When a young florist vanishes at night, the only evidence found is a tiny wooden heart. With nothing else to go on, Mallorca's police chief calls upon unorthodox former detective, Isabel Flores Montserrat, to help.
But a second disappearance confirms a connection with a series of sinister cold cases. Suspecting that a serial killer has resurfaced, Isabel races to uncover the link between past and present, the meaning of the wooden heart, and the identity of the culprit.
Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in Isabel's own village with a spate of mysterious animal disappearances. Could it all be connected?
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Paloma Crespi and a gaggle of companions clad in gaudy leggings, sweatshirts and trainers erupted noisily from the dance studio inside the converted barn, shrieking in dismay when they saw rain pelting from the inky sky. ONE
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(@burrobooks, 19 November 2020, 352 pages, ebook, #ARC from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 23 November via @RandomTTours)
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I really enjoyed this book, my second cosy mystery this month. I'd never heard of the author before but decided to take part in the blog tour because Haunted Magpie sounded like a lot of fun. Who could resist the title? I loved the fact the book is set in Spin as most cosy mysteries I've read are set in the UK so this offered something a little different. Isabel is investigating the disappearance of a young woman from the village when pets start to disappear as well. Are both linked or does Isabel have two cases to deal with? This is the second book in the series but I feel it could be read as a stand-alone like I did. Nothing felt missing or incomplete. The setting is really brought to life and I loved the time I spent in Mallorca. I didn't want the book to end because of this. Isabel is a great character; I connected to her early on and rooted for her. Haunted Magpie is a great read.
