The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion (Haunted Bookshop ... (ISBN 0425224600)

The Best One Yet:
I was late to this series and found it accidentally, but I am a huge fan of Cleo Coyle's coffehouse mysteries and didn't realize that she also writes this series. I then read all of the prior books and really liked them. This one was my favorite one so far. The mystery definitely had a different twist and as always I really liked the interaction of the two main characters. This is truly a "cozy" book to curl up with!

Better all the time:
It seemed like I'd been waiting a long time for this latest book in this series, but when I checked dates, it's only been 8 mos. since the previous one. They get better all the time. The plot is this one is more complex, and it wasn't even clear there was a murder until close to the end, not that there wasn't plenty of action and suspense. The relationship between Penelope, the bookshop co-owner and Jack, the resident ghost has grown. An element of the plot was one of the characters wanted to exorcise all the town's ghosts which made Pen worried, as she's come to depend on Jack, not only to help solve the town's mysteries, but as a friend/confidant. I love this series and will be counting the months until there's another installment.

elightful paranormal cozy noir:
When Penelope McClure's husband committed suicide, she packed up their things and with their young son moved to Quindicott, Rhode island where she bought into Buy the Book bookstore. The building comes equipped with the ghost of Jack Shepard, who was murdered there in the 1940s and so can't leave the premises unless Pen takes his buffalo nickel with him; and then he can only go where Pen goes. From believing he was a hallucination, Pen realizes she has romantic feelings for him although they can only meet i+n her dreams. Delivering books to the reclusive Miss Todd, Pen notices her letter carrier Seymour Tarnish hurrying from there with a red stain on his shirt. At the Todd mansion, Pen finds Miss Todd dead. Pen calls the police who suspect Seymour has something to do with the homicide as he had opportunity since he could enter her home with the mail; Seymour swears Miss Todd gave him permission; the red spot turns out to be ketchup to Pen's mixed feelings as she is happy that Seymour seems innocent and a bit mortified it was not blood. He remains the prime suspect so Pen and Jack who believe he is innocent investigate those who would inherit the estate. Jack is molded from the Philip Marlow school of hard boiled sleuths while Pen is a proper lady similar to Mrs. Muir of the Ghost film fame. This off beat pairing turns into an electrifying chemical combo that leads to a stand out series whose latest entry like its predecessors "The Ghost and ..." tales is a delightful paranormal cozy noir; an apt description of the lead couple as well. Alice Kimberly provides a haunting whodunit. Harriet Klausner