I took a break and was off cozy books as I found them to be too formulaic, but the cover of this book and the Ghost in the title drew me in. Spooky/ghostly cozy are my new favorite. And this book hit the right spot in me.

Charlene moved to Salem with its rich history to open a Bed and Breakfast. Wanting to make it a success, she worked hard to get it ready for a Halloween opening and soon banged into the its lone ghostly occupant, Jack. Oh, he was a yummy one. She soon learned that for him to move to the great beyond, she needed to find his murderer. And the story rolled on.

My first book by author Traci Wilton, and I was sooo enamored by her writing. She drew me in not only with the story but with its depth and maturity. There was a richness in the prose, an attention to detail which quickly made a place in my heart. The story may seem familiar, but believe me, it is Traci’s storytelling talent which made me feel as if I was with Charlene. I even had a small crush on Jack. Both these characters grew on to me, though I didn’t like Jack’s temper much… Ah well, I couldn’t very well argue with a ghost or tell him to calm down.

It was a murder mystery filled with knickknacks of furnishing of the B&B and the snippets of the people of the town. All of them were potential murderers in my list of suspects. The pace was slower than I was used to. But I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Overall, a fun, cozy read in a rainy afternoon.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and publisher, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!! STRICTLY HONEST AND UNBIASED.

All my reviews can be read here

Charlene Morris knew Salem, Massachusetts had a spooky reputation. But when she decided to open her B&B there, she expected guests—not ghosts…

A grieving young widow, Charlene needed a new start—so she bought a historic mansion, sight unseen, and drove from Chicago to New England to start turning it into a bed-and-breakfast. On her first night in the house, she awakens to find a handsome man with startling blue eyes in her bedroom. Terror turns to utter disbelief when he politely introduces himself as Jack Strathmore—and explains that he used to live here—when he was alive. He firmly believes that someone pushed him down the stairs three years ago, and he won’t be able to leave until someone figures out who. If Charlene wants to get her business up and running in time for the Halloween tourist rush, and get this haunting houseguest out of the way, she’ll have to investigate. Though truth be told, this ghost is starting to grow on her . . .

Publication Date: 30th July 2019

Publisher: Kensington