Member Reviews

Nice addition to the series. I almost didn't want to read this one as I am not a fan of fortune telling. I am glad I did not let that stop me from enjoying this book. There are many side issues that are interesting, such as PTSD, dogs, food, llamas, festival, etc. The Silver Sentinels are at it again. Clever mystery.

Was this review helpful?

I continue to enjoy Janet Finsilver's Kelly Jackson series. Like the others, Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table is light and fun, has an intriguing mystery and very likable characters that make you want to keep coming back for more.

If it weren't for the dead bodies, Redwood Cove would be a little slice of paradise on the northern California coast. Kelly has a boss most of us would give our eye teeth for, and she proves over and over again that she is a smart and truly caring person. When she and the Silver Sentinels realize that they're over their heads in solving this mystery, they don't plow full steam ahead, they talk things over with Deputy Sheriff Stanton and arrive at a compromise that means they can continue to help the police with the type of investigative work that they do best. I like seeing fictional characters work with the police-- and having fictional police who are willing to work with ordinary citizens.

One of the features that I enjoy most about Finsilver's series is the fact that service dogs appear in each book-- and it's amazing just what sort of services they're capable of performing. In this third book, we get acquainted with hearing assistance dogs and a dog who is a companion to a man with PTSD. I love this element of the author's books and think it adds a great deal to the entire series.

Beautiful setting, intriguing mystery, light, fun, and with characters and canines you can't help but want to bring home with you... recommending Janet Finsilver's Kelly Jackson series is a piece of cake.

Was this review helpful?

Just finished and I was delighted with the entire story!
It's wonderful when characters that you meet in a series starter continue to be as heartwarming and engaging in subsequent adventures. I was happy that Kelly made the decision to stay at the Redwood Cove and it was wonderful to see the Silver Sentinels come together again and fight justice.

Hope the next adventure is soon!

Was this review helpful?

Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table is the third book in the Kelly Jackson Mystery series but Janet Finsilver and although I haven’t yet read the first two book I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was a great example of what a cozy mystery is. The story takes place in a small town in Northern California and is based primarily in a small bed and breakfast. I enjoyed the quirky characters and found the main character to be quite likeable. The mystery was realistic and multi layered with a great cast of suspects that kept me guessing until the end. Overall I gave the book 3.5/5 stars and would recommend it to other fans of cozy mystery novels.

Was this review helpful?

Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table by Janet Finsilver is the third installment in he Kelly Jackson mystery series and was another winner.

I always looked forward to visiting Redwood Cove and the characters make me feel welcome every time I visit. There were a few new characters added this time that helped to weave more details into the story. The Silver Sentinels are all back and in rare form. How I would love to be a part of their group. They are all distinct characters but enjoy each others company as they work together to help their community. I may have even fallen a little bit in love with Michael Corrigan in this book as he plans were revealed for his community center in Redwood Cove. I sure this were real life and there were more people like him who would give so generously to the communities that their businesses were established in.

A quickly paced plot, well developed characters, plenty of twists as many secondary characters add information and a beautiful setting that made me feel like Kelly (I had come home). The book plot was fresh and true to the characters as they have been introduced in the previous books and kept me turning the pages until the reveal. I am already eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Lyrical Press via NetGalley. Thank you Lyrical Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table is the third book in Janet Finsilver's Kelly Jackson Mystery series. Local resident Amy Winters approaches crime solving group the "Silver Sentinels" with the unusual request to help her track down two people she knew only briefly fifty years ago. When the group locates them, Amy asks Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager Kelly Jackson to invite both to an all expenses paid weekend at the B & B.

Before this weekend when Amy plans to tell all, she and a local mystical Greek fortune teller affectionately known as Auntie are found poisoned. At first it is thought to be accidental, that Auntie confused hemlock with another herb, brewing the fatal tea. But it soon becomes apparent that is not the case.

As Kelly and the sentinels delve deeper, and as the wine and food festival blossoms at the Botanical Gardens, the killer makes moves to remove Kelly and her questioning ways. Will Kelly succeed in thwarting these attempts and unmask the killer? You must read to the very end to unravel this mystery.

This is a good series, in beautifully described settings with interesting, sometimes quirky characters. I do recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

Kelly manages the Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast. She loves her job and the town she lives in and she participates in all their events. When a woman asks her to help her find and contact some people she knew in the past, she agrees. The Silver Sentinels are always looking for something to do. What she didn't know was that it would lead to murder...

Kensington Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this ebook for review (thank you). It will be published March 14th.

They find the couple Summer was looking for. She writes to them and no one responds so she asks Kelly to contact them. She does and invites them for the weekend. Things start going bad when someone finds Summer and the fortuneteller both dead. The cops say it was suicide since they drank hemlock. Everyone knows the fortuneteller had intimate knowledge of herbs and would not have made such a mistake. It's a perfect case for the Silver Sentinels.

They find out that Summer's son is not hers. He's her adopted son. The couple she invited (who are now married to other people) are his natural parents. He's ill and need medical care. By the time the parents arrive, it's up to Kelly to continue Summer's quest. She meets with them and it disrupts their world. The father is big car dealership owner with a bad attitude. There's concern about his new family being illegitimate because he was still married to his first wife. Who will the inheritance go to now?

It doesn't take long until they figure out that the women who died were the witnesses to the first wedding. The other witness was attacked. Everyone is on high alert but someone is after Kelly...

This is a good mystery. The Silver Sentinels are a hoot, all different types and all fearless. The ending was a bit too sweet. A tiger doesn't change it's stripes, especially not in 24 hours. But it does make for a happy ending. I'd read another in this series.

Was this review helpful?

I love this Kelly Jackson Mystery series. It has something for everyone. A great cozy mystery, a bed and breakfast setting with yummy food, a geriatric group of sleuths and a hint of romance. Everyone in town has taken to Kelly as she settles in as manager for Redwood Cove B&B from the kids to the older residents. When 2 local women are poisoned after the school festival everyone expects Kelly to get busy and solve the crime. An odd assortment of guests at the Inn are interfering and someone is trying to kill the lead investigator. You don't need to read the previous stories but it will help you enjoy some of the back stories.

Was this review helpful?

Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table is the third book in Janet Finsilver’s Kelly Jackson Mystery series. The series takes place in a small town on the coast of Northern California with caring, well developed, and relatable characters and a well-plotted story line that flows at a steady pace. Kelly Jackson, the main character, is a likeable and believable character who is smart, independent and has a big heart. Kelly’s boss, Michael Corrigan, and his company are caring about their employees and the communities where they do business. I was surprised to learn who the guilty person was. The secondary characters give the plot dimension and complete this story. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series and recommend it to readers who enjoy a clean, well-crafted mystery.

Kelly Jackson is the manager of Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast and loves her new job, the people she works with, and the tourist community she lives in. Kelly meets Amy Winter, who everyone calls Summer, and is asked if she and the Silver Sentinels, a group of senior sleuths, would meet with her. When the meeting takes place, Summer informs them that she desperately needs help finding two people from her past because her adult son needs help only they can provide. Kelly and the Silver Sentinels agree and start looking for them. When Summer Despina ‘Auntie’ Manyotis, a fortune teller, are found dead in Aunties home, authorities believe their deaths were accidental but Kelly and the Senior Sentinels disagree. As the group tries to find the murderer, secrets are revealed, families torn apart, and Kelly finds herself in harms’ way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Was this review helpful?

Kelly and a eclectic group of supporting characters made this an enjoyable read for me. It is nice to see senior citizens being written in such a positive way. They are all using their unique skills to help Kelly solve the mystery. I now need to look for previous books in this series to find out how they all got together.

Was this review helpful?

Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table is the 3rd installment in the A Kelly Jackson Mystery series set on the California coast and featuring Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast manager, Kelly Jackson. Kelly has settled into the routine of Redwood Cove and is looking forward to manning a booth at the annual Wine and Flowers Festival.

While wandering around at the school Science Fair with B&B cook Helen and her son Tommy, Kelly is approached by Amy "Summer" Winter who says she needs the help of Kelly and the Silver Sentinels to locate two people from her past. The group of Senior Citizens pride themselves on their investigative techniques and quickly get to work locating the man and woman for Summer.

When Summer turns up dead alongside Fortune Teller Despina "Auntie" Manyotis, it's evident that the possibility of having the secrets from her past exposed has caused someone a lot of anxiety. Kelly and the Sentinels, along with Deputy William Stanton, are hard at work trying to track the down the killer when someone tries to silence Kelly and Sentinel Mary Rutledge permanently.

This series only gets better with each new edition. It's impossible not to fall in love with Tommy and his basset hound Fred, not to mention the well developed cast of characters that includes Daniel Stevens and his daughter Allie. There's a hint of romance in the air for Kelly when fellow Resorts International employee, Scott Thompson arrives in Redwood to work on an extended project.

While each installment in the series can read as a stand alone, I strongly suggest starting from the beginning and getting to know all of the characters. I hope there will be plenty more adventures on the horizon for Kelly and her friends.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley via Lyrical Underground, a division of Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I read finished this book in day in about three hours, that's how much I enjoyed it. Ms. Janet writes characters that you can envision and relate to on some level. The town is written so vividly and with great detail that you picture yourself being there and basking in the sunlight. All of this things makes this cozy one the best one's in today's market.

Was this review helpful?

Author Janet Finsilver sets the scene for a pleasant cozy mystery that is heartwarming and sure to please animal lovers while they try to solve the mystery. The two previous stories in the Kelly Jackson series are great and book three is just as appealing. The main cast of characters are intelligent, fun, and easy to imagine as real-life friends.

Kelly Jackson is the new manager of Redwood Bed & Breakfast. She's become fast friends with Helen, who does the cooking, and her young son, Tommy, who is often on the property with Fred, their basset hound. Another friend of Kelly's--Mary--is a sweet, helpful lady who carries her cute Chihuahua, Princess, everywhere and often assists the local Greek fortune teller, Despina 'Auntie' Manyotis, as she reads patterns in coffee grounds for those who wish to have their future told. Summer, another close friend of Auntie's, receives bad news in her reading and asks for help from the Silver Sentinels, a lively group of local senior sleuths. Summer is searching for two people from the past and says it's a life or death matter. The Sentinels start investigating, and it quickly becomes clear someone doesn't like their queries. Two murders! Threats to Mary and Kelly! Readers will enjoy piecing together the clues of this daunting puzzle in time for lives to be saved.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

I loved going back to Redwood Cove Bed and Breakfast with Kelly Jackson and her appealing cast of friends. I feel as if I know them and their environs due to Janet Finsilver's delightful storytelling. This latest addition to the series finds Kelly and the Silver Sentinels eager to solve murders that the police had deemed accidental deaths. There was skilled plot misdirection so that the ending was truly a surprise for me. I hope to visit Redwood Cove many more times!

Was this review helpful?

This book is just as good as the previous books in the series. I am happy to see that since a lot of series seem to go off track, but this one is staying strong and fresh. Kelly is settling into town and getting to be more comfortable. The Silver Sentinels are going strong and have a healthy suspicion when there are deaths and robberies in town. Don't think by the title that this will be on the paranormal side, it just barely touches it. But it does have lots of secrets, murder and mystery.

I was given an advanced eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

I wish I could visit Redwood Cove and stay at Kelly's B and B. I felt drawn into the setting, enjoyed the quirky cast of characters, and was intrigues by the mystery.

Was this review helpful?

This series has quickly become one of my favourites. This third in the series did not disappoint.
The characters and setting are outstanding, along with a whodunit that kept me guessing until the end.
I loved the multi generational aspect of the characters and the teamwork element of the story. I cannot wait to read more in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

I've read the other books in the series and I have to say that this book is outstanding!
When I saw the title I was intrigued and combined with the colorful book cover, this book just seemed to sparkle.
Murder, secrets, families torn apart and an absolute tear jerker scene will leave you wanting more.
The writer kept me guessing and the story flowed smoothly from beginning to end that I couldn't put it down.
I can't wait to read the next one.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

I sat down to read Murder at the Fortune Teller's Table with the intention of reading only a few chapters, I however found that I could not stop. Janet Finsilver's third book in the Kelly Jackson Mystery Series surprised me. I very much enjoy a cozy mystery where there is team effort, and the team is diverse. I thought this would have more of a paranormal twist to it but it really did not. I was pleasantly surprised with the tale and how the story unfolded. I did not figure out the murderer ahead of time and I was invested in solving the case as if I was a member of the team. This book made me think and it made me curious, so much so that I could not put it down

Was this review helpful?

Kelly Jackson is enjoying her life as manager of the Redwood Cove bed and breakfast. She goes to a local festival and meets Auntie, a fortune teller and also meets Summer, who is a friend of Auntie's but who gets a difficult reading from the fortune teller. Summer then asks the Silver Sentinels to help her find two people who she knew many years ago, the biological parents of her son Mark. When they are found she arranges for them to come to Redwood Cove to ask for help with Mark's medical condition but before they get there Summer and Auntie are both found dead from hemlock poisoning, There are complications due to an old marriage and inheritances which get the Silver Sentinels involved in investigating the poisoning. this is a delightful mystery featuring a great group of senior citizens in the Silver Sentinels, and relatable true to life characters in Kelly, Helen, Daniel and a beautiful Pacific Northwest setting. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it,

Was this review helpful?