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A review by chewie_the_mouse
Dream Stalker by Nancy Gardner
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The start of any new cozy series challenges the author to establish characters, places, and relationships quickly, while simultaneously presenting a mystery to be solved. With a paranormal series, there's the added task of clarifying the nature of the paranormal element and the rules that govern it. It's tricky to accomplish all of this without leaving the reader feeling overwhelmed, confused, or just bogged down in details. In "Dream Stalker", the first book in a new paranormal cozy series, author Nancy Gardner manages to accomplish all of those things perfectly!
Very shortly after starting the first chapter, I felt like I had a good sense of who main character Lily was, as well as the key relationships in her life and how her supernatural gift worked. In virtually no time, I was completely immersed in this world and Lily's mystery.
The novel is set in Salem, Massachusetts around Halloween. I loved the descriptions of the area, and enjoyed learning about some of the modern traditions that are part of that town's celebration of the holiday. The location is perfect, as Lily is a dream walker, meaning she is able to use magic to enter a person's subconscious while they sleep to learn things they have kept hidden. The description of this process was fascinating, and I appreciated Lily's methodical approach in using her gift to help solve the mystery.
In addition to Lily, other major characters were also well-written and given enough detail to make them distinctive. Ann (Lily's sister) runs a shelter for homeless women, and the key residents stood out as individuals in my mind. The dynamic (and strained) relationship between religious sister and witch sister added a great deal to the storyline, and I look forward to seeing how these two manage to accept each other's lives despite their differences in future books. Other characters, including the victim and Lily's adorable (new) dog, were given enough detail to make them stand out. Overall, the characters were very well done, with enough detail for the reader to keep everyone straight, but not enough to become tedious. The number of characters was perfect as well...enough to provide support for Lily and suspects, but not so many that it got confusing.
The mystery itself was excellent. Lily gets involved because her daughter Sarah is accused of the crime. Lily has a logical approach to investigating, both through natural and supernatural means. I liked that she was making a focused effort to solve the mystery instead of just going about her life and accidentally stumbling upon clues. I was able to gradually piece together the answer along with Lily, and everything made sense once the culprit was revealed.
All in all, I loved everything about this book! As an added bonus, two mouse characters named Boo and Bean made brief appearances. This is a trend that should definitely continue. Personally, I think Martin could use a low-maintenance pet....
Five out of five chunks of my favorite sharp cheddar. Plus a bonus chunk for the mice. So SIX chunks total!
Very shortly after starting the first chapter, I felt like I had a good sense of who main character Lily was, as well as the key relationships in her life and how her supernatural gift worked. In virtually no time, I was completely immersed in this world and Lily's mystery.
The novel is set in Salem, Massachusetts around Halloween. I loved the descriptions of the area, and enjoyed learning about some of the modern traditions that are part of that town's celebration of the holiday. The location is perfect, as Lily is a dream walker, meaning she is able to use magic to enter a person's subconscious while they sleep to learn things they have kept hidden. The description of this process was fascinating, and I appreciated Lily's methodical approach in using her gift to help solve the mystery.
In addition to Lily, other major characters were also well-written and given enough detail to make them distinctive. Ann (Lily's sister) runs a shelter for homeless women, and the key residents stood out as individuals in my mind. The dynamic (and strained) relationship between religious sister and witch sister added a great deal to the storyline, and I look forward to seeing how these two manage to accept each other's lives despite their differences in future books. Other characters, including the victim and Lily's adorable (new) dog, were given enough detail to make them stand out. Overall, the characters were very well done, with enough detail for the reader to keep everyone straight, but not enough to become tedious. The number of characters was perfect as well...enough to provide support for Lily and suspects, but not so many that it got confusing.
The mystery itself was excellent. Lily gets involved because her daughter Sarah is accused of the crime. Lily has a logical approach to investigating, both through natural and supernatural means. I liked that she was making a focused effort to solve the mystery instead of just going about her life and accidentally stumbling upon clues. I was able to gradually piece together the answer along with Lily, and everything made sense once the culprit was revealed.
All in all, I loved everything about this book! As an added bonus, two mouse characters named Boo and Bean made brief appearances. This is a trend that should definitely continue. Personally, I think Martin could use a low-maintenance pet....
Five out of five chunks of my favorite sharp cheddar. Plus a bonus chunk for the mice. So SIX chunks total!