THE FIRST HAUNTED BOOKSHOP MYSTERY FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR CLEO COYLE—WRITING AS ALICE KIMBERLY“Part cozy and part hard-boiled detective novel with traces of the supernatural, The Ghost and Mrs. McClure is just a lot of fun.”—The Mystery ReaderYoung widow Penelope Thornton-McClure and her old Aunt Sadie are making ends meet by managing a mystery book shop—a quaint Rhode Island … managing a mystery book shop—a quaint Rhode Island landmark rumored to be haunted. Pen may not believe in ghosts, but she does believe in good publicity—like nabbing Timothy Brennan for a book signing. But soon after the bestselling thriller writer reveals a secret about the store’s link to a 1940s murder, he keels over dead—and right in the middle of the store’s new Community Events space.
Who gives Mrs. McClure the first clue that it was murder? The bookstore’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 oddly likable fedora-wearing specter the only hope Pen has to solve the crime? You can bet your everlasting life on it…
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A deliciously charming mystery with a haunting twist!
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure Earns 5+/5 Ghostly Shadows…Totally Entertaining!
Alice Kimberley/Cleo Coyle introduced a delightfully entertaining premise for their Haunted Bookshop Mystery series with a “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” dynamic. A hard-boiled 1940s private detective, Jack Shepherd, is murdered, yet presumed missing. Then decades later he ghosts a widowed mother of one who owns a bookshop and finds herself ensnared in a murder investigation. Mrs. Penelope Thornton McClure, “Pen” to some, had been involved in big city publishing, but now, she’s returned home to Quindecot, Rhode Island, struggling to distance herself from her former in-laws who entertain her complicity in their son’s suicide, and along with her Aunt Sadie, trying to infuse some excitement into the family bookstore, Buy the Book, to support her and her young son. Unfortunately, the premier event kicking off the book tour of popular crime fiction author Timothy Brennan ends tragically with his choking and collapsing…dead! He had just announced he was exploring the final case of his friend Jack Shepherd who had been missing these past fifty years. His last breath…“Jack, Jack Shepherd. It can’t be. You’re dead!” Penelope didn’t believe in spirits, until a voice, a voice only she can hear, interrupts her thoughts. It’s Jack Shepherd. Jack’s ghost is stuck in the bookshop, the last place he visited before his death, and has a fascinating connection to the dead author, who has used Jack and his cases, without permission, of course, as inspiration for his popular books. This non-corporeal partnership provides Penelope a unique insight into the past and the present, and a unique mentorship about private detecting, but will any of it be useful to find a killer or two?
I was first a fan of Cleo Coyle because of the Coffeehouse Mystery series, and this Haunted Bookshop Mystery, penned under another pseudonym, is just as entertaining, engaging, and clever! This book one’s story is brilliant: the double mystery, the unique complications, personal drama with the in-laws, challenges raising a young boy fascinated by the crime and detective genre, and a more than satisfying “Oh, wow!” ending. The writing team has a descriptive style with a few twist to keep me engaged, and captures well the personality of a 1940s PI and all the era’s slang and cultural views. Penelope is an admirable character, with whom many will identify; she is intelligent, but often errs on the side of caution as she tries to avoid conflict and confrontation. Aunt Sadie is a hoot, and although I usually balk at kids, little Spencer is a delightful inclusion. I enjoyed the dynamic between Penelope and Jack from comforting to annoying, from supportive to thoughts of regret, and in many ways each act as mentor to the other.
I chose the audio version which is also unique with a king of tag-team style performance by Caroline Shaffer and Traber Burns. Caroline Shaffer, with whom I am familiar from Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mysteries, performs the main narration with brilliant voice artistry of varied American dialects, especially the Jack Shepherd she performs and Aunt Sadie’s, a pleasant voice for Penelope, excellent effort at depicting age and gender, and changes in tone and emotions to keep the listener engaged. Traber Burns is the perfect voice of Jack Shepherd, deep and broody. He takes the lead with specific flashback chapters along with a few points where his perspective is highlighted. Burns does well with age, and although he is challenged switching to a female gender, it in no way effects the absolute delight of the audio version. I loved it and am eager for more!
Absolutely loved it! What a fun and hilarious cozy! Cleo Coyle is such an amazing author. I listened to the audiobook. The narrators Caroline Shaffer and Traber Burns — perfecto.
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.
A very interesting take on a mystery. You have the ghost of a 1940’s private detective that was killed in the building in 1949 haunting/helping the co-owner of the bookstore in today’s modern world that has taken up residence in the building to solve a crime that happened at the first big event that the bookstore put on. I listened to this book and I have to say the reader certainly brought the 1940’s to life in the ghost. The modern characters almost seemed caught in a time warp between the 40’s and today. It was like they had the mentality and speech patterns of the 40’s with today’s technology. A bit of an odd cadence to the story, but enjoyable all the same. The series has peaked my interest so I am definitely going to listen to the next in the series.
I like ghost stories. Mrs. McClure goes into the bookstore business with her aunt and expands the building to the next door vacant building which happens to be haunted by the ghost of a dead police detective.
Good little cozy mystery series
This was a fun book to read! I look forward to the rest of the series!!
A good twist on the paranormal story. The ghost of a 1940s Era PI speaks to and assists a book store owner deal with a murder in her store. The PI has wonderful 40’s slang and in later books has the owner see some of his cases. The transition from present day to the past is delightful. There are more wonderful characters and the situations are well presented. Fun to read.
If you are a fan of the cozy mysteries this is the first of a great series. Wonderful unusual characters that you will want to know better and can’t wait for the next book.
I really enjoyed it as it’s an entertaining book.
Very enjoyable, lots of interesting dialog about other authors.
A fun, cosy read. Good character development and a likeable, believable protagonist. Great references to classics of the detective/mystery genre that will push you to read those you have not yet read.
A deceased private investigator works with a bookstore owner to help solve mysteries. Fun series….
a very enjoyable read
I enjoyed the book but I thought the ending was a little disappointing. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. Still worth the time to read.
A fun read
One of the most captivating “cozy/paranormal? novels I have read in a LONG time, and I read 2 or 3 books a day. The character developement, plot device, dialogue and other elements, including the “noir” type ghost of a detective all worked together to the point that I have already bought all the novels in print, in paperback and intend to continue to keep up with this series. It ain’t Nero Wolfe, but it ain’t bad either.
I loved this book! The characters are great and the story really moves right along! There were many laugh out loud moments, and I would definitely like to read more books by this author!
An amusing read.
Thoroughly enjoyed the read.