Book Review: Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams

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Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams is the first book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series and is set in western Virginia at a charming resort called Storyton Hall. This unique resort is designed specifically for book lovers who want to escape, unwind, and immerse themselves in their favorite stories. The resort’s manager, Jane Steward, decides to host a themed “Murder and Mayhem Week” inviting mystery enthusiasts to gather, role-play, and solve fictional crimes. However, the event takes a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead in his suite and a valuable prize goes missing. Jane must uncover which guest is responsible for the murder before the retreat is ruined . Before picking up this novel, I had only read one other book in the series. I decided to start from the beginning as part of my New Year’s resolution to finally read books I purchased years ago. I’m so glad I did. Starting with the first installment allowed me to fully appreciat...
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Book Review: The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

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Book Review The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman is a novel about a rich, eccentric family and traditions that may be deadly.  Harriet "Harry" Reed, a novelist, and her fiance Edward Holbeck are in love.  Edward's estranged family wants Harry's help in bringing back into the folds of their family, but when their strange family traditions make Harry uneasy, she starts to rethink her decision.

A big shout out and thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballatine Books for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Family Game by Catherine Steadman.  I requested to review this book because of the cover art and the synopsis.  To say I was excited to be approved to receive this book for free in exchange for my honest review would be an understatement.

This was the perfect book to put me in the mood for Halloween even though the majority of the book takes place in November and December.  An intense, dark book, the first quarter of the novel was a bit slow but quickly picked up from there.  There were twists and turns galore, and I didn't see the ending coming at all.

One of the traditions of the family is a game brought over from their homeland of Germany called Krampusnacht and included Krampus, the evil shadow of Santa Claus, chasing children throughout the house until one of the kids found the special stick that would "kill" Krampus.  Harry and one other adult were pulled into the game to help the youngest two children in the game.  I found my heart pounding during this scene . . . it was that scary!!  I think what made it so scary to me is that I had watched a horror movie a few years ago about Krampus and knew how scary this creature could be.

All in all, I absolutely loved The Family Game by Catherine Steadman and gave it five out of five stars.  I highly recommend this book, especially if you love the horror genre.

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