Customer Reviews

Ghost of a Chance: Shannon Delaney Paranormal Mystery Series

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first in the Shannon Delaney Paranormal Mystery Series; as one might expect there is time given over to the introduction of the main characters of which there are quite a few. I'll be interested to watch further developments in later books. Solving a mystery that is over 130 years old may seem a daunting task, but interesting, especially when the mystery involves a famous magician, his old mansion and mysterious chest, handsome descendants, and a psychically sensitive heroine.

Working as a team, five main characters try to determine what happened to Eric Blackthorne, the magician of over 130 years ago; did he just disappear or was he really murdered? The story builds throughout the book as the team resurrect clues from varying sources. The excitement of discovery and meaning of each clue is contagious to the reader. Not least of the clues appear to come to Shannon in the night. Is she dreaming them or are they manifestations? Is there a ghost helping her? and are the hilarious appearances in the night truly clues? All these questions come to bear on the case and play their role in the mystery. I loved the author's wily way of incorporating not only clues but humor in the mix! The story flows well, the discoveries of the past weave through the present day smoothly and build the reader's interest. Hints of jealousy and romance appear throughout the story, and it seems to end with a promise of more about to blossom with the continuation of the series, but not without its complications.

I really enjoyed this first book and look forward to the growth of the series. I am definitely hooked on Shannon's dreams! The cast of characters form a unique alliance, too. Once the first characters were established the book took off and took over, leaving me reading almost straight through at one go. Easy to read, strange quirks to throw us off balance, glimpses of life of the rich and of early San Diego, two families tied together in mutual interest in the case, all make for an effortless but exciting journey through a very "cold case"!

I loved the charactors, the plot, the vivid descriptions of people and places...by the time I finished the book I wanted MORE. Fantastic author.

I wrote a review for this book in its e-book Kindle version, now I have the paperback.

As I said before, this is a good cozy mystery, suitable for all ages from teens to grown-ups. The author does a good job of creating interesting characters that move the plot along. And if you go to the author's web site, she will answer e-mails:
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Note that the web site url posted with this review is the offical new/updated web site.

Review #1. Elizabeth Eagan-Cox incorporates the fascinating history of California into a fantastic tale of intrigue, murder, and the supernatural in this spine-tingling novel. A Ghost of a Chance is one of those rare finds that is both a great read and appropriate for the whole family.
-Annette Jones, Host - Paranormal Book Club

Review #2. Elizabeth Eagan-Cox layers the bricks of historically factual elements with the mortar of an ever-twisting paranormal mystery in her imaginative new novel, 'A Ghost Of A Chance'. Best read by anyone curled up in an over-sized armchair, feeling the warm glow of a wood-burning fireplace upon your skin, while simply hearing nothing more than the ticking of a clock upon it's mantle; you'll be transformed as soon as the "magnificently preserved wood chest" reveals its enchanting secrets starting in Chapter One. From there you can 'Follow your heart', and let this fascinating tale flow through you...
- Debbie Ballard/Phenomena, Radio Talk Show Host

Review #3. I really liked Elizabeth Eagan-Cox's novel. It's an interesting read, keeping my interest all the way through the book and I did not anticipate the eventual solution of the crime at all. I definitely recommend it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I look forward to the next publishing of Shannon Delaney's adventures. I definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes mysteries with a paranormal twist.
- Gia Scott, Radio Host, Exogeny Network

Review #4. In the tradition of Barbara Michaels, A Ghost of a Chance is a wonderful paranormal mystery; a perfect book for curling up with a cat and a cup of tea on a dark night. Can't wait for the next book in the series!
- Karyn Dolan, Host of Through the Keyhole,
Paranormal Radio Network

I had high hopes for this story, but was sadly disappointed. Oh, the story was ok, if a bit simplistic, but the style and the publishing left A LOT to be desired.
This book should be listed under "Young Adult" as it pretty much reads like a high school girl's diary. There are a lot of exclamation points! It's very distracting. I know it's written in first person, but does anyone really think in exclamation points? My only other critique of the story is that I don't really consider strange dreams really paranormal, though I know some do. Also, I like short chapters, but 2 pages?
My other problem comes from the publisher, at least of the copy I had. I don't know if it was a cut-rate publisher or not, but the book was very poorly edited. There were misspellings, poor sentence structure and it just seemed like no one gave a darn when they published it. This also makes for a lot of distraction when I read. Having been told to get a professional editor before I could get something published, I didn't think things could get out there without it. But that problem is probably is with the publisher not the book.

So the story may be better than I think, but I just couldn't enjoy the book.