Gigi Pandian Archives – Carol's Notebook

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 by Carol2 Comments

There are some things I loved about The Raven Thief and some things I could do without. The mystery itself is well-done. Tempest and her grandfather are invited to a "seance" to rid a woman's house of the bad vibes of her ex-husband. Right in the middle, however, her ex drops onto the table - dead, surrounded by raven feathers. Ash, Tempest's grandfather, becomes the chief suspect, so of course, Tempest has to do everything she can to clear his name. Tempest is a former stage magician, so is the perfect person to figure out how the "trick" was done. I'm pretty sure it's a fair play mystery, that the reader gets all the same clues as Tempest and her sidekicks, but I didn't put them together. These books rely a lot on misdirection on the killer's part that our magicians and builders need to unravel, which is fun. I enjoy the puzzle of it. Tempest is a great character, too...

The Christmas Caper by Gigi Pandian

January 4, 2023January 4, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

Edinburgh at Christmas sounds wonderful. In this short story, Tempest is asked by her grandmother's friend to figure out how a painting was stolen from a museum, a seemingly impossible crime. The plot is pretty straightforward, but I loved the setting. The author does a fabulous job at bringing Edinburgh and its Christmas market to life. I would really love to visit sometime. One of my favorite fictional bookstores even gets a mention. Tempest is her usual clever self and her grandparents are a joy. We don't get to know the new characters well, but they worked fine for the story. There are also a couple of recipes in the back that sound delicious. I haven't tried the yet though. ...

Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

August 31, 2022November 15, 2022 by Carol5 Comments

Is it any wonder I enjoyed Under Lock & Skeleton Key? It's a locked room mystery, more or less, with delicious descriptions of food, multiple secret rooms and staircases, and even a family curse. Tempest comes from a magic family- even if none of them are currently performing. The family construction business does keep up the tradition though - it's all about creating hidden rooms, secret staircases, and the like. The misdirection theme runs throughout the book, almost too repetitively. The mystery itself is well done. The whodunnit didn't surprise me exactly and I was glad of a certain twist near the end. This is one of those books that's more about the how, which was actually pretty simple in the end, but I didn't put the pieces together. I like Tempest and her family. They are interesting and charming and feel real in their concerns. Her friends make a great team too and I hope we see more of...