Mystery Monday

Good evening, my fellow Book Dragons. I hope the start of this new week has not been too hectic. Our Gem this evening is meant to take your mind off your pains in the neck…for awhile. It isn’t your normal Gem. It’s a bullet..not your average bullet. It’s made of silver. And it’s part of a kit. I don’t have the rest of the pieces. I know there were stakes, a mallet, a type of salt sprayer, something that looked like a insect repellant spray gun and a few other things.. this is all I was able to get of the collection. But isn’t it fine? The craftsmanship is A1! Nothing sloppy here. Very professional. Someone cared about the quality of their work on this one. That someone is Gem Maker Kerry Schafer and this is her work “Dead Before Dying”.

This is the tale of Maureen Keslyn. She’s a “Consultant” for the F.B.I. Very special. Not many people do what Maureen does. As far as she knows, there are only three. Herself, a young man named Abel and a man a bit older than her. The creme de la creme: Phil Evers. Her old boss, The Man, the Big Enchilada of what her specialty is. And it is a very special specialty, indeed.

Maureen has been hurt very, very badly on her last assignment. The book opens with her being released from the hospital be a very young, and very condescending doctor. She’s not yet 60, but he’s acting like she’s 80 and she’s not happy. She’s capable, she is efficient, she’s exceptionally good at what she does, even if she does have an unhealed wound in her stomach and a leg with more pins in it than a paper donkey at a five year old’s birthday party. She leaves the hospital with Abel. He takes her home, but there is another woman already living there with her husband. Apparently husband expected to be a widower and Maureen’s tenacity for living messed up his plans.

Abel tells her Phil has a job for her. A small job, nothing to taxing. To go undercover in a nursing home. She’s not happy. A nursing home? For heaven’s sake. She’s not 80. But considering her home situation, she has no place to go. She needs something. She relents. But Shadow Valley isn’t going to be very restful, is going to be more taxing than she dreamed and instead of tea and cookies and naps she’s going to need that silver bullet I showed you … and a whole lot more. Crucifix anyone?

I have already told you more than I wanted to, but there really was no other way to do it.

I have never read a book like this and I loved it. I was wishing for more when it was finished. Schafer has taken the Murder Mystery and Horror and turned them on the heads. This is sheer genius! Her characters are masterful. Her descriptions of time, place, who, what, when and why will leave you reminding yourself to take a breath or two. After a few pages, you will no longer be reading, you will be seeing. I saw what was going on. I stood there listening to conversations, holding objects in my claws, wiping spittle and blood from my covers, letting my tea get cold. Kerry Schafer, look up your history, my dear, somewhere, somehow, in some deep, dark branch of your family tree Mr. Stoker is hiding along with Mr. Poe and I am pretty sure I heard Shirley Jackson giggling up there in the thickness of those leaves. Yes, it has to be Shirley.

Do yourself a favor, and soon. Get “Dead Before Dying” reasonably priced in all mediums, especially Kindle Unlimited where it is currently FREE https://www.amazon.com/Before-Dying-Shadow-Valley-Manor/dp/0986120227/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1582605642&sr=1-2 . I am very happy I had the honor to read this book. I hope there is a sequel. I hope there are many sequels. Maureen Keslyn is no spring chicken, but there is a lot of life in the old girl yet!

Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten

I won a copy of this book in a drawing.