The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion
is the fifth book in the Haunted Bookshop series featuring bookstore-owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and dead-1940s private investigator Jack Shepard. The premise of the novel, I will admit, scared me a little because it concerns Penelope's friend Seymour, who goes so far as to hire some paranormal specialists to exorcise Jack from their quaint little town of Quindicott! Until recently, The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion
was the last book in this series with no releases in 2010, but word on the street is that author Kimberly (AKA Cleo Coyle
among other pseudonyms) will now be releasing The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller sometime in 2011, continuing the series. Hallelujah!Anyway, to get back to the plot summary, Seymour had been suspected of murdering an old woman friend of his in her mansion, which leaves Seymour the heir of not only her ancient book collection, but the mansion itself as well.
As these cozies go, sexy, ghosty Jack Shepard helps Penelope solve the mystery and uncover the murderer's true identity as they romp around town together. Readers are also once again drawn into that magical fantasy-land that Penelope herself visits in her dreams, when she is able to "travel" back in time to the 1940s to accompany Jack on another crime-solving adventure, which somehow always ties in to the present.
This series is always so much fun on so many levels with its paranormal aspect, Jack's 1940s hip and cool-cat lingo, the sexual tension present between ghost and human, and of course the eccentric and original characters themselves which we have already grown to love as this is book number five. Alice Kimberly
always weaves a great mystery because she keeps us guessing until the end. Not to mention I was SOOOO happy to see that Jack Shepard does not leave us, which would in all probability end this amazing series.The Haunted Bookshop series begins with The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
and follows with The Ghost and the Dead Deb
. Once again, be sure to look out for book number six, entitled The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller, due to release sometime next year in 2011.
Other reviews on books in the Haunted Bookshop series by Alice Kimberly:
The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library
The Ghost and the Femme Fatale
Haha! Alice Kimberly/Cleo Coyle's hilarious facebook response to my review:
ReplyDeleteSarah Ann - LOVE the review. Thank you! Wait. Jack's in my ear. What's that, Jack? He's telling me to type: "You're a doll, baby. And as for that next case of mine, don't get your panties in a twist. It's comin'." (Sarah Ann -- My apologies for Jack's turn of phrase. As far as I know, your panties have nothing to do with my writing schedule.)