My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of Kate Racculia’s ‘Tuesday Mooney Wore Black’ in exchange for an honest review. It was published in the U.K. on 1 October. I quickly bought its ebook edition.

What a fun book this was. Tuesday Mooney is such a wonderful character. She is a loner, dresses in black and is thought of as a grown up “Wednesday Addams, one day of the week earlier”. Totally my kind of woman. Oh and she talks to ghosts...

Tuesday works for a hospital as a researcher to profile potential donors for their fundraising department. At a charity event elderly eccentric Bostonian billionaire, Vincent Pryce, is suddenly taken ill and dies. In his published obituary he announces that he has elected to leave an undisclosed amount of his vast fortune to the winner(s) of a citywide treasure hunt. The clues are inspired by his literary hero: Edgar Allan Poe. Tuesday loves puzzles and soon she and a ragtag group come together to solve the mystery.

This short summary only touches the surface of this amazing novel. It was full to the brim with Gothic and horror references along with lashings of popular culture. I loved it. It was playful and charming yet also dealt with more serious issues such as loss and grief, loneliness and the importance of friendship.

A brilliant, multi-levelled novel with plenty of action; a diverse, quirky group of characters, plus a great deal of humour and warmth. I have already been enthusiastically recommending it to my friends.

I expect that I will reread it and plan to purchase the audiobook edition, released under its USA title, ‘Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts’.

Highly recommended.

This novel is apparently an easy and fun read but there're multiple layers and as you read you discover more.
It's gripping, hard to put down and well written.
I appreciated the quirky, complex and well written cast of characters and the atmosphere.
It was an unusual and amazing read, I can't wait to read another novel by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Although this is a wonderful idea for a story, and I really enjoyed some parts, I struggled in a lot of the story, as it seemed to drag in a lot of places, by which time i'd forgotten whereabouts we were in the story!!!!
There were some parts where i hadn't a clue what was being said, maybe because it's American, and so some parts/words, sayings, places, were confusing for me!!
Otherwise, apart from these problems, and separating them, it was a very good book!!

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.

Tuesday Mooney Wore Black was an interesting and a new take on a mystery thriller. It was full of whimsy, wonder and supernatural feeling.

It was interesting to see the history and works of Edgar Allen Poe sprinkled heavily in the book. I learned a lot about him through this book, and I loved how reality and fiction entwined together as well.

The supernatural element was also really cool. The relationship between the living and the dead was played with a mix of humour and seriousness.

There were times where I felt the story dragged on a little, however, the story intrigued me so much that had to continue. With the mystery, and puzzles and action, it was hard not to get caught up into it all.

The characters all fit together in a strange way. I was drawn to them so much and each story was a gateway to getting to know them, and I loved their personalities as well.

This was an unusual twist on a mystery drama novel. This wouldn't be something that I would usually read, but the blurb caught my interest, and I have no regrets.

Tuesday Mooney Wore Black was a very good read. It had humour and was full of wonder and mystery. The snippet into Edgar Allen Poe and his works was also very interesting. Unlike anything I have read before I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves mystery in many forms.

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.