Better Gnomes &
Gardens by Casey Cardel offers an immersive reading experience for fans of
cozy mysteries and tales with strong supernatural hints. The place is called
Mysty Haven, and it is filled with mysteries. Bob McLarney has just earned his
degree in journalism and landed a job as a reporter for Mysty Haven Weekender.
But when he — the self-styled best investigative reporter in Mysty Haven —
sends his first article “Bigfoot Sightings Confirmed in Las Vegas” to the
printer, he is fired. Wanting to help an elderly man find a missing gnome, Bob
eventually becomes the center of a controversy, believed to be a thief by the
Sheriff, but he keeps up the search to unravel the mystery behind the missing
gnome. His adventure leads to the startling discovery of the secrets of Mysty
Haven and its seemingly innocent locals.
This novel is a tale for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and
fantasy. The author has crafted a spellbinding story with a wonderful setting,
giving readers a unique sense of place and creating characters they can readily
relate to. Mysty Haven comes across in the narrative as a character in its own
right. Cardel’s use of the first-person narrative voice lends an intimate feel
to the story, allowing readers a stronger connection with the protagonist. Bob
is a character who thinks he is the best and it is hilarious to follow his
escapades; at times, he is full of himself and that makes him genuinely flawed
and believable, but underneath the haughtiness that greets readers when they
meet this character lies an affectionate heart and a deep longing for truth. Casey
Cardel is a great storyteller who succeeds to keep readers turning the pages. In
addition to creating a beguiling setting, the author invents a world that
readers find irresistible; the quirkiness in most characters had me utterly
riveted. The gorgeous prose with timely paragraph breaks creates an enjoyable
reading experience. Some of the descriptions are terrific. One good example is
how Bob describes Maddie who: “…wasn’t bad on the eyes, either. She had just
the right looks for a woman to make a man want to howl at the moon on a lonely
night. Those deep brown eyes behind her luscious black eyelashes conveyed a
sense of mystery.” Casey Cardel's clever plotting impresses with the fine-drawn
organic feel of well-crafted clues that are designed to emerge as pertinent
much later. Better Gnomes & Gardens
kept me up the whole night; it’s a tale that balances humor with the right dose
of magical realism.
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