World Tree Girl
A Shadow Valley Manor Novel
by Kerry Schafer
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Aug 08 2017 | Archive Date Aug 08 2017
Description
The girl with the full-body tattoo of a world tree is not just another runaway. She's dead, for starters, and her veins are emptied of blood and oozing a strange, jelly-like substance. To Maureen Keslyn, seasoned paranormal investigator, former FBI agent, new owner of the Shadow Valley Manor Retirement Home, this isn’t just a corpse. It’s a sign that the Medusa, a dangerous paranormal hybrid, is on another killing spree.
Maureen and her team—Jake, the local sheriff, Matt, the Shadow Valley Manor cook with knife skills that extend beyond the kitchen, and eighteen-year-old Sophronia, who has an uncanny affinity for ghosts—are determined to hunt down and eliminate the creature.
Their case is complicated by the ghost of Maureen’s former partner, Phil Evers, who refuses to cross to the other side, and his very much alive daughter Jillian, who shows up demanding to know how Maureen inherited the Manor. When Sophronia uses her power to try to help Phil across, a huge spirit storm blows up at Shadow Valley Manor, and she disappears. With the life of one of their own in deadly peril, Maureen and the team have a ticking clock to find Sophronia and bring down the Medusa.
“What do you get when you mix paranormal thrills, a feisty middle-aged heroine, and a tantalizing mystery set in a creepy rest home? Kerry Schafer’s DEAD BEFORE DYING! Clever, fast-paced, and fun, Schafer weaves an irresistible tale sure to keep you reading far into the night.” ―Lisa Alber, author of KILMOON and WHISPERS IN THE MIST
“Schafer deftly balances the menace of unknown evil with a smart and tenacious band of heroes―led by one kick-ass heroine. DEAD BEFORE DYING is an engaging, sizzling start to a new series.” ―Tammy Kaehler, award-winning author of the Kate Reilly Mystery Series
Advance Praise
"If you like X-Files and Ilona Andrews, you'll love this awesome, well-crafted and unusual tale!"
-Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author on World Tree Girl
“Kerry Schafer’s new thriller, Dead Before Dying, is infused with delightfully dark humor and populated with a unique and compelling cast of characters; the story’s blend of supernatural thrills and a fast-paced, complex plot will keep readers turning pages until the surprising--and highly satisfying--end. A brilliant start to one of the best and most unique series I’ve read in a very long time.”
-Susan Spann, author of The Shinobi Mysteries on Dead Before Dying
"What do you get when you cross a supernatural thriller with a cozy mystery, set it in a nursing home, and top it off with a geriatric vampire? A deliciously spine-tingling read full of original characters and biting wit you don’t want to miss, that’s what!”
-Linda Grimes, author of the Ciel Halligan series on Dead Before Dying
"Creepy suspense, insidious evil, and things that go bump in the night infuse this story with thrills and chills all the way to a terrifying ending."
-Nancy J. Cohen, author of The Bad Hair Mysteries on Dead Before Dying
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781682308165 |
| PRICE | $14.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 280 |
Featured Reviews
Ankita S, Reviewer
First of all, Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read and review this book!
Short Blurb:
Shadow Valley, a retirement home that Maureen Keslyn both owns and resides in, hasn't quite recovered from its last battle with the supernatural. Nor have the members of Maureen's team. Jake, the sheriff who has come to believe in powers beyond what he can see, nevertheless remains skeptical on how to deal with those powers when they become malevolent. Matt, the cook at the manor, as well as a federal agent, finds his loyalties fraying in all directions. And then there is Sophronia, the youngest member, a girl who has abilities beyond what she can control, and fears of how powerful she can become.
Into this powderkeg walks Jillian, the daughter of Maureen's former partner. Jillian once tried to stab Maureen, and her presence isn't likely to end more pleasantly this time around. She's up to something, and Maureen needs to find out what.
Maureen and Jake are called upon to investigate a suicide that looks like anything but, and their search through the history of their town turns up unsolved murders, and an evil that has been lurking for decades. To bring the fight to Shadow Valley gives them their best chance at overcoming a demon more powerful than any they have ever encountered--but it also puts everyone at the greatest risk. And when Sophronia disappears, the clock is ticking to find her safe, before she becomes the latest victim.
Cover Review: The cover is one of the simplest and most beautiful cover I've ever seen. It's something I'd be proud to display on my shelf.
Review:
World Tree Girl is an exciting novel with a lot of twists and a whole lot of suspense.
I immensely enjoyed reading this book, and it has surely become one of my Favorites.
The paranormal has been weaved with an extraordinary precision into a murder mystery, making this book an even exciting journey!
I loved the fact that the major characters were middle-aged, rather than the usual teenagers/twenties people that crowd the current thrillers. It gave the book a whole new class.
The sarcasm included was cherry on the cake, making this a complete, fully loaded experience.
World Tree Girl gets 5 stars for its utterly beautiful cover, and the even more exciting story!
Fiona C, Reviewer
Maureen Keslyn is back! And this installment in the series lives up to all the promise of it's predecessor.
We pick up where we left off, with the exception of a very unintrusive and mostly spoiler-free recap; that aside, this book really does stand on it's own (which is something that too few series are doing at the moment and could absolutely stand to be replicated!)
Maureen is still adjusting to life running a "rest home", which apparently includes the horrifying Thanksgiving tradition of setting the local middle-school children loose amongst the residents. But she's also having to continue to deal with the fallout from the major events of the first book, including the breakdown of her marriage and a major death.
The central mystery expands further on the discoveries made in the first book. The danger did feel less outright threatening than that first instalment; partially because we're now fully aware of how much ass it is Maureen can kick (even intangibility won't save you), but also partially because the danger is less direct this time around, and a decent proportion is reported to our protagonist instead of experienced.
Overall, an absolutely fantastic new entry to the series, and one that has me revved up for the next one already!
I was provided with a free copy of this novel in return for an honest review. Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity
Cindy M, Reviewer
I really loved this book! It has all the elements I look for in a book: strong story-line, empathetic people, dastardly bad guys, and loads of restless spirits that could be good ones... or not. One of the primary characters, a slip of a young teen girl with uncharted spiritual talents, is Sophronia. She's always been able to smooth the way for the dying, escorting them from one plane of existence to the next. But the haunted manor in which she now lives, and the relationships she forges with the new owner, her sister, and the elderly inhabitants, will challenge everything she knows about herself... and the Other Side. Lots of ghosts, lots of angst, and lots of fun. Recommended reading!
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