A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again. After suffering a personal tragedy Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named … past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn’t seem to convince to leave, and a new family she’d never be able to live without.
In book 6 in the series Abby and Georgia are readying the inn for the Thanksgiving Holiday, when tragedy strikes and one of the guests turns up dead.
Meanwhile, a new group of guests have checked in, each with their own story to tell. Jeremy and Annabelle have moved into the basement apartment, Abby takes a walk down memory lane, Velma has a decision to make, and Georgia must come to grips with her own fear and doubt relating to her relationship with Tanner.
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Thanksgiving in a small town brings out a last big effort to bring in tourists before snow gets too heavy. Part of town tradition is a pageant with pilgrims and natives and plenty of community spirit.
This is the first Thanksgiving season Abby and Georgia have had the Inn open for guests.
We learn more about some extended stay visitors and meet new people. Their stories are always interesting. Of course some guests are not as well liked as others. One such guest is found dead in the parlor.
There were a few moments in this novel that reminded me of the Good Witch television series that I love.
Since the death took place on her property and the local sheriff is out of town, Abby feels she has to investigate and stay on top of the suspicious law enforcement people trying to keep her out of the loop. She and Georgia come across evidence that they miss, but is it the clue to finding a killer?
Evidence of a different sort comes to light regarding old mysteries and Abby’s relationship with her deceased husband. I feel this may return again as the series continues.
A theme of how well can we know other people surfaces in various ways.
I love this series and all its characters.
Abby and Georgia are gearing up for the holidays when a guest in found dead, and the people at the Inn are all under suspicion.
Abby wants answers and is suspicious of the Officer in charge of the investigation while the local sheriff is out of town. The mystery was good and kept me guessing. I can’t wait to revisit these characters in the next book.
I loved it! I’m so sad, I liked the character who was the murderer. I’m wondering if the secret child will be addressed again in the next book? So much new info! This is a must read series! I can’t wait for the next book!
Nlove the series can’t wait for the next one.
The lady in this series has a house that is being renovated and apparently is also full of mysteries from boxes in the basement..to old letters in the library to messages in the mantle.. Since you never know what the next room will reveal I look forward to every new book
Pilgrims in the Parlor earns 5/5 Antique Statues…Engaging Entertainment!
Wow! Kathi Daley has taken all the entertaining twists and turns and set them loose in Holiday Bay starting in one direction (greed), then moving in another (betrayal), then another (retribution), then… It sure kept me turning the page to the final “Oh, I didn’t see that coming” ending! Assistant Manager Jeremy Slater, the Inn’s newest member, made a very disturbing discovery…a body lying on the parlor floor, bludgeoned, an antique pilgrim statue nearby. He was sure he’d locked up the Inn the night before as usual, and only a few people have a key to enter the back door after hours. The victim, Milton Standoff, was set to direct the town’s annual Thanksgiving pageant, and everyone comments on his arrogance, self-importance, and argumentative behavior seems to implicate a whole town of suspects! Chief Wilder is temporarily out of town, but his team seems in the dark about the crime since outsider Officer James just happened to be in the area to catch the case, but it’s a stranger seen with the victim, another thought to be stalking him, and a man in a black suit, arriving in a black SUV, flashing an official-looking badge that proves, “Something odd was going on.”
Typical in Kathi Daley’s engaging writing style, she has an investigation incorporating both official and unofficial questioning, secrets and connections revealed, and various scenarios evaluated, but continues to explore the ins and outs of managing the Inn, navigate various friendships, revisit issues with Abby’s past, and provide hints about local festivities. But her style always puts the characters at the center. This first-person narrative focuses on Abby’s perspective, her thoughts and feelings as she regains a zest for life, renews her writing career, and while dealing with another tragic anniversary, continues to enjoy the love and support of her new friends; friends whose reactions to unusual circumstances are realistic and connections not forced, so reading about them has a ring of truth. As for the visiting characters, good and bad, they, too, are written with reasonable personalities, emotions, and motivations. The mystery is engaging, twisty, turny, and satisfying, but it’s always the characters that keep me coming back to the Inn at Holiday Bay.
This series is really entertaining and the characters are fun to get to know. There are a few sub mysteries that go throughout all of the books which I hope will eventually be solved, but it is not necessary to start with the first book in the series unless you want to (which you will).
It’s nearing the holiday of Thanksgiving in Holiday and plans are made to celebrate with a special dinner including family, friends and the people who have reserved rooms at the inn. Jeremy Slater, Abby’s and Georgia’s new employee stumbles on the dead body of Milton Standoff.while he is unlocking the doors of the inn, opening the curtains and starting fires in the three wood-burning fireplaces. Standoff has been hired to direct the Thanksgiving Pageant. Unfortunately Police Chief Colt Wilder is out of area and Abby is leery of Officer James since he is not familiar with the people who work and live within the inn. Officer James is from the regional office Abby explains to the officer the demeanor of Milton Standoff who seems to rub people the wrong way. He felt his information was all that was necessary.
Officer James continue to interview the remaining employees as well the residents. Each resident provided their alibi for the time period in question. Georgia and Abby decide to clean out Standoff’s room. A loose board catches the Georgia’s eye. When they remove the board a velvet bag with what is believed to be diamonds within it. Abby wishes that Colt was there to handle this. She calls him and he tells her to take them to the station for Peaches to lock up. The wheels of motion are started.
As it gets closer to time of the Pageant and the first snow is falling. Pieces are starting to come together. Will Abby unwrap the story of who is the guilty party and what the diamonds are important.
The unexpected death of a guest at her Inn has Abby worried, she can’t see any of her guests as being the culprit nor any of her employees. It doesn’t help matters that chief of Police and friend Colt Wilder is out of town and Abby has to deal with someone she doesn’t know. The dead man, Milton Standoff, is in town to direct the town’s annual Thanksgiving pageant and doesn’t seem to have made any fans since he arrived. He has been nothing but a know it all which has rubbed everyone the wrong way and makes the suspect list long, even though he’s not from Holiday Bay. Abby didn’t care for the man but can’t just let his death continue to go unsolved, she has an Inn to worry about. Follow along as Abby works around the man sent to investigate and looks into Milton’s death in her own. Can she put all the clues left behind and come up with a killer or will the case go unsolved? This was a great whodunit that kept me guessing the whole way through and it was truly a surprise in the end!!!
Pilgrim in the Parlor is book six in the Inn at Holiday Bay series. Once again, I was hooked from the get-go. Each book in this series has been interesting, and I definitely recommend it.
Very intriguing mystery with lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing to the very end. Also includes other interesting events with characters that you will totally identify with and will keep turning those pages to find more about their stories. Kathi Daley certainly has a gift of weaving some interesting tales.
Pilgrim in the Parlor is the sixth book in the exciting The Inn at Holiday Bay cozy mystery series by Kathi Daley. The elements of a cozy mystery are present including suspense, romance, humor, love, friends and family, and a sense of community.
This story takes place in the charming tourist town of Holiday Bay, Maine. The main character is Abby Sullivan, a mystery writer from San Francisco who, after suffering a devastating personal tragedy, sold her condo, packed up all her belongings, bought a huge old house she had never seen in a town she had never been to, and moved to Holiday Bay. The story starts with the investigation of a dead man, an actor in town to direct the annual Thanksgiving pageant, who is found lying on the floor in the parlor of the inn. Again, Abby and friends work to find answers to the many questions they encounter in three or four different mysterious circumstances, including shocking information about her late husband.
There is a theme of second chances in this series and in many of Mrs. Daley’s stories. I love the way she writes in a continuing saga fashion with hints and clues to stories in the future (and red herrings). I love that not all questions are resolved in each book. I enjoy the character development and the expansion of Abby’s friend set. As always, this author’s writing flows smoothly, and her setting and relatable characters make for an extremely enjoyable and quick read. I really look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Pilgrim in the Parlor ( The Inn at The Holiday Bay #6 )
By: Kathi Daley
Pilgrim in the Parlor is book six in The Inn at The Holiday Bay series. This series is about a woman who loses everything , taking a chance , and starting over. Abby and Georgia are busy getting ready for Thanksgiving at the end. We have a dead body, who and how could someone do this ? I was grabbed at the start and could not put it down. There are other mysteries in this cozy mystery story. I love how the story starts off and leaves you guessing till the end.
In book 6 of Kathi Daley’s Inn at Holiday Bay series, the inn is open and doing well. Abby and Georgia are preparing for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday when one of the guests is found in the parlor having been struck on the head and killed.
I truly enjoyed this book. Kathi Daley is an exceptional author and her books really pull you in. The characters are working through things in their pasts while looking ahead to the future. Most everyone who reads the book can relate. The book was well-written and I highly recommend both it and the series which I recommend you read in order.
Pilgrim in the Pantry is the sixth book in Kathi Daley’s The Inn at Holiday Bay series. The storyline flows smoothly, and the book is a clean and easy read. The setting is charming, and the well-developed characters are affable, compassionate, and caring. The mystery is well-plotted and complex, with lots of twists and turns and no shortage of potential suspects to keep the reader engaged and guessing. I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy well-crafted cozy mysteries.
Abby Sullivan’s life dramatically changed when she lost her husband and their infant son in a tragic accident two years ago, but in the year she’s lived in Holiday Bay, Maine, she’s made a new life for herself and is beginning to feel like she’s found a home and a family. Georgia Carter and her dog, Ramos, live with Abby, Rufus, the Maine Coon, and Molly, a terrier mix, in a cottage located on the property. Abby’s inn has been receiving guests for three months, and Georgia, who is a talented cook and baker, skillfully manages the inn. Abby recently hired Jeremy Slater to help Georgia with the day-to-day operations of the inn. He and his young niece, Annabelle, have settled into the inn’s basement apartment. While doing his morning choirs, Jeremy discovers the body of one of their guests, Milton Standoff, in the parlor. With her friend, Police Chief Colt Wilder, out of town dealing with a family issue, Abby and Georgia are left to deal with Officer James, who works out of the regional office. Officer James is convinced one of the inn’s guests or an employee committed the murder, but Abby and Georgia disagree. Mr. Standoff was an actor who performed bit parts in movies, and in town to be the guest director of the annual Thanksgiving pageant. Since he was arrogant and had a way of pushing everyone’s buttons, no one is too upset he’s gone, making the suspect pool quite large. Abby, who is dealing with the emotional anniversary of her family’s death, knows she should be writing, but feels compelled to dig around and find answers about who bludgeoned one of the inn’s guests with her antique pilgrim statue.