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Gwen Gardner writes clean, cozy, lighthearted mysteries with a strong ghostly element.
Since ghosts feature prominently in her books, she has a secret desire to meet one face to face – but will run screaming for the hills if she ever does.
She thinks there’s nothing better than a good mystery (being an excellent armchair detective herself), unless it’s throwing a ghost or two into the mix just to “liven” things up. Don’t worry, though. Ghosts may be difficult to keep in line, but they’re harmless—mostly. And it turns out they’re pretty good sleuths, too.
Gwen adores travel and experiencing the cultures and foods of different countries. She is always up for an adventure and anything involving chocolate – not necessarily in that order.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
A Scandal in Boohemia by Gwen Gardner is the first book in the Indigo Eady Cozy Mystery series. Indigo is putting her old life behind her and starting anew by returning to England where she grew up. Step one is reconnecting with her cousin Simon and old boyfriend Badger, both of whom used to help her solve cases during their teenage years. Step two is to find a job which leads her into going undercover to investigate a ghostly presence at the Sabrina Shores Theatre. When one of the actors gets shot during rehearsal, she crosses paths with another old friend which means she has to get craftier about keeping certain ghostly presences a secret. With the help of her longtime ally and ghostly roommate Franny, Indigo sets out to uncover the theatre ghost's identity and find a killer before anyone else gets hurt.
From beginning to end, you won't be able to put down Gwen Gardner's latest mystery or stop raving about Indigo Eady. Indigo is an all-round delightful sleuth who uses her ghostly ability to communicate with the dearly departed and solve mysteries. Her background puts her as a former Nancy Drew where she often crossed paths with local law enforcement and adds humor to the mystery. Franny is a fun character who is looking for something new to liven up her undead life, which drives her to overly support Indigo to get back into the ghostly game of mystery solving. Though a ghost, Franny is the furthest thing from a frightening spirit as she has a larger than life personality and is a busybody unlike any other, pushing Indigo to sleuthing and even meddling in Indigo's love life. Her very presence forms the role of comic relief both to the story and to Indigo's life.
The mystery is full of surprises and a heartbreaking turn with a bittersweet conclusion which will touch the heart. Gardner sets up the mystery in an intriguing way by putting Indigo up to solving a murder without a body. Indigo's dynamic with Simon and Badger is akin to Nancy Drew's relationship with the Hardy Boys, adding another level of humor and heart to the story as the two men go between being helpful sidekicks to nuisances in her life. She does have a potential romance happening during the course of the mystery, which adds levity and a sweet touch to the story. As a cozy, the mystery is a relatively light read without any gory details or frightening haunts but the actual murder has a deep emotional core. Gardner will pull you in from chapter one with charming wit and the sassy sleuth that is Indigo Eady, which brings A Scandal in Boohemia to life, making it perfect for those who enjoy cozy mysteries, a spunky sleuth, and plenty of ghosts.
