A free cruise with your co-workers?
Maybe that's not a good idea!
Alec DunBarton, aka The Singing Sleuth, has been given complimentary passage on the Pisces for his loyal service to Flagship Cruise Line. Sailing with him and his family are the company’s sales associates who have exceeded their monetary goals. The prize—a themed 1960’s European repositioning cruise from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale.
On the first full day of the cruise, following All Hallows’ Eve, the body of Clarice Gardner is discovered in her cabin, skyclad and positioned in the middle of a ritualistic circle. Alec is none too surprised. After all, she was a seductive, self-proclaimed witch capable of inciting a nun to violence.
Was one of her traveling companions responsible? Included in the motley group are: Celia Emory, the office’s goody two-shoes; Gloria Siegel, Celia’s passive-aggressive twin; Greg Baker, a shy and maligned co-worker; Donnie Baker, a gravestone groupie; Matt Lobo, the team’s lazy and lewd boss; Rose Lobo, Matt’s wrathful wife; Albert Davison, the lonely marketing manager; and Sophie Davison, Albert’s devoted daughter.
Join Alec and his family as they see the sights of Europe and decide that there’s an unseen hand at work, directing him to uncover the truth.
Alec and Paige DunBarton, both employees of Flagship Cruise Line are taking a complimentary trip, earned by Alec, and have James and Anne, Alec's parents traveling with them. The cruise takes place during the Halloween holiday and as soon as the vacation begins, Clarice Gardner, a self-professed witch is found dead in her suite, laying nude inside a circle marked with gemstones in what would be described as a ritualistic pattern. Alec, also known as the singing sleuth becomes involved. He is immediately surrounded by several suspects amidst all of Claire's co-workers that are also traveling guests upon the cruise. This is a group of interesting and unique cast of characters that all have a tie to Clarice. While visiting sights in Europe, Alec seeks to learn wife it was an accident, suicide or murder, and if so who was the culprit. No spoiler alerts here! "The Singing Sleuth Takes a Bow" is rich with well-written descriptions of wonderful scenery, fine dining, vivid characters and great dialogue. It is a fun, lighthearted, but compelling storyline that quickly engages the reader. It is an easy-read that I read in one setting. As a treat, D.B.Barton includes music and song lyrics from the 1960's that Alec was constantly singing. I enjoyed the easy writing style of Barton and look forward to reading more of "The Singing Sleuth's" series. A definite 10 out of 10. Highly recommend.
D.B. Barton's The Singing Sleuth Takes a Bow is a very well-written fast-paced mystery. Alec and Paige DunBarton both work for a prestigious cruise line, FCL. Paige is a consultant and Alec is the Chief Controller. Apparently, he is tasked with sniffing out troublemakers, thieves and even murderers. Alec, the Singing Sleuth, is very good at his job. And he always gets his man (or woman). After careful thought, Alec realized that the weirdoes that make up the sales team will not make his job an easy one.
I love a good mystery and The Singing Sleuth Takes a Bow certain met my high criteria. D.B.'s front cover art is striking, eye-catching and thematic (on the money). Her back cover is super easy to read with high-contrast white on black, just the way I like it. Her choice of font size and formatting makes the read easy on the eyes. No one should have to strain to read a good book.
I went on a cruise a few years ago and I had a lot of fun. The Pisces with its multiple decks, restaurants, theatres, bars and other eateries brought back a lot of memories. In fact, while reading, I was transported to the Lido Deck as I watched Psycho along with several other passengers. I noticed Alec and his family walking by and I waved; they looked over and smiled as they continued on. I dined at the Crown, Alec and Paige were sitting at the next table over but they were too busy whispering to notice me. I was on the bus touring Lisbon, sitting near the back. I was practically invisible.
This is my first D.B. Barton Sleuth novel and I assure you it won't be my last. Alec's love of 60's pop tunes made this book such a pleasure to read. Long Time Gone by Crosby and Undun by Bachman, my kind of music. It's been a long time since I read something like this. I guess I loved it because it only took me five days, a fast read for me. Keep writing D.B. Barton; your Sleuth series is top-notch!
Reviewed by E Harris
3/5/2020
As a reward for being a good employee Alec DunBarton was given a complimentary cruise. Accompanying him are his wife and his parents.
Among the rest of the passengers are a group of company sales staff. Day one of the cruise, Clarice Gardner, a witch, is found dead in her cabin. Was it due to suicide, accident or was she murdered? This might not be the vacation Alec had hoped for.
The author brings to readers a well written story populated with interesting and unique characters. Incorporated into the narrative are wonderful descriptions of European sights, dining experiences and the music of the 1960's.Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Author's Den. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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