Monday, April 13, 2015

Book Review & Giveaway: A Fright to the Death by Dawn Eastman


From the publisher: From the author of Be Careful What You Witch For, here is the newest Family Fortune Mystery, starring former cop Clyde Fortune, who—snowbound with her kooky family in a creepy castle—is climbing the walls and combing the halls, looking for a cold-blooded killer…

After their flight to Mexico is cancelled, Clyde and her detective boyfriend, Mac, end up snowed in with their families at a supposedly haunted hotel. Clyde’s tarot card reading mother, Rose, is making dire predictions for the weekend, and self-proclaimed pet psychic Aunt Vi is enchanted by the legend of the hotel’s ghost—until the power goes out and a body turns up.

With a hotel full of stranded suspects, Clyde will have to draw on all her skills—both the police ones she’d rather forget and the psychic ones she’d rather ignore—to solve the bone-chilling mystery before someone else gets iced…


I have no doubt that Dawn Eastman was channeling Agatha Christie while writing this third book in the delightful Family Fortune mystery series.

What should have been a romantic getaway in Mexico for Clyde and Mac turns into a nightmare when they end up snowed in at a haunted castle with their families. Then the lights go out, and the castle's co-owner Clarissa is murdered in the turret room. As the snow keeps falling everyone is trapped inside with a killer and the body is put "on ice" out in the garden shed. Clyde and Mac start investigating and soon discover that in her short time living at Carlisle Castle, Clarissa had already seemed to give everyone she came into contact with a reason to want her dead, and no one is telling the complete truth about what happened the night she died.

This deliciously atmospheric cozy left me with chills...both with the winter wonderland setting and the high "creep factor". Everyone was so suspicious that I had no idea whodunit until the very end and it was the last person that I suspected. Just wait until you meet the beautiful white cat Duchess, who ends up playing a key role in catching a killer!

Giveaway: Leave a comment by noon eastern on Friday, April 17th for your chance to win a copy of A Fright to the Death. Don't forget your email address! (US entries only, please.)

36 comments:

KKAT said...

Love this series

kkat.edwards@gmail.com

Lisa said...

Love this series. Thanks for the giveaway.

Jeanetta said...

This book sounds amazing! Thank you for the review and the giveaway.
myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

skkorman said...

I would love to read this book—thanks for the chance to win a copy!

skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

Unknown said...

Fun series, thanks for the chance :)
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com

Unknown said...

I am looking forward to reading this book, love the cover. Thank you for a chance to win. :)
weluvdopey@sc.rr.com

Fur Everywhere said...

A haunted hotel and a mystery? Sounds like my kind of book :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds wonderful! patucker54 (at aol dot com)

Deanna Stevens said...

A little Creep factor?? I like!
dkstevensne AToutlookDotCOM

Rita Wray said...

Sounds like a great read.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Unknown said...

Classic Ten Little Indians
libbydodd at comcast dot net

Sue said...

A haunted house and eccentric relatives----this should be a fun cozy. Thanks for the chance to win it.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

Barbara Hawk said...

Sounds like a fun read! Thanks for the chance!
angelhwk68@yahoo.com

petite said...

An intriguing cozy. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

Two French Bulldogs said...

Oh boy, looks like a good one
Lily & Edward

Two French Bulldogs said...

2frenchbullys(AT)gmail(DOT)com

traveler said...

This book is fascinating and enthralling. Thanks for this great feature and giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I love the cover. It is enough to entice me into buying it to read. Thanks so much for the review and a chance for a giveaway. robeader53@yahoo.com

Clickner said...

Love the cover. Looks like an awesome read. sclickner@juno.com

Karen B said...

Snowed in at a haunted castle - perfect reading now the snow is gone!

kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

Donna E said...

I loved Agatha Christie when I was younger. [Well, I still love her, but just don't read as much of her stuff now as I've found other authors I enjoy as well.] I don't like creepy or frightening movies, but books on the other hand ------
This story sounds interesting, and entertaining, and one that will keep me guessing. Think I also need to check out the first couple books in A Family Fortune Mystery series by Dawn Eastman.

donna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

Robin said...

This book sounds great! I love murder mysteries that take place in castles. There's just something about castles that adds to the mystery for me.
-Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net

holdenj said...

Great review, I always like a little 'creep factor'. Thanks for the chance to win!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

katsrus said...

Very cute cover. Love the title. Sounds like a good book.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

Mama Cat said...

Very good review! It makes me want to read it and start this series - haven't read any in it yet. Would love to see more of it! jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com

Linda Szymoniak said...

I want to live in the house on the cover. I'll settle for the chance to win a copy of the book. Thanks for the great giveaway.

cyn209 said...

would LOVE to read this book!!
thank you for the giveaway.......

cyn209 at juno dot com

Candace knight said...

I just started the first book in this series and I love it. Thanks for the chance.
Moonbay7399@gmail.com

pilch92 said...

Psychics and tarot reader- sound good :)

oneponychick66 said...

I am so happy book 3 is out. I actually received books1 as a gift and I was hooked??? Look forward to reading this one!!!!!

Unknown said...

Thank you for hosting today, Melissa! Also thank you and good luck to the commenters - I appreciate you stopping by!

servedogmom said...

This book sounds like a fun, novel mystery! servedogmom@yahoo.com

bookwomen said...

I love this series. Happy to see a new one

gibsonbk@hiwaay dot net

Kuzlin said...

I like this series...Clyde's family are a hoot. Kuzlin at all.com

Elaine said...

I love snowstorms and love reading stories that take place during them! Thanks for the chance to win!
ElaineE246 at msn dot com

Unknown said...

Need to read so many books in so many series but this one sounds like a series I need to pick up right away. Thank you for the chance.