Dead of Winter by Wendy Corsi Staub is a leisurely-paced cozy mystery set in the psychic/medium enclave of Lily Dale. This third installment in the Lily Dale Mystery series can easily stand on its own, but I recommend the other novels in the series as well.

The day after observing a curious light on the lake and hearing an ominous scream, innkeeper and non-psychic Bella Jordan finds a corpse washed up on shore. The widowed mom of six year old Max is shaken by the discovery and when Max's friend Jiffy Arden goes missing, she is very worried about the little boy. She has little in common with his mother, medium Misty Starr, who is not the most attentive of parents. Although Bella empathizes with the young mom's concern for her missing son, she is also frustrated by Misty's reliance on her mystical powers to find Jiffy. When another victim is found and Misty also vanishes, Lieutenant John Grange hopes Max and Bella can help with the investigations.

Coming up on the one year anniversary of her husband Sam's death, Bella is busy getting ready for the holidays and trying to finish up the renovations she is doing for extra money. She keeps a rather close eye on both Max and Jiffy after her shocking discovery of the murdered man but she is distracted the day Jiffy disappears. Although somewhat skeptical of her neighbors' supernatural abilities, Bella cannot help but take some of their vague warnings to heart in the aftermath of Jiffy's kidnapping and Misty's troubling disappearance. Can the answers to the recent events in town somehow be related to the unexpected phenomena Bella is suddenly experiencing at the inn? Is Jiffy's disappearance related to the unsolved murders? And even more worrisome, where is Misty?

Despite the rather unhurried pacing, Dead of Winter is an engaging mystery with a cast of quirky yet likable characters and a clever storyline. Bella is a wonderful protagonist who continues to evolve as the series progresses. The mystery element of the storyline is well-done and Wendy Corsi Staub brings the novel to an exciting conclusion. This latest release is another entertaining installment in the Lily Dale Mystery series that old and new fans will enjoy.
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I loved this little idealistic village full of psychics with some normal people mixed in. This was my second book in the Lily Dale series and I was so glad to return. I thoroughly loved it.

A close knit village where everybody looks out for one another and wherein several psychics have taken up residence. A very small village with four single women living in nearby cottages. A lead in that tends to lend itself to all kinds of drama at times. Let's make that "cozy drama".

A cute, cozy mystery that has everything. Charm, charms, laughter, great characters and a great story. I look forward to reading more about the ladies in Lily Dale.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. ( )

Dead of Winter by Wendy Corsi Staub is the third book in A Lily Dale Mystery series. The night before Bella Jordan heard a scream out on the lake and the next morning she discovers a dead body wrapped in a tarp on the shore. Then Max’s friend, Jiffy Arden (who manages to lose his belonging on a routine basis) disappears one day during snowstorm. To top it off, Misty Starr (Jiffy’s mom) disappears. What is going on in Lily Dale? Did Jiffy see something the night the body was dropped into the lake?

Dead of Winter is not a standalone novel. You need to read the first two books in the series prior to Dead of Winter. The story is told from multiple POVs which makes for a confusing story (and frustrating). It switches between Bella, Max, Jiffy, Misty, and the killer. Then there are the multiple townspeople who all seem to be psychic (but cannot find the missing kid or prevent him from being kidnapped). The paranormal elements are not believable (come across as contrived). I felt that Dead of Winter needed a rewrite and editing. There is a significant amount of repetition (the same details over and over). The story also jumps around (the multiple POV thing). Dead of Winter lacks flow and continuity (and it way too long). The ending was unfinished. Important details were left out (like what happened to the four stolen gold rings). The mystery is one that plays out and readers are not given a chance to solve the murder. I did not enjoy reading Dead of Winter (it was blah). This was the last A Lily Dale Mystery for me. ( )

Dead of Winter by Wendy Corsi Staub is the third book in A Lily Dale Mystery series. The night before Bella Jordan heard a scream out on the lake and the next morning she discovers a dead body wrapped in a tarp on the shore. Then Max’s friend, Jiffy Arden (who manages to lose his belonging on a routine basis) disappears one day during snowstorm. To top it off, Misty Starr (Jiffy’s mom) disappears. What is going on in Lily Dale? Did Jiffy see something the night the body was dropped into the lake?

Dead of Winter is not a standalone novel. You need to read the first two books in the series prior to Dead of Winter. The story is told from multiple POVs which makes for a confusing story (and frustrating). It switches between Bella, Max, Jiffy, Misty, and the killer. Then there are the multiple townspeople who all seem to be psychic (but cannot find the missing kid or prevent him from being kidnapped). The paranormal elements are not believable (come across as contrived). I felt that Dead of Winter needed a rewrite and editing. There is a significant amount of repetition (the same details over and over). The story also jumps around (the multiple POV thing). Dead of Winter lacks flow and continuity (and it way too long). The ending was unfinished. Important details were left out (like what happened to the four stolen gold rings). The mystery is one that plays out and readers are not given a chance to solve the murder. I did not enjoy reading Dead of Winter (it was blah). This was the last A Lily Dale Mystery for me. ( )

Dead of Winter is the third Lily Dale mystery and the seventh Lily Dale book by Wendy Corsi Staub. I have always loved her books so I was thrilled to be chosen to read this book. It is set just before Christmas in the middle of a blizzard in Lily Dale, NY, a town that was founded by psychics or spiritualists. Bella Jordan is the only person in town who cannot connect with Spirit. She and her son Max found there way there after her husband died the year before, She manages the Valley View Inn. Not much usually happens in Lily Dale in the winter. Of course Bella has a knack for finding dead bodies so this year is different. This book has all the usual Lily Dale quirky characters, several bad guys, several good guys, at least one good but not so nice guy, a few ghosts, some animals, and a little romance. There are a couple of mysteries that are wrapped up nicely before Christmas. What more could you want? I classify this as a cozy mystery and it is a good one, a fun read. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy for my review. ( )