Ghost à la Mode

First Line: "Mom went to a séance last night."

It's not been a good year for 44-year-old Emma Whitecastle. Her television celebrity jerk of a husband decided to trade her in for a newer model who's more compliant about plastic surgery, and now he's dragging out the divorce. Her beloved Aunt Kitty has died. To top it all off, Emma goes to a séance as a favor to her friend, and the psychic insists that there's a spirit trying to get in touch with her. Come to find out, the psychic is right. You see, Emma discovers that she can see and hear spirits, and Granny Apples is demanding her help.

Tiny Granny Apples is the ghost of 42-year-old Ish Reynolds, Emma's great-great-great-grandmother, and the woman was hung because she was believed to be show more the murderer of her husband. Granny Apples emphatically proclaims her innocence and insists that Emma help her. Once Emma decides that she hasn't lost her last marble, she finds herself packing her bags and going to Julian, California-- a small town that came to being during the Gold Rush and the home of Granny Apples. It doesn't take her long to stir up the natives-- both living and dead.

It was refreshing to read a book about a woman in her forties who's intelligent, funny, and full of common sense. Not only that, but she's surrounded by a loving family and close friends. Even though she's going through a nasty divorce and not at all sure about the whole seeing ghosts thing, this is not an angst-filled character, so the reader can just relax and have a fun and very enjoyable read.

Emma's journey to the acceptance of her "gift" is a good one for anyone who's not enamored of a lot of "woo-woo" in the books they read, and the cast of supporting characters are very well drawn-- especially feisty little Granny Apples and lawyer/rancher Phil Bowers. There's even a bit of history thrown in for good measure, and this all adds up to a very good read.

Now I have to get my hands on the next book in the series, Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini. Something tells me that Granny Apples will be keeping Emma busy! show less

After a headline making separation and pending divorce from her philandering husband, Emma Whitecastle is looking for some distraction which is why she decides to attend a séance. She gets more than she bargained for when she discovers that her great great great grandmother was accused of murder - not only that but "Granny Apples" ghost appears to Emma, insisting that she was innocent and framed for murder and wants Emma to clear her name. So Emma finds herself knee-deep in ghosts, past murders, and current murders. Now Emma must convince people that there is a killer on the loose and that she isn't crazy.

"Ghost a la Mode" is the good first book in the new "Ghost of Granny Apples" series. Emma is a bit different from most cozy mystery show more heroines as she is about to be divorced but is very rich (author Sue Ann Jaffarian does an excellent job of making a likable heroine out of someone who easily could have been annoying). The book is filled with several interesting characters - both the living (Emma, Philip Bowers, Tracy, and Milo), as well as the dead (Granny Apples, Billy Winslow, Albert Robinson). The paranormal aspects are very well done - some of the ghosts are actively involved in helping Emma, others just ignore her, and others refused to help her (just like live people), and it is fun to read as Emma tries to communicate with the living and the dead at the same time. In fact, there is a gentle sense of humor throughout the book, particularly in reference to Emma's soon to be ex-husband, who is continually referred to as "that idiot on television". The mysteries (both the past and the present) are well written and plotted and nicely tie in together. The past mystery was easily solved, while the current mystery has a nicely done twist. The one thing in the book that really didn't work for me was the Emma/Phillip relationship, which felt rushed and would have benefited from being further developed perhaps over a couple of books.

"Ghost a la Mode" is a good first book in what looks to be a promising paranormal cozy mystery series. show less

I am relatively new to the Cozy Mystery Genre, so when this author was recommended to me I picked up the first book in the Granny Apples series. Granny Apples is a ghost who was hung over 100 years ago. She was supposedly hung by vigilantes for killing her husband. Not so, and she wants her name cleared. She has appeared to other descendants for help but did not get what she was looking for. In this series she has appeared to her great-great-great granddaughter Emma Whitecastle. Emma is going through an unhappy divorce and Granny shows up to give her a backbone just when she needs it. Emma heads off to Julian to see what she can find out about the double murder. Of course she meets an angry man, a long lost relative, other ghosts and show more another murder (present day) occurs. This was a fun read and I will be looking for more in this series. show less

What can I say? I borrowed it from the library after I read Sharon’s review. I enjoyed reading this book. It’s a quirky mystery involving a spunky ghost of a Granny, several murders, one of them quite recent, an amateur sleuth Emma, and a grumpy attorney/landowner Phil. And a treasure of gold.
The ghost’s antics are amusing to read about. Emma’s new-found clairvoyance is diverting and utterly understandable after her nasty divorce, although her penchant to talk to the ghost in public seems a bit too stupid to swallow. It’s entertaining though and pushed the plot forward. Unfortunately, Emma often acts before she thinks, which repeatedly lands her in trouble and irritates the reader: it’s so damn unrealistic. But her show more imprudent actions propel the plot too.
On the whole, the action develops fast, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader glued to the pages. The language is so-so, but you rarely notice it when you’re engrossed in the story. Only the budding love affair between Emma and Phil seems out of place in this book. They obviously dislike each other from the beginning. Why would they suddenly kiss?
I wouldn’t re-read this book but I’m glad I read it once. A delightful escape from our everyday worries. show less

A cosy-style mystery that made for a light, fun read. Loved the character of Granny Apples; she was hoot. Thought the mystery was pretty well plotted and executed. Definitely enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the next one in the series..

I thought this was a fun read. I liked that part of the story took place in Julian, CA. I liked the character Emma Whitecastle. I thought the ghost thing was "cute". It was enjoyable enough for me that I kept reading and kept thinking about the story.

Not my usual fare, but mindlessly enjoyable. I don't think I'll go out of my way to read more by this author (I like a little more depth of character and plot), but since I think I got this free on kindle, it was definitely worth the price plus some.