The Grub-And-Stakers House a Haunt

Rating:
Summary: Cute light read
Review: I have to disagree with the previous reviewer's 2-star rating. I'd give it a 3 and a half, if that were possible. It's true there is very little suspense in this story, and the 'mystery' is not all that important, but it is a cute, lightweight read - a pleasure. A favorite of mine - I've read it a few times - a nice diversion. You do have to like this particular kind of off the wall silly humor.

Rating:
Summary: Cute light read
Review: I have to disagree with the previous reviewer's 2-star rating. I'd give it a 3 and a half, if that were possible. It's true there is very little suspense in this story, and the 'mystery' is not all that important, but it is a cute, lightweight read - a pleasure. A favorite of mine - I've read it a few times - a nice diversion. You do have to like this particular kind of off the wall silly humor.

Rating:
Summary: A Canadian small town that lacks "spirit"
Review: THE GRUB-AND-STAKERS HOUSE A HAUNT contains a few unusual components that might attract a mystery reader looking for something "novel," including a ghost, Canadian setting, and cast of potentially amusing characters. Despite all of the good things it has going for it, it misses the main element any story of this genre needs: a sense of antagonism.

Feisty widow Zilla Trott is taken by surprise late one night when the ghost of Hiram Jellyby suddenly appears in her kitchen. He was a mule driver who was killed over 100 years before when thieves coveted the cargo of gold he was transporting. He wants vindication and won't leave the widow lady alone until his killer is brought up for public scrutiny. Seeking to have peace and quiet in her home again, she turns to her fellow members in the Lobelia Falls Grub-and-Stake Gardening and Roving Club for help because of their past experiences solving mysteries. Their research eventually uproots a present day plot.

Keeping in mind this was never intended to be a serious ghost story, the introduction of Hiram leads to a lot of good questions, such as why he chose Zilla and what prompted him to appear at the moment? Had he been wandering around before this and, if so, how long? None of these questions are answered. Part of the fun of ghosts is learning or speculating on their backgrounds.

This reviewer found the setting in the Canadian small town of Lobelia Falls a nice touch. When one thinks about it, American readers rarely run across stories taking place in their next-door neighbor's. Finding fiction set in England is much easier. Although it is far from exotic, the Canadian setting is refreshing and bless Avon Books for being open-minded enough to accept this trait.

The cast of characters defy some real-life logistics, but are potentially interesting. After thrusting the initial problem on Zilla, the story shifts primarily to Osbert and Dittany Monk, a young couple with a set of twin infants. Osbert makes his living writing westerns and has an aunt, Minerva Oakes, who is in the same occupation except she concentrates on Regency romances. Both surprisingly make a living in these genres despite the fact these categories have been some of the poorest selling in the industry for decades. Hiram makes "appearances" throughout the story, although sometimes he lacks the energy to pull together enough ectoplasm to create a full image.

Despite an eccentricity like Minerva's propensity to speak like Regency gentility, it is hard to keep an interest in any of these characters because they're poorly motivated. Nothing is personally "at stake," regardless of whether it's money, reputation or their lives. None of them are ever in the hot seat. There is no "lit fuse." They spend more time worrying about what they're going to have with their tea instead of facing challenges. It's much more engrossing to see a plot develop from the cause and effect of its crises points than to watch the characters have analytical discussions while they dine.

Now, granted, the intent of Author Alisa Craig/Charlotte MacLeod was to lend a humorous bend to a mystery, not provide an intense, nail-biting thriller. Conflict doesn't always have to be intense. This 1993 novel's comedy is far from original. For example, the sequence of events at the party Minerva attends is an idea that has been used before and offers no freshness in its presentation.

What is even more annoying are the footnotes that occur throughout this book. They're usually added when one of the characters briefly refers to one of their past adventures in the series. These are out-of-place marketing ploys.

The back cover of this edition quotes WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD as saying Craig/MacLeod is "The current mistress of the cosy nostra." If cozy is what the reader wants, then she will like THE GRUB-AND-STAKERS HOUSE A HAUNT. This reviewer prefers to see how the viewpoint characters react to conflicts in the story. This group neither personally risks anything nor confronts jeopardy.