A Homecoming for Chess
Chess Vevoda, a 19-year-old Paradero, California girl, has no memory of life before turning thirteen. She lost her mother to cancer when she was 15 and been a ward of the state until she became legal. She loves her job as a receptionist/trainee for private eye Rick Tracy. She took classes in criminal justice at the local community college and plans a career in criminal justice.
In the opening chapter, Chess reads a message scrawled on her bathroom mirror: Go home. Do not attempt to fly.
Weird. But at work, Chess is told that she will be replaced by the boss’ daughter. It didn’t make any difference to Mr. Tracy that Chess helps him on cases due to her excellent sense of smell, night vision, and unbelievable hearing. Back at home, that same nose smells another woman’s perfume on her man, and she quickly bolts with her cat, Kafka, for parts unknown.
This is definitely not Chess’ day. Once Kafka and all her belongings are in the car, the vehicle kidnaps her. Unable to control the car, Chess muses and the cat responds. Very weird! And the vehicle steers into a thick fog until it exits into the environs of Loobly.
With an enchanting writing style, author Jacqueline Diamond brings her readers a YA fantasy that challenges Chess’ budding sleuth skills. In Loobly she discovers that this is the town she left with her mother when she was 12. Since that time someone killed her father and murdered her grandmother.
In the magical realm of Loobly, Chess discovers she has extraordinary powers, can understand Kafka perfectly, and under the right situation, can transform into a cat, herself. And there’s more. Chess has the power to save every person in town from a disaster, but first she needs to find out who wants her dead.
A Cat’s Garden of Secrets is a fun read and kept this reviewer turning pages until its satisfying climax. I’m looking forward to book 2 in Diamond’s A Forgotten Village Magical Mystery.
About the Author
Jacqueline Diamond, a USA Today bestselling author, writes romantic comedies, medical romances, and mysteries. She lives in Southern California and you can learn more about her at jacquelinediamond.net.
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