Paula Munier

It's an amusing thriller with a slight sinister side, that finds Mercy Carr having more than just her hands full with pre-wedding mayhem at the location of her grandmother’s upcoming nuptials at the Lady’s Slipper Inn, when the spa director goes missing... an unidentified person is found dead on the property of the local goat farm...and her special four-legged friend, Elvis, accidentally uncovers the skeletal remains of a woman who seems to have been murdered and buried more than twenty years ago. The story moves along smoothly. The characters are persistent, resourceful, and clever and the plot is engaging filled with twists, turns, surprises, red herrings, familial drama, danger, tension, a smidge of romance, and murder. What more could a good mystery need? Overall, this book is a clever, fun, and an easy read. If you are a fan of lighthearted mysteries with intelligent, helpful, four-legged friends...this one is for you. I only gave it 3 stars, not because there was anything "off" about the book and nothing about the authors abilities...it was just a bit too much on the "cozy side" for my liking.… (lisätietoja)

The story is about a haunted house, some poachers, and a murderer that threatens our house-hunting people. Mercy Carr is a former soldier, and her husband, game warden Troy Warner, have had plenty of experience with murder. We find now that they are house hunting for a larger house, but when an offer falls through and they find themselves crammed into a tiny cabin along with their dogs, Elvis and Susie Bear...who are absolutely adorable by the way...but then...what dog isn't? In that tiny cabin were Mercy and Troy, but also a teen-aged mother that Mercy had met on another case and had taken in... her baby, Helena; and Brodie, Mercy's boyfriend...so 5 people and 2 dogs were a bit much and they really needed that larger house. When the house of Mercy’s dreams comes on the market they make an offer, never imagining that getting it would be a "death-defying" experience. "Grackle Tree Farm", is a beautiful piece of property complete with a decrepit Victorian mansion that is said to be haunted...but how much room can one ghost possibly take up? It's just what they were looking for and perfect for them. The house was once owned by a famous poet, Euphemia “Effie” Whitney-Jones and her longtime companion, who are both now deceased, so the property is finally going on the market. Undeterred by the amount of work the place needs, they WANT it. Meanwhile, Troy and his park ranger friend are searching for poachers who are poaching endangered species, and Mercy’s great uncle, Hugo Fleury, a retired military veteran and intelligence officer, along with Daniel Feinberg, a wealthy neighbor who she’s done several security jobs for, want Mercy to find a mysterious "something" that Effie supposedly hid somewhere on the farm, with only a very cryptic clue. Hugo also knows that another private detective and some other folks are also searching for whatever was hidden by the puzzle-loving poet. Accompanied by Troy’s boss, who provides their official cover, Mercy finds not only the hiding place but along with it the body of the private detective. More deaths will follow before Mercy can unravel the puzzle that involves both her case and Troy's. Someone, in another review, described the book as "a combination of physical and mental feats by both humans and beast". At times those feats become a bit unbelievable but if you can just "dispend your disbeliefs" and remember that it's fiction and "just a story", you will find it's a really good way to spend a few hours of reading time.… (lisätietoja)

Home at Night is the fifth installment of the Mercy & Elvis series, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I haven't actually read the previous books in this series, but lack of previous knowledge of the characters and their goings-on didn't affect my enjoyment of this particular book. I do love it when authors go out of their way to give distinct personalities to animals in their books, and Elvis was no exception; I enjoyed learning about him and his previous life as a military dog, and this may be the reason why I pick up the first book in the series.

The book opens on a rather spooky note and at first, I wondered if I actually picked up a paranormal mystery instead of just a regular cozy mystery, but that was soon set straight. The mystery itself was quite enjoyable with cryptic notes found in secret hiding spots, codes to decipher in poems, hidden treasure, and so much more, leading to a mystery involving the previous owners of the house Mercy would like to purchase. There were a couple of surprising twists and turns and I always enjoy it when the author lulls you into feeling calm and then ups the tension level with something unexpected. The plot itself was rather complex, and being someone who enjoys cryptic codes found in letters and poems, this was right up my alley. I don't think I've ever outgrown the thrill of reading anything about treasure hunting.

That being said, there were a lot of coincidences in this book and I am not a fan of the use of them to propel a story forward. When a character just happens to be friends with someone in the past and has spent time with them in the past which helps solve one of the clues in the present, and this scenario is used in this book, I just get irritated. And Mercy seems to have that one family member who has done everything and been everywhere during the war who just seems to be able to come up with clues to whatever she needs.

The characters themselves were interesting and for the most part, I did enjoy learning more about them. Mercy was facing some major changes in her life and I liked the relationship she had with her husband. Mercy's inner monologue did irk me at times as she was constantly talking to herself about how she has to be careful and not do anything dangerous, and then goes ahead and does something dangerous and almost gets herself killed. And yes, I rolled my eyes, I couldn't help it. How many times does one visit the emergency room before you get the message?

Verdict
Home at Night delves into the themes of greed and betrayal, leading some to commit heinous acts for the pursuit of glory as well as financial bonanza; it shows how far people will go if they are desperate. I also like the secondary story line, even better than the original one, depicting the turtles and the poaching that is happening to our endangered species. While I did think the author only explored these themes on a superficial level, the overall story was still fun and engaging.… (lisätietoja)

With Mercy Carr's cabin stuffed to the gills with 5 people and 2 dogs, it's time to find a new place. When Mercy finds out that Grackle Tree Farm is for sale, a place she's loved since she was a child, it seems like the perfect opportunity!
Grackle Tree Farm is rumored to be haunted, but that's never bothered Mercy. The dead body in the library that her dog Elvis discovers might be a bigger obstacle. It seems that ghosts aren't the only thing Grackle Tree Farm is hiding. It's also full of secrets and maybe some treasure!

The Farm has a long history that includes both fame and tragedy. It was home to a famous author who may have left behind something valuable. After discovering the body, Mercy's uncle and her sometimes (very wealthy) employer show up at her doorstep. They ask her to try to find what they suspect the dead man was looking for: literary treasure.

Mercy goes back to the farm along with Elvis and Captain Thrasher. A masked man is there who shoots at them, hitting Mercy and seriously wounding Thrasher. Now it's up to Mercy, her husband Troy, and their two dogs, Elvis and Susie Bear to find the killer and discover the secret of Grackle Tree Farm.

Home At Night intertwines a very interesting mystery, some thrills, and plenty of suspense. Mercy Carr is competent and compelling. Munier surrounds her with other enjoyable characters who greatly add to the fun of the story. Elvis and Susie Bear are more than just window-dressing. They are each service animals so they have important roles to play in the story. The love they share with their human companions ingratiates them to us even more and helps tell us who Mercy and Troy are as well.

The Grackle Tree Farm setting is ideal for a mystery story. A very old house, rumors of ghosts, and a long rich history. The Halloween setting further adds to the atmosphere. The mystery is intricate and Mercy follows the clues methodically. The solutions feel earned. There are plenty of suspects and unraveling it all is very satisfying.

This is the fifth book in the series but my first time reading it. I had no trouble jumping into the story. These feel like characters and a location that have a lot more stories in them. I'm looking forward to future installments in this series and especially to spending more time with Elvis and Susie Bear.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.… (lisätietoja)