From New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox
Ghost hunter Verity Long is overdue for a little R&R (rest and romance) with her boyfriend, Ellis, and a vintage train trip through the Tennessee mountains seems like just the ticket. The Sugarland Express carries history and nostalgia in every compartment, and Verity is determined to enjoy it—without ghostly interference. But the ghosts have … But the ghosts have other plans…
On a dark, desolate night nearly a century ago, the train was stranded in the mountains, and a young woman was found stabbed to death in her locked compartment. The murder was never solved, and a ghostly Belgian detective is still pursuing the case from the grave.
To Verity’s dismay, all of the ghostly suspects are back. And when history repeats itself and a new murder mirrors the old, it’s up to Verity and her friends to discover which of the passengers—dead or alive—could be behind the murders before the killer strikes again.
What Reviewers are saying…
5 Stars! “This is very likely Angie Fox’s best book to date, and I devoured it in one fast sitting.”
5 Stars! “I love all the components of this story but it’s the characters that completely steal the show.”
5 Stars! “This was 2 murder mysteries for the price of one. Loved it as I do all of Angie Fox’s novels.”
5 Stars! “Just when you think you’ve got it figured out the twist comes in and throws you right off the trail. I loved this story so much.”
Rating: Clean and Wholesome
Paranormal Cozy Mystery Romance (with a cute pet skunk!)
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Good quick read
Love this series! Looking forward to the next book.
another great book in the series!
poor Verity can’t even have a vacation.
Quite shocked with the behavior of Ellis’ mother, wow.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
Amazing. I love her take on the Agatha Christie novel. Good ending also, I did not quite expect that.
I liked the jumping back & forth between the spirit realm and the living and how Angie Fox depicts the afterlife. It is very original.
I really enjoy this series, I read the first one and then saw this book at my local bookstore and jumped at it. Now I can go back and read the rest in order.
Ellis decides they need to get away shows Verity an ad for the Sugarland Express Vintage Train. The conductor of the original Sugarland Express from 1929 goes to Verity to warn her the train is doomed, it crashed into the river after the woman in #9 was murdered. Ellis gets their room switched. Verity knocks on #9 and Beau Wydell is in the doorway. Beau is an investor in the train then they get t the lounge car and there is Virginia their mom his partner.
Really enjoyed reading this book.
Her books are awesome and entertaining as well. Just love the ghost that lives at her home, what a hoot!
Verity Long is overdue for a little R&R with her boyfriend, Ellis. For a Ghost Hunter, a vintage train trip through the Tennessee mountains seems like just the ticket. The Sugarland Express carries history and nostalgia in every compartment, and Verity is determined to enjoy it, without ghostly interference. But the ghosts have other plans like murder…
On a dark, bleak night nearly a century ago, the Sugarland Express was stranded in the mountains, and a young woman was found stabbed to death in her locked compartment. The murder was never solved, and a dead Belgian detective is still trying to solve the case from the grave. Adding to Verity’s dismay, all the dead suspects are back as well. When history repeats itself, and a new murder mirrors the old, it’s up to Verity and her friends, living and dead, to discover which of the passengers are behind the murders.
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Series: Southern Ghost Hunter – Book 6
Author: Angie Fox http://angiefox.com
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Paranormal
Publisher: Moose Island Books
Murder on the Sugarland Express is a fun adventure through time with multiple ghost and historical reference. The very “Agatha Christie” feel of this story will keep readers turning the page and entertain them throughout.
Verity and Ellis are wonderful characters with everyday problems and a few that are extraordinary. Verity doesn’t just see ghosts, she lives with them, talks to them and tries to help them whenever she can. Ellis is a police officer, and even though most people wouldn’t believe that Verity talks to ghosts, he accepts it at face value without question. If Verity tells him a ghost told her something important, he jumps into action. Combined they make a fantastic duo of ghost hunter and crime fighter.
Other characters are warm and compassionate as well as interesting and fun. The cast of suspects are likable, intriguing and well rounded. They have characteristics that readers find in everyday life with those they know and love. Add an adorable pet skunk, and you have the makings of a memorable book.
The Sugarland Express is romantic as only old trains can be. The opulence of the cars brings to mind a time long ago when passenger travel was about the adventure and not the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B. The setting is perfect for a mystery. Who can’t imagine a train filled with ghosts and the living intermingling on an adventure that ends in murder?
The long-dead victim is tragic while the newest victim is far from it. The motive for the murder is not readily clear and at times can seem almost absent. Clues are there to be found if the reader takes the time to look for them. The unveiling of the killer is dramatic and filled with action, and of course, ghosts.
Although Murder on the Sugarland Express is a fast-paced easy-to-read book, it is also an ode to the most famous mystery writer of all time, Dame Agatha Christie. In some ways, it is almost too close in comparison to “Murder on the Orient Express.” Take out the ghost, and the reader may well think they are reading an altered version of Ms. Christie’s book. And herein lies the problem. On its own, this book is worth reading, but the comparison to Agatha Christie’s work is inevitable and unfortunate in some ways.
Ms. Fox is a talented writer, and her passion for her craft is evident. However, writing a book that so closely resembles a rather famous one, can be hard to achieve without coming off as a copycat. Although Ms. Fox has achieved this with her book, it is difficult to read it without comparing it to Ms. Christie’s material.
This is the sixth book in the series, and some readers may not understand the references to other murders, or relationships. The inner workings of Verity’s relationship with Ellis, his brother Beau and their mother can be difficult to understand without any references to explain the situation. The book would benefit from a short introduction helping to explain how Verity finds herself in her current predicament and the intricate relationship between her and the other characters.
Over-all Murder on the Sugarland Express is an enjoyable read that will have readers interested from the first paragraph. Anyone who enjoys Agatha Christie novels will like Angie Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter series and this book in particular.
Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox is the sixth book in her Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series and was a totally captivating read for me.
Verity and Ellis decide to take a romantic vacation together to get away from Ellis’ family and Verity’s ghost, Frankie. They both need a break and a vintage train trip sounds like the perfect escape for both of them. Until it’s not. Once again chaos, murder and Ellis’ family are all there for them to deal with again.
A plot that grabbed me from the first chapter and sped along keeping me glued to the pages. Ms. Fox provided not one but two murder mysteries for Verity and Ellis to solve as well as dealing with his mother, Virginia, and his brother, Beau. Laughter, ghostly hijinks, a little romance, secrets and murder made this a perfect paranormal cozy read. Ms. Fox also left a clue as to what to expect in the next book which only makes me anxious to get my hands on it.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.
ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTFUL !!!
Title: Murder on the Sugarland Express
Series: Southern Ghost Hunters Mysteries
Designation: Book 6 of Series, Full-Length Standalone, NO Cliffhanger
Author: Angie Fox
Reading Platform: Kindle Edition
My Rating: FIVE DELICIOUSLY CUTE STARS*****
I adore cozy mysteries, love gripping suspense, and completely addicted to anything supernatural but throw in a little sweet romance and I’m totally smitten! Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to find all four elements in one book but fortunately, I’ve found an author that brilliantly combines them all into one exceptional story. Angie Fox has delighted her readers yet again with Murder on the Sugarland Express, a full-length standalone and sixth release in the Southern Ghost Hunters Mysteries Series and I totally loved it! Move over, Agatha Christie! Murder on the Sugarland Express is a hit! Although this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend at least reading the first book of the series, Southern Spirits, which will give you the premise and backstory for all the releases in the collection. I became a diehard Angie Fox fan several years ago after reading The Accidental Demon Slayer, the outrageously funny first release in Fox’s best-selling Biker Witches Mystery Series, another fabulous collection I highly recommend, especially if you love your mystery generously laced with side-splitting humor. But I digress, let’s talk about Murder on the Sugarland Express. The book is imaginative, unique, exciting, cute, sweet, heartwarming, well crafted and well edited with a beautiful, eye-catching cover. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the first person from the perspective of the heroine, Verity Long. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well executed, at times hilarious, and flows effortlessly. I love all the components of this story but it’s the characters that completely steal the show. They literally explode from the pages, grab your attention, come to life in your imagination, and completely capture your heart! They are fascinating, captivating, realistic, engaging, relatable and humorous. Fox skillfully combines these elements to craft a deliciously cute and delightfully entertaining whodunit filled to the brim with danger, drama, humor, ghosts, suspense, plot twists, and even a little heartbreaking angst and heartwarming romance.
Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! It’s my new favorite! Yeah, yeah, I know I say the same thing after every book in this series but I just can’t help myself. lol.. I adore the Southern Ghost Hunters World and the fictional town of Sugarland, Tennessee as well as the vividly depicted characters Fox has created for this series. Verity Long is an absolute delight and Ellis Wydell is one hunk of burning love! lol… And never fear, Verity’s gangster ghost Frankie from the flapper era is around to cause all kinds of trouble and Lucy, the pet skunk, is ever present for a little heartwarming comic relief. And the supporting characters in this little story just completely captured my heart! I giggled, snorted, snuffled and sniffed through the entire story. Would I recommend it? You bet and I am, for ages twelve to a hundred and twelve! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book! Was I entertained? Completely and totally entertained! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!
Premise: Although the last year has been difficult for Verity Long, it has also been surprisingly busy for the beautiful former aspiring graphic designer from Sugarland Tennessee. Unfortunately, the one thing it hasn’t been is profitable. Despite successfully solving several murders, life continues to be difficult. Verity is still short on funds and desperately trying to hang on to the home she inherited from her grandmother. She lost absolutely everything after breaking off her engagement last year with her lying, cheating, now ex-fiance Beau Wydell, youngest and favored son of wealthy, influential town aristocrat Virginia Wydell. Her graphic design services had been in demand until her almost mother-in-law used her influence to ruin her and her business. Had it been left up to the vengeful Virginia Wydell, Verity would have been tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rail. Now it seems no one in Sugarland needs her services so she’s embarked on a new career and a whole new business…as a ghost hunter. Yup, she’s officially out of the closet and has been for months, or rather since her interview with Ovis Dupree, guest investigative reporter from the local newspaper, The Sugarland Gazette. And that’s not the only change in her life. Her kinda-sorta-maybe, once hush-hush and on-the-sly boyfriend Deputy Sheriff Ellis Wydell is now her very public main squeeze! And yes, Ellis and Beau are related – they’re brothers! Huh? Oh yes, brothers! As you can imagine, the news was not well received by Virginia or Beau Wydell. And let’s not forget her sweet little pet skunk Lucy and her very dead, black and white gangster ghost housemate, Franklin Rudolph Winkelmann aka Frankie the German. Yup, I said ghost. Frankie became trapped on Verity’s property when she unknowingly dumped the ashes from his urn onto the roots of her rose bush. Oh no! But in her defense, she had no idea what they were and what would happen. So until she can figure out a way to free Frankie, she’s stuck with the not-so-nice wise guy criminal from the flapper era who has turned her backyard shed into a speakeasy and hideout for him and his ghost gang cronies. Verity is barely scraping by with very little food and even less money. But on the bright side, she does have her pet skunk, Lucy, a hot hunky boyfriend, and, on occasion, Frankie does actually lend her, albeit begrudgingly, some of his power so she can see all those otherworldly things that go bump in the night. But things are looking up. At least, she still has her grandma’s home and she’s even managed to solve a few cases. Now, if she could manage to find a job that actually pays cash, everything would be perfect. Careful what you wish for, Verity!
The world turns, life goes on, and southern-bell, super-sleuth Verity Long finds herself still without sufficient funds and always in need of a job. Thankfully, or maybe not, the universe seems to have her on speed dial, because every time she turns around a dead body turns up and Verity finds herself neck deep in another whodunit. But if there’s one thing Verity does well, it’s solving mysteries. With plenty of help from her spiritual cohorts of the ghostly plane and her new beau, Verity has become quite well known as Sugarland’s very own ghost hunter extraordinaire. No, not that Beau, lying, cheating Beau Wydell… her new sweetie, Deputy Sheriff Ellis Wydell, Beau’s older brother. Nothing like keeping it in the family! Unfortunately, Virginia Wydell, Sugarland’s leading citizen, town matriarch, and mother of the Wydell brothers, is not pleased and seeks retribution against Verity at every opportunity. But Verity is a true southern belle with a spine of steel, one who refuses to allow anything to get in her way. But Verity and her handsome boyfriend Ellis need a break from the constant ghostly chaos, town gossip, and let’s not forget all the family interference, especially after Virginia Wydell turns Ellis’s small pre-opening gathering of family and friends for his new restaurant/bar, Southern Spirits, into a red carpet event covered by none other than our favorite reporter from the Sugarland Gazette, Ovis Dupree. And Ellis has just the ticket – quite literally! Ellis has arranged a romantic three-day weekend getaway on the maiden trip of the newly restored Sugarland Express. There’ll be lots of canoodling for Verity and Ellis – but no ghosts, no Frankie, no dead bodies, no cases to solve, no Beau and Virginia Wydell, and NO interruptions! Just pure blissful alone time for her and Ellis. Not! Unfortunately, Verity caves when Frankie plays the guilt card and reluctantly agrees to allow him and his new ghostly girlfriend Molly to tag along. Oh my! What could go wrong? A lot, actually… maybe, lots of ghosts, an old mystery, a dead body, an ex-fiance, and his mother! Oh no! What’s a southern ghost hunter to do? Take the high road, be the charming southern lady her grandmother taught her to be, solve the case, and bless your little heart! All aboard the Sugarland Express and buckle up, it’s gonna be a wildly entertaining ride!
After attending the soft opening of Ellis’ restaurant, Southern Spirits, Verity and Ellis decide to go on a romantic getaway and take a vintage train trip on The Sugarland Express through the Tennessee mountains. Frankie convinces Verity to take him and his new girlfriend, Molly, who he wants to impress along, and to her dismay, Ellis’ brother, Beau, and their mother, Virginia are on the train. A ghost appears and tells Verity that a century ago, the train was stranded in the mountains. Can Verity stop history from repeating itself? An excellent lock door mystery.
I read this book as an advanced reader copy. This review is my own and a completely honest review of the book.
Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox is the sixth installment in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Verity Long feels the need to escape Sugarland, Tennessee after an incident with her ex-fiancé, Beau Wydell at the soft opening of Southern Spirits. Ellis Wydell, Verity’s boyfriend, books them on a trip on the Sugarland Express. Verity is hoping for a break from mysteries and ghosts while on the trip. Unfortunately, Frankie (her resident ghost) believes it will be the perfect romantic getaway for himself and his girl, Molly. Verity soon learns that the train has a dark history attached to it (and some unwelcome guests in the cabin next door). As the bell rings on the Sugarland Express, the old ghosts are being called back. The original train experienced a murder before a bridge collapsed and plunged the train into the icy river. Inspector De Clercq (a ghostly detective) is intent on solving the original crime. It is soon apparent that the Sugarland Express is following in the original trains footsteps (so to speak). A woman is found murdered in compartment 9 in the exact same spot as the original murder. Verity, Ellis and some unlikely allies set out to catch two killers—one past and one present. Will the train make it back to Sugarland or will it suffer a similar fate to its predecessor?
Murder on the Sugarland Express can be read alone. I found the story to be well-written, have a decent pace and enjoyable to read. I did find, though, there to be some repetition of details (and a couple of slow spots). A little fine tuning would not go amiss. Murder on the Sugarland Express has humor, intrigue, romance, ghosts, a cute skunk, and plenty of action. I loved the descriptions of the train (I found out something I never knew about the caboose). What mystery lover would not love to take a ride on a replica of a vintage train (especially one with ghosts and a mystery)? The mysteries were engaging with great details. I especially liked two clues on the vintage (1929) murder. I had hoped that the mysteries would be more challenging. It would delightful to finally see growth in Virginia and Beau Wydell (it’s about time). Whether it sticks or not remains to be seen. Readers will be entertained with Frankie’s hijinks. At the end of the book we get a hint of what to come in the next book.