Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Mystery at the Masquerade

SERIES:  Secrets and Scrabble

AUTHOR:  Josh Lanyon

NARRATOR:  Matt Haynes

PUBLISHER:  JustJoshin Publishing

LENGTH:  6 hours and 15 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  May 25, 2021

BLURB:  

Love Is in the Salt Sea Air – And So Is Murder!

Ellery Page, aspiring screenwriter, reigning Scrabble champion, and occasionally clueless owner of the village’s only mystery bookstore, the Crow’s Nest, is both flattered and bemused when he’s invited to the annual Marauder’s Masquerade, the best and biggest social event of the season in the quaint seaside village of Pirate’s Cove, Rhode Island. The event is hosted by the wealthy Marguerite Bloodworth-Ainsley – a descendant of the famed pirate Tom Blood.

Ellery doesn’t even know Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley – nor, it turns out – does Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley know him. But Marguerite’s son, Julian wants to know Ellery. Julian, handsome, rich and engaging, is a huge mystery buff. In fact, he’s bought quite a few books at the Crow’s Nest bookstore, but never quite worked up the nerve to ask Ellery out.

As his relationship with Police Chief Carson seems to be dead in the water, Ellery is grateful for a little flattering attention from the village’s most eligible bachelor, but any hopes of romance hit the shoals, when Julian is accused of murdering his mother’s unlikable second husband during the Masquerade’s annual ghost hunt in the family’s spooky cemetery.

REVIEW:

Note:  While this is the third installment in the series and it can be read as a standalone (there is enough background info dropped into the story), I think it’s best enjoyed if read in order.  As usual, there are spoilers for the previous mysteries in this book.

Ellery Page is trying to settle into what he hopes will be a nice quiet life in Pirate’s Cove RI in the crumbling mansion and mystery bookstore that he’s inherited from his great great aunt.   He’s been pulled into a couple of murder mysteries immediately after moving to town from New York and he’s now got something of a reputation as an amateur sleuth since he’s managed to solve both.  The local Chief of Police, Jack Carson, is not too enthusiastic about Ellery the sleuth, but he’s pretty interested in Ellery, the new guy in town 😉  After the latest mystery though, they have decided to be friends as Jack has had a tragedy in his past and he’s not necessarily ready to move on.

Every year one of the town doyens, Marguerite Bloodworth-Ainsley, throws a high society Masquerade Ball that everyone who is anyone is invited to.  Lo and behold, Ellery is invited – despite never having met Mrs. Bloodworth-Ainsley.  But Ellery decides to attend – at the behest of his employee Nora and the rest of his new friends – complete in Pirate regalia and mask 😀  At the ball, he meets Julian Bloodworth, who is really the reason behind Ellery’s invite 😉  Julian is handsome, rich and VERY much interested in Ellery – which is quite nice for Ellery’s somewhat bruised ego after Jack’s withdrawal.

When Julian and Ellery discover Julian’s scoundrel of a step-father dead during the party’s much ballyhooed “ghost hunt,” and Julian is arrested for murder, he implores Ellery to help find the real killer.  There are any number of likely candidates as the late Mr. Ainsley is not much lamented 🙂  But none of them seems likely and then there is Julian’s somewhat checkered past.  As usual, Jack is less than please about Ellery’s involvement in what he sees as strictly police business.  But that doesn’t really stop Ellery from pursuing answers.  Luckily Jack has Ellery’s back when the chips are down.

Josh Lanyon is just soooooo good at this 🙂  I am absolutely loving this cozy mystery series set in Buck Island, RI.  The whole cast of townsfolk are so well-written – from Ellery’s friends and co-workers, to the town’s pub owner, the Monday Night Scrabble crew and Ellery’s nemesis, the tow newspaper publisher.  Then there is the relationship with Jack which is a bit one step forward, two steps back.  But in the end, they are closer than ever post this episode.  Matt Haynes was new to me narrator when I started this series.  He is PERFECT for the job.  I love all of his voice choices and his acting is completely on point.  I cannot wait for the next book and I hope this series goes on forever!  Highly recommended.

RATING:

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