Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Cozy Mystery Review ~ The Ghost and Mrs. McClure (Haunted Bookshop Mystery #1) by Alice Kimberly @BerkleyMystery


Print Length: 276 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 3, 2004
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
ASIN: B001QWDRV0
Amazon

Penelope Thornton-McClure manages a Rhode Island bookshop rumored to be haunted. When a bestselling author drops dead signing books, the first clue of foul play comes from the store's full-time ghost-a PI murdered on the very spot more than fifty years ago.

Is he a figment of Pen's overactive imagination? Or is the likable, fedora-wearing specter the only hope Pen has to solve the crime?


The Ghost and Mrs. McClure is the first book in the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries by Alice Kimberly, a pseudonym for Cleo Coyle (a husband-wife writing team). Penelope Thornton-McClure is running bookshop with rumors of being haunted. When, during a popular author’s books signing, said author falls over dead, foul play is suspected. When the resident ghost, a former PI murdered in the bookshop, presents himself to Penelope, he informs her that the death of the author was definitely suspicious.

Pen is picking up the pieces of the shattered lives of herself and her son after the suicide of her husband. She’s in a constant battle with her deceased husband’s family on how and where to raise Spencer, her son. They continually infer that she is not the one who should be raising their son’s child. Add in the murder of a popular author in her bookshop and her in-laws jump right on the tragedy. If that wasn’t bad enough, Penelope is now hearing and seeing the ghost of Jack Shepard, a PI who was murdered in that same space way back in the 40’s. If I were Penelope, I’d be losing my mind.

Pen, however, takes her in-laws, the murder, and her resident ghost in stride, as best she can anyway. Spencer is a strong child. His father is dead, his grandparents are continually trying to entice him to come live with them, and now his mother is dealing with a murder in her shop. I love his relationship with his mother and how he refuses to be persuaded against her by his grandparents. The author does a great job writing Jack as a true character from the 40’s, from lingo to clothing choices. He and Penelope get along well and I enjoyed their interactions. This is a great start to a new series, and I look forward to reading the next book.

I obtained a copy of this book to read from my library’s interlibrary loan program.


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