Murder Under a Mystic Moon
Chintz 'n China Mysteries, No. 3

By Yasmine Galenorn

   For those who love paranormal mysteries, Murder Under a Mystic Moon, the third in the Chintz 'n China Mysteries series by Yasmine Galenorn, will not disappoint. It is a well-paced mystery set in the midst of the lives of teashop owner Emerald O'Brien and her two young children. Emerald not only reads tarot cards for her customers but also possess powerful psychic gifts that usually save her neck as she barrels into one scrape or another with bad guys. She also encounters spirits, ghosts, and earth powers. Thrown into this mix are an ex-husband, an ex-boyfriend, and a new love that just might be a keeper. There is also a town full of unique characters, some of whom start out on Emerald O'Brien's wrong side but are soon drawn into her family, like the burly biker Jimbo who appeared in a previous book and now is a true friend.

    In Murder Under a Mystic Moon, Emerald O'Brien gets entangled with the murders of two bikers from the enclave outside of town. In the mountainous valleys of Washington State, Emerald and her friend Murray, the Native American police woman who also possess psychic gifts, find out why they keep finding themselves in paranormal messes.

    Since this is Galenorn's third paranormal novel, there is a polished quality to the mystery and the characters. There was, however, one minor consistency error toward the end of the book concerning what vehicle was being driven. With Galenorn's talent and eye for plotting detail, I'm sure this won't happen again.

    More importantly, the paranormal experiences that Galenorn describes are right on target and not "woo-woo" like you might expect. She understands these experiences and treats them with respect and the honesty of someone who is familiar with them.

   An added addition to each of the Chintz 'n China Mysteries is a charm recipe. This one is for herb-stuffed Dream Pillows to help you sleep or encourage vivid dreaming.