Ghost of a Chance

I just finished this book and, like the first book, Million Dollar Baby, I inhaled it! I haven't had this much fun since I read the Nancy Drew Mysteries so many years ago. Meade has a gift you don't see much of. She engages you in every aspect of the romance, mystery, and the lives of everyone in Ridgebury, CT. I found myself speaking out loud throughout the entire book. As far as I'm concerned, Meade can't produce these books fast enough for me. I'm sold, hook, line and sinker with the life of Marjorie McClelland!! I would love it if Marjorie McClelland spent a summer on Long Island and just happened upon a body here!!! I can't wait to see the characters continue to develop, and I find myself anxiously awaiting Meade's next "case". Great Book!!

After reading "Million Dollar Baby" by Amy Patricia Meade, I thought it just can't get any better than this. Now after reading her second novel, "Ghost of Chance", it has!!!!! I just hope that there will be a third book in the very near future. Bravo to you, Ms Meade!!!!

As a reader who thoroughly enjoyed Meade's first offerring, Million Dollar Baby, I was eagerly anticipating this latest novel. As many others I wanted not only another great historical mystery, but further expansion the relationships of the three main characters. Well, I got it...in spades! The development of Marjorie, Creighton, and Jameson takes these lighthearted combatants in love to human levels that make what was in MDB a flirty, romantic comedy, is now an intense emotional drama. Don't worry the humor and fun is still there but Meade makes her characters real in a modern sense yet retaining all the charm of the classic golden age movie stars. Meade has set the stage with this novel to take what may have been a fun series with limited plot possiblities and enriched it with a depth of character that bodes well for the future of her series. Combine that with a first-class mystery, plenty of fun, and Marjorie and Creighton's barbed repartee, and you've got a very entertaining second offering from a promising new author. Ms. Meade I am a fan.

In 1935 Ridgebury, Connecticut is holding its annual carnival sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church and one of the big attractions is the Ferris Wheel. When the seat holding the last person on the ride opens the man flops to the ground. At first they think he died of a heart attack but mystery writer and amateur sleuth Miss Marjorie McCelland finds a dart near the wheel. She and her friend, British aristocrat Creighton Ashcroft bring it to the medical examiner. Tests show the man died of curare poisoning and the dart contained blood that matched that of the victim. Marjorie's fiancée, police detective Robert Jameson informs her that the victim's name is Alfred Nussbaun and his wife Josie identifies the body. She doesn't seem upset and it isn't too long before they find out he was a bigamist with a wife and two children in Boston. They also learn that Josie is also married to someone else and is running a scam to part Alfred from his money with her husband's approval. Suspects abound with motives aplenty but the identity of the killer will shock everyone even a clever mystery writer. Amy Patricia Meade has written a very charming amateur sleuth and police procedural mystery. The author has a way of creating characters that make them seem like the neighbor next door and even the killer will elicit reader sympathy. The triangle that develops between Creighton, Marjorie and Robert is very well developed and adds an extra dimension to the plot. Romance readers will definitely like this Depression Era regional mystery partly due to state of forensic science and the relationship between Creighton and Marjorie. Harriet Klausner