Book 67, 2020

[chez_jae]

The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This evening, I completed the book The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell. It's the 8th in her "Haunted Home Renovation" series, featuring general contractor and reluctant ghostbuster, Melanie "Mel" Turner.

In the midst of renovating the old house that her fiance, Landon, bought for them, Mel also takes on the task of renovating the historic Crockett Theatre in San Francisco. The old, art deco theatre has been sitting empty for years...empty, that is, except for the squatters living there. Mel soon learns that the squatters are the least of her problems. The theatre is also haunted. After one of the squatters is killed in the Crockett. Mel is compelled to ask around to see who may have had a motive for murder. In the meantime, she discovers the attic of her new/old home is also haunted by the ghost of a 1920's era starlet. It seems Hildy had a connection to the Crockett Theatre, and Mel can't help but think things may be connected.

On top of her professional life, Mel is dragging her feet about setting a wedding date with Landon, and even she doesn't know why. Her stepson is off to college, which has her in the doldrums, and the thought of not sharing a home with her father has her feeling maudlin as well. Fortunately for Mel, the men in her life love her and are willing to have her back when it comes to dealing with the hauntings both at work and at home.

I love this series, but it took me a bit to get into this story. Landon was acting like a donkey, what with arguing with Mel about renovating their house. I mean, this is just her area of expertise. *rolls eyes* I'm still somewhat put out, too, that he just up and bought the house in the previous book. Moving on. I did enjoy the cameo from Lily Ivory (of the author's "Witchcraft" mystery series) when Mel asked her to "read" an old dress of Hildy's. Once I got further into the story, I enjoyed it more. It was fun for the most part, with just enough creepiness thrown in.

Favorite lines:
♦ "'Today, I'll pick up my dry cleaning, check out a new project at the Crockett Theatre, trip over a body, and traumatize myself, again, and then spend the next several hours getting grilled by the SFPD. Again.'"
♦ I'm not a pretty crier - when I cry, I commit - and I'm always suspicious of those who are.
♦ "It's a reality TV show that follows young women around while they shop and fight and pursue romance." // "That's it?" // "That's it." // "Why does anyone care?" // "That's one of the great mysteries of our day."
♦ "We're discussing ghosts and squatters and a murder and hopping zombie vampires and that is what you fixate on?"

Overall (good pun, considering Mel always wears overalls on job sites!), it was a very good story. Four stars.