supernatural, family-dynamics, ghosts, private-investigators, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, snarky

Alison can't get rid of her visiting ex husband, Maxie wants to know who killed her sort of ex husband, and Paul needs to know what has happened to the woman he loved. But everything goes sideways and twisty. Still a fun book.
Amanda Ronconi continues to be excellent as narrator! ( )

I'm saying this is a nice series, the characters with the exception of Maxie (the ghost) are all rather likable....

Alison runs a guesthouse on the South New Jersey Shore (which now has an address)... She has booked her 2nd group of Senior Ghost Tour guests when her ex husband shows up, having left California and his 2nd wife & child. While trying to worm his way back into Allison's life via their daughter.

While in the midst of converting the attic into a bedroom for her daughter & Maxie, they come across news of a body discovered under the boardwalk, which is attributed to Maxie's short-term husband biker, Big Bob..... At the same time, ghost Paul, has hired Allison to find out whatever happened to his soon to be fiancee, in order to make closure.

Soon another biker, Luther shows up and hires Allison to look into the murder of Big Bob, and the chase begins as do the anonymous threats. While searching for clues, Allison discovers that another biker went missing on the same night that Big Bob was murdered and that it all ties in to a drug deal gone bad. ( )

Read/Listened for Fun (Kindle/Audible)
Overall Rating: 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 4.50 (Not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: An Uninvited Ghost by E.J. Copperman was a fun entry into the series. The characters are just fantastic!

Story Thoughts: Oh My! What do you do when you turn your house into a B&B and then someone ends up dead? Well if you are Alison you try not to investigate but with pesky ghosts bugging you too, you end up doing it anyway! The mystery was fun in An Uninvited Ghost. You could mostly tell who was responsible about half way though but watching the story play out was still entertaining. One of the things I love about this series is the police are involved. Alison does work with them and even tries to stay out of the way. Things never quite go that well for her but at least she tries. I think most cozy mystery lovers will like the mystery and how it plays out!

Character Thoughts: Let's talk ghosts! I don't think there is a better duo of ghosts than Paul and Maxie. They both bring such life to the series. Neither has been dead very long so you get some "growing" pains and adjustments that just make you laugh (and sometimes tear up). Ali is a kick butt leading lady. She is a single mother to a very smart kid and has a mother that is supportive (and yet a little off). Of course, all 3 can see ghosts so that plays into their personalities as well. The "Off The Shore" cast that was in this book was hilarious and the "Old Folks Vacationers" were delight too. EJ Cooperman just writes good characters!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi /Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

I almost sound like a broken record where Amanda's narration is concerned but I have never heard her do a bad job--EVER! Seriously she just does quirky better than anyone. She has great pacing and just the right amount of "snark" in her voice. I adore her narration.

Final Thoughts: I am off to get the 3rd book in the series :) ( )

another fun entry in the series ( )

Originally posted on my blog: The Bibliophile's Corner

Old Haunts was such a quick, fun, and interesting read. I love cozies and this one did not disappoint. When Alison’s ex-husband shows up, not only does Alison have to manage to keep her cool, but she also has to attend to two jobs as a PI. Alison is just as sarcastic, witty, and loving in this book as she is in the first two. She is a perfect cozy heroine. And her daughter is still such an amazing and mature ten-year old, that is makes my heart happy.

I have to say, Maxie and Paul were making me really sad in this book. I mean there were no tears or anything, but I can’t imagine being…well, a spirit…and not being able to connect with lost loved ones. And poor Paul! There is this whole episode where his “gravitational pull” is all kinds of out of whack and he’s stuck upside down. It was really bizarre. And Maxie. Whew, talk about some serious angst. She has always been a rather “in your face” character and is always at odds with Alison, but this book put her in a whole new level of angst.

The guesthouse characters in this book were not quite as memorable in the previous book, but they were still fun. Lucy was the most memorable because she was the only one, aside from The Swine, who was not part of the Senior 50 group that goes to the house for a “haunted experience.” And the little old folks crack me up, I have to say. Especially Don. He always had a smile on his face and I’m pretty sure always had a beer in one hand.

In terms of how Maxie and Paul’s cases wrapped up, wow. Maxie/Luther’s(the biker who hired Alison to work the case, not knowing that Maxie already hired her) case was crazy! I did not see the ending coming. I take that back, I saw part of the ending, but not the other part. And Paul’s case with Julia. Talk about heartbreak. I really didn’t see that one coming.

Overall, Old Haunts was a worthy addition to the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery series. I can’t wait for the next one! I hope E.J. is jumpin’ on that one soon! ( )