Ashes to Ashes
First in the series

January 2002
Fictionwise.com
ISBN B-000-096B5-0

| Reviews | Excerpt |

Historian Rebecca Reid comes from Missouri to a replica of a Scottish castle located outside a small town in Ohio. She's cataloging a collection of historical artifacts, among them, supposedly, a scandalous letter written by Mary, Queen of Scots. But her co-worker, Scottish historian Michael Campbell, has his own plans. And the ghosts of the past, not to mention a very contemporary antagonist, want them both gone.

Read more about my impressions of the different covers.

 

January 2002 Timefare Audio Book Narrated by Elly Leaverton Cassette ISBN: 0-932079-26-1 CD ISBN: 0-932079-05-9
June 2000 Back-in-print.com ISBN 0-595-09448-1
November 1990 Diamond Charter ISBN 1-557-73421-6

Reviews

"...a real page-turner of a story...descriptive detail brings the reader on the scene...characters come to life through Carl's ear for everyday dialogue...especially spell-binding is the realistic description of the ghostly presence that stalks the twisted corridors...the reader is drawn into the mystery as well as the love story that unfolds...a believable story laced with historical fact and delicious humor. I highly recommend it." --Barbara Leskey, Ohioana Quarterly

"The cover blurb says it's 'In the bestselling tradition of Barbara Michaels'...for once, a cover blurb is pretty accurate...the story is mostly mystery-romance, with enough ghosts in it to qualify as a fantasy, and enough humor to make it enjoyable. I had fun reading it." --Robert S. Coulson

"Gothic fans will be overjoyed...all the trappings of that subgenre are present--the brooding men, sinister servants, and a mysterious mansion--but the setting is decidedly modern...will make the reader glad that the author is planning a sequel." --Toby Bromberg, Rave Reviews

"There are ghoulies and ghosties (honest) and long leggety beasties (a wonderful cat) and a myriad of things that go bump in the night...a host of suspects to sift through...not your common romance, but then, who said romance should ever be common?" --CC, Heartland Critiques

"...a Gothic novel with a twist...this is a fantastic mystery in more ways than one...a novel of gradually intensifying tension, as the incidents go from the odd, the mildly frightening, to the very dangerous...a very fine book, well worth reading." --Timothy Lane, Fosfa

"Lillian Stewart Carl is a master hand at providing light, entertaining reading. The haunting of the castle adds tension but is not the sort of thing to keep the timid reader up nights. Ashes to Ashes is a fun read and I look forward to reading more of the series." --Christine Duncan, Murder Express

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Excerpt

Note: This book was inspired by the actual castle in Scotland, Craigievar. When I visited there again, right before the book was published, I found a young Oklahoman named Rebecca acting as tour guide. She's probably wondering to this day why I kept staring at her.

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