Title: Haunted Homicide
Series: A Haunted Mansion Mystery #1
Author: Lucy Ness
Publisher: Berkley
Format: Paperback, 304 pages, was given a netgalley ebook, bought the paperback
Published: Sept. 29, 2020
Setting: Portage Path, Ohio
Read An Excerpt: here
The minute Avery Morgan stepped foot in the historic mansion, home of the Portage Path Woman’s Club, she knew there were issues.
Gone were the members who hosted tea parties, worked on their needlework, discussed politics and history. Besides the dwindling membership was the challenge of restoring the Marigold Room after a fire.
Before she even unpacked, Jack Harkness, the restorationist, arrived to determine the damages and offer an estimate. Then she meets Quentin Cruze, the chef, and Geneva, the waitress, who have very little to do and both dislike working with Muriel, the club president. She was always trying to cut corners and that makes it difficult for the chef. Then there’s the constant threat that Quentin and Geneva will be fired just like Bill, the maintenance man.
Avery steps right into the role of the club’s business manager by attending a chamber of commerce meeting in hopes of promoting the club. When she returns from the grocery store and arrives back at the club (where she lives) she sees that her room has been searched and is a mess. Next thing she knows the lights go out. While searching for a fuse box in the basement, she stumbles on Muriel’s body. If that isn’t enough to deal with, she comes face to face with the ghost of a young woman. At first Avery doesn’t believe the young woman is a ghost, even though her aunt is a Lily Dale medium.
The police are notified and the investigation begins. She hasn’t even gotten over the shock of finding Muriel and trying to figure out the strange appearances and disappearances of the young woman in the basement when she’s asked by the board to help figure out who killed Muriel. Avery intuitively begins to take a closer look at the women she’s working for. She notices bruises on Patricia, for one. Then there’s the quick transition electing Agnes as the next club president. Muriel wasn’t even buried yet. One asks if Muriel’s death was motivated by everyone wanting Agnes as president. That’s what Avery has to figure out.
It will take Avery’s quick thinking, her ghostly side-kick, and a little assistance from Sergeant Alterman and Jack to solve this case.
I loved this mystery before I even read it. I admit it, the book cover is the first thing that draws me in and if a ghost is a character, that’s an added plus. If she’s a flapper, I’m sold three times. This mystery was filled with characters with personality, lots of secrets, a possible relationship, and a lot of twists and turns. I did think electing Agnes so quickly was uncaring of the club members. She might have been a difficult person to deal with, but you can wait until she’s buried. Loved the interaction between Avery and the ghost. I do hope more of her background is shared and that she can interact with the Sergeant, as well. It would be interesting to see the club come to life when everyone leaves. There is such a powerful energy with that type of venue.
four bottles of gin out of five
Denise Fleischer
gottawritenetwork.wordpress.com
Nov. 14, 2020
–E-mail me at Netera@aol.com if you’d like me to review your book. Very interested in reading now: Christmas romance, cozy mysteries, books with animals. Publishers e-mail me press releases and book review requests.