Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Leaving a Little Mystery in the Mystery by Victoria Gilbert


 LUCY BURDETTE: Today's guest, Victoria Gilbert, is one of my author pals at Crooked Lane Books. Booked for Death, the first in her book lovers B & B mystery series, will be published on August 11. Welcome Vicki!

VICTORIA GILBERT: I’m thrilled to have been invited to be a guest on the Jungle Red Writers blog, and have thought long and hard about an appropriate topic. I finally decided that I should write about something close to my heart—my love of unsolved mysteries.

Not just the real-life variety, although I am fascinated by those, but also the mysteries that authors leave unsolved in their stories. I admit I’m obsessed with novels that leave me thinking and puzzling long after I finish the book.

I know this practice drives some readers up the wall. I think you can guarantee that at least fifty percent of those who read Tana French’s IN THE WOODS will throw the book across the room when they reach the end. But I love its ambiguous ending, just like I love Henry James’s masterpiece, THE TURN OF THE SCREW, or the more recent, but equally enigmatic ghost story, THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Susan Hill.  (The film versions are sadly, not true to the novel).

In each of these books, the author allows at least one mystery to remain unsolved at the end, forcing the reader to make up their own mind about what happened and why. In the case of IN THE WOODS, French has her detectives solve the central crime, but leaves the mystery of what happened in childhood to one of her main characters open-ended. I enjoyed this, although I was in the minority when discussing this book with my book club. Many felt that French shouldn’t have left what happened in the past unexplained. I can understand this desire to know everything, but for me, leaving this mysterious event mysterious enhanced the book. Perhaps it’s because I feel there are so many unexplained aspects of life that this gave the story a veracity and impact it might have otherwise lacked.

THE TURN OF THE SCREW and THE WOMAN IN BLACK use a different technique to achieve their ambiguity—not an unexplained event, but rather a questioning of the veracity of their first-person narrator or protagonist. Of course, the unreliable narrator is popular today, but these stories handle this technique with a subtly that is often missing in recent novels. They don’t just have a “twist;” they force us to question central aspects of the story. Are the ghosts real, or are they the products of the protagonist’s imagination, or even derangement? Both books are so brilliantly written that they can be read either way or, indeed, in multiple ways. Which, to me, makes them worth reading over and over again.

I’ve tried to incorporate a touch of this technique in my own cozy mysteries, including the newest, Booked for Death. Now, I’m not claiming I do it as well as the above referenced authors, but I have included some things that can be read in alternate ways. If you believe in ghosts or the fae or other aspects of the supernatural, you can view certain events and scenes in my books as real instances of paranormal activity. But if you are a skeptic, you can also read them as coincidences or random occurrences. I don’t come down explicitly on either side in the books—different characters express varying opinions—because I don’t want to make up the reader’s mind for them. Just like in life, where strange and inexplicable happenings do occur, I like to leave such things open to interpretation.

How do you feel about leaving a few mysteries unexplained, or some unanswered questions in a book, especially if the main mystery IS explained? And—do you believe in ghosts or other aspects of paranormal activity, or are you a skeptic? (There are no wrong answers to this!). Victoria will be giving away a copy of Booked to Death (in August!) to one lucky commenter...

About Booked for DeathA book lover's B&B in the idyllic waterfront village of Beaufort, NC becomes the scene of a brutal murder. Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise, hosting special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.

About Victoria: Raised in a historic small town near the Blue Ridge Mountains, Victoria Gilbert turned her early obsession with books into a dual career as an author and librarian. Victoria writes the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series and the Book Lover’s B&B series for Crooked Lane Books. A member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime, Victoria is represented by Frances Black at Literary Counsel. She lives near Winston-Salem, NC with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.

Check out her website for more information on her books and links to all her social media accounts.

You can find buy links for all her currently published books here (and order via indie bookstores!) 

63 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your new series, Victoria . . . I’m looking forward to visiting Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast . . . .

    I don’t mind the paranormal event as long as it’s not the surprise “Guess what? This is the solution to the mystery” [which feel like a bit of a cop-out] . . . .
    I’m not so much a fan of unanswered questions at the end of the story, nor am I thrilled with those little mysteries we’re supposed to decide for ourselves . . . I guess I like things all neatly wrapped up and I feel a bit cheated when I don’t get all the answers . . . .

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    1. I understand wanting the answers. Although I don't mind a little ambiguity, it can be frustrating not to KNOW. I think perhaps that my career as a librarian made me more comfortable with open-ended results -- sometimes, despite all the research, you can't really find that one answer to a question.

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  2. I don’t mind an unsolved question or two in a mystery because then I can make up my own answers. I will look for your books. My TBR pile is really getting low.

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    1. Thanks for checking out my books! The Blue Ridge series is set in northern Virginia, in the mountains, while the B&B series is set in North Carolina, near the shore.

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  3. I'm not a fan of unsolved mysteries in a book. I think things should be all wrapped up.

    And that includes any hint of the paranormal since I'm a skeptic.

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    1. I totally understand. I'm a skeptic too, which is why I made my main character in the Blue Ridge series one as well. I have to admit that I like some shows and books that explore the paranormal, just for fun. And, you never know...

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  4. I don’t mind a dangling thread or two if there is a hint that it will be resolved in a future story. Beaufort NC has been on my list of places to visit. I may get there sooner thanks to Chapters B&B!

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    1. Beaufort, NC is such a beautiful and historic town -- one of my favorites! I wish I was wealthy enough to buy one of the large historic homes there and open up a writers' retreat, but alas, I don't have the funds for that. You definitely should visit!

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  5. Victoria, I'm so glad you're here today. Congratulations on Booked for Death. I have it only list of books coming out this summer that I want to read. A book lover's B&B sounds like heaven.

    I have to admit that I wasn't happy with the end of Tana French's In the Woods. I usually like all the mysteries or questions raised in a book to be solved or answered. I felt cheated in French's book. I'm trying to think if there's a book that's left some unanswered question that I've liked. I feel as if there is, but I can't think of what it is now. Maybe some other commenters will mention a book I've enjoyed with the dangling mystery.

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    1. I also was a little miffed when I reached the end of IN THE WOODS, but then I kept thinking about it. And thinking about it, and... Well, I guess if it did one thing, it really stuck with me!
      I do think it was a much bigger "mystery" to leave unsolved than I what I would ever feel comfortable writing.

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  6. Congratulations on the start of a new series, Victoria! I have an ARC of BOOKED FOR DEATH to enjoy reading this summer. I personally love staying at B&Bs when I travel (instead of big chain hotels), so this book seems right up my alley.

    Like Kathy, I did NOT like the end of IN THE WOODS.
    I agree with her that I also like reading mysteries since there is usually a resolution/clear ending to the puzzle/crime/murder. That being said, I don't mind having some dangling minor plotlines or a cliffhanger for the protagonist to deal with in the next book.

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    1. The mystery genre does typically promise a resolution of the primary questions, which I do try to supply in my books. I think you have to be a REALLY accomplished writer to create something like A TURN OF THE SCREW, and few of us are quite that gifted. I'm not sure French handled the ambiguity in IN THE WOODS perfectly, but I did find it intriguing.

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  7. I've never read Tana French (ducking). I think I prefer to have things wrapped up, but I like your approach to the possibly paranormal events in your book - that would work for me.

    Congratulations on the premise and the new book!

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    1. Edith, as much as I disliked how she ended IN THE WOODS, you really should read it just for French's use of language. It is beautifully written.

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    2. It's definitely a well-written book. I enjoy most of her books.

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    3. Edith/Annette/Victoria: Although I really did NOT like the ending of IN THE WOODS, that did not stop me from reading her other books. They are all beautifully written.

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  8. I hated the ending of IN THE WOODS. I felt cheated. Having said that, her writing is exquisite. I don't mind a cliffhanger or hook at the end, but in French's case, it was such a huge part of the story that leaving the mystery unsolved wasn't fair. At least, that's my opinion.

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    1. I think a lot of readers felt the same way. It was definitely a bold move to include that in a debut mystery novel. I have to admire French for that -- I wouldn't have had the courage to be quite so genre-bending in my first mystery!

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  9. Congratulations, Victoria, and welcome to JRW. This is a peaceful oasis in the chaos of our lives right now.

    I adore Tana French, and I've read all her books twice, except for the latest one. I have to let things settle so I can forget the salient details! I agree with Annette, beautifully written books.

    I don't mind if a thread is left dangling. Sometimes it is resolved in a later book in the series, and sometimes not. But it does leave me thinking on things.

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    1. I came up with a lot of my own theories, but of course, we'll probably never know for sure! I think the readers who like this technique probably also like films such as THE PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. Mystery never solved, and yet, it works for me because it does reflect the mysterious in life.

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  10. I have also not read IN THE WOODS. But for me, it depends on how big the mystery is (that is, how important to the story) and how the author handles it. The more important the mystery, the more I feel it should be "solved." Or at least enough of an explanation given that I can take it to a logical conclusion.

    While there have been some unexplained events in my life, but I would have to say I'm more of a skeptic when it comes to the paranormal.

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    1. I'm basically a skeptic too. It would take a lot to convince me that paranormal events are real, although I'm open to being convinced! (But it would take a LOT).

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  11. Congratulations on BOOKED FOR DEATH. Sounds right up my alley -- I hope to read it this summer.

    I'm not a huge fan of the unsolved mysteries, either. I feel like it is part of the mystery writer/reader contract that we get things tied up in the end!

    There has been another related trend I have encountered a few times in the past few years that really bothers me. I hate it when the author introduces a new question or character in the final chapter of the book, obviously setting up for the next installment in the series. I LOVE a good series, and I will happily come back to an author because of the great job he or she did on the first book. But I didn't set out to pick up a serialized story, and it really ruins my enjoyment of the book when one is sprung on me.

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    1. I agree with you! I never write "cliffhanger" endings. I think readers should get a real ending to whatever book they are reading. I do sprinkle tidbits of info -- and mention or briefly introduce side characters -- that may become much more important in later books in the series. But I resolve the main mystery of each book IN that book. For one thing, I want readers to be able to read my books out of order. Yes, reading them in order might give more character development and depth, but I think they should be able to stand on their own as well.

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  12. Congratulations on your new book, Victoria and welcome to JRW. I certainly don't mind some paranormal in books and will gladly accept the existence of ghosts and mysterious chants and other unexplainable occurrences in works of literature. That's fine. But please, don't write a whole book about something with no promise of resolution at the end.
    Many series leave you wondering about something that the author will resolve in a future book. I look forward to that resolution and anticipate the pleasure of reading how it all works out. But I do want to understand the ending and I do want mysteries to be solved and ends to be tied up. Think of how satisfying it feels to hear that a mysterious killer of 30 years ago has been identified by DNA. Whew! In a book, the author can tie up those ends without waiting 30 years for DNA science to catch up.

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    1. I agree that resolving the main mystery is satisfying. As I mentioned above, I always offer a resolution of the main crime(s) in each book in THAT book. The things I leave dangling are characters' backstory "mysteries" -- I think this can be developed over several books in a series. Or I may suggest that something could have a supernatural or paranormal cause, and just leave whether that is true or not up to the reader. (But that aspect never leaves the resolution of the actual mystery unsolved by the end of the book).

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  13. Congratulations on the book, Victoria! Good question! For me, a bit of ambiguity in the ending is ok with me - it allows the reader to step in and kick it around. I especially like villains and good guys who are anything but all good or all bad. That's life.

    What I don't like are coincidences that go unexplained. More than one in a book and it feels like sloppy plotting.

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    1. Agreed. I also don't care for deux ex machina endings, where an answer (or the saving of the main character) comes out of nowhere.
      One thing I'm definitely grateful for is my great editor, who points out any instances where I've written something that isn't clearly explained by the end of the book. I'd probably have a lot of loose threads without her. No matter how minor, I don't want to leave things dangling in my books. I don't mind a little ambiguity about the paranormal aspects, but I don't want any "what the heck" moments!

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  14. I never read that Tana French book and now I definitely have no plans to do so! I do not like to be left dangling at the end of the book, especially if there is some sort of mystery throughout that I had been thinking about and coming up with possible scenarios. I want to find out that I am right. Otherwise I'm left thinking that the author couldn't come up with a satisfactory resolution either.

    As for paranormal, hmm, you never know, do you?

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    1. It's true -- we humans don't know as much as we think we do!
      My dad was a scientist, and he said the more he studied science, the more strange and amazing the universe seemed. I think he was definitely right about that. There are more things in heaven and earth...

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  15. I like all the loose ends tied up! That said, congrats on your new series. And yes, I've lived in a couple of haunted houses, in Maine. And there was a ghost in one of my NH houses too.

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    1. I've never lived in a house I considered as possibly being haunted, but I acknowledge that other people feel they have. I mean, I'm a skeptic, but I'm also aware that I'm only working off of my experiences. I'm not going to discount the experiences of others. I certainly don't know for sure!

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  16. I'm willing to suspend disbelief in stories, movies, books. That's one of the many reasons I read, to be entertained, to learn something new, to look at things a different way. It really depends on my mood whether or not I can accept an ambiguous ending.

    As for the paranormal aspect, I have an open mind, since I've personally experienced events that cannot easily be explained away. I'm also willing to accept that we don't know all there is to know about our own existence, and that possibilities exist that we are unaware of.

    However, I was in a book club with women who spoke about the characters and their actions--both during the story and beyond--as if they were real, breathing people who either behaved the way they wanted them to, or who veered off into la-la land. Some of them don't care for loose endings.

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    1. Readers do sometimes get involved with characters as if they were living, breathing, people, don't they? Which isn't a bad thing. Writers should be happy if their characters feel that "real."
      But they also have to remember to treat these "not real" real beings with respect and not have them act completely out of character -- and maybe not kill them off just for shock value. (I'm not against characters being killed off, but I don't like it when I can tell it's only being done to shock the reader or otherwise manipulate a reader's emotions).

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    2. Neither do I, Victoria. I'm not a fan of having my emotions yanked around.

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  17. The unsolved mystery I really want solved: Why does Koko have 60 whiskers? What is the connection to Qwill's mustache? I was sure we'd find out in The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers but Lilian Jackson Braun left that unanswered. Since she was very ill and it was her last book, I forgive her but I'm awfully tempted to write the next book in the series. (I'd also solve the mystery of who burned down Qwill's barn/house and reunite him with Polly.)

    Braun does unsolved mysteries very well throughout the Cat Who series, which can be read two ways. Is Koko actually psychic and super intelligent, or does Qwill project his own feelings and observations about the crime onto his cat's behavior? Brilliant.

    God, I miss LBJ so much.

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    1. See, that's the sort of ambiguity I enjoy too! It allows the reader freedom to decide whether something is "real" or not, based on their own life experiences and opinions. I like that active involvement in a story.

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    2. Cathy, thank you for bringing up The Cat Who! Perfect example.

      When my youngest daughter was a preteen she got into Lillian Jackson Braun's books, and she and I shared them back and forth. It was such a great way to navigate what could have been a much tenser time in her development, and I've always had a soft spot for Qwill and Co.

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  18. Victoria, congratulations on the upcoming release of the new book! I wish you much success with the new series.

    In a mystery novel, you have to solve the main mystery or the book deserves to be thrown across the room. So long as that is done, leaving the lesser mysteries unsolved is likely fine but I think it all depends on just how invested the reader is in that lesser mystery.

    If they are fine with not knowing, then they won't mind the ambiguity. If they are of the "I HAVE TO KNOW" ilk, then even a small unsolved mystery will irritate the heck out of them.

    I think my ability to accept the unsolved falls into that description. It all depends on how invested I am in it.

    Do I believe in ghosts? I don't know. I think I'd be a mixture of both open to the possibility while maintaining a healthy skepticism as well. I've got a friend who lives in a house that she says has 13 ghosts. I couldn't do that but it works for her.

    I don't know if I've had any kind of waking experience with ghosts though sometimes I've had weird dreams that felt real and you wonder if they actually were in some way. I don't know that I feel the need to find out the truth of those dreams so in that respect, I'm fine with not knowing.

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    1. I have always had strange, very vivid dreams. There are a few I've had that made me question whether I was experiencing something more than a dream -- like one where I was a (male) soldier in a setting that when I researched the uniforms, etc. turned out to be around
      Waterloo! (It was an extremely "real" sort of dream).
      I guess I believe in the possibility of psychic-type things -- ESP, remote viewing, etc. -- more than the likelihood of ghosts or that sort of thing. But I don't discount other people's experiences. I'm aware I don't really have all the answers!

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    2. That's fascinating Vicki. That sounds like a new book to me! After all, Diana Gabaldon did some time travel in her series and it was well received:)

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  19. Congratulations on your new release. I prefer that the major mystery be resolved or I am disappointed and keep thinking about the ending. Paranormal is a strange idea which I do not mind in books but not throughout the entire story.

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    1. I will say that the current-day mystery in IN THE WOODS is actually solved. So it's not that everything is left up in the air. But I do understand why some readers dislike the ending.
      I like paranormal in small does too. I actually prefer it where it COULD be something paranormal but there could also be a rational explanation. That lets me imagine it the way I wish.

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  20. Well, that settles that. I had Into The Woods earmarked for summer reading at the cottage, but now it's just going to go back into my Little Free Library, where I found it.

    And then there's Sarah Waters's The Little Stranger. Maybe others figured out the answers to all the questions, but I was left hanging. Am I missing something, or was it supposed to be like that?

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    1. I like many of Sarah Waters' books, and did enjoy THE LITTLE STRANGER, but it was a bit ambiguous. I think perhaps if you read it with the view that the narrator is totally unreliable, it makes more sense. (My interpretation was that he was actually behind some of events, or at least his narration of them is hiding his own perhaps evil behavior).

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  21. Mysteries should be wrapped up in order to satisfy the reader's curiosity. Otherwise What is the point? Why bother reading a book that is unsatisfying? I have read several book with ghosts and paranormal aspects which do not really add anything to the plot and enjoyment of the book.

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    1. I think many people would agree that the mysteries should all be solved.
      I'd say if ghosts or paranormal aspects are added, they should have a purpose. I only hint at the possibility of them because I like that "what if?" aspect in books. But a reader can also rationally explain anything in my books, I think. Weird stuff does happen in nature, with a scientific explanation.

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  22. I don't mind a little extra mystery to my mystery. As long as the major questions are answered I like to use my imagination about what I think happened. I've read a few series with paranormal aspects and I've found them to be a lot of fun, a little something extra besides the regular mystery.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. I love using my imagination when I read too. I don't even mind a challenging read that makes me do a little research or think through things more critically. It may be one reason why I love mysteries so much! (And why I became a librarian -- I enjoy the puzzle of figuring things out through research and logic and leaps of imagination).

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  24. I don't mind a few loose threads to be picked up in later works, but I hate cliffhanger endings. I've backed away from a couple of writers after reading madly toward anticipated resolution and having the book just stop mid-plot. Resolution is a key element, the "bring them home safely" that storytellers respect, and not to have it feels like a cheat.

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    1. I don't care for cliffhanger endings either, which is why I never write them. Even with my fantasy books, which were planned to be a trilogy, I created (I hope) an ending that felt "complete," while also allowing for the adventures to continue in the next book. I try to do that with my mysteries as well.
      I think "cliffhangers" only work when the author has written a complete series and released them all at once, so at least you can continue reading right away. But I'm still not a huge fan of this tactic.

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  25. I don't mind if there are some mysteries left unsolved. I can then make up the solution I choose.
    As for the paranormal, I kind of believe in ghosts but not as terrifying creatures, just as something that's there.
    clugston.kathy@yahoo.com

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    1. It's interesting that you say that about ghosts. I guess one reason I have a hard time believing in ghosts is that I think we all move on to a new spiritual plane after death, and I can't imagine why any spirit would choose to stay here. But I do wonder if maybe ghosts are just residual "energy" left from tragic occurrences or something like that. Maybe people sensitive to such energies pick up on that?
      I've also wondered if ghosts are really just glimpses of another, parallel universe. That's an intriguing concept, at least to me.

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    2. I think part of it is that I want to believe that loved ones who have passed away are still with me. It's comforting.

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  26. Vicki, welcome to Jungle Reds! How do I feel about unexplained mysteries at the end of the book? This is tough! I have experienced reading a book and being disappointed because sometimes more questions are raised than answered in the book. I am aware that in real life, there is not always closure. I like to see ALL questions answered by the end of the book. However, once in a while it is ok with me if a lingering question is answered in the next book in the series. However, if I have read 15 books in the series and one question is still lingering, then it starts to annoy me. LOL.

    And congratulations on your new novel! I am adding your book and your book recommendations to my reading list.

    Diana

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    1. Thanks! My other series, the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, has four books out now, with a fifth book releasing in December (and books six and seven under contract). So that one is farther along. This new series will have two books for sure -- we'll have to see after that.

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  27. Congratulations on your new series! I'm really looking forward to starting the series. I think all the mysteries should all be wrapped up in the book, otherwise it feels like the book is unfinished. I do believe in the paranormal and spirits. I'm not sure about ghosts.

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    1. Thank you, I hope you enjoy the book!
      As I've mentioned, I'm a skeptic, up to a point. I do believe in the possibility of extra-worldly entities and ESP and those sorts of things. Maybe even certain kinds of spirits, but not the traditional ghosts. There are a lot of documented unexplained occurrences, so I think something is going on. Just not sure what!

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  28. I dropped a series where I finished the book saying "who done it?" If I didn't want the mystery solved, I'd read a newspaper or watch the news. However, I don't mind a secondary mystery carried over a few books. Also , don't mind a paranormal connection. I sometimes read mysteries that feature witches, ghosts, etc. as the crime solvers.

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    1. I agree that the main mystery needs to be solved. I think there can be "back burner" mysteries, like things from a character's past, that can carry forward through a series and slowly be revealed.

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  29. Congrats on the start of a new series. Leaving some mysteries unanswered in a book is fine as long as it will be answered in a future book. As to paranormal activity I find it highly possible since I have had an experience with the ghost of a woman who had lived in an old farmhouse where I was a nanny. She kept an eye on the children's activity.

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    1. Your ghost encounter sounds fascinating -- would make a good book!

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