art Deco Mystery Series
Book Details:
Genre: Traditional mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Publication Date: September 2023
Number of Pages: 305
ISBN: 9781685123857
Series: The Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, #4
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads
Author Bio:
A former language teacher and business owner, Carol Pouliot writes the acclaimed Blackwell and Watson Time-Travel Mysteries, traditional police procedurals with a seemingly impossible relationship between Depression-era cop Steven Blackwell and 21st-century journalist Olivia Watson. With their fast pace and unexpected twists and turns, the books have earned praise from readers and mystery authors alike.
Carol is a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks, Co-chair of the Murderous March Mystery Conference, and President of her Sisters in Crime chapter. When not writing, Carol can be found packing her suitcase and reaching for her passport for her next travel adventure.
Learn more and sign up for Carol’s newsletter on her website:
www.carolpouliot.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @cpouliot13
Instagram – @carolpouliotmysterywriter
Facebook – @WriterCarolPouliot
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