LEGACY AND
SEVENTH FIRE
LEGACY
Here's what the reviewers said:
Once in a while a mystery novel comes along that really
lives up to its name. Legacy leaves us wanting to read more from its
beautifully written opening to its clever closing chapters. A fascinating look
at how four lives can collide.
--D.J. McIntosh, Author of The Witch of Babylon
The central image of Catherine Astolfo's "Legacy"
is a wishing well, an ironic reminder of the old saying "Be careful what
you wish for". In this powerful novel, characters who wish to dominate
others spiritually end up creating victims not disciples. Astolfo's searing
exploration of the anguish caused by egotism is counterbalanced by her
characters' ultimate realization that friendship and community can overcome
evil. In "Legacy", Astolfo gives readers an enduring theme wrapped in
a gripping narrative.
--Gail Bowen, Author of the Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries
In Legacy, Catherine Astolfo poses searching questions about
the consequences of childhood trauma. Through the interwoven lives of her
small-town characters, she explores not only the corrosive effects of abuse,
neglect, and loss but also the healing that comes from facing the darkness.
--Kay Stewart, Author of Sitting Lady Sutra
When I reviewed your novel, Victim (An Emily Taylor Mystery)
I told my readers that I had discovered an exciting writer with a poignant
capacity to tell a story full of energy and passion. Description, dialogue,
plotting, all developed with the skill of a seasoned mystery writer. I received
several positive reader comments, a surprise really, when most readers who
bother to email me, do so to disagree. I recently read Legacy. Your writing is
consistently strong and invigorating. It solidified my feeling that you are a
writer in for the long haul and should mature into a mystery author of the top
rank in Canada.
--Don Graves, Reviewer, The Hamilton Spectator
SEVENTH FIRE:
SEVENTH FIRE:
"The evocative setting of 1980's Vancouver is
beautifully described in Astolfo's latest Emily Taylor mystery "Seventh
Fire." The horror of murder intertwines with the passion of art in an
intriguing plot that the reader unravels only at the end. Emily Taylor fans
will be astounded at the dark secrets that lurk in her past." —Janet
Kellough, author of On the Head of a Pin
"Seventh Fire is a chilling tale with unimaginable
evil at its core. Astolfo slowly but steadily builds suspense while introducing
a handful of plausible villains that keep the reader guessing until the very
end. The story is a chilling, cautionary tale at odds with the beautiful
setting of Vancouver, which Astolfo paints with a deft hand." —Brenda
Chapman, author of In Winter’s Grip
"Thirty years ago a horrific murder shocked the city
of Vancouver. The killer was quickly caught, tried, and incarcerated. But they
had the wrong man, and Emily Taylor has devoted her life to seeing her husband
exonerated. Seventh Fire is a powerful tale of love verses hate and the ability
of that love to triumph over evil." — Vicki Delany, author of Among the
Departed
"Catherine Astolfo has an unusually keen insight into
the sometimes-skewed human condition. One is struck by the amount of research
Seventh Fire must have required. But don’t read this at bedtime, since it will
make you distinctively uneasy. A writer of masterful plots, Catherine has
completed the story of Emily Taylor’s secret past with a twist and a shock. One
can only hope Catherine Astolfo produces further work for our eager
consumption." —Merci Fournier, author of Plural Spaces
The Bridgeman and Victim by Catherine Astolfo
Emily Taylor Mystery One Emily Taylor Mystery Two
Emily Taylor Mystery One Emily Taylor Mystery Two
WHAT THE REVIEWERS SAID:
THE BRIDGEMAN:
"Love and depravity, rebirth and rot, veneer and the real wood underneath—Astolfo brings these opposing forces into play as she creates the complex community that is Burchill. Ordinary people find themselves in an extraordinary situation. Astolfo reveals their personalities in delicious detail." —Garry Ryan, author of the Detective Lane Mysteries
"Master storyteller Cathy Astolfo pulls out all the stops as old secrets come back to kill…in this chilling story of twisted desires. Astolfo grabs small-town Ontario and shakes it until its ugly secrets pour out. You won't catch your breath until the last page turns." —Lou Allin, author of She Felt No Pain
"Catherine Astolfo’s descriptive prose and well-crafted characters soon make you feel part of the community of Burchill, sharing Emily's terror at what is happening in her perfect little town. It’s a story rich in detail with unexpected twists and turns that keep you involved right through to the shocking end." —Meredith Henderson, actress, film producer, poet
Anthony Bidulka, Author of the Russell Quant Mystery Series
In The Bridgeman, Astolfo throws opens the door of her idyllic setting into a world of darkness, depravity, and danger. Her safe haven turned inside out, Emily Taylor bravely untangles a web of lies and unthinkable acts of degeneracy. Threatening her own closely held secrets, the charming teacher dares to push boundaries of personal safety to right dreadful wrongs. After reading The Bridgeman, you’ll want to go home, lock the doors, and hug your pet.
VICTIM:
"A disappearance...a Native legend...a murder...a terrific read!"
—Donna Carrick, author of The First Excellence
"A deftly conceived, multilayered story told with a compassionate voice…The plot leads you to a conclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting so real that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that reveals the minds and souls of the characters in it. Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed the book…a gifted piece of writing." —The Hamilton Spectator
"VICTIM, by Catherine Astolfo, is an enjoyable, engaging read—a fine book full of suspense with lively, and intriguing characters. This is good, strong, clear writing that keeps the reader waiting for more. Along with a complex mystery, there's even a few sensual love scenes and a darling dog! Best of all—the mystery at the heart of this story seamlessly combines Aboriginal myths and legends with a precise rendering of small-town Canadian manners and mores. VICTIM is original, sensitive and satisfying." —Rosemary Aubert, author of the Ellis Portal mystery series
With a clash of cultures, greed, and secrets, Victim will keep you out of the woods for a long time to come. —Phyllis Smallman Author of Champagne For Buzzards
About my publisher:
Imajin
Books has something for everyone, even works by bestselling and award-winning
authors. The horror anthology WHAT FEARS BECOME features a few Bram Stoker
award winners and nominees.
You’ll find
a variety of genres: suspense, mystery, thrillers, horror, paranormal, romance,
YA and historical fiction. Imajin Books publishes “quality fiction beyond your
wildest dreams.”
*IMAJIN THIS! is free via Smashwords and $0.99 on Amazon until Amazon
matches the price.
