Last Case at a Baggage Auction by Eric J. Guignard is an eerie tale about two men that can’t resist the call of bidding on forgotten or lost luggage. But what they find in the cases isn’t always what they had been hoping for…
Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on Last Case at a Baggage Auction by Eric J. Guignard
First things first, that cover rules! That table has such a spooky look to it with the wood panel at the bottom. I also love the overall coloring of the background and how well the text pops!
This story was character driven and centered around something that was found in one of the cases that was won at a baggage auction.
Speaking of, I gotta say that I had never heard of a baggage auction before. What an idea! I’ve heard of something similar that people do when storage rentals go unpaid and unclaimed. For some reason the thought of a baggage auction feels much much more personal, but much more spooky at the same time to me. Just thinking about what someone may have accidentally left behind…
This short book hooked me immediately and it just pulled me in deeper and deeper as I got further into the story. It was a book that I found myself doing what my husband absolutely hates- walking around while reading and not paying attention to where I’m going! I just couldn’t stop reading!
One of my favorite elements of Mr. Guignard’s writing style is how he describes the setting. In this book, he does it in a way that gives the reader just enough to start the outline of the room, but also leaves some of it up to the reader to fill in the finer details. There were so many scenes that I began reading and immediately found that I had mapped it all out in my head. For example, the main characters apartment, that first description was perfect.
The main character wasn’t super lovable for me personally, as I wanted to reach through my kindle screen to smack him upside the head numerous times for being silly! However, he was wicked intriguing and I couldn’t help but root for him! When I hit the end of the book, I realized that I would have happily read much more about what happened next. But I’m also totally satisfied where the book ended as it again, lets the reader fill in some of the blanks.
I don’t want to speak too much on the plot, as I think you should go into this one as dark as you can. So I’ll just say that it is one that will certainly stick in my mind for a long time with how creepy it was!
One more note- I thought that the illustrations created by Steve Lines that were scattered throughout were wonderful! I’m definitely going to need to snag this in print to see them on paper!
My Favorite Passages from Last Case at a Baggage Auction
1963 was half over and I felt old and slow, as if the year sped past, shooting clouds of dust at me as it blew by.
His apartment was about ten rooms down from the elevator bank. I had walked the distance a thousand times before, but never before with this sense of dread. Every footfall moved in slow motion, and the distance seemed to triple.
My Final Thoughts on Last Case at a Baggage Auction
A must read for fans of lighter horror mixed with elements of mystery and the paranormal.
I had so much fun reading this and cannot wait to return to it again soon! This is another tale that is just screaming for an adaptation!
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Thanks for reading!
What was the last book you read that totally gripped you?
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This sounds like a good one, and spooky too! LOVE the cover as well.
-Lauren