"Balloons, Allies, & Dead Guys" By Jennifer Fischetto: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.  

I See Dead Guys and…Gals

As a child, Gianna Mancini had an accident; she hit her head and officially died for “one minute and thirty-two seconds.” When revived, she discovered she could see, hear, and talk to the dead. Her “special gift,” however, is only known to family and, recently, her beau Julian Reed and parapsychologist Dr. Winifred Styles. It gets tricky keeping her ghostly interactions private, trickier since the ghosts aren’t decades or centuries-old spirits, but victims of murder, and trickiest since their memories are impaired making them unreliable. Yet, sans any real ghostly help, Gianna has great success uncovering the truth, although sometimes perilous, and helping the ghost float to the beyond which oddly happens to be where the freezer sits in her family’s deli kitchen, and surprisingly, the exact location of Gianna’s near-death event. She never knows when the next incident will occur, but you’d think you’re safe when you’re at your parents’ house for a millstone birthday celebration! NOT!


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Image Source Gemma Halliday Publishing
Balloons, Allies, & Dead Guys
earns 5/5 Family Intruders…Entertaining Fun!

Sixtieth birthdays are milestones, so the Mancini clan is throwing Pop a party, but unfortunately, a nor’easter is predicted to hit the area hard, so it’ll just be a few balloons, catered feast, and immediate family. Then…a knock on the door, ”Happy birthday, old man!” Enter “over the top” braggadocio Uncle Geno, his wife and Pop’s sister Aunt Lucy, their adult children Rocco, Ariana, and Marco, and two men Gianna didn’t recognize turn out to be Ariana’s fiancé Zane and Marco’s husband Felix. Living in New Jersey, they haven’t been frequent visitors, as of late, so why now? And why when a big storm is about to engulf the town? The threatening note that Gianna found in their car might offer a clue to the dead body in the closet. Who wrote the note? Who was being threatened? The ghost offering little insights, harboring secrets, and making itself scarce along with freezing temps and piles of snow trapping all in the house also makes for a scary “killer in the house” scenario. Whose next? Thankfully Officer Enzo, Gianna’s brother, is on hand to make inquiries official, but it’s Julian’s “fixer” skills, legal or not, and Gianna’s special talent with corporeal and non-corporeal alike that’ll come in handy.

They’re Back! Jennifer Fischetto’s seventh ghostly adventure in her Gianna Mancini Mystery series centers around a not-so-enjoyable family gathering with which many might identify, sans the dead body in the closet, of course. Family dysfunction is on full display with bouts of bullying, pre-marital demands, and flying fists adding credence to the death threat, but Gianna’s investigation, with her cop brother and PI beau, runs into problems with the ghostly victim refusing to offer some credible and needed information. Several twist, turns, shocking revelations, and hits on the police database add an engaging complexity culminating with a surprise killer…all in the middle of a snowstorm! Jennifer’s writing style is very entertaining with the passing of the hours indicated in the chapter titles and descriptive language making you feel the drop in temps and the increase in intensity and realistic banter between varied personalities. Karmic justice is served nicely! The “ghost whisperer” element is realistic, not over played, and the difficulties with communication and keeping track of the form was entertaining. Super series, and book seven is at the top of the list!

A Gianna Mancini Mystery

Lipstick, Lies & Dead Guys (2015) Kings River Life’s Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast

highlights the first book in Jennifer Fischetto’s Gianna Mancini Mystery series with the talented local actor Teya Juarez reading chapter one.

Christmas, Spies, & Dead Guys (short story in "Cozy Christmas Shorts" collection 2015)

Mini Skirts, Mai Tais, & Dead Guys (2016); Cupcakes, Butterflies, & Dead Guys (2016)

Stilettos, Bow Ties, & Dead Guys (2021) KRL News Review HERE

Diamonds, Pies, & Dead Guys (2021) KRL News Review HERE

Ghosts, Private Eyes, & Dead Guys (2021) KRL News Review HERE

Balloons, Allies, & Dead Guys (January 2022)

Be a Big Jennifer Fischetto Fan!

USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Fischetto pens the delightful three-book Gianna Mancini Mysteries. Gianna Mancini communicates with ghosts. She also co-writes the six-book Jamie Bond Mysteries series with Gemma Halliday. Jamie Bond is a model turned private investigator. She also penned Death by Scones in the GHP Danger Cove multi-author series starring Riley Spencer, new owner of Cinnamon Sugar Bakery. All are entertaining, clever, and a cozy for everyone’s taste.   

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Website – Gemma Halliday Publishing

To enter to win an ebook copy of Balloons, Allies, & Dead Guys, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "balloons,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 29, 2022. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode went up this week.

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Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

  1. Sounds like a fun read. Would really like to read.
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  2. Sounds like a fun read. Would really like to read.
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  3. Great Sounding Book Thanks for Sharing it with us and For the Chance to Win iamabho AT gmail DOT com

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  4. Wow! It has nothing less than a 4 star review on Amazon, that's rare. Sounded good from the blurb and post but the reviews clinch it.

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