I love Joy Ellis police series and have read them all. When I heard that two manuscripts had languished in her attic for two decades before being 'rediscovered' I immediately downloaded both titles.
An Aura of Mystery is book one and introduces us to Ellie McEwan in a crime thriller with a supernatural twist. The characters are quirky and well-rounded as all of her characters are - I find it hard to believe this was her first foray into writing.
Ellie McEwan is a flower shop owner who has an accident while driving home late one night. Days later she wakes up with a new ability, she can see auras. Her friend Carole is well versed in the spiritual side and tries to help her learn to master this new gift, introducing her to an old professor friend of hers who is an expert in these matters.
While Ellie is coming to terms with what this new gift is going to mean with her getting on with her life, along with her healing from her car accident; the local police force is dealing with a couple of murders.
Inevitably, given it's a Joy Ellis mystery, Ellie realises that her new-found gift could help to catch a killer. The very sceptical DCI Bob Foreman decides to involve Ellie in the investigation and I will leave it at that. You will have to read the book to discover the how, why, what & when!
The second book - The Colour of Mystery sees Ellie and Michael set up a Healing Centre for specialty care with a variety of 'alternative' healers. While they are busy setting up the new centre and coming to terms with the circumstances they found themselves in at the end of the last book it appears that there is another spate of murders.
This time respected and well-loved people are acting completely out of character and murdering people. DCI Forman once again asks for Ellie's help as it really seems as though the murderers may be victims themselves. After committing the murder the 'murderers' go into a catatonic state.
The second book was a lot more obvious, but wanting to know how the characters were going to deal with things kept me thoroughly engaged. These two books will be the only books in this series which is a shame as I found them to be really easy to read and would love to see more.
These are two perfect books to curl up with one weekend when you don't anticipate any interruptions. Enjoy them with a lovely cup of cocoa and a few nibbles.
The series that introduced me to Joy Ellis was the Nikki Galena series that I wrote about here - Joy Ellis' Nikki Galena Series. I've read all of Joy Ellis' books as part of my Kindle Unlimited Membership which I can't recommend enough for any fellow bookworms.
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I love mysteries, and I really like those that include police characters. The two books by Joy Ellis you describe here sound great. I will definitely be adding them to my reading list. Thanks for telling me about them, Louanne.
ReplyDeleteI want to be able to read auras! What an awesome superpower. We certainly can't normally tell by looking who is good and who is evil. A very unique plot indeed. Almost as good as "I see dead people". I'm sure I would enjoy reading these two books and would probably yearn for more. Like you, I love have my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I always need more books!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very enjoyable series with great characters. What a shame that it comprises only two books! Thanks so much for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI did read one Joy Ellis series Murder in the Fens and I really liked it. These two books sound like they need to make to my To Read list. Thanks for another great mystery series.
ReplyDeleteOh, this would be up my alley. Murder mysterious isn't, but anything with a mystical side of some sort sure is! Sounds very engrossing.
ReplyDeleteA new writer to put on my list and a whole new series of mysteries. Thanks Lou, I know my list is growing again. I love a great murder/mystery series and I'm sure I'll love these ones too!
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