Customer Reviews

The Secret of Lucianne Dove

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The Secret of Lucianne Dove is a paranormal novel with a very nice blend of romance, mystery and history. I think this novel is probably the first one I have read in a very long time where one of the main characters is "past retirement age." I was sort of surprised because I didn't realize it before I started reading. It actually was a refreshing change from the typical leading man.

Roberta L. Smith does an excellent job of capturing your attention right from the first chapter and keeping it throughout the book. She unveils bits and pieces of the mystery at perfect intervals to keep you intrigued and wondering what is going to happen next. Definitely keeps you turning the pages to find out. The characters and setting come to life. You can almost feel their sorrows and their happiness right along with them. Unfortunately, I feel like I can't say much more without giving spoilers. If you like paranormal novels, this one should be on your to-be-read list.

(A copy of this book was provided by the author.)

Book Synopsis
Crusty veteran newspaper reporter Mickey McCoy doesn't realize just how strong his sixth-sense powers are until he comes to Virginia City and crosses paths with the spirit of nineteenth century mining town whore, Lucianne Dove. Driven by a need to heal his own pain, he realizes he has a kinship with this woman from another era who is calling on him for help. If he can figure out what she wants and fulfill her need, he will not only change the legacy of her life, but will change the course of his own.

The Secret of Lucianne Dove is the first of three Mickey McCoy paranormal mysteries from author Roberta L. Smith. It is the story of two souls whose connection transcends time - a paranormal tale with heart, soul, and a message about forgiveness.

My Thoughts

From start to finish this was an interesting and to me very easily read book. The flow of the story as it takes place and the details about each character as they come to light were very natural and gave the reader a feeling of ease as they turned the pages. Mickey is not only an old codger who learns that all is not black and white in the world but he readily endears himself to one as you get to see him in action.

Paranormal mystery, coupled with a bit of time travel and old west history is a combination that will make you keep reading to find out all the secrets about both Lucianne and Mickey as they are ferreted out. This is also a treat to the senses as the author creates the atmosphere of Virginia City for the reader to enjoy both in the modern era and as it would have been in the 1800's. It almost made me smell, taste and feel what the characters did as I read along.

In a time when women were put into very narrow categories of either being "good" or "bad" Lucianne Dove was labeled as a "bad" woman. In a time when age comes to bear on whether a person is labeled as being past their usefulness Mickey is labeled as being ready to "retire". This story proves to the reader that sometimes if we look past a label we see the true person, sometimes they defy the odds and have more to offer than even they realize themselves!

This was a truly unique and picturesque start to what I hope turns out to be something that others like myself will get to enjoy for themselves and am really looking forward to reading more about Mickey in the near future, he stole my heart when he turned out to be good with a hammer and other hand tools!

[Ecopy of book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.]

The Secret of Lucianne Dove has everything I enjoy in a book: Mystery, history, time-travel, and more. I loved it! It was amazing!

"He'd been having dreams again. The sort that woke him up because they were so vivid. When they were that vivid they usually meant something."

So when newspaper reporter Mickey McCoy and his flippant sidekick photographer Freddie Green are sent on an overnight trip to Virginia City to cover the International Camel and Ostrich races, they uncover far more than just the fluff piece they were assigned.

"Her face was delicate and sensuous. When she turned and looked at him, he didn't look away. He stared into her eyes--those strange, enchanting eyes, the color of Comstock gold. Nobody had eyes like Lucianne."

Was veteran reporter Mickey McCoy only looking for the story that would tell him why he became a reporter in the first place? That story that would make him famous? Or will Mickey McCoy discover the haunting secret of Lucianne Dove, before it's too late?

"But that was the thing about life. It didn't always give you the chance to do things differently. There weren't a lot of dress rehearsals."

The author, Roberta Smith, hits the Comstock Lode, the Ophir vein, with this haunting tale that is sure to have you paying attention to your own dreams and those so-called coincidences.

Dare to hope.

One sign of a good story is the regret that it is over. Lucianne's story flows effortlessly and the characters come to life, as does the setting of Virginia City. The story is so satisfying, like comfort food, with the conclusion a yummy dessert! I was delighted to find that the author had written another and I purchased it immediately.

Sometimes an author presents exactly what you want to read--the book has a beautiful, enticing cover; a little mystery; a ghost or two; strong, endearing characters, a storyline that keeps you turning pages; excellent writing; and an ending that ties up all the little issues that sometimes are left hanging! Quite simply, I found all this and loved The Secret of Lucianne Dove by first-time novelist, Roberta L. Smith!

The book opens in 1881 when Lucianne Dove is being hanged--for a murder she did not commit. Admittedly she had been a prostitute, having no other way to make money. And she had also been a lover to the man who had been killed. But that was as far as her guilt went. Even as he led her to the gallows, the sheriff felt that hanging Lucianne was wrong.

Before she was hung, she asked to speak, "Please. Please tell Janie to get in touch with her little sister."

It was a hundred years later, more or less, when Mickey McCoy started having dreams. Mickey was still working as a news reporter, though he had passed the normal retirement age years ago. His career had been his life. Mickey had received awards for his writing, but he'd never felt that his work was completed. When the dreams started, he wasn't sure what was happening, especially the one where Marjorie Main in Ma and Pa Kettle in Lake Tahoe, played for an entire night.

At about the same time but a couple hundred miles away in Lake Tahoe, a woman named Marjorie was in the midst of a quarrel with her daughter Luce. Luce had also been having dreams and her mother had refused to believe and accept anything that her daughter shared. While Marjorie wasn't aware of it, Luce had taken to walking around in Virginia City, sometimes asking the question, "Do you know Janie or where I can find her?" The dead woman who came to Luce in dreams had told her what to do and where to go.

One of the places she was to visit was the Comstock Children's Home. Though run down and threatened by individuals at the State Children's Services, who supported it, there was much love and concern provided the children who still lived in this orphanage.

And so it was the spirit of Lucianne who entered into the dreams of those who would listen and see her, who worked to reveal the secret that had never been shared. Lucianne not only cleared her own reputation for murder but also provided the way through which Mickey McCoy was able to write her story and redeem his own life.

This heartwarming tale often centers on the Children's Home and readers will soon find themselves involved in the lives of the director, staff, and the children. I have no idea whether any part of the story is based upon fact; however, if it wasn't, it is certainly written as if it answers one of the greatest mysteries of the past.

A touch of history, a touch of romance...this is a beautiful story to curl up with on a dark and cloudy weekend! I'm hoping this writer considers a sequel! In the meantime, get a copy and enjoy The Secret of Lucianne Dove! You'll be glad you did!

G. A. Bixler

This book was not written in a style that I find easy to read. I like books that go easy on the details. If a a book has a page or two devoted to describing a wall, dress, etc. it's lost my attention. That being said, this book went a little too easy on the details! I found it difficult to get a complete picture in my head and at times I had to reread a page or two. It was a good story, just not written in a style that was easy to read for me. I would recommend this book to a friend, if my friend had more of an imagination than myself & found it easy to fill in the blanks.