A Haunted Haven Mystery Book 4
Author: Carol J. Perry
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal
Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496743626
Kensington Cozies
240 Pages
$17.95; $9.99 Amazon
May 27, 2025
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When the body of "how-to" book writer Terry Holiday is found by Aster Paterson in her flower garden, the townspeople of Haven are shocked. But they're even more surprised when the beloved bookshop owner insists that the spirit of her late husband Peter led her to the grim discovery. Only Aster seems unsurprised -- she's been baking his favorite shortbread cookies every day, hoping to lure his ghost back home...
Even Maureen is a little skeptical -- until Peter's ghost appears in the bookshop window for all to see. Haven's hard-headed realist cop Frank Hubbard is determined to unveil whatever trickery led to the apparition, as he suspects the answer to who killed Terry Holiday may be connected to the illusion.
If Maureen's learned anything since she moved from New England and inherited her haunted inn, it's that 1) ghosts are real (at least some of them), and 2) so are murderers. She doesn't need a how-to manual to solve a murder; she's done it before. But with suspects ranging from a mystery writers group to a ghostwriter who just checked in at the inn, she will need a little help from her spirited sleuths...
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Maureen inherited her Florida (haunted) inn from a woman named Penelope, someone she'd never met. Now settled in with the crew who came with the inn, she's more than involved with Ted, the head chef. The two are moving forward with their romance, which is pleasing her other employees.
She's also looking for ways to make the inn more profitable, as she's barely making ends meet right now. While visiting her friend Aster, who owns the local bookshop, she sees that a group of mystery writers are meeting and she finds their remarks about an author who writers 'how-to' books are not flattering. Curious, she purchases his latest book and sees that it is certainly useful, and learns that this particular book was more than likely written by a ghostwriter. But when the author, Terry Holiday, is supposed to arrive for a signing at the bookshop, he never shows up.
Later, Aster finds his body in the flower garden behind her shop, and tells everyone that the ghost of her husband Peter told her it was there. Detective Frank Hubbard thinks Peter's appearance is a trick, and now Aster is a suspect, along with everyone who knew Terry. With the bookshop a crime scene, Aster moves to the hotel with her cat, Earl Gardner...and the spirit of Peter, supposedly. The writers' group is now meeting at the inn, and a couple of other guests show up, along with a man who claims to be a ghostwriter, but is charming everyone around him.
With a murderer on the loose, people are cancelling reservations. No one knows who to trust, and even Frank is asking Maureen for help on this case. What is going on? Can she solve a crime while still trying to find time to spend with Ted? It seems as if she'll need the help of her ghostly roommate Lorna, and Lorna's beau, a late Scotland Yard detective named Reggie. But how will she explain it all to Frank, who doesn't believe in ghosts?...
This is the fourth book in the series and I have read them all. I have also loved them all. To tell the truth, I do love books with 'friendly' spirits, and especially learning about their backgrounds as well. I love the relationship between them and Maureen, and it adds to the attraction of the book. Along with her dog, Finn, who has a lively time with the ghosts as well.
Maureen's efforts are not unrewarded, but she has a lot of people to sift through -- the guests at the hotel, and the writers' group -- she refuses to believe that gentle Aster could be a murderer, even if Frank isn't quite convinced. The clues that she finds are intriguing, and it isn't easy deciphering them, but I love a challenge.
I will not give anything else away, and hope that I didn't give too much (basically, I expanded on what the blurb states, so there's that), but I will say that the ending left me as stunned as it did Maureen. I was hoping for a different outcome, but murderers have their own ideas, and it's never reasonable nor logical. It was a tad humorous, though. I look forward to the next in the series and highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Carol J. Perry's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/carol-j-perry/