Title: Carousels and Characters – Magical Mystery Book Club #9
Author: Elizabeth Pantley
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
This book club is whooshed into the pages of a cozy mystery. The quirky group of brave members must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book.
In this book journey, they crew travels to an enchanted amusement theme park. It’s a magical, wonderful place, but something is disturbing the park. Robberies are occurring from every ride. It began with little things, like props or costumes, but now the stakes are rising.
The book club has entered this story so that they can find out who is behind the thefts and stop the problem. Hopefully, they can do it before chaos strikes the entire theme park and closes it down … or worse.
Carousels and Characters – EXCERPT:
I stepped inside the house and scanned the room, attempting to make sense of the chaos in front of me. Cosmo was dressed in his yoga clothes, a rolled-up yoga mat at his feet. He was sitting cross-legged in a chair at the dining table typing away on his laptop. Forrest was leaning over his shoulder and pointing at the screen. Frank was sitting on top of the table. I listened for a moment and realized that the cat was dictating a story for his blog. Now all the laughter made sense.
Moonbeam and Sebastian had their own mats laid out on the floor nearby. They were sprawled out in yoga stretches and listening intently to Frank’s story.
I could hear Zell, Valeria, and Mollie chatting away in the kitchen. By the clatter of dishes, silverware, pots, and pans, it appeared they were getting today’s potluck ready.
Frank glanced at us but continued his line of thought without stopping. “…and then we realized that the ghost was one of the reunion folks – the dead guy, you see. He had no memory, so he needed our help. The fabulous, fearless book club was on the case,” said Frank.
Atticus and I walked over and took chairs at the table.
“Is that okay?” I asked Frank. “Should you be publicizing our book journey?”
He shook his head at me. “Oh, Paige-a-roonie. It’s a blog. People don’t believe what they read on the internet.”
Cosmo chuckled. “You way overestimate people, my friend.”
“It’s a blog written by a cat,” said Forrest. “People will assume it’s fiction. I mean, last week he wrote about traveling to another planet.”
“And what makes you think that was fiction?” asked Frank, tilting his head at Forrest.
“That was real? Seriously? Did you take a book journey into space?” The teenager was enthralled with the idea.
“Don’t get him started,” said Zell, coming in from the kitchen and depositing a plate of scones on the dining room table. “Next thing you know he’ll be talking about the one on the submarine.”
“A submarine?” gasped Valeria, coming in behind Zell with a tray holding a pot of coffee, creamer, sugar, and cups.
Zell shrugged her shoulders. Our favorite octogenarian looked adorable in purple yoga pants, a Willie Nelson t-shirt, and striped socks. Her freshly coiffed white curls bounced as she walked.
“Moving on,” said Zell. “Everyone’s here now. Let’s get the yoga going."
The blog-writers shut the computer and the whole group spread out. Everyone rolled out their mats and we began our morning yoga class. Cosmo had promised us that within a few weeks we’d feel the difference, and he was right. I watched the others and realized that we’d all become more flexible. Of course, only Moonbeam, Forrest, and Cosmo could sweep the floor with their hands, but Cosmo said that some human bodies just weren’t made to bend that way. He was great at making everyone feel like they were doing their best.
Cosmo twisted and bent us into various shapes over the next twenty minutes. He wound down the session by guiding us into the happy baby pose. When we all were on our backs with our knees pulled into our chest, and grabbing – or in some cases, attempting to grab – our feet, it never failed that the giggles would hit. Today, Atticus rolled over to his side in a vain attempt to catch his feet, causing everyone to giggle. Even Moonbeam let loose a snorting laugh, a sound I’d never heard from her before. I thought that Cosmo would be a very good influence on her. She looked every inch a free-spirited hippie, but she could be a stickler for what she believed should be the rules for life and for our book club – and for society. She was a great mother to Forrest, but sometimes she acted like the mother of us all. Perhaps Cosmo’s lighthearted spirit would loosen her up a bit so she could enjoy our book journeys more.
The doorbell gong interrupted our frivolity, and I jumped up to answer it.
“Hey, look at you bouncing up like that!” said Sebastian. “You’re really getting more bendy!”
“Bendy?” I laughed, but I knew he was right. I did feel more bendy.
With a happy smile on my face, I opened the front door, then felt my expression freeze into one of shock. I gasped and involuntarily took a step backward. I could not believe who was standing on my doorstep.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Readers are hooked on this book club! In each book of the series, this motley book club gang travels into a different world and meets paranormal characters. Led by their own talking the library cat they interact with shifters, fairies, genies, ghost and more! It’s so much fun, you’ll wish for a book club like this!
Reviewers say:
"You can’t enough of this series! It will blow you away!"… Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“I read 150+ cozy mysteries every year - this is by far the most unique storyline I've read.”… Goodreads
“One of my go-to series. The quality and enjoyment are guaranteed.”… All and Any Books
“I adore this series, and it just keeps getting better with each book!”… Fiction Vixen
“The most original and unique cozy mystery series that I have ever read. Fantastic!”… BookBub
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs February 4 – February 11, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on February 12, 2025.
Author Biography:
Elizabeth Pantley is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents, published in over twenty languages.
She simultaneously writes the well-loved Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the new Magical Mystery Book Club series.
Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest and the Arizona desert, and both provide gorgeous inspiration for the settings in many of her books.
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