Cover: Murder at the Columbarium
by Emily Gallo
The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review (a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team).
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4 stars)
Plot
(by Goodreads)
Jed’s quiet life as caretaker of the San Francisco Columbarium is turned upside down when he comes upon a dead woman’s body and a crying baby just inside the gate. His search for answers thrusts him into a world of corruption, bigotry and drug trafficking and he becomes one of the principal suspects.
| Genre(s): | > Mysteries (Kindle Store) > Literature & Fiction (Kindle Store) > Mysteries (Books) |
| Series: | n.a. |
| Length: | 387 pages |
| Release date: | 2018-09-23 |
Teaser
…Jed watched as the two men climbed the stairs. He took a rag and went upstairs as well. He started wiping down the front of the niches as he tracked the pair. They stopped in front of Francesca Balducci’s apartment and the better-dressed man crossed himself while the larger man stood to the side. Jed decided to move away at that point. He didn’t know much about Francesca Balducci. Her niche was one of the more traditional ones: a picture of an old woman, a brass urn, a crucifix, and a vase with some withered flowers He would look her up to see when she had been put in her apartment. He doubted it had been more than a year ago. She hadn’t had any visitors that Jed remembered. He was pretty sure that this man had not been here before…
My Opinion
This book focuses on the Columbarium’s caretaker Jed and how his life changes when finding a murdered young woman on the premises.
With “Murder at the Columbarium”, Emily Gallo has created a well-elaborated and intriguing story about Jed and his friends. The story comprises a variety of characters with sufficient depth, interesting turns, food for thought, and a great flow. I was drawn into the story right away, close to Jed, his wife, their friends; captivated by what this story had to offer. I had a great time reading “Murder at the Columbarium”. It is a memorable story; I enjoyed reading about Jed who is warm-hearted and determined.
This is for you if you like steady-paced mysteries, stories that let you follow along and inspire your own train of thoughts, as well as books you would like to read again because their stories are unforgettable.
Recommended.
In brief:
| Cover | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4 stars) |
| Writing | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4 stars) |
| Plot | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4 stars) |
| Characters | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (5 stars) |
| Mood | Suspenseful |
| Pace | Steady |
| POV | Third person – past tense |
| Language |  (few mild swearwords) |
| Violence | – 😳 (some violence without too many details) |
| Sexual content | – 😳 (some mentions without details) |
About the author
“I View My Life In 3 Stages”
Emily Kaufman was the girl growing up in Manhattan in the fifties and sixties. In the sixties and seventies, I attended Clark University and lived in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Seattle doing the hippie/peace/love/protest thing.
In the eighties and nineties, Emily Saur lived in Northampton, MA and Davis, CA and was the more conventional wife, mother of two, and elementary school teacher.
In 2006, I retired from teaching and became Emily Gallo when I married David, a professor of economics, and moved to Chico, CA to continue our journey. I started writing screenplays and television and moved into novels. David, Gracie (our Schillerhound), Savali (our cat) and I now divide our time between two and a half acres of gardens, orchards in Chico and a 750 square foot condo on the beach in Carpinteria, CA.
Connect with the author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheEmilyGallo
Amazon: Emily Gallo
Buy links: https://books2read.com/u/4NQBj8
Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading. Now I am asking you. 🙂
My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about “Murder at the Columbarium”? Or – if you did not yet read “Murder at the Columbarium” – are you now interested in reading it yourself?
I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂
My train of thoughts on... 
Sounds like my kind of book. Great review!
Thank you very much, Mark. It is an unusual book that I will certainly read again – not only due to the food-for-thought-factor.
Thanks Karen.
My pleasure, Rosie.
Great review as always. Wish I had more time to write, retirement is on the horizon…my day is coming! Take Care.
Thank you very much, Sandra.
More time to write – something I also need…
Take care.