Returning Secrets - Whispering Pines Mysteries, Book 18 (EBOOK)
Returning Secrets - Whispering Pines Mysteries, Book 18 (EBOOK)
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Deputy Jayne O’Shea believes the Northwoods village of Whispering Pines to be a place of charm and serenity. This season, though, it feels like anything but. The rowdy tourists are disrespecting the villagers’ Wiccan ways and overwhelming local law enforcement. To make matters worse, a flock of crows is wreaking havoc by tearing up gardens and dropping pinecones on people’s heads.
Fortunately, amid all the chaos is a bright spot. Jayne’s sister, Rosalyn, is about to host her first event at Pine Time Bed-and-Breakfast: a small lakeside wedding. The decorations are perfect, the setting stunning, every detail triple checked.
Then the feuding families arrive. With their constant squabbles and endless complaints, the celebration is far from joyous. And when one of the guests is found floating in the lake, the day takes a chilling turn.
For Jayne, it’s clear. Whispering Pines still holds plenty of dark secrets beneath its idyllic surface.
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Chapter 1
I stepped out of the sheriff’s station and into the pine-scented air. That glorious smell was one of the things I loved most about living in the Northwoods. After this morning’s quick, light rain shower, the smell had grown stronger and now encircled me like a comforting hug. Nice.
“Work your magic,” I told my trees. “And share a little of it with everyone else around here, please.”
Visitors were a requirement for a village that relied on tourism for its survival. We knew that and always welcomed the tourists with enthusiasm. This year, however, the crowds were larger, louder, and more intense than ever before. Which was making the village residents unusually crabby. And the season was only three weeks old. Goddess help us.
As I veered left at the intersection of the station’s sidewalk and the Fairy Path, I glanced upward, hoping for a response from the trees. The tops swayed softly, but I couldn’t hear their whispers. I swallowed hard then tried to force a yawn to unclog my ears. Something had been going on with them for a couple of weeks. Maybe I had allergies. I should stop at Unity for a checkup.
A few seconds later, a pinecone dropped from above and landed inches in front of me on the wood plank pathway. My West Highland White Terrier, Meeka, who was snuffling around the forest floor instead of walking on the path with me, let out a yelp when another tree bomb caught the tip of her tail.
“Not funny,” I told the pines.
An immediate reply came in the form of a loud caw-caw-caw. A pair of beautiful black birds were perched high above us. I might not be able to hear my trees, but I sure heard those crows. Were they laughing at us? One of them dropped a third pinecone that nearly landed on Meeka’s head, cawed his or her laugh again, and then the two birds flew off in a flapping of wings.
“Knock it off.”
“Jayne? Who are you talking to?”
Startled by the voice, I pulled my attention away from the treetops to find hearth witch Reeva Long coming toward me.
“Birds.” I pointed skyward. “They’re bombing us with pinecones. One landed on Meeka. Just her tail, but still . . .”
“Ah, yes. The pranksters are quite active this morning.” Meeka darted over to her, so Reeva bent and gave my K-9 a comforting ear scratch after her traumatic encounter.
“When did this start?” I hadn’t heard about crow problems yesterday. “And what do you mean by active? Just dropping pinecones?”
You know that bone deep sense of comfort you get when slipping on your favorite pair of jeans and cozy sweater? The immersion in a feeling of home you get at the first sip of homemade hot chocolate? The total relaxation of all your tired muscles and stressed brain when slipping into a bubble bath? That's how it felt from the first line of this book. I love the familiarity Whispering Pines brings me. The comfort, the relaxation, and the sense of being home I get when reading (and re-reading) this series. If you have not read the first book on the series, you really need to go back and start there, or you'll spoil so much of the story line and adventure by starting with this recent release. I cannot recommend this author or series highly enough.
All should be well now, Jayne O`Shea thinks. She’s devoted to her boyfriend Tripp, the Pine Time Bed & Breakfast is well booked, and the enemy who has been overshadowing the lovely Wicca villageliterally for decades is finally gone. But still…
...where are the countless crows coming from that suddenly terrorize the citizens and tourists? How to get rid of them? Why is the atmosphere in Whisperung Pines still gloomy? And will the first event Jayne’s sister Rosalyn is about to host really be the success she’s hoping for? Then the guests arrive, carrying some explosive conflicts in their luggage, and what should have been a joyful celebration ends with a lifeless man in the lake...
I admit I was more than happy to return to Shawn McGuire’s lovely village amd even lovelier world, I love diving headfirst into Jayne’s mysteries, and watching her grow into the role she’s destined for: a keeper and guardian of the people she loves. But Shawn would not be Shawn if she hadn’t some big surprise in store: first a solved murder, then a very satisfying Happy End… and then a bombshell that will leave you gasping for air, your head spinning.
Wow. Well done. And now I can’t wait for the next book!
I didn't realise how much I missed the dynamic of Jayne and Tripp until I started reading Returning Secrets. It was like meeting up with friends you haven't seen in a while.
I laughed.
I cried - tears of sadness and of joy.
I wanted to put some people in their place and others I just wanted to hug.
Sometimes the past needs to be revisited for closure or to tidy up loose ends. At other times it comes back and slaps us in the face.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys all things Wiccan; puzzling who-dunnits; village life, and a circus thrown in for good measure.
I received a free Advance Reader Copy of this book through BookFunnel and have chosen to leave a review.
Your books keep me up at night because I absolutely MUST keep reading! I've read nearly all of Ms. Shawn’s books and this is definitely one of the best. As usual, a very cleverly done, well-written, engaging, easy read, with twists that make you wonder what happens after the book is over. Loved every moment of the story, and the smooth writing style makes the plot flow easily, which makes this a super pleasurable read. Best savored after the other books in this series, but nevertheless, a super enjoyable standalone on its own.
I received an advance copy from the author. These are my thoughts:
I’m SO happy to be back in Whispering Pines! The whole gang is here. The town is preparing for the October Samhain celebration; the usual crowd has arrived… However, they seem to be quite a bit rowdier than usual. And something else has arrived – a huge flock of crows (a murder of crows, if you will). They are also extra rowdy, diving at people, dropping many pinecones. What’s up with that? Jayne, Martin and Meeka are tasked to deal with them. Pine Time B&B is also busy, with Rosalyn’s first big event scheduled by several families, complete with secrets, including a spoiled Bridzilla! Other strange things – a couple of characters that just don’t seem to belong around the B&B and the town. And why does River Carr and Tripp need ‘man time’? Loved that Lily Grace came for a visit. While hugging Jayne, she “froze, and then gave her an extra tight hug” (and we all know what that means)! You’ll love/hate the ending surprises. Best quote: “Going for a walk isn’t shutting down. It’s processing,” Enjoy!