Rose Pressey

Cookie Chanel loves vintage clothing. She owns a vintage clothing shop, It's Vintage Y'all, in Sugar Creek, GA. There is only one problem with her enjoyment of past fashion. Sometimes those who owned the outfits don't move on after death. Cookie sees dead people....and most of the time, they want her to investigate how they died. In fact, her friend Charlotte Meadows is dead. Cookie is the only one who can see and hear her. She helped Charlotte discover who murdered her. Now the ghost hangs show more around to give fashion advice and help Cookie on cases.

A Passion for Haunted Fashion is the sixth book in the Haunted Vintage Mystery series. This time around, Cookie is helping out with costumes for a production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the local Sugar Creek Theater. Rumor has it the theater is haunted. It doesn't take Cookie long to see the resident ghost. Peggy Page died in the 1950s, but doesn't remember anything. She wants help to remember why she is stuck in the theater as a ghost. Just as Cookie agrees to help the ghost, there is a commotion in the theater. Her best friend, Heather, is found standing above an actor who is crumpled on the floor. The blood on her hands must be from the huge, gaping stab wound in Morris Palmer's chest. He's dead. So not only is she going to have to help a ghost, but she needs to keep her best friend out of jail on murder charges.

I enjoy this series. The vintage clothing theme is cute and entertaining, but doesn't overpower the mystery in each book. I like Cookie as a main character. She is exasperated by the ghosts she sees, but always willing to help them in the end. I like the fact she can communicate with her deceased grandmother via her white cat, Wind Song. I have two white cats so I'm a bit biased in any white cat's favor. This book is a great addition to the series. There is a nice balance of silliness and real investigation. I liked the fact that there were two mysteries going at once. It definitely kept Cookie busy! The mystery moved along at a nice pace with plenty of suspects and surprises. The backdrop of a theater worked perfectly because, as everyone knows, all theaters are haunted. :) The cover for this latest book is incredi-cute as usual.

Rose Pressey is also the author of the Halloween LaVeau and the Mystic Cafe series.

**I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. No ghosts were harmed in the writing of this review.** show less

Marci Beaucoup lives in Paris - just not the Paris you're thinking of. Paris, Kentucky, Marci's hometown, is a small, peaceful community with all the usual suspects: the town gossip, sassy older women, and elderly men you can set your watch to. But that all changes when Marci finds a dead body in front of her French bakery. As the town starts to talk, Marci realizes her business may be in danger and there's only one thing to do...find out who in the town is a murderer.

This was my first "cozy show more mystery" and it was a pleasant departure from the suspenseful, violent thrillers/whodunnits that dominate the genre. Betancourt's characters are sweet, smart, and reminiscent of small town America. If you've lived in a small town, you'll feel right at home with this novel. Are some elements of the story unrealistic? Sure. Are some characters a little "extra"? Of course. But that is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to pick up this story. Despite the nefarious topic of the book, Macarons Can Be Murder escapes from graphic scenes of either violence or intimacy and can be seen as a palate-cleanser for readers searching for a lighthearted, easy read.

My experience with this story came in the form of an audiobook, narrated by Nan McNamara. I felt it quite easy and enjoyable to listen to McNamara's interpretation of Betancourt's work. Through the story, I found myself utilizing not only physical written descriptions but also McNamara's audio to determine my visual of what the characters looked and acted like. I fully enjoyed this audiobook and would be interested in listening to more from both McNamara and Betancourt. show less

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal by Rose Pressey takes us back to Sugar Creek, Georgia. Cookie Chanel owns It’s Vintage, Y’All and has been hired by Tyler Fields, a photographer, to style models for a fashion shoot for the Halloween issue of Fashion & Style magazine. The shoot is taking place at a local cemetery where Tyler has been snappish all day and Cookie saw him get into an argument with a man who has been lingering in the background all day. Cookie is surprised when a ghost show more dressed in fashions from the 1920s appears next to her and her ghostly friend, Charlotte. Minnie Lynn is wearing the pearls that Cookie recently acquired at an estate sale. Before she can react to the spirit, a shot rings out which sends Cookie running towards the sound. A model runs past her stating the photographer is dead. Cookie finds Tyler lying next to a headstone and he has taken his last shot. Detective Dylan Valentine, Cookie’s boyfriend, arrives on the scene and Cookie fills him in on all the details. Dylan, thankfully, knows better than to warn Cookie not to delve into the case. Cookie is back at her shop when her friend Heather pops in. To their surprise, Heather can now see Charlotte and Minnie. Cookie’s first order of business is identifying the man that Tyler was arguing with at the cemetery. Krissy Dustin, one of the models from the shoot, is a talkative woman and provides a suspect in Tyler’s possessive ex-girlfriend. Cookie goes back to examine the crime scene in more detail and a helpful cat leads her to a clue. Cookie soon discovers that the cat is no ordinary feline. Cookie, with the help of her spirit friends, Grandma Pearl (aka Wind Song) and her new feline companion, sets out to dig up Tyler’s killer.

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal is an entertaining and lighthearted cozy mystery. Cookie Chanel is a quirky young woman who dresses in vintage fashions plus drives a beautiful classic car. Her best friend, Heather Sweet, owns Magic Emporium which has helpful books for Cookie plus a Ouija board when Grandma Pearl needs to converse. Minnie Lynn was a fun addition to the book. The witty repartee between Minnie and Charlotte will have you in stitches. The way Cookie walks around town talking to the ghosts, I am surprised the whole town is not aware that she can see and talk with spirits. I like that Dylan is now aware of Cookie’s secret. Dylan Valentine is a good man and the perfect suitor for Cookie. He understands her and accepts her (does not want to change her). I like that nothing seems to phase Dylan. The mystery is straightforward and is a cinch to solve. Cookie goes around asking questions, listening in on conversations, and does a little catfishing to garner information. The ending is romantic and heartwarming (readers will love it). It was the perfect ending for Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal. Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal is the seventh book in A Haunted Vintage Mystery and it can be read alone. Rose Pressey has an engaging, casual writing style which makes her stories a pleasure to read. Her characters are likeable, and the setting is charming. The town is filled with friendly residents who understand and accept Cookie’s quirks. I am giving Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). If you wish to read a lively and humorous cozy mystery, then look no further than Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal. show less

I have read a number of Rose Pressey's books. I think Haunted Fixer-Upper may be her best work yet. This is the second book in the series. You do not need to read the first one to enjoy this one but you may want to just for the laughs.
Alabama Hargrove is back. This time she is down in Georgia meeting her boyfriends family. While on the way to his daddy's house Alabama spots a house that just needs her touch. It is haunted of course. When Bama goes to meet with the owner she sees her show more boyfriend standing over the dead body with a hammer in his hand! Even though she does not tell the anyone about the hammer, Reed is under suspicion. Bama's best friend and momma come down to help out. If you read the first book then you know Momma Hargrove is a hoot. Even though she does not bring down the gold jumpsuits she stills lights up the page. I love Momma Hargrove. The conversations between her and Bama are always good for a laugh but also for demonstrating the loving relationship they have. Bama sees a man in the woods watching her. The workman Reed hired had a fight with the dead man the day before he died. A woman is following her around. Then Bama cannot get a hold of the three people she loves.
It is a fast, fun read. There is no language or hot sex scenes in the book so it is perfect for YA or those adults who would rather not read that in the books they choose. show less