"Death in a Ghostly Hue" By Susan Van Kirk: Review/Giveaway

Review by Sarah Erwin

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

Death in a Ghostly Hue by Susan Van Kirk is book three in the Art Center Mysteries, but stands strong on its own for readers new to the series.

Jill Madison, Executive Director of the Marsden Center for the Arts, is shocked one snowy afternoon when Quinn Parsons walks into the center. Recently released from prison after serving six years, Quinn is looking for redemption. He was convicted of being the driver in a drunk driving accident that killed Jill’s parents.

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Jill and her brothers Tom and Andy have never forgiven Quinn and don’t plan to anytime soon. So worked-up by Quinn's presence in town, Andy confronts Quinn at a widely attended church meeting, going so far as to punch him and threaten him with death. So when Quinn turns up murdered the next day, Andy is the top suspect. Sheriff Jeeter Crockett has always hated Andy and doesn’t work hard to find any other suspects besides Andy, so Jill knows she and her best friend Angie must investigate.

In addition to attempting to prove her brother’s innocence, Jill is overseeing the Old Friends senior group at the art center who are rehearsing a radio-play of Oscar Wilde’s “The Canterville Ghost.” Work on the play and the surrounding preparation reveal a ghost in the center. The ghost, Daniel Lowry, needs his own redemption to pass to the other side.

I fell right into this story with its tight plotting and many twists and read it quickly. The writing is descriptive and had my heart breaking for Jill, as well as rooting for her. I felt all the emotions with her. The grief of losing her family is still very raw for Jill, and Susan handled this with great care. While the emotions were heavy, Susan balances this out with moments of humor throughout the mystery. I especially enjoyed Jill’s best friend Angie and their antics.

There are some pretty jaw-dropping reveals throughout that I had not figured out ahead of time, which is always fun for a seasoned mystery reader. While there is a ghost in this mystery, this didn’t necessarily feel like a paranormal mystery. Daniel felt so real to this reader. I could feel his pain and desperation to see his family again. This is a wonderful layer added to the mystery.

I am curious to see more of Jill and her family, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for future stories in the series.

To enter to win a copy of Death in a Ghostly Hue, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "hue,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 31, 2024. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. 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! 

You can click here to purchase this book.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

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.