In Skeletons in the Attic by Judy Penz Sheluk, Calamity (Callie) Barnstable sits in the office of Leith Hampton, the lawyer who drew up her father’s will after having been a good friend to Jim Barnstable. Callie is shocked to learn that her father owns a house in Marketville, a town an hour outside of Callie’s home of Toronto. But even more shocking to Callie is her father’s message that he has come to believe that his wife, Abigail, did not abandon him and Callie on Valentine’s Day 1986 when Callie was 6. Instead, he believes that Abby was murdered, and he will bequeath the house to Callie, on the condition that she move into it for at least a year. She will get $50,000 on the condition that she finds either the killer or proof that Abigail Barnstable ran away on her own. If she fails at this, her father has put on retainer Misty Rivers, the psychic who was the last tenant in the home before Jim decided to fix it up and potentially move into it. Misty will instead get the $50,000 to solve the mystery.
Callie soon moves to Marketville, and the moment she arrives, she meets her very good looking next door neighbor, Royce, the contractor with whom Callie’s father was making plans to renovate the run- down house. When the movers arrive, one announces that thought he heard footsteps and crying in the attic, prompting Callie to pay them to look in the attic “for mice,” but she is unprepared for what the man who does go up there finds: a coffin. Opening the coffin after the mover hurries away, Callie is scared to find a skeleton inside. This job is going to prove more challenging than Callie expects.
Skeletons in the Attic was a fascinating book that kept me riveted through the whole time I was listening. I was impressed by the way the book kept me guessing and threw in so many different angles and red herrings. Each character comes under suspicion at different points of the book, making me continually guess what was going to happen. But I never guessed the conclusion, which came as a big shocker and fascinating solution. It does leave us with a minor point unanswered, but the book reflects the fact that not all questions in life will get answered. I see it less as a cliffhanger, the complaint of some reviewers on Amazon, than as a reflection of the way life doesn’t always give pat answers to every question.
I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Each one comes to life vividly, even ones we see only briefly. Callie comes across as a strong, brave young woman, determined to get to the truth, despite the opposition of others in her life. The various other characters seem realistic, making me feel that I would recognize them if I visited Marketville. I also enjoyed getting to see a couple cameos by Arabella Carpenter, whom we meet in The Hangman’s Noose, also by Sheluk.
Claira Jordyn performs the audio version of Skeletons in the Attic. It took me a little while to get into her narration, but once I got a little while into the book, I became comfortable with her performance. Jordyn does not use the same level of expression I am used to hearing in cozy mysteries. She uses a more even- keeled tone of voice than typical. However, it did not take me long to find her performance relatable. By avoiding strong emotions, Jordyn allows the book to speak for itself and gives it its own voice instead of her own voice.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Skeletons in the Attic. I loved the amazing plotting of the book and the detail and care that Sheluk takes in creating the details of the book. The characters really impressed me with their depth and lifelike natures. I give this book five stars!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author, but that in no way influenced the content of ny review.
To purchase this book for yourself, click here on Amazon.
