The House on Tradd Street

A few months ago I was fortunate to attend an event at an area library with this author for the release of her latest in her Tradd Street series. I realized that I'd probably enjoy them more if I read them in order, so I started with this book. It was a very fast read, even at almost 400 pages, with great characters and twists and turns in the plot. I saw some of them coming, but some I did not. I was a little frustrated at the beginning of the book when all these people (primarily men) were telling the main character what to do and kind of railroading her instead of her having control over her own life. By the end of the book, she has taken much more control of things, and is a stronger character. This book was written 12 years ago, which may have played into that part of the plot. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it though - I really enjoyed it, and having been to Charleston a few times, it was fun to read about places and restaurants that I'm familiar with. Charleston is indeed an old city with a rich history and a lot of spirits!

This was a nicely atmospheric book with a hint of spookiness, which I'll admit almost got me once or twice. The main character annoyed me to begin with, but I warmed up to her by the end, and I appreciated that she was older than your typical heroine. The mystery, however, was predictable and evident halfway through the book, which made it irritating that the characters were so oblivious.