Summary

The Murders at Astaire Castle provides an opportunity for the author to successfully bring a fresh perspective to the mystery series. This will give new readers a fun introduction to the series, as well.

4.5-STAR REVIEW: THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE by Lauren Carr

The Description

Mac Faraday Mystery: Book 5
Publication Date: July 18, 2013

Never tell Mac Faraday not to do something.

Spencer’s police chief, David O’Callaghan, learns this lesson the hard way when he orders Mac Faraday to stay away from the south end of Spencer’s mountaintop—even though he owns the property. It doesn’t take long for Mac to find out what lies on the other side of the stone wall and locked gate, on which hangs a sign warning visitors to Keep Out!

Topping the list of the ten most haunted places in America, Astaire Castle is associated with two suicides, three mysterious disappearances, and four murders since it was built almost a century ago—and Mac Faraday owns it!

In spite of David’s warning, Mac can’t resist unlocking the gate to see the castle that supposedly hasn’t seen a living soul since his late mother had ordered it closed up after the double homicide and disappearance of Damian Wagner, a world-famous master of horror novels.

What starts out as a quick tour of a dusty old castle turns into another Mac Faraday adventure when Astaire Castle becomes the scene of even more murders. Mac is going to need to put all of his investigative talents to work to sort out this case that involves the strangest characters he has run into yet—including a wolf man. No, we’re not talking about Gnarly.

The Review

Retired homicide detective Mac Faraday gets a new type of mystery in The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr. This time, the drama unfolds in a supposedly haunted castle that he owns as part of his inheritance.

The fifth installment of the Mac Faraday Mystery series begins when Faraday learns about the castle that has been boarded up as a result of murders that had taken place in the past. When he hears about the Wolf Man, who supposedly is connected to the castle, he decides to visit in spite of his half-brother’s (who is also the police chief) warnings.

When a human skull with an ax embedded in it is found, and Gnarly is attacked, it’s all hands on deck to discover what secrets have been hidden within the castle walls. Add more dead bodies, and this just might be Faraday’s most complicated mystery.

While perfect as a stand-alone, thanks to the author’s helpful cast of characters listed at the beginning of the book, my recommendation is to read the series in sequence for full appreciation of the characters and how they evolve throughout the series. I really liked the author taking a different approach with this story to add a spooky theme.

The Murders at Astaire Castle provides an opportunity for the author to successfully bring a fresh perspective to the mystery series. This will give new readers a fun introduction to the series, as well.

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About The AuthorLauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

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Blog Tour Schedule

March 28 –Mystery Review Crew – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
March 28 –Cover Lover Book Review – book series spotlight / giveaway
March 29 –Olio by Marilyn – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
​March 29 – My Journey Back – book spotlight / book excerpt
March 29 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
March 30 –Literary Flits – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 –Olio by Marilyn – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
Mar 30 –Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER / author interview / giveaway
March 31 – My Reading Journeys – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 1 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of SHADOW OF MURDER
April 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of IT’S MURDER, MY SON
April 4 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 5 –Literary Flits – book review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 6 –Leels Loves Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 7 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of OLD LOVES DIE HARD, SHADES OF MURDER, BLAST FROM THE PAST
April 7 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 8 –Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 11 –Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE, THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER, TWELVE TO MURDER
April 12 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
April 13 –Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 14 – My Reading Journeys – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
April 15 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 15 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of A WEDDING AND A KILLING, OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER
April 19 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of BLAST FROM THE PASST / giveaway
April 19 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
April 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 20 – Novels Alive – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
April 21 – My Reading Journeys – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
April 21 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 22 –Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
April 25 – Novels Alive – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
April 26 –Literary Flits – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
April 26 – Books for Books – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD
April 27 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
April 28 – Novels Alive – book review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
April 29 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
April 29 – Gina Rae Mitchell – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD/ giveaway
May 2 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 3 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 3 – Books for Books – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER
May 4 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER
May 4 – Literary Flits – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 5 –Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANCELLED VOWS
May 5 – Novels Alive – book review of BLAST FROM THE PAST / giveaway
May 6 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
May 6 – Kam’s Place – book spotlight of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER and CRIMES PAST
May 9 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 9 – Books for Books – audiobook review of TWELVE TO MURDER
May 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book series spotlight / giveaway
May 10 – Novels Alive – book review of MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
May 11 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE / giveaway
May 11 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 12 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Novels Alive – book review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Hall Ways Blog – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 16 – Books for Books – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING
May 17 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 18 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
May 18 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND KILLING / giveaway
May 19 – Deborah-Zenha Adams – book series spotlight / author interview / giveaway
May 19 – Library of Clean Reads – book review of OLD LOVES DIE HARD / giveaway
May 20 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 20 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of BLAST FROM THE PAST / giveaway
May 23 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
May 23 – Books for Books – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER
May 24 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of IT’S MURDER, MY SON / giveaway
May 24 – Novels Alive – book review of TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
May 25 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
May 25 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
May 26 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
May 27 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of THE LADY WHO CRIED MURDER / giveaway
May 27 – Books for Books – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS
May 31 –Jazzy Book Reviews – book series spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 1 – fundinmental – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 1 – Books for Books – audiobook review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER
June 2 – Mostly Mystery Reviews – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest posts / giveaway
June 2 – Novels Alive – book review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
June 3 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – audiobook review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 3 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
June 6 –Bound 4 Escape – book review of  TWELVE TO MURDER / giveaway
June 6 – Books for Books – audiobook review of CRIMES PAST
June 7 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADES OF MURDER / giveaway
June 7 – Novels Alive – book review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
June 8 – The Page Ladies – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 9 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of  A WEDDING AND A KILLING / giveaway
June 10 – Nighttime Reading Center – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 10 – Books for Books – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER
June 13 – My Fictional Oasis – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 13 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 14 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of  OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 14 – Novels Alive – book review of OPEN SEASON FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 15 – Bound 4 Escape – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 16 –Literary Flits – book review of THREE DAYS TO FOREVER / giveaway
June 17 – Novels Alive – book review of CANCELLED VOWS / giveaway
June 20 – Splashes of Joy – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 21 – Novels Alive – book review of CANDIDATE FOR MURDER / giveaway
June 22 – Gina Rae Mitchell – audiobook review of SHADOW OF MURDER / guest post / giveaway
June 23 – Novels Alive – book review of CRIMES PAST / giveaway
June 24 – Adventurous Jessy – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway
June 24 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book review of CRIMES PAST / giveaway
June 24 – Novels Alive – book review of SHADOW OF MURDER / giveaway

REVIEW AUTHOR

Amy Wilson
Amy Wilson
My name is Amy W., and I am a book addict. I will never forget the day I came home from junior high school to find my mom waiting for me with one of the Harlequin novels from my stash. As she was gearing up for the "you shouldn't be reading this" lecture, I told her the characters get married in the end. I'm just glad she didn't find the Bertrice Small book hidden in my closet. I have diverse reading tastes, evident by the wide array of genres on my Kindle. As I made the transition to an e-reader, I found myself worrying that something could happen to it. As a result, I am now the proud owner of four Kindles -- all different kinds, but plenty of back-ups! "Fifty Shades of Grey" gets high marks on my favorites list -- not for character development or dialogue (definitely not!), but because it blazed new ground for those of us who believe provocative fiction is more than just an explicit cover. Sylvia Day, Lexie Blake, and Kristin Hannah are some of my favorite authors. Speaking of diverse tastes, I also enjoy Dean Koontz, Iris Johansen, and J.A. Konrath. I’m always ready to discover new-to-me authors, especially when I toss in a palate cleanser that is much different than what I would normally read. Give me something with a well-defined storyline, add some suspense (or spice), and I am a happy reader. Give me a happily ever after, and I am downright giddy.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you so much for the wonderful 4.5 stars for THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE. I am so glad that you are enjoying the Mac Faraday mysteries! Here’s wishing each of your followers luck in the giveaway!

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The Murders at Astaire Castle provides an opportunity for the author to successfully bring a fresh perspective to the mystery series. This will give new readers a fun introduction to the series, as well.4.5-STAR REVIEW: THE MURDERS AT ASTAIRE CASTLE by Lauren Carr