Zoe suffers from a serious case of déjà vu when she is asked to respond to a complaint regarding a barking dog at the Henderson place. Seriously? The whole thing had to be a joke. She’d been complaining about the fact that the Halloween spirit had seemed to be evading her this year, which most likely meant that her husband Zak, or best friends Levi and Ellie, had decided that what she really … needed was a trip down memory lane. Of course if the call had been a hoax for her benefit, the presence of an actual dead body, as there had been during that first Halloween, was a bit over the top, even for her creative and enthusiastic friends.
When it looked as if the cause of death was a vampire bite to the neck, Zoe knew for certain that she had wound up in the twilight zone. Of course the real suprise was when she realized that the truth was even stranger than fiction.
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“The Henderson House” earns 5/5 Haunted Houses…Clever Fun!
The Zoe Donovan Mystery books were my introduction to the literary world of Kathi Daley, and with this thirtieth book, the quality of writing is as entertaining as “Halloween Hijinks,” book one which was also set at Halloween. The signature clever mystery with engaging twists and turns, characters that have continued to grow, side dramas with raising kids and fostering lots of animals, and a ‘nail-biting’ ending lead us to a very engaging experience starting right off with a big “Wow!” Life has changed quite a bit for Zoe, and she worries that she just might be too busy to enjoy Halloween the way she wants: putting up oodles of decorations, buying cute costumes for her infant daughter, organizing the local zombie run, and hosting her Halloween Spectacular. So, when she gets an anonymous call about a barking dog trapped in the old Henderson House, a creepy place that has “seen more than its share of death,” she thinks it might be Zak, her husband, providing some pre-Halloween excitement. Well, maybe not now that she finds a dead body in the basement. However, Zoe has a niggling feeling that she was meant to find the body, the crime scene closely resembles another murder from five years past, and then there’s the vampire puncture marks on the victim’s neck…oh, I love sharing my Halloween with Kathi Daley! And then my two favorite words…recipes included! Here are some suggestions for your own Halloween Spectacular: Spinach Tortellini Soup, Sauce Pot Meatballs, Chuck Wagon Casserole, and Chicken Divan. Yummm!
Henderson House
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery, Book #30
Kathi Daley
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Zoe suffers from a serious case of déjà vu when she is asked to respond to a complaint regarding a barking dog at the Henderson place. Seriously? The whole thing had to be a joke. She’d been complaining about the fact that the Halloween spirit had seemed to be evading her this year, which most likely meant that her husband Zak, or best friends Levi and Ellie, had decided that what she really needed was a trip down memory lane. Of course if the call had been a hoax for her benefit, the presence of an actual dead body, as there had been during that first Halloween, was a bit over the top, even for her creative and enthusiastic friends.
When it looked as if the cause of death was a vampire bite to the neck, Zoe knew for certain that she had wound up in the twilight zone. Of course the real surprise was when she realized that the truth was even stranger than fiction. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. It is always fun to spend time with Zoe and her family and friends. It is amazing to see how they have grown from book one (yes, I have read every one of them). Zoe and Zak make such a great couple and they have so much love for each other, and it spills over to their friends and the rest of their family. .
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I felt like I was right there, seeing all of the Halloween decorations and watching all of the action taking place. As is usual for this author, there are a couple of mysteries to solve: who the killer is and who is stalking Zoe. I always like that there are a couple of mysteries to solve, it allows me to play detective twice as long.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. You cannot go wrong reading any of the series by this author.
loved this book
” Henderson House- A Zoe Donovan Mystery with recipes” by Kathi Daley is a delightful holiday tale with just the right mixture of suspense…mystery…murder…and of course…extended family. Zoe is up to her neck in vampires…pursued by a stalker…doing her level best to keep the Ashton Falls Halloween traditions safe…sane…and entertaining for her loved ones and rest of Ashton Falls. MUCH enjoyed ..and Very Highly Recommended!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
A well-written mystery as usual by this author – that Zoe keeps getting drawn into murder and intrigue no matter how hard she tries to stay out of it. I didn’t guess the killer until just about the end – which was good because I like to sleuth along with Zoe! Great series.
Kathi Daley wrote yet another marvelous episode in the Zoe Donovan cozy mystery series, filled with all the elements of a cozy mystery including suspense, romance, humor, love, friends and family, and a sense of community.
In this story, Zoe, the owner and operator of a wild and domestic animal control and rehabilitation shelter, is preparing for Ashton Falls’ annual Haunted Hamlet and the Halloween Spooktacular party at her house. While at Zoe’s Zoo, Zoe receives an anonymous phone call that there is a barking dog in the basement of Henderson House, an old abandoned house where other dead bodies have been found in the past. In the basement, Zoe finds a dog tied up and a dead body that appears to have been killed by a vampire. The victim is Edgar Irvine, a man from Hollywood, California, in Ashton Falls conducting research for a screenplay about a group of ghost hunters who visit haunted places. After hearing the circumstances surrounding this death, vampire hunters and vampire worshippers from all over congregate in Ashton Falls. Amid all the craziness, Zoe discovers she has a stalker following her, watching her, and taking pictures of her throughout the day. Zoe works with Sheriff Salinger and her husband, Zak, to discover the identity of the murderer and the identity of the stalker (or is it the same person?).
This book is filled with the sights and sounds of Halloween. The fall season, an old abandoned house, an old cemetery out of town, and fabulous Halloween decorations make for a festive and spooky atmosphere. As always, Ms. Daley’s writing flows smoothly, and her setting and relatable characters make for an extremely enjoyable and quick read. I enjoyed the surprising plot twist and look forward to the next installment of Zoe’s life.
Henderson House is book thirty in the Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery series. This was another great story, and it’s always nice to see what Zoe is up to. The book kept me hooked, as usual, and I definitely recommend it.
In this next book of the series Zoe is called to the abandoned Henderson House to check out a dog who seems to be stuck inside. When she investigates not only does she find a pregnant dog but she also finds a body, it’s someone she doesn’t recognize. It looks like someone has intentionally set her up to find the body, but who and why? Zoe so badly wants to investigate but now that she’s a mother she knows that she can’t put her own needs first, she must think of the children. Things begin to take a strange turn when a tabloid writes an article about the dead man bringing a crowd of supernatural lovers to town. Will all this hoopla over the dead man mess up the towns annual festival? Zoe wants to help even if she has to do it from the side lines. When she returns to the house where the body is found and discovers a box of photos of herself she starts to get scared. Is a killer stalking her and if so why her? She doesn’t even know the dead man so how is she connected. Follow along as Zoe takes a back seat in the investigation but does all she can to help solve the mystery mans murder. Will she be able to come up with some answers before a stalker gets to her? This was such a great whodunit, I had my thoughts on who it could be but was proved wrong in the end. I enjoyed being stumped and did my best to come up with the correct answer in the end.
It is not that Zoe Donovan Zimmerman enjoys finding bodies. It is something that just seems to happen. But when there is a mystery to be solved, she is not content to stay on the sidelines.
Halloween and the Haunted Hamlet celebration are a favorite time of year for the residents and readers of this series. This time, Zoe seems to have a stalker. Can surrounding herself with a crowd of loved ones keep her safe?
The body she happens upon also seems set up for her to personally discover. Was this intentional? Who has a motive? Are the stalker and the murder connected?
With an overall eerie feel, Zoe has to solve this murder to allow Halloween to be enjoyed by all.
A wonderful character driven series
Another great Halloween week adventure with the whole family and a dead body or two
Murders with Unique Causes and a Stalker
Henderson House is the thirtieth book in Kathi Daley’s awesome Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery series. I love Ms. Daley’s writing style; there is always a strong message of friendship, family, and the value of community, all while incorporating intriguing mysteries and a touch of romance without including gratuitous sex, graphic violence, or adult language. The writing flows smoothly at a fast pace, and the well-developed characters are three dimensional and affable. Once again, Ms. Daley has provided readers with an intriguing mystery, with twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a well-crafted cozy mystery.
Halloween is less than two weeks away, but Zoe Donovan, who usually loves Halloween, is struggling to get into the holiday spirit this year. She wonders if it’s just the stress of having Catherine, her almost-ten-month-old daughter, raising two teenagers, and watching over, Nona, Zak’s adopted grandmother, as she recuperates after the discovery of a brain tumor and surgery. Zoe’s best friends, Ellie and Levi Denton, are looking forward to finding out the sex of their second child. Zoe’s working by herself at Zoe’s Zoo, the wild and domestic animal rescue and rehabilitation shelter she owns, when an anonymous call comes in about a dog possibly being trapped inside a house. As she’s driving to the location, Zoe recalls a similar call she received directing her to the same house five years ago. When she arrives at Henderson House, she finds a dog tied up in the basement along with a body. Other than the apparent cause of death, which Zoe thinks looks a lot like death by vampire, the scene is reminiscent of the one she found when she stumbled upon the body of Coach Griswold five years ago. Someone put a lot of effort into setting up the scene and luring Zoe to the location. While they wait for the coroner, Zoe and Sheriff Salinger discuss the similarities, the possibility of a copycat, and the fact that the details of Coach Griswold’s death were never released, but were in his files. The victim is identified as Edgar Irvine, a successful screenwriter from Hollywood. Edgar was writing a screenplay about a group of ghost hunters who visit haunted places and was researching three sites in Ashton Falls rumored to have a history of paranormal activity (the old Norlander mine, the Henderson House, and the cemetery where Isaac Wainwright is buried). The two puncture wounds on his neck were made by some type of device that injected the poisonous snake venom into his bloodstream. Zoe can’t let go of the fact that she was lured there and that the victim appeared to have two puncture wounds that looked like bite marks made by vampire fangs. Imagine the fear Zoe, her family, and friends feel when she stumbles upon a box of recently taken photographs hidden in the loft of the barn located at the Henderson house, which all feature her. Even though Zoe’s supposed to be retired from the sleuthing game, she finds it difficult to sit back and watch and wants to be involved even though she knows she shouldn’t and that Zak doesn’t want her involved in investigations.