Unusual captivating “supernatural “ mystery novel

Tuesday is a researcher who becomes involved in a complicated game/quest around Boston, devised by a billionaire. Many others become involved including other very rich individuals and her friends. The book concentrates on the characters, their inter-actions and feelings, their pasts and consequently there is a fair amount of introspection and soul-searching. Trust is not easily earned and the book contains a variety of incidents. I can recommend it as an unusual and satisfying read.

I really enjoyed this quirky tale with its host of entertaining and rather endearing characters, a treasure hunt, a feud, and a missing best friend. The opening chapter is a real teaser when, in 2006, the mysterious Mr Usher buys the huge and terribly neglected Tillerman house. Who he is and what his motives are for making the purchase remain to be seen.

Fast forward to 2012 and at a charity auction, an eccentric millionaire drops dead and in doing so triggers his pre-arranged treasure hunt which is open to anyone who wishes to play. Tuesday Mooney, a self-contained loner who thinks she hears ghosts and her only real friend Dex, an exuberant, musical theatre loving gay man were both at the event and become two of the contestants. As they solve and follow the clues they are joined by youngster Dorry, whom Tuesday tutors, and her friend Ned and host of other characters including brothers Nathaniel and Archie who have more than a few secrets. During the hunt the main characters also begin to learn about themselves and how they handle life, love and loss.

The real joy of this tale of mystery, ghosts, friendship and wickedness is without doubt the characters. Tuesday who still mourning the loss of her friend from her teenage years, Dex who really doesn’t know how to live as his true self, Dorry who has lost her mother and desperately hopes she might see her again and Archie whose secrets are a terrible burden.

The novel is full of humour and is told with such warmth and kindness. It was like snuggling up in your favourite old sweater on a cold day. Its core theme is really, be who you are and live your life as you want to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Witty from the outset, a game with dark rules and dark answers that will have you burning through pages to see what's coming next, who you can trust and an answer to the myriad riddles along the way. One of my top reads of 2019

Loved this book. A quirky and fun read, with a mystery thrown in. Lots of surprises along the way.

I liked how it was told from various points of view, and there was such a range of characters.

What an enjoyable read. Utterly bonkers but fun. I love Tuesday and Dex they are a friend match that was just meant to be.

I really hope Tuesday appears in another book.

What a wonderful, captivating story, full of nearly magic (is it all in Tuesday's mind, or is it real..),. deeply traumatized characters, each one unique in their reaction to their losses and traumas, each one so easy to sympathise with and love. There was nobody I found two-dimensional not even baddy Nathaniel , who was also the only one I disliked. A three-in-the-morning book. Recommended.

Really enjoyed this book. Fascinating storyline and great characters. Very well written too. The central character is especially enigmatic. Any chance of a sequel?

I have to say this is not the sort of book that I would normally read. Vincent, an eccentric millionaire drops dead at a charity auction and thereby a game he has devised begins. Tuesday loves working out clues and would normally work on her own but this time, becomes involved with others whilst seeking The answers
I found it a struggle to read as it really did not grab my interest but perhaps this is my fault for choosing to read it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky book. Tuesday is an eccentric character who, following the death of a wealthy man at an event she was attending, takes place in a city-wide treasure hunt (with a nod to Dan Brown), that he set up to be undertaken after his demise.

What follows is a fun filled, easy going read. I found the ending a little disappointing as it left some unfinished business but I would still recommend it if you are looking for something that's a bit different with a lovely mix of suspense and humour.

Tuesday is just doing her job when an eccentric old man dies and she finds herself thrown into a game devised by him. Can she figure it all out and work out who everyone is whilst dealing with the ever present voice of her best friend who disappeared when she was 16. Just what is the prize at the end of the game and what will she learn or lose along the way.

This was an interesting story and at times I was really caught up but other bits seemed to drag. The story didn't thrill me as much as I'd hoped. I liked the basic premise and the ending was really good. The story itself was written well with good attention to detail. I love the friendship between Dex and Tuesday, it just worked so well. Dorry was a great character too but I just couldn't figure out Archie and never really warmed to him. An intriguing story.

In my mind's eye Tuesday is a goth girl without the goth, an intelligent quick-witted Wednesday Adams with plenty of snark. She is also a young woman who is haunted by the past, especially by the unknown variable in the equation she calls her life. The disappearance of her best friend when they were both teenagers has left her vulnerable and damaged.

Fortunately the fact she has a constant open dialogue with said friend is what keeps her sane and on the straight and narrow. Talking to her ghost or what she interprets as the ghost is also what keeps Tuesday ticking while she is dealing with the grief.

Her life and relationships are redefined when she is drawn into a mystery devised by a recently deceased billionaire. The money she could win is an interesting enticement, but it turns out there is more to the hunt than she expected.

I enjoyed the way Racculia made it more than just a mystery. It's about loyalty, friendship, mental health, loneliness, murder, dysfunctional families and above all a good old fashioned treasure hunt. It's a mystery thriller with sort of an Eleanor Oliphant meets a Dan Brown mystery with a literary vibe. The Poe-esque flair melds perfectly with Tuesday's eccentric attitude and yet oddly charming personality.

I admit I am left with questions though, perhaps enough to warrant the author bringing Mooney back. What happened to her friend - I need to know.

Tuesday Mooney is an oddball! Working as a prospect researcher for a local hospital she occasionally, and begrudgingly socialises. The thought of the free staff food at the end of an event keeps her spirits up. But when Boston’s most eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce, dies at a charity auction, adventure is thrust upon Tuesday.

Vincent has left behind an epic, city-wide treasure hunt that holds the key to his fortunes. Fact-finding is what Tuesday is good at and so she begins to search for the clues with a motley crew of team mates.

But will delving deeper into the secrets of the game reveal their own guarded desires and dreams?

When I first received an email from the publisher advertising this ARC, I have to say I didn’t think it would be for me. However, I was intrigued enough by the premise of the storyline to give it a go, and in part I’m glad I did.

I would say the first half to three-quarters of this book had me hooked. The clues and fast-paced thrill of the search kept the momentum going and I was eager to turn the pages. Then, sadly, it seemed to peter off, by the time I reached the end I was a little disappointed.

Tuesday was an interesting character, at times I found her to be extremely funny and others just plain old weird. I loved the banter she shared with her friend Dex, and thought they made for a good storybook duo.

Sadly, I felt the ending fell flat. There was so much about this story that peaked my curiosity, that I was hoping for a much more whimsical conclusion.

If you’re a keen fan of the mystery genre, I’m not sure this one will tick all the boxes for you. There are certainly parts that stretch the imagination, sometimes edging on the supernatural. This is not usually my cup of tea, but as this book is rather quirky I was happy to embrace it.

I enjoyed this book so much! The characters were great, the plot so different - I will recommend it to my friends wholeheartedly..

Tuesday is a self-contained loner, who works as a fundraising researcher - she can dig out all the information that tells the hospital she works for if a wealthy person might become a patron. At a fundraising event, her friend Drew sits at a table with eccentric billionaire Vincent Pryce and his wife Lila, only for Vincent to collapse and die dramatically. He leaves behind a complicated puzzle for the whole city to solve. Helped by the son of Pryce's immensely rich neighbour and Tuesday's teenage neighbour, Tuesday and Drew get involved with solving the mystery. But they all have their past mysteries to solve as well, including the disappearance of Tuesday's childhood best friend Abby, whose ghost reappears after a long silence.

It's a massive treasure hunt, and it's a lot of fun. Tuesday, Drew, Archie and Dorry are all believable characters - and if ghosts aren't your thing, that bit isn't over-done. Although Vincent only makes a fleeting appearance in person, his presence looms large over the book and he's a great character, as is his widow Lila (Lyle) - they're all the kind of people you want to get to know. Is it all a bit unlikely? Yes, but that's half the fun, and there's enough real life woven through it to not get completely carried away. I'd like to hear more about Tuesday!

.This is not a laid back half asleep kind of easy read. I felt that I had to stay fully focused so as not to miss any of the little descriptive gems that this book is full of. This probably meant that it took me longer to finish the book than usual, no late night endless page turning, but what a joy to read such a well written book.
The characters, though somewhat unconventional, were brought to life with layer upon layer added as you progressed through the book.
Some books are like meringues, light and lacking substance, this book is like a rich fruit cake.

This is my unbiased and genuine review of an advanced review copy I received

I didn't expect to love 'Tuesday Mooney Wore Black', but it hit me out of nowhere. It's a quirky tale of treasure hunting, love, loss and finding your place in the world. I absolutely loved the games inside games and the puzzles scattered through the book, even including some just for the readers. The air of mystery and melancholy runs through the whole book and the nods back to the nineties, the music and Poe influences were like enjoying a whole box of chocolates. Unusual with strong characters and an interesting plot.

Tuesday likes to keep herself to herself. When the very wealthy Vincent Pryce dies, a mysterious game takes place. The winner was to be one of the heirs. A scavenger hunt takes place. Tuesday and her friends take part and soon find themselves sucked into a vortex of the unknown. Then throw into the mix murder, puzzles and ghosts.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book but when I did, I could not read this fun book quick enough. There are quite a lot of names to remember er. Theres another background story that's quite intriguing. There are some funny parts in this story. This is a delightful mystery within a mystery. A deftly written tale that's interwoven with suspense and humour.

I would like to thank Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Kate Racculia for my ARC in exchange for an honest review .

Tuesday Mooney is a researcher in Boston General's fundraising office. However when a fundraising auction must be suspended, as silver-haired man wearing a cape suddenly screams and drops down dead, Tuesday's quiet life is turned on its head. The deceased Vincent Pryce has, in anticipation of his death, set up a treasure hunt, however neither the rules nor the final prize are entirely clear. But Tuesday is determined to play the game.

Nothing is quite what it seems in this story. Who is the handsome Nathaniel Arches who turns up to the fundraising auction? What is the real goal of Pryce's treasure hunt? What is the link between the Arches family and Pryce? Several stands of the tale are gradually woven together and secrets from the past are revealed.

I loved the idea of the treasure hunt in this story, but actually found it very hard to get involved in the book. There seemed to be a couple of clues, which lead to 'finds' for different characters and set up the 51 players who were to continue in the game, but at that point as far as I could see the hunt fizzled out and the focus was on the large funeral 'party' which Pryce had arranged before his death.

Several of the characters in this book are lonely and nursing the wounds of loss. Tuesday's best friend disappeared when they were 16. Certain that Abby is dead, Tuesday attempts to speak to Abby's ghost and converses with her. Meanwhile Tuesday's teenaged neighbour, Dorry is grieving for her Mum and Tuesday's friend, Dex, ends yet another relationship as he struggles to the find the partner and life which will make him feel whole. However, despite the fact we see a human side to these characters I found it hard to relate to any of them. There is also a host of minor characters who become involved in 'the game' and I rather stopped trying to keep track of them. I think I just found them all too quirky.

There are many nods in this book to Edgar Allan Poe who was born in Boston. The story moves at a fast pace. It is cleverly written and I am sure that there will be many who really enjoy it. It just wasn't for me, however, and I didn't feel engaged by it in any way.

With my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of the book.

This book took me somewhat by surprise as from the blurb I thought it was a book about a treasure hunt and imagined something like ‘The Amazing Race’. In a small way that’s what it is but that’s just one layer. It’s also about friendships, relationships, love and grief. Tuesday Mooney is a bit of an odd ball character (nothing wrong with that) and she was a great central character. While it’s an enjoyable read I did feel it was a bit long. I’m not sure what genre this will be classed as but I hope it draws the right readers.

Apart from the fact I was not enamoured by the title of this novel, I adored this wildly entertaining read from Kate Racculia, that teems and overflows with literary and cultural references to horror, the gothic, the spooky, ghosts, haunted houses, and witches whilst touching on the serious issues of loss and grief, set in Boston. 33 year old goth, the acerbic Tuesday Mooney is the sister Wednesday Addams never had, a self contained loner with her cat, with just one friend, the gay banker, Poindexter, aka 'Dex'. In her head, the ghost of her best friend, 16 year old friend, Abby Hobbes, who disappeared in Salem, is constantly engaging with her. It was with Abby that Tuesday went on night time forays with candles, revelling in their identity as witches, practicing spells, using ouija boards and so much more. When Abby went missing, Tuesday was left broken and guilt ridden, but her interest in horror, ghosts and death has remained, although she has been left with an inbuilt fear of becoming close to others, and an inability to trust.

The offbeat Tuesday was brought up by her unconventional parents with the radical dogma that permeated her childhood, that the 4th pig lived off the grid, which is why the wolf never bothered him. Which is why it is slightly ironic that it is online where Tuesday feels most at home, using her gift for finding out things, much like a PI, working at the Boston General Hospital, she profiles and researches rich Bostonians for the fundraisers to be able to push the right buttons to secure donations for the hospital. Which is how she comes to be volunteering at the The Four Seasons Hotel Auction, where the eccentric billionaire, Vincent Pryce (who else???), renowned collector of the weird and the haunted, dies in dramatic fashion. However, Pryce has not finished with the living world, in a obituary written by himself he instigates a city wide treasure hunt with clues inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. However, beware, nothing is as it seems as Tuesday and her cohorts, Dex, the rich Nathaniel Arches whom she finds herself strangely drawn to, and the young Dorry, harbouring her own loss, tutored by Tuesday, are to discover.

Racculia writes a scintillatingly vibrant story of adventure, the supernatural, family, love, friendship, of the blackest of villainy, death and life altering challenges that beguiles with its colour, vitality and charm. The highlights for me are its quirkiest characters, Tuesday, of course, Dex, drag queen extraordinaire with his love of karaoke and Madonna, Dorry who so wants Amelia Earhart's haunted goggles, believing that she will once again be able to see her mother again, and Edgar, hurting with all that he is keeping secret and so many others. This may not be a book for all readers, but it was for me, I loved it, and its core theme and focus on the life you live, it just might be what you are looking for too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.