Dionne Lister

This is an entertaining collection of stories, some more suspenseful and unexpected than others.

One of the standouts for me was 'An Awakening', with a woman contemplating whether she truly cares if her husband lives or dies. The indifference about a relationship that long ago settled into something between comfortable and dull is fascinating commentary on the state of many marriages.

Another standout was 'Amy'. This story explores the world of an abused teenage girl, offering a show more thought-provoking twist on her abuser and savior.

Many of these stories will make you stop and think. You might also find yourself looking differently at your neighbors and coworkers, and wondering how well you really know these people. show less

This is a very short piece of fiction, yet Dionne Lister is able to fill such a short space with amazing writing.

A Chill in the Chimes could easily have been part of Lister’s flash fiction collection Dark Spaces. Like that collection, here is a quick, yet suspenseful story with a surprising twist to it. Lister’s ability in writing description alone made me love this story. Coupling the description with just the bit of action to jostle the reader out of the beautiful dark setting to wrap show more it all up.

Lister needs to keep writing with these dark tales, because I’ll keep reading them! show less

When Lily’s older brother, James, disappears from his home, she travels to England to help his wife and coworkers search for him. There’s only one problem: They expect her to use powerful magic to find him, and Lily has no magic… does she?

The breezy style drew me in, but it was the self-aware, funny heroine who kept me reading. Plunked into a different country, surrounded by strangers, unsure whom to trust, and searching for magical powers she’s never used, Lily keeps going despite show more her mistakes and the barriers thrown in her way by someone her brother trusted. Her growing attraction to a man who seems to hate her only adds to Lily’s problems. The surprising climax felt right and made perfect sense. This is the first in the Paranormal Investigation Bureau series, and I look forward to reading the next! show less

What a wonderful book to introduce new readers to the Cozy Mystery Genre. I have been on a mystery and thriller binge for about the past 6 months but had not read a cozy mystery before.

I was not disappointed!

The story was a page turner. The snappy dialogue and character interactions was spot-on!
I loved the paranormal elements because - WITCHES! The spells were quirky, the interaction between the characters, it was terrific.

The storyline revolves around Lily Bianchi, an Australian show more photographer who on her 24th birthday experiences her witch-powers abruptly appearing. Some of the involves her trying to master them and finding out what the powers are, all while trying to find her brother - another witch - who has been kidnapped in England.

Lily hops a Qantas plane for the trip the to the UK to help the PIB (Paranormal Investigation Bureau) unravel the mystery of who has taken her brother and where he is.

Recommend?
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is new to cozy mysteries and wants a little paranormal with their mystery reads.

This review appeared on my website. show less