Just a Stale Mate by J. Ivanel Johnson

This delightful traditional mystery set in southwestern Ontario has just the right touch of coziness and humour with its community of quirky characters at a retreat. Set in the 1960s, Just a Stale Mate is a well-researched historical novel featuring the lingo and culture of the times. Accurate details bring forth nostalgia for those who lived it, and younger readers will appreciate the immersion into a different era.

Take a virtual escape to a spa that doubles as an addiction rehab facility and experience the beautiful scenery of rural Ontario. But, the charming setting contrasts with the crimes taking place there. It’s like a locked-room Agatha Christie novel, with a select group of suspects, and a puzzle to solve with references to Charles Dickens’ books as clues. 

Author J. Ivanel Johnson’s second book in the Just (e)State Mystery series presents a diverse set of characters dealing with various addictions. Their individual back stories and personal issues create a realistic depiction of the staff, clients, and officers at the retreat. Detective Steele solicits the help of his godmother, amateur sleuth Polly Jane, to solve a murder at the idyllic spa. One murder turns into more than one. Crimes are uncovered and secrets revealed, and the case comes to a satisfying conclusion. There’s a lot going on at Bayham Brook House Retreat.

If you like piecing together clues to solve a murder, settle in for the read and enjoy! This well-plotted mystery will set your own amateur sleuth juices flowing.