Brought to you by OBS reviewer Daniele

Synopsis:

And the best performance as a skull goes to…

After years of hiding in the Thackery family house, Sid the skeleton is delighted to finally have his moment in the spotlight. He’s starring in a high school production of Hamlet. Well, not so much starring in as being a prop. At least part of him has a part—he’s using his head to play Yorick of “Alas, poor Yorick” fame. Every day, Georgia Thackery’s daughter, Madison, who’s also in the play, brings in his skull, and every night, she takes him home…

Until one night when he’s accidentally left at school—and hears the sounds of someone being murdered. But the next day, there’s no body and no one seems to be missing.

Sid is not a numbskull—he knows what he heard. Georgia thinks he imagined it—until a week later when a body is found. Now Georgia and Sid will both need to keep their heads as they stick their necks out and play sleuth to catch the conscience of a killer… (Goodreads)

Review:

Georgia, an adjunct college English teacher, and her teen daughter Madison are living in Georgia’s childhood home while her parents are out of the country on sabbatical.  This is a great opportunity because Georgia’s best friend since childhood, Sid, also lives in the house.  Interestingly enough, Sid is a skeleton and, for obvious reasons, cannot easily leave the house without drawing unwanted attention to himself.  When Madison is cast in her school’s production of Hamlet, she suggests Sid play the “part” of Yorick, and Sid sees this as a great chance to get out and about.  Since it will only be his skull attending rehearsals, it is important that Madison bring him home each night from school.  One afternoon she forgets, and Sid is stuck at school overnight.  While he is biding his time backstage, he overhears what sounds like an argument then someone being murdered.  Unfortunately, when Sid is retrieved the next day and tells his tale, there is no evidence that a crime has been committed in the auditorium and no one seems to be missing.

Sid is adamant about what he heard and tries to investigate from inside of Madison’s locker while school is in session.  Georgia takes over the school’s SAT prep course after the teacher is injured thinking it will give her the opportunity to look into things at the school and make sure Madison is safe.  However, she uncovers more than she bargained for…not only is there a murderer on the loose, but there is a test taking fraud ring.  Could these two be related?  The more she and Sid uncover the more danger she faces, and they know they are on the right track when someone tries to kill Georgia and someone else is kidnapped.  Can Sid save the day?

The Skeleton Takes a Bow is greatly entertaining and a fun read.  As with all paranormal cozies, the reader must suspend his sense of reality, but Sid is what makes the book (and series) so enjoyable.  One of my favorite parts is Sid’s constant efforts to keep the family dog from stealing one of his bones. I am sure that a skeleton’s bones are quite the temptation for Byron the dog.  Georgia and Madison, as well as the supporting characters including other faculty and Georgia’s sister, are well developed and realistically portrayed.  My only complaint, and a minor one, is that the story gets a little bogged down at times in repetitive chores, grading papers, and such.  This is the second book in the Family Skelton Mystery series, and though it is not necessary to have read the first book, I do suggest you do so as it gives Sid’s and Georgia’s back stories.

I highly recommend The Skeleton Takes a Bow to fans of cozies in general and especially those who enjoy light hearted paranormal mysteries.  I look forward to reading the next installment.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*