In March 2000, twenty-year-old Brandon Colbeck left home to find himself on a self-proclaimed “fool’s journey.” No one—not friends or family—have seen or heard from him since, until a phone call from a man claiming to be Brandon brings the case back to the forefront. Calamity (Callie) Barnstable and her team at Past & Present Investigations have been hired to find out what happened to Brandon … Brandon and where he might be. As Callie follows a trail of buried secrets and decades-old deceptions only one thing is certain: whatever the outcome, there is no such thing as closure.
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Callie is presented with a new case for her business, Past and Present Investigations. A young man went missing decades ago and the terms of a recently deceased relative’s will revives the search for him in this well-plotted mystery.
The investigation leads Callie to a tattoo parlor where tarot cards play an interesting and informative role in solving the case. Possible clues and evasive answers, whether innocent or contrived, muddy the waters. But the story is clearly laid out and the action never lags, right up to the final satisfying solution.
Tarot cards were the focus of a series of blog posts I read recently. I always wondered about the mysterious draw of the topic and can imagine the author’s enjoyment in researching the finer points of tarot readings.
A Fool’s Journey (Marketville Mystery #3), my fourth enjoyable mystery read from author Judy Penz Sheluk. Well-written read with interesting characters. 7-hours 4-minutes of enjoyment. No spoilers here, buy the book, read & review the book. I was given an Audible copy of this after reading & reviewing the first 2 books in her Marketville Mystery series. Now I’m voluntarily reading & reviewing this. Karen Satter’s narration adds to the book’s enjoyment. I look forward to reading more from this author. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).
As a requirement of her Grandmother’s will, Callie takes on a missing person’s case that takes her from Barrie to Toronto uncovering family secrets in unexpected cases.
Well written and as impeccably researched as all of Judy Penz Sheluk’s books, this one is a roller coaster ride that explores the dynamics of dysfunctional families and the heartbreak of not knowing what ever happened to a missing family member.
A cozy mystery that’s not quite so cozy, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, compassionately and expertly read by Karen Satter.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and any opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is the third book in the Marketville Mystery series. It is a standalone book and has no cliffhanger ending. If you were to start with this book in the series, I believe you would not be lost or in any way inhibited in understanding the characters or their motivations. There are several references to events in prior books but the author provides a quick summary and overall, these prior events do not impact the current actions. Although, I would recommend any of the other books in the series.
I really enjoy the way the author writes from the first person POV of the main character Callie. Callie is a very likeable and relatable main character. The mystery is a missing person’s case of a young man who walked away from his family and now, many years later, may have contacted his grandmother. What I really enjoy about this mysteries series is that from each mystery, you learn something new. This one delved into a bit of Tarot and into tattoos. I find the manner in which Callie and her friends investigate the mysteries to be very interesting, although I wish that Misty had been featured a bit more prominently as she is the Tarot card expert. Overall, a very enjoyable mystery series.
The narrator, Karen Satter, has a Canadian accent – which is appropriate as this occurs in Canada. However, I found her to be very dry and somewhat detached from the warmth of Callie’s character. While she did a good job – comparing her to the previous narrator in this series, Claira Jordyn, who oozed warmth and sincerity, I found Ms. Satter to be a bit lacking.
I really enjoyed this book. I love reading about a modern way of investigation. This book as with the previous books in the series was entertaining and suspenseful. I kept me guessing until the end. The characters are relatable and likable. The chemistry between them is great. I look forward to more books in this series.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, in no way I have been influenced by anyone.
“A Fool’s Journey” earns 5/5 Cold Case Tattoos…Clever & Totally Engaging!
Callie Barnstable seems to not be able to get away from attached strings. Her father’s will, her maternal great-grandmother’s will both had “if” conditions to her inheriting. Due to these “ifs,” Past & Present Investigations was born, and with her unique and talented team, they shed light on the past to illuminate the present. Her current “if” is connected to the disappearance of a young man two decades ago. Her great-grandmother was friends with the young man’s great-grandmother, and hoped with her will’s conditions to provide some closure for the family. An official investigation was exhausted, rewards offered, yet unclaimed, and a strange, suspicious phone call only added more emotional distress. No real evidence pointed to why the young man left or whether he was alive, and although the family agreed to help, there seems to be resistance, secrets, and more questions. The mystery is riddled with dead ends and tainted by the passage of time, but could their unique talents, due diligence, and a renewed perspective result in the closure they all need?
This “fool’s journey” has fascinating links to the “Fool” in a tarot deck, and entering the world of tattoos and readings provided by Misty added unique layers to the drama. The team’s investigative efforts are engaging, their revelations are intriguing, and the ultimate twist, turns, and although the final answers was not what I expected, it was satisfying. I greatly enjoy Judy’s writing style using a first-person narrative from Callie’s perspective, descriptive language, and dialogue that does well to illustrate emotions and personalities. However, it’s the cleverness of the mystery and how the answers unfolded that kept me totally engrossed, only pausing due to the lateness of the hour. It’s also the characters that make this series a personal favorite…friendships are key. This is a stand-alone book, but I highly recommend reading the extraordinary book one, “Skeletons in the Attic,” since it provides a great deal of background to the characters, their connections and motivations. This is a journey only a “fool” would miss!