Longing is Violet Dusk
A Hazel Dean Mystery
by
Josalyn McAllister
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Georgia
Publisher: Eburnean Books
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Paperback
Page count: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 979-8987053201
Kindle edition
Page count: 304 pages
Digital ASIN: B0BDD6J18R
About Longing is Violet Dusk
After a stressful foray into crime fighting, Hazel Dean is relieved to resume normality, taking care of her family and book shop--until her ability to see emotions in color pulls her into another crisis.
One night at book club, Hazel sees a swirl of jarring purple, blue and black encompass a young mother. Realizing that the woman might be in trouble, Hazel recommends a book that she hopes will provide some comfort and guidance.
To her horror, the young mother goes missing the following week. Hazel feels responsible and becomes obsessed with finding her. But the search isn't the only thing Hazel is juggling. She's also trying to help the missing woman's children, evade a young reporter, and deal with the sudden reappearance of an old high school flame.
With all of Hazel's efforts, can the missing woman be found before it's too late?
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My Review
This riveting new addition to the Hazel Dean Mystery
series hooked me from the start!
Longing Is Violet Dusk is the second book in author
Josalyn McAllister's cozy mystery series featuring bookstore owner and amateur
sleuth Hazel Randolph Dean, and I was immediately absorbed by this excellent follow-up
to the series starter, Guilt Is Midnight Blue. I enjoyed the smart and tense
plot and the sprinkling of book titles and other literary references throughout
the story.
The search for the missing Nina is time-sensitive, and you can
feel the urgency. For most of the book, there is absolutely no sign of the woman,
no clues whatsoever. However, there are big personalities at play in her story,
and many have a load of regret weighing them down and guiding their actions.
Nina is confused about what her future holds. Lance and his brother, Dansby, regret
leaving young loves behind. I regretted having to put the book down to do life
stuff.
Hazel, worried over the situation Nina's children are in, is
also having to come to terms with her own children moving into young adulthood.
Elias, who apparently has played his cards really close to the vest, surprises
his mother with the realization he has a girlfriend. Emma is a sweet girl, but she
has a bit of an Eddie Haskell vibe going that made me laugh out loud a couple
of times.
The setting in the quaint small town of Red Gap, Georgia, is
homey, comfortable, and picturesque, especially as it is nestled among the foothills
of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, where much of the action takes place.
It also has a great bookstore downtown!
Hazel does a great job ferreting out suspects' motives and
developing interesting scenarios for what might have happened to Nina. The
clues point in a couple of directions but eventually, all lead to the truth. The
story keeps up a lively pace as everyone is worried Nina is lost or hurt, and
early spring weather brings a storm and dropping temperatures at night to the search
area. Uncle John keeps Hazel involved in the case with special tasks he assigns
her, so there is plenty of amateur detection.
I recommend LONGING IS VIOLET DUSK to cozy mystery readers
who enjoy a solid mystery with a touch of the mystical or paranormal in their stories,
decisive, organized female protagonists, and a lovely small-town Georgia
setting.
About Josalyn McAllister
Josalyn McAllister is a cozy fiction author whose most recent works include Love Over Easy
and Guilt is Midnight Blue
. Josalyn started writing character descriptions at the tender age of seven, inspired by the works of LM Montgomery. In her teenage years, she moved on to Newsies fan fiction. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month, she wrote her first novel about a child she mentored in college. She has never stopped writing. Josalyn taught middle school history before deciding she would rather spend time with her own children than other peoples. A restless soul, she has moved all over the country and collected an eclectic array of hobbies. Her writing has a relatable quality that will charm and entertain you.
and Guilt is Midnight Blue. Josalyn started writing character descriptions at the tender age of seven, inspired by the works of LM Montgomery. In her teenage years, she moved on to Newsies fan fiction. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month, she wrote her first novel about a child she mentored in college. She has never stopped writing. Josalyn taught middle school history before deciding she would rather spend time with her own children than other peoples. A restless soul, she has moved all over the country and collected an eclectic array of hobbies. Her writing has a relatable quality that will charm and entertain you.TOUR PARTICIPANTS
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