Official Review: The Magic of Murder by Susan Lynn Solomon

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Official Review: The Magic of Murder by Susan Lynn Solomon

Post by bookowlie »

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Magic of Murder" by Susan Lynn Solomon.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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A dead body, a writer with witches in her family tree, a detective, and an albino cat….what more could you want in a book? The Magic of Murder by Susan Lynn Solomon is a murder mystery with a dose of witchcraft. It can be categorized in the Mystery/Crime Fiction genre. When Detective Roger Frey’s partner Jimmy Osborn is found shot to death, Roger’s neighbor Emlyn Goode assists in investigating the crime. While doing research for a book she is writing, Emlyn has just discovered that “special gifts” run in her family; she is a descendant of Sarah Goode, a Salem witch from the 1600’s. Witchy spells and potions might come in handy when tracking down a killer, especially when Emlyn becomes a target.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The Niagara Falls, NY setting is vividly described. I was able to picture the cold, snowy small town where “everybody knows your name.” The characters are well drawn and believable with interesting backstories. Emlyn is a plucky writer who wants to help solve the murder while dealing with surprising news about her ancestry. Roger is a seasoned detective who is determined to find his partner’s killer. They have a quietly simmering attraction to each other, although the romance angle doesn’t overwhelm the central plot. Rebecca, a strange bookstore proprietor, becomes a friend/mentor to Emlyn. Even Elvira the cat has a backstory that dates back to 1600’s Salem. After the cat follows Emlyn home from Rebecca’s bookshop, they form a close bond and Elvira proves to be a helpful sidekick. Rebecca and Elvira’s roles in the story are clever and entertaining.

The murder mystery plot is woven together seamlessly with the unfolding of the story of Emlyn’s Salem ancestor. Each of these storylines would have been interesting by itself, but the mixture really turns the book in something more interesting than a typical murder mystery. There is a realistic feel to the passages where Emlyn skeptically experiments with concoctions. Chanting with herbal potions may not find Jimmy’s killer, but it’s worth a try. I thought I had figured out who the murderer was, but found myself changing my mind a few times through many twists and turns. Mystery fans will appreciate the challenge of solving the crime.

The conversational, often witty writing has an easy flow that propels the story forward at a steady pace. There is one confusing passage where Cotton Mather is briefly mentioned with no prior information about the person. It can be assumed from the context that the person was connected to the Salem Witch Trials, but there is no explanation about who he is. Also, there are approximately twelve pesky errors, mainly missing words, homophones, and incorrect tenses. I was surprised to see errors in a book that was otherwise very well written.

This book has earned 4 out of 4 stars. It has that X factor where all the ingredients mix well to create something special. I didn’t feel the errors warranted lowering the rating since the system doesn’t allow half stars and the book was wonderful in every other way. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes to curl up with a good book, particularly readers who enjoy mysteries and the subject of witchcraft. With apologies to Shakespeare, you won’t even need to boil “eye of newt and toe of frog” to read this book!

******
The Magic of Murder
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Post by gali »

Sounds real good! Thank you for the well-written and convincing review. I will add it to my shelves. :)

Congratulations to the author for the positive review. :tiphat:
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Post by Gravy »

I may have to add this one myself 8)
It sounds fantastic, and a few errors don't really bother me.
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Post by bookowlie »

gali wrote:Sounds real good! Thank you for the well-written and convincing review. I will add it to my shelves. :)

Congratulations to the author for the positive review. :tiphat:
Thanks Gali! It's the best mystery I've read in a long time. I hope my review convinces many people to read the book since it's so good.
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Post by gali »

bookowlie wrote:
gali wrote:Sounds real good! Thank you for the well-written and convincing review. I will add it to my shelves. :)

Congratulations to the author for the positive review. :tiphat:
Thanks Gali! It's the best mystery I've read in a long time. I hope my review convinces many people to read the book since it's so good.
You convinced me. :)
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Post by bookowlie »

Gravy wrote:I may have to add this one myself 8)
It sounds fantastic, and a few errors don't really bother me.
I think you would enjoy it. I mentioned the errors as constructive criticism because there were more than a few of them.
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Post by Sagegram »

I agree that Susan Lynn Solomon is a great writer. After reading the Magic of Murder I researched her and found some short stories online I also loved.
Your review was spot on and I can't wait for the sequel! !!!
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Post by bookowlie »

Thanks for the kind words. :) I also hope the author writes a sequel because I became very attached to the characters.
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Great review! I'm looking forward to reading this book
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Post by bookowlie »

Thanks CrescentMoon for the kind words. I think you would really like this book. All of the characters are interesting and the mystery is difficult to figure out.
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Post by bluemel4 »

Great review! I am adding this to my to-read list. Great job!
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Thanks Bluemel! Besides being a great mystery, it's just a really good book. I grew so attached to the characters that I was disappointed there wasn't an entire series ready for me to continue reading.
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Post by chytach18- »

What a nice review! As a great cat lover, I was particularly glad that you mentioned that Elvira, the cat, had a backstory. I'm sure she deserved the story.
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Post by bookowlie »

Thanks Chytach! I am more of a dog lover myself, but I did get quite attached to Elvira while reading and sometimes forgot that she wasn't human. :)
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Post by Susan Lynn Solomon »

I want to thank everyone for the kind words, and especially bookowlie for the fantastic review. Yes, Emlyn, Rebecca, Roger, and especially Elvira will be back to play in Niagara Falls. The first draft of their new story is about 75% written.

While I've been writing for a number of years, its been my short stories which have been published--none of them mysteries. Though I've loved the genre since my mother handed me an Agatha Christie novel when I was 11, I never thought I'd be able to plot one. Then last year Gary Earl Ross, an Edgar Award winning writer and a friend, dared me to try. I've never been bright enough to turn down a dare (at least not one like this), and three months later the first draft of The Magic of Murder was completed. While I thoroughly enjoyed writing it--there were even times I laughed out loud while I typed a scene--the biggest thrill of my writing career is hearing people are reading and enjoying my book. See, the reason I'm still writing late into many nights is the readers is the hope I'll touch the life of people I've yet to meet.
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