A silly storyline and a book that did not interest me at all. It's one of a series so maybe that is why?

Underwhelming and sometimes felt like strange chain of events occurred. I had a really hard time getting into it and should have stopped reading.

Dead of winter by Wendy Corsi Straub.
Book 3 of a Lily Dale mystery.
Just as a murderer dumps his corpse into the lake across Valley View in Lily Dale, Bella Jordan happens to be at her window, not quite realizing what she's seeing. Unbeknownst to her, the killer spots her silhouette and prowls straight to her door. That is, until he's interrupted by a black cat. A superstitious gambler, he takes off, but Bella's seen too much, and he vows to return.
A very good read with good characters. 4*.

Omg talk about a roller coaster read wow this book kept me on the edge of my seat threw out I just couldn't put it down this writer keeps you hooked and once your hooked your not letting go I found this book thrilling the characters were fantastic and well thought out and the little clues all the way threw keep you guessing until the end this book stays with you long after you close the book this book is well worth the read I promise you wont be disappointed

A great book by a fantastic author. The writing is excellent and the mystery keeps you turning the pages. Characters are well developed. Highly recommend.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. The word building was phenomenal in this book. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

I loved this little idealistic village full of psychics with some normal people mixed in. This was my second book in the Lily Dale series and I was so glad to return. I thoroughly loved it.

A close knit village where everybody looks out for one another and wherein several psychics have taken up residence. A very small village with four single women living in nearby cottages. A lead in that tends to lend itself to all kinds of drama at times. Let's make that "cozy drama".

A cute, cozy mystery that has everything. Charm, charms, laughter, great characters and a great story. I look forward to reading more about the ladies in Lily Dale.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Dead of Winter
A Lily Dale Mystery
by: Wendy Corsi Staub
November 7, 2017
3 Stars
An OK cozy mystery. Starting in the middle of a series is hard. Maybe if I had read the first two I would have enjoyed it more. The two young boys held my attention, as did the quirky town. A light and enjoyable read.

Dead of Winter by Wendy Corsi Staub is the third book in A Lily Dale Mystery series. The night before Bella Jordan heard a scream out on the lake and the next morning she discovers a dead body wrapped in a tarp on the shore. Then Max’s friend, Jiffy Arden (who manages to lose his belonging on a routine basis) disappears one day during snowstorm. To top it off, Misty Starr (Jiffy’s mom) disappears. What is going on in Lily Dale? Did Jiffy see something the night the body was dropped into the lake?

Dead of Winter is not a standalone novel. You need to read the first two books in the series prior to Dead of Winter. The story is told from multiple POVs which makes for a confusing story (and frustrating). It switches between Bella, Max, Jiffy, Misty, and the killer. Then there are the multiple townspeople who all seem to be psychic (but cannot find the missing kid or prevent him from being kidnapped). The paranormal elements are not believable (come across as contrived). I felt that Dead of Winter needed a rewrite and editing. There is a significant amount of repetition (the same details over and over). The story also jumps around (the multiple POV thing). Dead of Winter lacks flow and continuity (and it way too long). The ending was unfinished. Important details were left out (like what happened to the four stolen gold rings). The mystery is one that plays out and readers are not given a chance to solve the murder. I did not enjoy reading Dead of Winter (it was blah). This was the last A Lily Dale Mystery for me.

What I Liked:
The setting - how fantastic is a town full of mediums as a place for murders to happen? As well, upstate New York in winter allowed the plot to have some pretty crazy snow storm issues that wouldn't have been possible elsewhere.

The characters - I love Bella. She's very sympathetic in still dealing with the grief over the loss of her husband and starting to feel the yearning to move on. I love her relationship with her son Max and her balance of belief and disbelief with all the mediums and talk of auras and Spirit and visions. The townspeople are an interesting lot as well and I'm hoping to spend more time with Calla and Misty especially.

The mystery - there are really two mysteries here. The first involves a dead body in a lake and the second involves a missing child. I couldn't wait to find out how they were connected and the solutions.

The pacing - I flew through this book. I felt completely pulled into the story and really didn't want to put it down.

What I Didn't Like:
The conclusion - while everything made sense and worked it felt really rushed and not explored enough. It was all wrapped up in the last 10 pages and I really wanted more explanation. It felt very abrupt.

Overall:
While this book wasn't flawless I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to revisiting Lily Dale, Bella, Max and all the rest. It's a quick read that's not too cozy or too creepy but a good balance of both.

Dead of Winter is the third Lily Dale mystery and the seventh Lily Dale book by Wendy Corsi Staub. I have always loved her books so I was thrilled to be chosen to read this book. It is set just before Christmas in the middle of a blizzard in Lily Dale, NY, a town that was founded by psychics or spiritualists. Bella Jordan is the only person in town who cannot connect with Spirit. She and her son Max found there way there after her husband died the year before, She manages the Valley View Inn. Not much usually happens in Lily Dale in the winter. Of course Bella has a knack for finding dead bodies so this year is different. This book has all the usual Lily Dale quirky characters, several bad guys, several good guys, at least one good but not so nice guy, a few ghosts, some animals, and a little romance. There are a couple of mysteries that are wrapped up nicely before Christmas. What more could you want? I classify this as a cozy mystery and it is a good one, a fun read. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy for my review.

The plot was full of action and suspense that flowed at a smooth pace. The characters were all very interesting, but the two young boys were great. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an easy read.

I love this mystery, and this series! From the first time I met Max and Bella, I found them endearing. Third in the Lily Dale Mystery series, each is better than the one previous. Most characters are small-town mediums – eccentric and well-defined. There is more than one mystery, which may or may not be related.

Bella and her six-year-old son Max have been in Lily Dale for months, and it now feels like home. The young widow is managing Valley View Manor, During the winter season, she is helping with renovations planned by the owner. Her husband died almost a year ago, and the winter skies seem to reflect her grief. Much healing has already occurred since her car broke down in the Dale. Less than two weeks before Christmas, Bella tries to eke out cash for gifts for Max. His best friend, Jiffy, continually talks about the snowboard Santa will bring him, and Max just has to have one, too. Jiffy’s dad is serving in the military.

Jiffy has been talking about something creepy – when the first big snowfall comes, he will be kidnapped. He is someone whose mother has the gift, and he does, also. The gift? Everyone in Lily Dale year-round is a psychic. Well, except for Bella. Before the big storm arrived, Bella had seen a boat on the not-quite frozen lake, and heard a horrible cry. The next day, she sees a huge bag or tarp at the shore. It was the body of a man who probably didn’t die from drowning.

Strangers are in the Dale, including two women who go to Misty’s, Jiffy’s mom, for a psychic reading, and a man who looks like Elvis. Then, as the snowstorm arrives, Max is home sick from school. Jiffy disappears between the bus stop and Misty’s, and nobody can find him in the blizzard. The only constant for Bella, other than next door neighbor Odelia, is Drew. The veterinarian helped with Chance’s kittens, especially Max’s Spidey, who needed round-the-clock feedings. Drew’s visits are more frequent and he and Bella are comfortable friends. Drew and Luther, a retired detective, are the ones doing the most to find Jiffy. There is one who knows exactly who took Jiffy, and he isn’t sharing – the one who plans to leave at least a couple more bodies on his way out of town.

The characters are well-defined and multidimensional. Even those new or visiting are depicted as well as possible. We continue to learn about Bella, Max, and Odelia, and begin to embrace Jiffy’s mother, Misty, who we knew little of until now. At first, the residents seem very eccentric but, as Bella has come to accept – that’s just Lily Dale.

The murders and kidnapping are horrifying to a young mother on her own. Bella has done all she can to protect Max. He seems to take Jiffy’s kidnapping much more calmly than the adults; he accepts what Jiffy told him, and awaits the text he will receive from his friend. I like the multiple mysteries; is there more than one bad guy, or just one? The thick snow only fuels Bella’s fear for Jiffy, the worry about the killer, and concern for where Misty is. Descriptions are excellent; I can almost feel the freezing temps, the panic in near whiteout conditions, and the emotions of Misty and Bella. The outcome is very satisfying – while I could figure out part of it, I didn’t. I highly recommend Dead of Winter; it can easily be read as a standalone but reading as part of the series is more satisfying.

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review

Sometimes looking out your window can lead to you seeing something that you can’t unsee. It can also lead to a murderous villan seeing you.
Dead of Winter, is set in a small community in Lily Dale, NY. It’s residents are made up of mediums and psychics.
Bella Jordan & her son are not psychics or mediums. Bella is the manager of Valley View.... a Bed & Breakfast. Their quirky and very likeable neighbors set the page turning pace for this cozy mystery.
This is the third installment in the series. While it can easily be read as a stand alone novel... I recommend beginning with the first in the series. It will be fun learning how Bella & Jordan happened upon Lily Dale & all the characters.
After reading this series, Lily Dale is on my bucket list. Also, another Lily Dale Book is on my wish list. Such an endearing series.
Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Bella Jordan unwittingly sees a murderer dump a dead body into a lake across from the Valley View, the bed and breakfast she helps manager. The killer is scared off at that moment, but Bella could be in danger. Like Bella, her young son Max's best friend, Jiffy Arden, was also in the wrong place at the wrong time and has disappeared. Some feel the independent boy, who has a free-spirited mom, has just wandered off. However, Max is positive his friend has been kidnapped and the longer he's been gone, the more it looks like Jiffy, who had premonitions of the event, is also in grave danger.

"Dead of Winter" is the third in the author's Lily Dale series aimed at adults, which is separate from her young adult series. The book has a nice mixture of portraying ordinary small-town life, with the sense of community as well as the gossip, with the paranormal since many of the town's residents have psychic abilities. New readers will feel at home in Lily Dale and those who have read the prior two books will be happy to see the recently widowed Bella settling into her new life in Lily Dale and trying to move on with her life. I also enjoyed getting to know Jiffy's mother Misty better and like her much more after learning more about her.

The main plot about the murder and Jiffy's disappearance is suspenseful. I was frustrated that the investigation drug out more than it needed to because characters wouldn't listen to each other. I found it strange that in a town filled with psychics, there were so many skeptics when someone had a lead on the case based on their intuition. There was a side-plot with one of the town's psychics, Pandora, and her clients that could have served as nice comic relief, but became too over-the-top and got annoying. Luckily, that's a small part of the book, but the rest is interesting and entertaining. I enjoyed the book and hope this unique series continues.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Crooked Lane Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this book at 31/2 stars. It’s a simple read. All the paranormal stuff written in the book is done in such away that it makes the book not very believable. I was expecting a more serious mystery. The book was kind of all over the place for me. However, it makes for a quick cozy mystery and there are some funny scenes. Jiffy was very funny.
Received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley.

a fast paced story with good characters. sadly, nothing overall exciting for me but still an enjoyable read.

I have been a fan of Wendy Corsi Staub for as long as I can remember and a Dead of Winter did not disappoint.

Dead of Winter is the third book in the adult Lily Dale Mystery series. I have not read the other two so at the beginning I was a little lost in trying to figure out who belonged to whom and who could do what but once I got that down pat the book took off. Bella, moved to Lily Dale with her son after her husband died. Lily Dale is a town centered around the world of mediums. Bella has a hard time believing in the world of mediums. On a cold, dark night as she is looking out her window at the lake, she sees a mysterious light and a few minutes later hears what thinks is a human scream. The next morning she finds a body wrapped in a tarp washed upon the shore in her backyard. Is the body a local? Who killed this person? Should she worry that the killer is still lurking around? Can Bella solve the crime before tragedy affects her family once again?

This was a toe-curling, gripping read. I am already looking for the first two books in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy in exchange for a review in my own words.

Bella Jordan just happened by her window in her home, Valley View in Lily Dale, when a murderer was dumping a corpse in the remote lake close by. The killer spotted Bella and thinking he had been seen he heads straight to her door when he comes across a young boy chasing a black cat through the neighborhood. Getting scared away that he would be discovered Bella escapes the danger she didn’t know was lurking outside her home.

Jiffy Arden, Bella’s son’s young friend, who had been searching for the roaming cat and had run into the mysterious man begins to have premonitions that he is going to be kidnapped during the season’s first snowstorm. When that snowstorm arrives Jiffy disappears just as his vision suggested never arriving home after school when dropped off at the bus stop. The adults at first think Jiffy has just wandered off as he tends to do but Bella’s son Max is determined Jiffy’s vision has come true.

Dead of Winter by Wendy Corsi Staub is the third book in the Lily Dale Mystery series. This series seems to be a bit of a cozy mystery type of read that takes place in Lily Dale which seems to be inhabited by those that are psychics and mediums giving it a bit of a fantasy vibe to the books. I didn’t realize that this one was part of a series when picking it up and to be honest felt a bit lost starting out as it jumps right in with characters that were probably introduced in earlier books so there was a lot of trying to figure out who was who and who had the ability to do what in the story which brought the enjoyment down a bit for me right from the start.

Once getting into the book I did enjoy what the author was trying to do with giving a twist to the story but it did often become a bit weird to have so many characters with visions and channeling and doing various other things. The story would sometimes seem a bit jumbled with all that was going on but I did begin to enjoy the characters as it went on so it kept my interest. If I’d started this one from book one it’s possible I would have been completely hooked but as it was this one became one that ended up just being and OK read to me when it was all over.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The first Lily Dale adventure was just different enough to be enjoyable and intriguing at the same time.

This third outing for Bella and Max missed the mark. The author continues her excellent development of the relationship between Bella and her young son Max. And the relationship between Jiffy and Max, two young boys, is very realistic. The strongest sections of this book follow the interactions between these characters. The two boys hatching plots around pirate treasure, Bella trying to stay grounded among the various paranormals' "sights", and Bella's memories of her husband and their family life before he died.

But then, Jiffy is possibly kidnapped a few days after Bella discovers a corpse on the lake shore and the story just sort of drifts after Jiffy disappears. It became difficult to follow the story in some places, repetitive in others.

Parts of the book are very well done, others not so much. Perhaps the next one...