Bellweather Rhapsody (Racculia)

Book Reviews
(Starred review.) [A] rich brew of a novel.... In 1982, in Clinton’s Kill, N.Y., a new bride murdered her husband, then killed herself [at] the Bellweather Hotel. In 1997, high school drama queen Alice Hatmaker checks into the same room to perform at the statewide music festival.... Racculia thus sets the stage for a novel of dueling wills, marked by textured characterization and an ebullient storytelling style.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.) Part ghost story, part mystery, part coming-of-age tale, and part love sonnet to music, Racculia's second nove is dark and delightful, with memorable characters inspired by both literature and pop culture. It will grab readers and keep them with multilayered plotting and writing that ranges from humorous to poetic. —Nancy H. Fontaine, Norwich P.L., VT
Library Journal


Before you can say “plot point,” Viola’s daughter, Jill, has vanished—after apparently committing suicide (it’s complicated). Whodunit? ... That most of the characters have secrets adds a layer of intrigue to a musical mystery that strikes nary a false note. Encore, encore
Booklist


(Starred review.) Racculia delivers an experience worth rhapsodizing about as a group of teenagers and their adult chaperones descend upon a hotel in the Catskills for a statewide music festival.... [A]ngst-ridden teens and adults, all with hidden secrets, are swept up in a crescendo of memories and emotions. Racculia's droll wit and keen understanding of human nature propel a story that's rich in distinctive characters and wholly engaging. A gem.
Kirkus Reviews