CELTIC CURSE by Wendy Dingwall

Travel agent Yvonne Suarez is thrilled to do some amateur sleuthing when she is asked by Fiona Batson, the housekeeper of a former client, to travel with her to Scotland. Fiona hopes to find out what happened to her brother Duncan, who disappeared shortly before his family moved to America in the ‘60s. Yvonne uses this excursion as a familiarization trip for her agency, touring historical attractions and checking out restaurants and hotels, while helping Fiona search for clues to her brother’s whereabouts. Yvonne begins her investigation at the wool mill where Duncan worked as he vanished shortly after collecting his last paycheck. Suspects spring up fairly quickly, from a disapproving father to a close friend to persons trying to thwart an allegation of corporate pollution. When Yvonne comes under fire, she’s sure she’s on the right track but can she find the killer before he stops her? Celtic Curse is a delightful addition to the Yvonne Suarez Travel Mystery series. Dingwall’s skillful descriptions of the beautiful Scottish countryside and its historical landmarks paint a realistic picture for the reader, as if actually visiting there. She brings back David Ludlow as Yvonne’s lover and the chemistry between the two is charming and sweet. She very adeptly reveals the complex layers of Yvonne’s past relationship with her abusive ex-husband and the thin line she must walk to ensure his relationship with his daughter is not damaged. The mystery is a good one with enough suspicious characters to keep the reader guessing throughout while being entertained with stunning imagery.

HERA'S REVENGE

HERA’S REVENGE
AN YVONNE SUAREZ TRAVEL MYSTERY
by Wendy Dingwall
Canterbury House Publishing
Vilas, North Carolina
www.canterburyhouosepublishing.com
ISBN: 9780982905425

Yvonne Suarez, travel agent with the Pinkerton Travel Agency in Fort Lauderdale, FL, books a group tour to the Greek Islands. From the beginning of the tour, when a man’s body is found on the baggage claim conveyor belt in Athens, the trip goes awry. Bad luck follows the group as they continue on their tour, and Yvonne begins to suspect some of the passengers aren’t who they say they are. When two of the women meet with accidents which could have been fatal, Yvonne teams up with fellow traveler David Ludlow in hopes of keeping her tourist group safe. Yvonne is attracted to David but her years married to an abusive husband interfere with her ability to trust him. David, on the other hand, would like nothing more than to begin a relationship with Yvonne. But danger lurks ahead for the two, in more ways than one.

The premise for this mystery series is a refreshing addition to the mystery genre. The author excels at interweaving interesting historical and mythological data into the plot. This, along with her vivid visual descriptive, leaves the reader feeling as if s/he is actually touring the Greek Isles along with the group. Although characters abound, the author’s unique ability to introduce and flesh out each one voids any sort of confusion as to who’s who. Yvonne Suarez is an intriguing character, a woman who had the strength to leave an abusive relationship and harbors empathy for those in like situations. The mystery is one readers will be challenged to solve, filled with twists and turns and plenty of red herrings.