The Mystery Tomb by Eva Pohler

Title:  The Mystery Tomb

Series:  The Mystery Book Collection #2

Author:  Eva Pohler

Published:  February 1st 2014 by Green Press/Eva Pohler

Length:  356pgs

Format:  ecopy

Genre:  Women's contemporary/mystery

Shelf:  review

Rating:  ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Samantha Beck and Rebecca Nisha—two women born twenty-five years and hundreds of miles apart, yet joined together by a shocking family ritual. When Samantha discovers the remains of an ancient tribe in Pennsylvania, she expects to at last prove her grandmother’s Native American ancestry and to make a name for herself as a budding archaeologist. She does not expect to make an enemy and a lover of a fellow descendant—son of Rebecca Nisha—who unwittingly wears a necklace made of his dead mother’s bones.

As the novel unfolds, alternating between Samantha’s story and Rebecca’s twenty-five years before, Samantha becomes more and more determined to discover the devastating mystery that estranged Rebecca’s wealthy Pennsylvania Dutch father from her half-Native American son. Samantha gradually uncovers a troubling secret and decides to risk everything—love and career—to restore harmony to Rebecca’s family.

My Review:

Eva Pohler is back with her usual eloquently written, approachable writing style in this tale that melds romance, mystery, and history together into an unforgettable whole. She takes some of the darker, less common ritualistic aspects of certain societies and brings them to the forefront in a captivating and inescapable manner. The history wound through this story is absolutely breathtaking. The past and the present come together seamlessly in this novel to create a work of sheer genius. Pohler’s intricate storytelling is highlighted by her very visual descriptions, allowing you to enter this world completely.

The characters in this novel really help to drive the point home through their actions and reactions. The main characters are very well developed as individuals. It was nice to see two such individuals who would stick to their beliefs and could put said beliefs into words. The supporting cast is also quite unique. I appreciated the fact that each character had a definite purpose in the story and that purpose was integral in some way to the forward motion of the tale.

Overall this was a hauntingly poignant tale that will stick with me in the long run. I can’t wait to read the next novel in the series and would definitely recommend this to others.

|  Goodreads  |  Shelfari  |

|  Amazon  |  B&N  |  Smashwords  |

Continue Reading...

The Mystery Box by Eva Pohler

Title:  The Mystery Box

Series:  The Mystery Book Collection #1

Author:  Eva Pohler

Published:  January 12th 2014 by Green Press (first published May 2nd 2011)

Length:  404pgs

Format:  ebook

Genre:  suspense

Shelf:  bought

Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Soccer mom Yvette Palmer lives an ordinary life in San Antonio, Texas when a box is delivered to her by mistake, and in taking it to its rightful owner—a crotchety neighbor named Mona who shares her back fence—is drawn into a strange and haunting tale.

Mona’s ratty robe, mood swings, and secretive behavior all raise red flags, and Yvette is sure someone else is living there despit Mona’s claim to live alone, but Yvette is unable to break away as she listens to how Mona transformed from a young college woman about to be married to the odd, reclusive, ghost of a woman she is now.

As Yvette listens to her neighbor's tale, she discovers a shocking connection, but doesn't know whether Mona's come to help or to harm her and her family.

My Review:

This novel is simultaneously mellow and intense. Pohler mixes intrigue with suspense to keep you on your toes throughout. By writing in the present tense Pohler gives a sense of the here and now, adding to the suspense of the tale. She also flashes back to provide the background for current events in a very captivating manner. I fully admit that at the beginning I found myself wondering where the story was going, but once it took off I was hooked. The genetics and history worked into this novel really had me hooked.

I love the fact that the main character was quite easy to identify with. She lives the stereotypical life of a stay at home housewife yet is quite true to herself, if only in thought. I loved journeying along with her, getting to know her family and those who have a profound effect on her life. Pohler’s character development in this novel is brilliant. Each individual is developed to suit their role perfectly. They are also true to their character. No one magically becomes someone else nor do they miraculously have a moment when they ‘see the light’.

As a whole this novel was well written and thought out. It’s not a light read, but rather a work that really makes you think. It was emotional and suspenseful, combining elements that I would never have dreamed of putting together. This was an intriguing start to Pohler’s new series and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Continue Reading...