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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun historical mystery - an easy, escapist read., December 20, 2009
This review is from: Haunting Jordan: A Novel of Suspense (Mass Market Paperback)
P.J. Alderman's first release on a major label (you can check out " A Killing Tide" for her first ever suspense on Love Spell) is definitely a page-turner. The book has dual murder-mystery storylines - one running in the present, one in the past. The protagonist is working to solve both murders, one to clear herself, and one to quiet the ghosts living in her classic Victorian in Port Chatham, WA. The historical storyline is replete with detailed descriptions of the socioeconomic setting of the early days of the town. The characters are well developed and interesting to read about. The current-day characters are also fairly well developed, and keep the story (which bounces between the two timelines) running on track. Both mysteries are solved in the book, but each story could have easily filled a book by itself, so I did find myself wanting more in the end. That's a good thing, however, since rumor has it that Alderman is at work on another release on Bantam. Overall, the book seems to be a bit more oriented toward the female reader, but I found the historical details compelling enough to keep me reading, and once the story got going, I was pretty much hooked. The narrative is lush enough to get lost in but not so flowery and obtuse as to bore the reader. While I generally stick to nonfiction and historical stuff, I find Alderman's books a nice fictional escape, and something I can either burn through in a few days or spend some extended time on. I definitely recommend this book to anyone in the market for a good, fun murder mystery that's light yet pulls no punches.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved this book, January 3, 2010
This review is from: Haunting Jordan: A Novel of Suspense (Mass Market Paperback)
I'm not going to post a blurb on this book, because those interested can read the excellent blurbs posted by other reviewers. I loved this book. In fact, I loved it so much I stayed up until almost 4am in the morning last night finishing it. I haven't done that since college. I know two of the other reviewers mentioned finding the historical accounts boring...to be honest I can see how some people would have that reaction. Those sections do go into a lot of detail. I found myself interested in the history of that area and that time period, maybe because I am from Washington State and I've been to the San jaun islands numerous times. I also thought that the characterization of Hattie and Charlotte and all the other *suspects* of that time were interesting. I wanted to know what had happened to Hattie and Charlotte, so I never skipped any of the historical accounts. However, what I loved so much about this book was the humor. I loved Jordan and the ghosts. So much of the dialog was just absolutely perfect. And I laughed outloud, ALOT!! Which I don't usually do. So yes, while the historical aspects could drag abit, the contemporary bits more than made up for that. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone and I can't wait for the second in the series to hit the bookshelf. This author has just jumped to my auto-buy list and I'm a die hard fan.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
super paranormal amateur sleuth, October 3, 2009
This review is from: Haunting Jordan: A Novel of Suspense (Mass Market Paperback)
Jordan Marsh's husband died in a car cash because someone cut the brake lines of his vehicle. LAPD Detective Drake believes she killed her spouse but has no evidence to prove his theory. Sick of Drake's harassment, Jordan moves to Port Chatham, Washington; where she purchases a fixer upper Victorian, Longren House. To her surprise her new abode comes with two ghostly residents Hattie her teenage sister Charlotte. When Hattie's husband died, she took over his shipping business and inherited his enemies especially amidst his allies when she decides to clean up his dirty dealings. This includes resentful Mike Seavey who is a power on the docks, her late husband's manager, and Police Chief Greeley who wants to marry Charlotte. As Jordan tries to solve who murdered Hattie back in 1890, she also has to deal with Drake who has new evidence and has come to the Pacific Northwest to see her arrested. Jordan's lawyer refuses to allow her to be expedited back to California as the new proof would not hold up in court. Still someone wants Jordan in jail, but she has no idea who or why. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this paranormal amateur sleuth because of the ghost who tells Jordan what happened to her back in 1890 as she tries to persuade the mortal to investigate the homicide in 2009. Looking into a cold case as a total amateur seems easy when compared to being a present day suspect in her husband's death as Drake is like Inspector Girard of the Fugitive. P.J. Alderman writes a scintillating supernatural whodunit as the spirits connect the past with the present. Harriet Klausner
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