The Noxhelm Murders

by Bon Blossman

Overview

The Noxhelm Murders is a Young Adult Horror Mystery by Dr. Bon Blossman.

Shana Murphy's life shatters as she is swept away from her hometown of Boston to the mysterious, isolated town of Noxhelm. Under the strict guidelines of the federal witness protection program, this teenage mob child is stripped of her identity and must move into what the locals call Ripper House - a haunted estate built by a serial killer during the Great Depression. The legend holds that insanity, despair, and even death have plagued the former inhabitants of this cursed estate.
Before settling into her new life, Shana finds herself as the prime suspect in a classmate's murder. She must face her inner demons and those living in her attic to prove her innocence.

Book Awards:

• Indie Brag Medallion honoree
• Gold: Young Adult Mystery, Literary Classics Book Awards
• Gold: Young Adult Supernatural, Literary Classics Book Awards
• Honorable Mention: YA Mystery, Reader's Favorite
• Official Selection: Young Adult Fiction, New Apple Literary Book Awards

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780996524858
Publisher:	Bon Blossman Dr.
Publication date:	10/10/2017
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.55(d)

About the Author

Known for both her academics and quirky charm, Dr. Bon Blossman has emerged in the entertainment industry as an exuberant television personality, confident businesswoman, and up-and-coming musician. Dr. Bon is best known for her role on four seasons of Style Network's hit series Big Rich Texas, with the fourth season being a spin-off of her family surrounding the birth of her grandchild. Aside from Dr. Bon's role on BRT, she is also a ten-time author, with her newest release, Noxhelm Murders, released in October 2017. The Fiona Frost Mystery Series has won multiple literary awards, including two gold medals and a silver from Literary Classics and Reader's Favorite. Dregs Island has taken the silver medal from Reader's Favorite. Dr. Bon has also been involved in the commercial scene with her Claymation in a Pepsi-Cola company commercial in 2007 and starring with her daughter in a Hasbro Games commercial in 2012.

Dr. Bon earned her PhD in physiology and has published her research in multiple peer-reviewed journals. She also has served as an ad hoc reviewer for the National Science Foundation, Royal Integrative Society, and other scientific journals. She has taught courses, including biochemistry, at the college level for more than nineteen years, earning an award for fostering student achievement. Her most recent academic appointment was as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas, teaching biochemistry and parasitology.

Dr. Bon has created more than one hundred popular games and, in 2006, founded the number one murder mystery party company, My Mystery Party, which has risen to be a top source for party hosts around the world. Dr. Bon has also created the company Scavenger Planet, and Party Host 411-a spin-off from The Official Party Host Handbook that she published in 2011. Dr. Bon also published The Official Halloween Party Host Handbook in the summer of 2016.

Dr. Bon currently lives in the state capital of Texas and the live music capital of the world, Austin, with her husband and son. Her daughter's family lives only a three-hour drive away in Dallas, Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys making 2-D animations, learning new songs with her band, DrunkLora, and filming comedy skits with her family's YouTube show, Watch Our Show.

Editorial Reviews

2018-04-04
The witness protection program isn't all it's cracked up to be in this YA thriller.Shana O'Sullivan is a typical teenager with an atypical life. Her father, a powerful man with strong connections to the mob, crosses the wrong guy, and the O'Sullivans of Boston barely escape an attack on their lives. Turning to the FBI for protection, Shana and her family assume false identities and take up residence in a vacant (and creepy) house in the small town of Noxhelm, California. Shana misses home and struggles to fit in with her new classmates, though she makes friends with the girl next door and even develops a crush on a cute boy. Her small successes are negated when the boy is killed at his own party and Shana is identified as the prime suspect. Her involvement in the murder case puts her family's safety at risk, especially since Shana is being watched by an unknown stalker who threatens to reveal her secrets. Blossman (Dregs Island, 2017, etc.) successfully mixes genres in her latest novel, using a haunted house (known as Ripper House) with a violent past as an engaging backdrop for her murder mystery. While trying to identify a killer, Shana is also cohabitating with the spirit of a dead girl who seems to need something from her. The author creates a strong protagonist in the character of Shana, who is an effective vehicle for moving the plot forward. She's a teen with relatable problems whose family history and familiarity with violence mark her as singular. It's entertaining to watch the unflappable Shana, unfazed by guns and murder, become thoroughly unsettled by a ghost. Ripper House is both the setting and a character, though it could benefit from a more thorough exploration of its construction and history. Real-world problems, such as a troubling new drug on the streets and the ramifications of social media use, intersect with a solid supernatural storyline. Unexpected narrative twists result in a surprising ending. A satisfying whodunit with a supernatural flair.

Kirkus Reviews