Emily Castles was a young woman who lived in London, and came across a unique job opportunity after spending a couple of boring weeks on a temporary assignment.

The Royal Society of the Exploration of Science and Culture was looking for someone in the role of future crimes investigator. Because Emily's friend and neighbor, Dr. Muriel Crowther, was a member of the society, she agreed to go to the Belief and Beyond conference in the beautiful seaside town of Torquay, England for the weekend.

One of the members had a premonition that someone was going to die by drowning in Torquay sometime that weekend. She didn’t know who, but had a picture of a glossy poster that hinted to who it might be – a man who was offering a large amount of money to anyone who could prove paranormal activities did exist.

Emily’s intent was to investigate and write a report about what she found. Tired and broke, and looking for a quiet peaceful weekend working in her garden, the offer of five hundred pounds plus expenses, and the opportunity to spend time with her friend, convinced her to go. What she found instead was a killer on the loose.

Beyond Belief, an Emily Castles Mystery, was the fourth book in Helen Smith’s unique series. The British novelist lives in London, and has written several other novels as well.

Beyond Belief was an interesting and unusual mystery with quirky characters and a somewhat complicated plot. There were so many characters that it was sometimes difficult to follow the story line. The amount of humor was a surprise, but added to the fun of the characters, the setting, and the story line.

The twists and turns throughout the novel eventually led to an unexpected conclusion. The reveal was a surprise, both to the characters and to this reader.

If you enjoy paranormal activities such as psychics, hypnotists, and mediums, you will enjoy this novel. While these stories aren’t for everyone, I believe those who are following the author and the series are enjoying the ride.

By the way, I conducted a search for Torquay, England and the images are of a beautiful seaside town; the pictures are well worth checking out as it does add to the story, especially the ending.

A special thank you goes to Thomas & Mercer for providing us with a complimentary copy of this novel.

If you are interested in purchasing any of Helen Smith’s books, they are available at Amazon.com.