Publishers Weekly
04/11/2022
In Haines’s taut 24th Sarah Booth Delaney mystery (after 2021’s Independent Bones), the Zinnia, Miss., PI is approached by Frances “Frankie” Moore, an old friend of her late mother, to find Frankie’s daughter, Christa, who has gone missing in New Orleans. When Sarah Booth travels to the Big Easy and delves into the case with her sheriff boyfriend, Coleman Peters, and her partner in the Delaney Detective Agency, Tinkie Bellcase Richmond, she discovers a trail of disappearances—not only Christa but also Christa’s artist friend, Britta Wagner, as well as a friend of Britta’s. As a budding investigative journalist, Christa was examining the disturbing activities of a local cult, heightening Sarah Booth’s apprehension about the intended fate of Christa and Britta, as well as her own personal danger, as Halloween—a key event for the cult—approaches. Haines’s message about vulnerable people who are prey to unscrupulous individuals, juxtaposed with the determination of Sarah Booth’s circle to find the missing women, adds poignancy. Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with Sarah Booth and company. Agent: Marian Young, Young Agency. (June)
From the Publisher
"Taut...Haines’s message about vulnerable people who are prey to unscrupulous individuals, juxtaposed with the determination of Sarah Booth’s circle to find the missing women, adds poignancy. Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with Sarah Booth and company." —Publishers Weekly
"An entertaining romp for devotees of the irrepressible Sarah Booth." —Booklist
"Haines shows Sarah at her madcap best back in her hometown in this clever adventure. This is crazy cozy with a little something for everyone: paranormal doings, plenty of Evanovich zaniness, and a cast of eccentrics."
—Booklist on Bone to Be Wild
"Enjoyable…Jitty, the headstrong ghost who shares Sarah Booth’s family home, is just one of the many well-drawn characters who help bring this Southern tale to colorful life." —Publishers Weekly on Rock-a-Bye Bones
"Distinctive characters and an atmospheric setting elevate this paranormal cozy. Series fans and newcomers alike will be satisfied." —Publishers Weekly on Game of Bones
"A dark mystery, effectively framed by its well-drawn Mississippi Delta setting." —Booklist on Game of Bones
"A sure pleaser in both the mystery and the romance department. If you like a satisfying cozy Southern whodunit, Charmed Bones fits the bill." —RT Book Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
2022-03-30
Is there a secret to eternal life, or is its promise just a big con? That’s the question Sarah Booth Delaney has to answer in her 24th adventure.
Now that Tinkie Bellcase Richmond, the partner in Sarah Booth’s Mississippi detective agency, has finally given birth to the adorable Maylin, not even the sudden appearance of her household haint, Jitty, dressed as death can distract Sarah Booth for more than a short time. Jitty does offer up a cryptic warning, so when Frances “Frankie” Moore arrives seeking help in finding her journalist daughter, Christa, Sarah Booth prepares for the worst. Because Tinkie must stay home in Zinnia with Maylin, Sarah Booth’s boyfriend, Sheriff Coleman Peters, accompanies her to New Orleans, where Christa was investigating human trafficking and a cult. Christa’s roommate, free-spirited German artist Britta Wagner, had already vanished, and Christa’s disappearance makes Frankie fear for their safety. Christa’s boyfriend, Carlos Rodriguez, and her friends in the apartment complex where she lived are not much help, but the sleuths do learn that she was looking into the People of Earth, a cult whose charismatic leader claims she can stop the aging process. Her search for a magical garden Britta was hired to paint takes Sarah Booth all over New Orleans until she finds hints of strange rituals in the garden of a deserted house. Carlos goes AWOL, Christa’s friends come clean, and there’s a race against time to find the missing women before they’re sacrificed.
A spooky, dangerous adventure whose premise is all too believable.
