Nightmares Can be Murder: A Dream Club Mystery

By: Mary Kennedy
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 2014
ISBN: 978-0425268056
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: January 6, 2016

Taylor Blake, on temporary leave from her busy life in Chicago, was visiting her sister, Ali, in Savannah. The leisurely pace of the South was the perfect place to set up a vintage candy store and Ali had done just that. “Oldies But Goodies” just might be a job that could help her settle down for once. Allison was a dreamer in more ways than one and needed something solid in her life. Ali was into dreams ‘n dreaming and in fact had founded the Dream Club. Dream interpretation, dream-hoping, prophecy, with a dollop of prophecy was right up her alley. Taylor didn’t take much stock in anything New Age and was “inclined to think it’s a bunch of hooey.”

Ali wasn’t the only one into dreams and in fact her Dream Club was quite popular. Taylor may have had a “BS register” when it came to dreams, but even the well-respected Harper sisters, Minerva and Rose, were members. “It was all about murder,” Persia began explaining her recent dream at a meeting, “right here in Savannah.” Dorien, Lucinda, Sybil, and Samantha were all ears. If Persia’s dream was a prophetic one, Sam Stiles, a rookie detective would certainly want in on the case. What better way to pick up clues than in a collective like the Dream Club? Of course it was only a dream, or was it?

It wasn’t long before Taylor just might have to suspend her disbelief in the Dream Club. “I think he’s dead,” Gina spouted out after hammering on their door. It looked like Chico Hernandez, dance instructor not-so-extraordinaire, had danced his last and was deader than disco. Chico was quite the man about town and had tangoed with more than one of the Dream Club members. In fact, three of them had been to visit the infamous Latin lover at the studio that night, including Ali. Sam Stiles, who had a “dual role as an investigating detective and Dream Club member” was on the case. It looked like there would be plenty of secrets...and lies...surrounding Mr. Hernandez.

Even Councilman Thomas Walton, who was running for the Senate, seemed to have his fingers in the proverbial pie. Taylor’s interest peaked in the case when Noah Chandler, her ex, showed up in Savannah. A former FBI man, turned PI, was just what this case needed. Of course the Dream Club was certainly pulling out all the stops to find out who did in Chico. The fact that Ali was hiding the truth was one little “lie that was coming back to haunt her.” Did Taylor’s very own little sister slip some potassium cyanide into Chico’s drink? Were the Dream Club members as innocent as they looked?

I had so much fun reading the second in this series, Dream a Little Scream, I thought I’d backtrack and read the first one in the series. This is going to be a fun series, especially for the New Age crowd. The concept of having a Dream Club dream their way through a whodunit, is a fabulously interesting idea for a series. Taylor Blake, who doesn’t think much of the Dream Club initially, was a totally likeable female detective. I definitely like all of the characters, who are the focus of the book right along with the most unusual Dream Club. The scene is certainly set for the series, including a love interest for Taylor. The dream team, Taylor and Noah, are a steady duo that will hold together the New Age club.

Quill says: A lighthearted, fun series, that cozy fans will love.