Emperor Norton's Ghost

Rating:
Summary: Loose Strings
Review: Although I thoroughly enjoyed Miss Jones, the fast paced writing and historical details, I found too many loose strings that nagged at me after concluding this book! Why not use Frances' talent to diagnosis her father? Why not involve Jeremy McFadden in the illegal dealing of William Van Sant? Many concurrent plot lines were left surprisingly undeveloped. I only hope in the next novel some of these strings will be tied up!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing book!
Review: Emperor Norton's Ghost is the fourth book I read in the Fremont Jones series written by Dianne Day and I'm afraid to say I didn't care for this title too much. Compared to the first two books, The Strange Files of Fremont Jones and Fire and Fog, I found this mystery rather dull and almost boring. Even some of the more poignant scenes between Fremont and her aging father did little to pique my interest in this book and I really had to force myself to finish this title.

For those readers familiar with Dianne Day's books, please understand that Fremont is still as feisty as ever and still thwarting any marraige proposals from her lover Michael Kossof. And she most certainly will continue to endear herslf to you but the rest of the book falls short.

When a new friend enters Fremont's life and Fremont attends a seance with this woman, once again Fremont finds herself helping out another person. Fremont's friend Frances McFadden unfortunatly is tightly controlled by her domineering husband and seeks out a medium to add something to her otherwise stilted life. But when she and Fremont attend a seance and there are some bizarre happenings, Frances prevails upon Fremont to find out more about the evening and the other participants. Afraid for Frances' life, Fremont begins investigating the world of mediums and almost within two weeks two well known Bay area mediums are found dead. Now Fremont along with Michael and Wish, the friendly cop Fremont met in Fire and Fog, unearth a tale which includes empty graves, a rather shady character posing as a doctor and Wish's own mother who is almost as feisty as Fremont. But the most baffling plot of the book are instructions from Emperor Norton, the self proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Defender of Mexico, who died many years before.

Despite how I felt about this title, I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Death Train to Boston. Fremont Jones and the other characters found within these pages are much too unique to stop reading about without another chance.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing book!
Review: Emperor Norton's Ghost is the fourth book I read in the Fremont Jones series written by Dianne Day and I'm afraid to say I didn't care for this title too much. Compared to the first two books, The Strange Files of Fremont Jones and Fire and Fog, I found this mystery rather dull and almost boring. Even some of the more poignant scenes between Fremont and her aging father did little to pique my interest in this book and I really had to force myself to finish this title.

For those readers familiar with Dianne Day's books, please understand that Fremont is still as feisty as ever and still thwarting any marraige proposals from her lover Michael Kossof. And she most certainly will continue to endear herslf to you but the rest of the book falls short.

When a new friend enters Fremont's life and Fremont attends a seance with this woman, once again Fremont finds herself helping out another person. Fremont's friend Frances McFadden unfortunatly is tightly controlled by her domineering husband and seeks out a medium to add something to her otherwise stilted life. But when she and Fremont attend a seance and there are some bizarre happenings, Frances prevails upon Fremont to find out more about the evening and the other participants. Afraid for Frances' life, Fremont begins investigating the world of mediums and almost within two weeks two well known Bay area mediums are found dead. Now Fremont along with Michael and Wish, the friendly cop Fremont met in Fire and Fog, unearth a tale which includes empty graves, a rather shady character posing as a doctor and Wish's own mother who is almost as feisty as Fremont. But the most baffling plot of the book are instructions from Emperor Norton, the self proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Defender of Mexico, who died many years before.

Despite how I felt about this title, I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Death Train to Boston. Fremont Jones and the other characters found within these pages are much too unique to stop reading about without another chance.

Rating:
Summary: Fremont and Spiritualism
Review: Fremont and her partner in life and business, Michael Kossoff are now running an investigative business, J & K and sort of sharing a duplex with the office on the ground floor. Their former policeman friend Wish Stephenson is working for them. Fremont has made friend who doesn't care for her unusual lifestyle, Frances McFadden. Frances is an abused wife with an interest in Spiritualism. While at a seance with Fremont, she finds herself taken over by a spirit. The medium orders her out of the building, but later asks for a visit. Fremont and Frances arrive at her house to find her murdered and very recently. Fremont of course wants to investigate and to save her friend, but Michael counsels her to be cautious. In the midst of all this, Fremont's father is coming for a visit without his despised wife Augusta. Michael tactfully leaves town. Another medium is also murdered and Fremont wonders if it is a trend and if Frances' brutal husband is involve.

The two plotlines of this novel blend beautifully. The murder mystery was a little more difficult than most, maybe because I was distracted by Fremont's reunion with her father. This is the best of the series so far.

Rating:
Summary: Fremont and Spiritualism
Review: Fremont and her partner in life and business, Michael Kossoff are now running an investigative business, J & K and sort of sharing a duplex with the office on the ground floor. Their former policeman friend Wish Stephenson is working for them. Fremont has made friend who doesn't care for her unusual lifestyle, Frances McFadden. Frances is an abused wife with an interest in Spiritualism. While at a seance with Fremont, she finds herself taken over by a spirit. The medium orders her out of the building, but later asks for a visit. Fremont and Frances arrive at her house to find her murdered and very recently. Fremont of course wants to investigate and to save her friend, but Michael counsels her to be cautious. In the midst of all this, Fremont's father is coming for a visit without his despised wife Augusta. Michael tactfully leaves town. Another medium is also murdered and Fremont wonders if it is a trend and if Frances' brutal husband is involve.

The two plotlines of this novel blend beautifully. The murder mystery was a little more difficult than most, maybe because I was distracted by Fremont's reunion with her father. This is the best of the series so far.

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, but looking forward to the next one
Review: Having read all the books in this series, I will continue to do so but this one was a bit lacking. The characters are still intriguing but I think the relationship between Fremont and Michael needs to be finetuned. Fremont's reasons, or perhaps emotions, are not ringing true as to why she won't marry Michael. The plot revolves around seances and the spiritual world which were very important in that era and a wonderful foundation for a mystery. However, the details of the plot were loosely constructed and loosely solved. Michael's dealings with the spy world and Russia are mentioned and would be a great source for the next mystery embroiling Fremont and Michael together.

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I am not really a mystery fan but was attracted to this book by it's title. As an avid student of San Francisco history I expected I might enjoy it, if only to pick apart all the historical inaccuracies! Was I ever wrong! Dianne Day obviously has done her research as her version of pre-earthquake San Francisco is right on! Not only was it accurate but it actually makes the period come alive. She gets the big things right, and the little things as well. For those who love mysteries and San Francisco this book is a must read. I enjoyed seeing the world I had read about for so many years brought to life, and in such refreshing ways. I look forward to reading all of the Fremont Jones Mysteries!

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: I am not really a mystery fan but was attracted to this book by it's title. As an avid student of San Francisco history I expected I might enjoy it, if only to pick apart all the historical inaccuracies! Was I ever wrong! Dianne Day obviously has done her research as her version of pre-earthquake San Francisco is right on! Not only was it accurate but it actually makes the period come alive. She gets the big things right, and the little things as well. For those who love mysteries and San Francisco this book is a must read. I enjoyed seeing the world I had read about for so many years brought to life, and in such refreshing ways. I look forward to reading all of the Fremont Jones Mysteries!

Rating:
Summary: TERRIBLE
Review: I bought this book mainly for the title (I used to live in San Francisco). What a disappointment - it had no plot, the characters were uninteresting and undeveloped, and it just pointlessly went on and on and on... Needless to say, I'll never buy another Dianne Day book.

Rating:
Summary: Fremont Jones does it again
Review: I enjoy reading books in a series about mysteries, particularly if the protagonist is a character that appeals to me. So it is with Fremont Jones, the intrepid heroine from San Francisco in the time of the Great Quake. The stories are light and breezy, with enough mystery in them to hold my interest from beginning to end. They're fun to read, and don't involve a lot of effort. Good books to relax the mind with in between ones of more weight and importance.