
The Seance Society
A Mystery
Hardcover
Description
It's 1956, and Lee Plunkett has taken over the family business as a private investigator despite his reluctance to follow in his father's footsteps. When murder intrudes on a group of ghost seekers, Lee is asked to solve the case by a cop on the verge of retirement. At the urging of his perpetual fiancee Audrey, Lee enlists the help of Mr. O'Nelligan, a scholarly Irishman with a keen eye for solving mysteries. The duo is drawn into a murder investigation involving the "Spectricator," a machine designed to communicate with the dead. Soon, Plunkett and O'Nelligan are knee-deep in a suspect pool that includes a surly medium, a former speakeasy queen, a mysterious Spanish widow, and a whole slew of eccentric servants. Engaging, charming, and smart, "The Seance Society "by Michael Nethercott is a fresh take on the traditional mystery genre for readers who love original characters, witty dialogue, and a great whodunit.
"Nethercott's debut sparkles with a mix of W.B. Yeats and Elvis quotations, well-placed red herrings, and an endearing trio of protagonists." "Library Journal"
"This clever series opener offers a mid-century take on the traditional drawing-room mystery There is a sweet charm to this mystery, ensuring that readers will want to see more from O'Nelligan and Plunkett." "Booklist"
"A classically styled Holmesian whodunit."
"Publishers Weekly.
Praise For The Seance Society: A Mystery…
“Michael Nethercott’s nicely put together whodunit, The Séance Society, plunges us head first into that warm bath of nostalgia with its setting — a small town in Connecticut in 1956. The methodically constructed narrative is as neat as its locale, a classic puzzle pegged to the murder of a flamboyant entrepreneur who sponsors séances in what everyone knows to be a haunted house.”
--Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times
"Intriguing and suspenseful…The first sentence sets the tone for the book: Heed well the dead, for they hover at our ears.”
—Irish American News
"A pleasantly retro whodunit in which otherworldly spirits compete for attention with flesh-and-blood types."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Mad-cap and mid-century—what a treat! You’ll love the reluctant-detective Plunkett and the endearing Mr. O’Nelligan. Clever, quirky and completely charming—this engaging and original mystery is quite a treasure."
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony and MacavIty winning author of The Other Woman
“A unique ‘Watson’ and a nicely captured 1950s atmosphere. It will be enjoyed by lovers of the well-plotted and well-written mystery.” —John Curran, Agatha Award-winning author of Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks
"A detective duo delightfully reminiscent of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Beautifully written. A winner!" —Jane Cleland, award-winning author of All Dolled Up for Murder
"A charming debut novel. Nethercott is a talented writer who, in Lee Plunkett and Mr. O'Nelligan, has confected a likeable and entertaining detective duo for whom, we hope, many more mysteries await." —Chuck Greaves, author of Hush Money
Minotaur Books, 9781250017390, 304pp.
Publication Date: October 1, 2013