Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry

Reviewed by Jeanne

Eleanor Wilde, better known as Madame Eleanor in certain circles, specializes in exorcising ghosts which she does without compunction because she doesn’t believe in them. She does believe in squirrels in the attic, loose floorboards, and overactive imaginations, all of which help her earn enough money to pay for her comatose sister’s care.  While she doesn’t have psychic abilities, she does have an amazing ability to read people and to rapidly assess situations so that it seems she is attuned to the Other Side.  She’s also a bit prickly and a lot cynical.

So is Nicholas Hartford III, which makes it surprising that he wants to hire her to clear a ghost out of his manor house in England.  He doesn’t believe in ghosts any more than she does, but there is something going on and he wants to get to the bottom of it. He believes Eleanor is just the person to do that.

Wary but intrigued, and with the promise of generous payment, Eleanor agrees.  She quickly sees that there is mischief afoot, and is attempting to figure out the responsible party when she finds a dead body which promptly vanishes before she can show it to anyone else. Eleanor knows she wasn’t dreaming, and she knows that the stakes have now turned deadly. The problem is convincing anyone else of that.

I decided to give this series a try after reading and enjoying another series by Berry.  I found Eleanor to be a refreshing heroine, resourceful, quick-witted, brave, and devoted to her sister.  She also has a brother, Liam, who deeply disapproves of the way she earns her money, but who is struggling financially himself. The other in the cast are also memorable, including Nicholas who watches Eleanor’s efforts with mocking amusement; his mother Vivian who is as lively as a woman half her age but who believes in extreme frugality; and niece Rachel, a bright and cheerful young lady who is quite impressed with Madame Eleanor.  There’s a bit of humor, a good plot, and a strong sense of place. This made a refreshing change from some of the very cozy mysteries I had been reading, and I liked the characters so much that I’m anxious to follow the rest of their adventures. There are four books in the series, and –alas!—it appears there will be no more, so I’ll just enjoy these.

The books in order are:

Seances are for Suckers

Potions are for Pushovers

Curses are for Cads