Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Ghost Light Killer
SERIES: London Podcast Mystery #2
AUTHOR: Dahlia Donovan
PUBLISHER: Hot Tree Publishing
LENGTH: 210 pages
RELEASE DATE: August 7, 2021
BLURB:
Several months after their first brush with death, Dannel Ortea and Osian Garey are back with a thrilling murder investigation in the second London Podcast Mystery Series novel.
While helping their flamboyant neighbour with his play, Dannel and Osian discover more than a ghost haunting the stage at the Evelyn Lavelle theatre. It’s all fun and games until a friend is found kneeling over a dead body.
Is he the murderer or an unfortunate witness?
When one body turns to two, then to three, will the killer ever be found?
As Dannel and Osian work together to solve the mystery, the murderer focuses on them. Their drive to clear their friend’s name puts them centre stage. But not everything under the glow of the bright lights glimmers.
Will anyone be left when the curtain falls?
REVIEW:
Ghost Light Killer is the second book in Dahlia Donovan’s London Podcast Mystery series. It’s another British cozy mystery starring amateur sleuths and boyfriends, Osian and Dannel, an established couple who, once again, have a murderer strike within their group of acquaintances. I feel it’s necessary to read the first novel, Cosplay Killer, first for a full background on all of the characters.
Osian and Dannel have recently retired from their highly stressful jobs as London first responders. They’re now working full-time on their crime podcast and Dannel’s cosplay fabrication business. For an upcoming podcast series, they’ve decided to investigate some of the ghost stories surrounding West End theatres, specifically the haunted Evelyn Lavelle, where their elderly neighbor, Ian, is a director and playwright. Unfortunately, their investigation turns dark when a friend’s mother turns up dead on the scene. Osian and Dannel go to town with their own detective work – even though they’re repeatedly reprimanded by the police not to do so – because they’re now obsessing over murder mysteries and just can’t help themselves. One of the big mysteries is if the theatre is actually haunted or if someone’s pretending to be a ghost as a diversionary tactic.
The list of suspects is long and includes their friend Archie and his boyfriend, a handful of actors and two costume designers. Osian and Dannel’s friends and families return so we see more of Roland, Wayne, Olivia, Chris, Evie, Abra, their parents – for better or worse – and of course, Detective Inspectors Khan and Powell.
The leading men are still darling with each other and their relationship evolves nicely, working up to a wonderful ending. Even though they grew up together, they are still outwardly affectionate and playful with each other. Osian is skilled at reading Dannel’s signs of an impending over-stimulation meltdown and has a well-planned protocol for making life easier on his partner. Once again, I appreciate the autism representation. The author doesn’t make a big deal about Dannel’s autism, it’s simply incorporated matter of factly into the story as part of who he is. He’s very literal minded, misses subtext and hyperbole easily, and suffers from sensory integration difficulties, but it’s all just a day in the life of an interesting character.
Unfortunately, I’m not overly fond of Ms. Donovan’s writing style. The book is written in third-person perspective but would be much better suited to a dual first-person narrative where their internal thoughts could flow organically. Instead, Osian and Dannel’s thoughts are delineated several times each page in italics, which isn’t natural for a third-person presentation. It results in more tell than show. I won’t allow this to keep me from reading the next installment, but it was annoying and constantly pulled me out of the story.
This sweet and simple novel is on the shorter side, which makes it a pleasant one-day read. The mystery was fun, but it’s the characters who make this series enjoyable. Recommended.
RATING:
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