Pranks, Poitín,
and Púcas: A Skye O'Shea Paranormal Cozy Mystery (The Skye O'Shea Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Series Book 3)
By Rowan Dillon
Skye O’Shea inherited
a lovely old pub in Ireland from her Gran, in the coastal town of Ballybas, but
she also inherited the task of protecting the town from the Good Folk.
But the
renovations seem to spark with trouble. It doesn’t help that Skye seems to
catastrophize but that’s part of the nature of preparing for the worst that
comes with surviving trauma in life.
The writing style
draws the reader onward with the trials and tribulations of finding your place
in a new country, along with renovations, and permit applications to run a bar.
Little things seem
to keep happening – wiring sparking up, her new friend exhibiting very odd
behavior, and creepy guys in stores.
Along with the
usual problems, Skye has an abusive ex who shows up to let her know SHE can’t
live without him, but Skye is pretty sure she can.
Of course, it’s
only going to get worse as Samhain draws near.
The descriptions
are lovely, like the town of Bantry that Skye visits with her friend, Jess. “Bantry’s
charm unfolded in a lively mix of colorful shop fronts painted in rich reds,
bright yellows, and sea-blues….”
The pace is lively
and I couldn’t wait to get back to the book at lunch every day to read a little
more.
I would highly
recommend this charming series.
I’ve also read, or
am reading, a few other books.
I’ve just finished
Acqu Alta by Donna Leon, which brought Commissario Guido Brunetti back
in contact with some interesting characters and some scary ones against the
backdrop of a rainy season called Aqua Alta that raises the water level ominously
in Venice. It’s a perfect setting and I just adore this character, a thoughtful
policeman who is also a loving husband and nurturing father.
I’m also listening
to another Martin Walker, The Resistance Man, bringing me back to the
delightful Dordogne region of France with Chief of Police, Bruno. Life is good
for Bruno but politics and affairs of the heart bring complications for him.
Lastly, I’m
reading The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett. It’s an unusual stream of
consciousness book from the perspective of a semiliterate former conman written
under the format of audio files he records into an old phone given to him by
his adult son. There are misspellings based on how transcription software often
gets things wrong and it has been very interesting so far. A little bit
conspiracy theory, a little bit mystery, and a little bit thriller. I wasn’t
sure about the book at first, but it has held my interest and I can’t wait to
see where it goes.
