Thursday, January 4, 2024

Home at Night by Paula Munier

 "...The ghosts that stalk us are the secrets we cannot keep, the trespasses we cannot forgive, the truths we cannot bury. Grackle Tree Farm had held the poet's confidences close for decades. But after all these years of silence, now her secrets were coming to light."




 The plot:  Grackle Tree Farm has just come up for sale. Mercy Carr has loved that old Victorian manor since she was young, and she and Troy Warner need a larger house now that they're married. But when they go to check out the dilapidated house, Elvis (Mercy's Belgian Malinois) discovers a dead body in the library. The man appears to have been poisoned. In his pocket, is a letter dated 1942 from the famous poet, Euphemia Whitney-Jones, to a mysterious lover. Is it a coded letter leading to a hidden treasure? Is that what lead to the dead man's murder? Mercy and Elvis are on the case. 

My thoughts:  This is the fifth book in one of my favorite K-9 mystery series. I love Mercy and Troy and their two dogs, Elvis and Susie Bear! This one was especially fun because of the mystery's literary aspect. I enjoyed Mercy's hunt for the poet's hidden letters, all those old family secrets, and that cool Victorian manor that's rumored to be haunted. There are even Druids. And Mercy's and Troy's relationship just makes me happy. Great prose, well-layered and personable characters, awesome dogs, and a twisty murder investigation make this one a compelling and satisfying 5-star read. If you've never tried this series, I suggest you start with the first one, A Borrowing of Bones. It's excellent, too.


Happy Reading!

38 comments:

  1. Oh, this sounds nice! Thanks for the link to the first one :)

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    1. I love this series! Mercy and Elvis are such a great team, as are Troy and Susie Bear. :D

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  2. Sounds good. Regine

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    1. Are K-9 mystery series a thing? I haven't read any books featuring dog-investigators but it sounds like it could be a fun mystery subgenre.

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    2. Books with trained dogs in them have become very popular lately...these dogs are trained in search and rescue and sniffing out bombs & other things, and while they're not the main detectives, they do play a significant role in the investigation as they work with their people, who are the main characters.

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  3. "K-9 mystery series"? Wow, there's a niche for every interest, isn't there? And a five-star rating from you! A high recommendation.

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    1. They're just mysteries with trained dogs that end up playing a significant role along the way...but I love them. :D

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  4. I love K-9 mysteries! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this one! :D

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  5. Another series I need to catch up on!

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  6. Oh wow druids too? Ching. :) But I love coded letters too. I'll have to try this.

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    1. Everything about this one was just so fun.

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  7. That's a new one for me but it sounds good.

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  8. I love the K-9 unit. Anything with dogs will get me every time. :-)

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    1. Me, too! And often, the dogs become my favorite part of the book. 🐕‍🦺

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    1. Thank you, Cindy! It's easy when you love the book and the series so much.

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  10. This sounds like a fun cozy mystery series.

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    1. It's so good! I love all the characters, and the Vermont setting, and the dogs! :D

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  11. Great review! I always enjoy books that feature K-9 units so I'll have to check this one out. :)

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    1. It's so good. I think you would really like it.

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  12. I've enjoyed many mystery series with dogs, and this sounds like another one to look into. I have read series by Todd Borg, Spencer Quinn, among others.

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    1. I've read Todd Borg's first book, but haven't tried any of Spencer Quinn's. I'll have to check him out...and get back to Borg's Tahoe series. :D

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  13. Maybe they got a better deal on the house? Lol! I need to read this series. I think I may have started the first book and then got sidetracked. Must get back to it. :)

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    1. Finding a dead body should knock at least 10% off the asking price! ;D

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  14. Estou seguindo o seu blog. Blog bonito e bem feito. Parabéns.
    Siga o meu blog também.
    Um beijo

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  15. I do love an underlying literary theme. This sounds like a great series. I am glad you enjoyed this installment, Lark!

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    1. The whole thing with the old house and the poetry and the family secrets was just fun.

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  16. How have I not read this series!! This sounds like something I would absolutely love. Adding the entire series to my TBR. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. It's so good! I hope you love Mercy and Elvis as much as I do. :D

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  17. Who can resist a mystery where the events happen in the library! This sounds really enjoyable! It also has a great spooky cover and title!

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    1. And such great characters! This has become one of my most favorite mystery series. :D

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  18. This sounds like a great series and I enjoyed reading your thoughts, Lark! :)

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