LOST UNDER A LADDER is Book one in Linda O.
Johnston's Superstition Mystery series. Like most
cozy
mysteries, LOST UNDER A LADDER takes place in a charming
small town. What's unusual is the reason the female
protagonist, Rory Chasen, finds herself in the town called
Destiny. The town of Destiny celebrates superstitions.
That's what they are known for and cater to tourists based
on. Rory is not a tourist, but looking for answers to
relieve her mind after the tragic death of her fiancé.
Rory is a likable character and makes a tenacious amateur
sleuth. The residents of Destiny are fun and quirky. Linda
O. Johnston fills LOST UNDER A LADDER with various
superstition lore and you either like that and find it
interesting, as I do, or it's not for you. The supporting
characters pulled me into the story and I think they add
to
the overall enjoyment of the reading experience. So many
townspeople are friendly to Rory but they make good
suspects as well. LOST UNDER A LADDER kept me guessing who
was behind all the bad deeds. Even though LOST UNDER A
LADDER is a quintessential cozy mystery, there are some
very exciting moments full of suspense.
In addition to the compelling mystery, I like the romantic
tension that develops between Rory and Justin -- the
Police
Chief of Destiny. I like that Rory doesn't really have an
adversarial relationship with Justin and the rest of the
police force, even though she's trying to clear a number
one suspect. I also like how Linda O. Johnston wrote
Justin. He cautions Rory since she is not somebody in law
enforcement, and he cares for her safety, but I never felt
as though he was treating her like a disobedient child.
Instead, he's a sweetie with a sense of humor. I
definitely
hope their relationship continues to evolve in future
books.
LOST UNDER A LADDER is loads of fun, with an exciting
mystery and an entertaining cast of characters. I look
forward to reading more books in this series by Linda O.
Johnston and seeing what else is in store for Rory.
Are superstitions real? Rory Chasen doesn't think so—until
her beloved fiancé walks under a ladder and is killed by a
car five minutes later. Needing closure, Rory takes her
dog
Pluckie to a town called Destiny, where superstitions are
a
way of life.
Rory's visit to Destiny takes an unexpected turn when
Pluckie saves the life of Martha, the owner of the Lucky
Dog
Boutique. To show her gratitude, Martha offers Rory a job
at
the pet store. But when Martha becomes the prime suspect
in
the murder of the local bookshop owner, Rory refuses to
believe that she would do it. Rory is convinced the real
killer still roams Destiny's streets, and she must uncover
the truth before Martha is hauled off to jail.