Blog Archives
Miss Penny Saves the Heir (Miss Penny and the Ghost series, Book 1)
In Miss Penny Saves the Heir, Cathy Quintilla introduces Miss Penelope “Miss Penny” Treblecleft, a beloved schoolmistress and medium in Asterton whose orderly life turns deliciously strange when a public scandal, a duel, and Lord Blackwood’s suspicious death place Anthony Blackwood in danger of ruin. With help from the genial Rector Sinclair, her telepathic black cat Onyx, and the ghostly Lady Caroline, Miss Penny follows clues that include a secret drawer, a spectral memory, and a very incriminating silver-wolf cane. The result is a Regency-flavored paranormal mystery with romance tucked into its folds like a letter in a writing desk.
I enjoyed the book most when it leaned into its odd little household of investigators. Miss Penny isn’t a hard-boiled detective in borrowed muslin; she is gentler, more domestic, and more devotional than that, but her softness never feels useless. Her séances, piano-playing, and conversations with Onyx give the mystery a warm eccentricity. The supernatural elements are not there merely to decorate the plot with ectoplasm; they are part of the book’s moral engine, allowing the dead to clarify what the living have muddled through vanity, greed, pride, and fear.
What I also liked was the book’s fondness for texture: cucumber ices, foxglove bushes, fussy butlers, handwritten letters, church gossip, and the dramatic social weather of who danced with whom. The pacing can be leisurely, and some emotions are expressed broadly. Still, I found that part of the charm. The novel has the air of a parlor fire: a little ornate, sometimes smoky, but persistently inviting. Its villainy is satisfyingly wolfish, its romance sweet without being brittle, and its cat has enough acerbic intelligence to steal every room he pads into.
The ideal audience is readers who like cozy mysteries, Regency romance, historical fiction, and amateur sleuth fiction, especially when the sleuth’s best allies are a clergyman, a ghost, and a judgmental cat. Fans of Deanna Raybourn or Darcie Wilde may enjoy the period setting and investigative heroine, though Quintilla’s book is gentler and more whimsical, closer in spirit to a cozy ghost tale than a razor-edged historical thriller. Miss Penny Saves the Heir is a tender, eccentric mystery where justice arrives wearing gloves, carrying a candle, and listening carefully to the dead.
Pages: 339 | ASIN : B0CMDDJ7YD
A Wedding To Remember
A Wedding to Remember is a delightful blend of romance, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural. Set in the picturesque town of Blue Cove, the story follows Jessie, a bookstore owner with the unusual ability to communicate with spirits, as she navigates the complexities of planning her wedding to the love of her life, Matt, while also facing mysterious threats that put their future in jeopardy. With a host of colorful characters, both living and spectral, the novel is as much about love as it is about overcoming the unexpected.
Blue Cove feels alive with its blustery autumn winds, charming shops, and a cemetery that holds more than a few secrets. I loved how the town became a character in itself, and the opening chapter beautifully set the tone with Jessie watching a red leaf dancing in the wind—a small moment that echoes the balance between tranquility and turbulence in her life. Morrison’s prose is warm and inviting, though at times, I felt the descriptions leaned a bit heavily on exposition.
Jessie is a relatable and endearing protagonist. Her relationship with Matt, however, is the emotional anchor of the story. Their chemistry is tender and believable, whether they’re sharing quiet moments or weathering chaos together. A standout scene for me was when Jessie intercepted a threatening phone call at her bookstore. The mix of humor, dread, and resolve captured her duality—someone both ordinary and extraordinary, just trying to make it to her wedding day without catastrophe.
One aspect I found both fascinating was the integration of the supernatural elements. Jessie’s interactions with ghosts and fairy-like guardians added an intriguing layer, but some moments felt overly whimsical and disrupted the mystery’s tension. That said, Gina’s spectral presence, as the first ghost Jessie encountered, provided a heartfelt throughline about how the past shapes the present.
Morrison also shines when exploring themes of community and purpose. Jessie’s reflections on using her “gift” to help others—whether solving murders or giving voice to the voiceless—are thought-provoking. The chapter where she dreams of meeting the spirits she’s helped over the years was particularly moving for me. It’s a poignant reminder of how small acts can ripple outward, affecting lives in unexpected ways.
A Wedding to Remember is a cozy and heartfelt read with a unique blend of romance, mystery, and magic. It’s a story with a lot of heart. I’d recommend this book to fans of small-town mysteries, light paranormal romances, and anyone who enjoys tales with a whimsical twist.
Pages: 295 | ASIN : B0DYF72Z1Y
