5+ stars for Scares & Dares by Lucinda Race #paranormalcozymystery #cozymystery #bookreview
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  • N. N. Light
    • Oct 10, 2023
    • 3 min read

5+ stars for Scares & Dares by Lucinda Race #paranormalcozymystery #cozymystery #bookreview



Title: Scares & Dares

Author: Lucinda Race

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery


Book Blurb:


It’s Halloween in Pembroke Cove, Maine, and witch-in-training Lily Michaels, with the help from her magical and non-magical friends, is determined to give the town a haunted house event they’ll never forget. There’s an extra reason to celebrate too, the engagement of Lily’s best friends, Nikki and Steve.


Of course, Lily’s boyfriend, Gage Erikson—a.k.a. Detective Cutie—will be helping, too. A few weeks earlier they finally went on their first date, it only took fifteen years after they graduated college to admit they were more than just friends. They’re not ready to jump into the marriage pool, but working together on the haunted house will be a great change of pace from solving murders.


But scares and dares don’t always add up to fun. With cauldrons, and potions, and vampires popping out of coffins, everyone thinks the dead clown on the floor is just part of the haunted house festivities. Until it turns out he’s really dead. With so many people in disguise, and magic and spells abounding on All Hallows’ Eve, no one is above suspicion. Lily, with her clue chalkboard, is always ready to solve a puzzle, but Gage is worried about her safety. As Lily and Gage race to unmask the murderer, will the clown-killer get the last laugh?


Scares and Dares is the fourth novel in A Book Store Cozy Mystery Series, although each book can be read as standalone. A sweet and clean cozy mystery with a guarantee the culprit is caught. Happy reading!


My Review:


All Lily wants to do is celebrate Halloween with her boyfriend, Gage, and her best friend, Nikki. What’s a witch to do when a clown’s been murdered at the town’s haunted house, and everyone is dressed up for Halloween? Nab a killer or die trying. It’s another case for Lily and Gage to solve and I can honestly say I loved this cozy mystery more than I loved trick or treating as a kid. The trick is trying to solve the mystery before Lily does. The treat in this book is the cast of characters I’ve come to adore from this series.


Let’s start with the characters. Lily is growing into her witchy persona while also navigating being part of a couple. Her mind is sharper than ever. She’s my favorite character in this series and I love watching her celebrate Halloween and solve a murder. The rest of the characters are well-written and add so much to the story. I’m seriously attached to these characters.


The plot unfolds at a nice cozy pace and is written for the mystery reader. The setting and Halloween theme are the focus of the story which I really got into. The plot progression is without flaws and pairs well with the descriptive narration. Lucinda Race is quickly becoming my favorite cozy mystery author. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.


My Rating: 5+ stars


Buy it Now:








Author Biography:


Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of fiction. As a young girl, she spent hours reading cozy mystery and romance novels and getting lost in the fictional worlds. While her friends dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers, her dreams were to become a writer—a novelist.


As life twisted and turned, she found herself writing nonfiction but longed to turn to her true passion. After developing the storyline for the McKenna Family Romance series, it was time to start living her dream. Her fingers practically fly over computer keys she weaves stories about strong women and the men who love them. To date she has published over 20 romance novels and several paranormal cozy mysteries.


Lucinda lives with her two little dogs, a miniature long hair dachshund and a shitzu mix rescue, in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. When she's not at her day job, she’s immersed in her fictional worlds. And if she’s not writing novels, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on.


Social Media Links:




Lucinda’s Heart Racers Reader Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/118597305361578



Linked In


Reviewed by: Nancy

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