See the Mystery Review Crews’ Review of The Mystery of Spector Island by Leslie Piggott.
The Mystery Of Specter Island: The Cari Turnlyle Series (Book 4)
By Leslie A Piggott
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
“When Cari accepts Bob’s invitation to join him for a vacation in Wisconsin, she has no idea what’s in store. The relaxing week away turns nightmarish early on when she startles an intruder at Bob’s family’s bed and breakfast. His aunt confesses that this isn’t the first break-in: it’s the fourth one in as many weeks. She has started to lose business and feels helpless to put a stop to it. Never one to walk away from an investigation, Cari teams up with the local sheriff’s department to track down the mystery man. The closer she gets to his true identity, the more mysterious the case becomes. As she pours her attention into finding the intruder, she realizes Bob is becoming increasingly distracted. Once again, she struggles to balance her love of sleuthing and her personal life. Can she save the family business and her relationship?”
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Review:
The Mystery of Specter Island is full of detail and vivid voice. It is the fourth book in Leslie A. Piggott’s Cari Turnlyle Series. While each book can be read as a stand-alone, we believe reading the first three books would enhance your reading experience, as you’d better understand who Cari Turnlyle is and her sleuthing skills.
Leslie A. Piggott starts this book by taking us on an adventure to Lake Superior in Northern Wisconsin to a quaint little Bed and Breakfast where all is not quite as it seems, and the Island Mystery may be more than just folklore.
We get to join a cast of three main characters consisting of Cari, Bob, and Bob’s Aunt Lydia (the owner of said Bed and Breakfast) as they navigate through a rash of break-ins —where nothing is stolen (right?). The dynamics between Cari and Bob are developed well throughout this book. There were hints (many that made us nod knowingly) about the status of their continuing relationship, which was sweet and made for a nice side story.
Lydia seemed like a strong woman on the verge of drowning. We were intrigued by the historical family history of her Bed and Breakfast and her long ties to the small town. It was also interesting to see the mystery surrounding the Bed and Breakfast and how everything tied together.
We found the book to be an interesting adventure in terms of vivid local descriptions (that made us want to visit Lake Superior), a slower-building mystery, and a good use of secondary characters to build up the story.
Readers who enjoyed the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries will like the familiar flow of The Mystery of Specter Island and its similar sleuthing style. We found Cari and Bob to be amateur sleuths in the midst of a fun and simple mystery.
About Leslie A. Piggott
Leslie A. Piggott is a mom-turned-author who lives in Buda, Texas. She and her husband, Brad, have two children. She joined Indies United Publishing House in January of 2021. She has been a long distance runner since middle school and following college graduation began running marathons as a hobby. She has since completed twelve full marathons with plans for more in the future. Leslie has always loved being creative and in addition to writing, she also knits, crochets, quilts, sews bags and dresses for her daughter, and does watercolor paintings. Always up for a challenge, she frequently designs her own quilt or tote bag patterns.
Leslie enjoys volunteering in her children’s schools as well as within her church and community when possible. In fact, she donates many of her craft and sewing projects to a local silent auction, which she organizes annually. The proceeds from the auction support a memorial fund for her neighbors who tragically lost their son in 2011. Additionally, she also enjoys giving away many of her creations to friends, teachers, neighbors, and other loved ones as gifts.
Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, Leslie worked in the field of biomedical sciences, receiving her doctorate in 2008 from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston. After earning her degree, she worked as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University teaching introduction to microbiology to pre-nursing students. When their family relocated to the Austin area, she took on the role of being a full time stay at home mom. She is active in her church, including helping with various children’s ministry activities as well as singing in the choir. She has assisted with the children’s choir program at the church, including writing two melodramas for the children to perform for the congregation and community. Leslie began writing poetry as an outlet to express her feelings during the COVID-19 pandemic. This spurred her interest in writing and she has subsequently stepped into the world of crime novels. Her first novel, “Rising Pressure” released in January of 2022.
Find out more on: https://leslieapiggott.com/
I loved the review. Waiting for my copy to arrive. Go, Leslie!