Hypnosis Is for Hacks
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- 13,99 €
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- 13,99 €
Beschreibung des Verlags
Eleanor Wilde has traded a career as a sham medium for a (relatively) respectable life in a small English town, providing the locals with herbal remedies and elixirs. But on a trip to the seaside town of Brighton, her past comes calling—and so does a killer . . .
Though Eleanor is delighted that her brother, Liam, is visiting her in England, she must reluctantly agree that her quiet village lacks something when it comes to sightseeing—namely: sights. True, there’s nearby Castle Hartford, belonging to the family of Ellie’s boyfriend, Nicholas. But even Nicholas’s mother is eager to ditch sleepy, sweltering Sussex for a vacation in Brighton, taking Ellie and a relieved Liam with her. Yet hopes of a breezy seaside holiday quickly turn stormy, in every sense . . .
The ominous change in weather is accompanied by the reappearance of Ellie’s former partner-in-crime, Armand Lamont. Back when Ellie earned a living as a phony medium, Armand’s hypnosis skills helped the pair persuade many gullible marks to hand over their savings. Ellie assumes that Armand has resurfaced with blackmail in mind, but before she can figure out his angle, she and Liam witness a man being pushed from a boat by two shadowy figures who then vanish into midair.
Phantoms? Demons? Though Ellie doesn’t believe in either, the recovered body is real enough, as is a string of thefts plaguing their luxury hotel. Ellie has a theory, and it requires inviting Nicholas to join them under a fake identity. Their evolving relationship is as complex as this case, and Ellie’s authentic supernatural abilities too are developing in surprising ways. But as for whether the outcome will be good or bad, not even her witchy powers can say . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Berry's delightfully witty fourth Eleanor Wilde mystery (after 2020's Curses Are for Cads) finds the former con artist ("I'm not that woman anymore. I make potions and cast spells and investigate paranormal crimes, but I don't take advantage of people") entertaining her visiting brother, Liam, at her Sussex cottage. When wealthy Vivian Hartford, the mother of Eleanor's long-standing beau, reveals she has a suite booked at a luxurious hotel in Brighton, Liam and Eleanor agree to accompany her there. At the hotel, Eleanor is dismayed to see that her onetime partner in crime, hypnotist Armand Lamont, is among the guests. She's sure Vivian will be Armand's next mark. While Eleanor shares her suspicions with Liam on the nearby deserted beach, they spy a man struggling with two shadowy figures on a boat near the shore. The man falls overboard, and his assailants vanish. The clever, amusing Eleanor narrates with brio what follows, including a series of thefts at the hotel, the appearance of a Victorian lady ghost, and the discovery of a body. Hopefully, she'll soon be back for more paranormal shenanigans.