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Elements of Mystery takes chemistry to a new level in the ongoing series of mystery novels by author Terri Talley Venters.

 

Bone Series Books

Cozy Murder Mysteries by Leslie S. Talley (Terri's Mother)

Characters

Make Old Bones

Clarice Campion
Wife, mother of twin Florida Gators (Kitty and Pat), innkeeper and tour guide of Belgrath House, Old Daytona, Florida. She’s not exactly nosy—just inquisitive. Since the skeleton of a young girl who disappeared almost forty years ago is found in the disused dumbwaiter of Belgrath, she feels justified in searching for answers. As a former nurse she also has license to be a busybody.

Letitia Lorraine (Miss Letty)
Ninety-year-old former star of the Silver Screen, she assists Clarice in her search to solve a decades old mystery especially as she is a former owner of the house.

Otis Campion
Husband of Clarice and a retired engineer, he serves as caretaker and handyman of the house. Endlessly curious, he still deplores Clarice and Letty’s snooping. He’s a native Floridian who can enter the house and say, “’Cane’s coming!” before the meteorologists have an inkling.

Connie Kittredge
Fifteen years old at the time of her disappearance. A sneaky child, she liked to suss out people’s secrets and hug them to herself.

Abigail Kittredge
Connie's mother and society leader, she taxes Clarice with keeping an eye on “Constance’s unsuitable playmates.”

Michael Roberts, Jennifer Prather Roberts, Rebecca Tyson, Harvey Preston, Donald Campbel
They are all former classmates of Connie. They, along with some spouses, will attend the reunion to be held at Belgrath House. All are successful people.

Miss Virginia Adler
Retired now, she taught this group from junior high to graduation. What secret of Connie’s did she know?

Pell Mell
An injured pelican rescued and nurtured by Otis, he plays a pivotal role during Hurricane Aphrodite.

 

Bred in the Bone

Clarice, Otis and Miss Letty transplant to St. Augustine, Florida, where they serve as exchange innkeepers at Castle Keep.

Alfred Jenkins
A homeless man, he falls down the circular stairs at Castle Keep, igniting a fire from his lantern. 

Gina Jenkins
Alfred's daughter lives in a homeless cardboard town along with her five-year-old daughter 

Johnnie and John Wallace
Ninety and seventy years old, they are father and son mural artists. Johnnie, Sr., is smitten with Miss Letty. They assist Clarice and Miss Letty with their investigations. They have a secret of their own.

Melva
Tram car operator, her knowledge of St. Augustine is better than her driving.

Gayle Taylor
A psychic, she turns Clarice and Miss Letty out of her home when she knows where they are staying. She relents later and holds a séance at Castle Keep. 

Brandy
A Flagler College student, she helps out at Castle Keep.

Basil
English and another Flagler student, he works as a gardener at Castle Keep and is Brandy’s boyfriend.

Ernest Beasley
Henpecked next-door neighbor, he participates in the séance.

Guests at Castle Keep
The Donner Party (a wedding), Mrs. Hansen and Mrs. Crosby, The Worthings along with son, Beddington.

Beddington
An obnoxious twelve-year-old, Miss Letty induces him to help snoop. Later he distinguishes himself at the séance by going into a trance and solving a decades old mystery.

Jessie
An African-American, Flagler College journalism major, she keeps popping up, way too interested in the happenings surrounding Clarice and Miss Letty.

Historical Figures
Ainslie, shipwreck victim; Moray Aubuchon, lighthouse keeper and rescuer of Ainslie; the Halburtons who owned the house originally on the site of Castle Keep; Lord and Lady Devizes whose hatred for each other led them to divide the house down the middle; and their daughter, Cassiopeia.

Dickens
The aptly named Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. His owners, the Morecambs, left him behind when they exchanged B&B's with Otis and Clarice. 

Fat Cat
Otis and Clarice’s cat, who tames Dickens.

 

The Closer the Bone

Clarice, Otis, Miss Letty and Sophie
act as exchange innkeepers at Flanagan's Guest House in Bray, County Wicklow, in Ireland. 

Kathleen
Niece of owner, Fergus Flanagan, works at the guest house and attends school part time.

The Quinns
Next door neighbors, Sally and her son, Seamus, have an ongoing feud with the neighbors on the other side of the Flanagan's.

The Donovans
Maggie and her abused, elderly husband.

Lila Palfry
A former boarder at Quinn's. There's something secretive about her. 

Winter Boarders
Liam and Dolly Kilcarney from County Donegal. The Carrew sisters, Caithness and Valencia, from Athlone; Mrs. Hastings and daughter, Emmaline, from Reading, England. 

Inspector Malachi Swaney
Of the Gardai and is a hidebound male chauvinist pig!

Garda Bridget Donnelly
Clarice talks to her to circumvent Swaney.

TD Kenelm Doyle
Techta Dale for Bray. 

Faye and Adriane
Both girls disappeared years ago.

Mother Superior
Nun in charge of Little Sisters of the Needy.

Mr. Garrity
Kathleen's father and a tinker on Beara Peninsula. He has no use for Fergus.

May Brody
Housekeeper to the Carrew sisters in Athlone. 

Father Colin
Vicar of St. Brigid's in Dublin, Church of Ireland. 

Mrs. Dauntry
Housekeeper to Father Colin. She harbors a secret.

Jamie Cowan
A tabloid reporter who uncovers quite a story! 

The Bonnie, Bonnie Bone

Clarice, Otis, Miss Letty and Sophie
are in Scotland hosting a B&B at Castle Skeldon.

Kitty and Pat
Clarice and Otis's twins are having a semester of college abroad at Edinburgh University.

Randall Mcnab
The last hereditary Earl of Skeldon who has fallen on hard times and forced to sell his castle to an American.

The Dowager Countess
The Earl's mother. She has an accent, not Scottish.

Heather
She works at the castle and gathers news for her Gran. 

Megan Kilgore
Heather's gran who disseminates the news.

Chief Inspector Shaw
Polite inspector who doesn't bark at Clarice.

Corey Malkin
The caretaker at the Manor house.

Tavish McNab
Earl's nephew and activist.

Dr. Sean McIerny
An Anthropologist. 

Finella David
Principal of Killnish School where Sophie will attend.

The American B&Bers
Mr. and Mrs. McCullough; Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton; and Mr. and Mrs. Irvine assist in sleuthing.

Gavin Kemp
The Pastor of three parishes.

Dr. Duncan Nevin
University professor from Glasgo and Tavish's former teacher. 

Annis Skye McNab
The Earl's sister and Tavish's mother who has been institutionalized for decades. 

Carbon Copy’s plot had me completely intrigued. I recommend this one for fans of fast-paced romantic suspense.

-Molly

Terri Talley Venters is the Queen of the Elements! Long Live the Queen!

-Cassie

Terri Talley Venters’ debut novel rocked! I loved it! Not all debut novels are written with such skilled talent, but Ms. Venters has done!

-Tiffany