USA Today bestselling series For Southern girl Verity Long, friendship means sitting down to stories and sweet tea on the front porch. For her gangster ghost housemate, it means dragging Verity out to a remote haunted asylum during a raging thunderstorm to do a favor for a long-dead mob boss.But Verity is always ready to help out a friend, even one as eternally eccentric as Frankie. And in the … out a friend, even one as eternally eccentric as Frankie. And in the case of Mint Julep Manor, the stakes are too high to refuse. The criminally insane mob boss holds a secret to Frankie’s past, one that might set Frankie free. Do the favor–survive the favor–and they might change Frankie’s afterlife for good. Fail, and they might never leave the asylum.
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I really enjoyed this latest installment in Angie Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. My only complaint was a lack of Lucy the Skunk in this book. 😉
It was another action-packed ghostly mystery adventure with Verity and Frankie, and I can’t wait for the next one!
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
It was a great book !
Verity has another murder to solve.
This time, Frank is the one dragging Verity along.
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Angie Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter series is one of my all time favorite book series and this new addition does not disappoint. The story grabs you right from the start and keeps you wanting more so it was hard to put this book down. I always love Verity, Ellis, and Frankie and enjoy seeing what new adventure will pull them in. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. They are so good that I have read them all multiple times.
Much less of the whimsical in this one and more intensity. It’s more of a standard murder mystery with the added complication of ghosts. Still, it’s a good book.
Verity is investigating a haunted asylum. What could possibly go wrong with that? Plenty. With her trusty sidekick Frankie the German and her luscious boyfriend Ellis, they go to a haunted asylum (fake one) and find a haunted asylum (a real one). Mix in several cases of murder (human and dead ones) and a dead gangster friend of Frankie’s as well as the usual bevy of dead patients in a notorious, closed mental hospital. Top it off with a wacky owner who is trying to turn it into a haunted mansion type of tore, which isn’t pleasing the patients and staff much (and apparently a live person as well).
This is the best so far in the series and a MUST read for Angie Fox and Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries fans.
Get it!
Read it!
Love it! (and you will)
That is all.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Impressions:
I’m not even sure how to begin telling you all how much I LOVED THIS BOOK! I literally stayed up all night reading because I couldn’t put it down.
To be completely honest, when I received this book, I did not realize that it was part of a series. Despite admiring the beautiful, whimsical cover on a couple of occasions before I was ready to pick this up and start reading, I somehow missed the text right in the center of the image that says, “The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries Book 8.”
The good news is that it works really well as a standalone novel. I didn’t feel like I was missing vital information because the author, Angie Fox, did a terrific job of filling in blank spaces and providing backstory.
OK, I’ll try to refrain from gushing for a moment so I can fill you in on the story.
In the initial pages of the first chapter, I definitely had a moment of “what the heck?” as I immersed myself in a world where a modern Southern woman, Verity Long, was cruising down the road with a mobster named Frankie in the passenger seat – who just happens to be her ghostly companion. With Verity’s boyfriend in tow, they venture to a haunted asylum in hopes of gathering information about Frankie’s past.
In those first few pages, I had doubts that I would be able to buy into the book, but as the story came together, I found myself eagerly consuming the tale. As the trio found themselves unexpectedly detained in the asylum for the evening, so did I.
With each new character – human or ghost – that we met, I found myself in the center of an incredible “whodunnit” that I could not put down. There were moments that I was genuinely creeped out, scared, mystified, laughing, loving…I mean, WOW. There were so many twists and turns in the story, but it was masterfully handled and easy to keep up.
When the story ended, I knew that Angie Fox had made a die-hard fan out of me. I’m very excited to be able to treat myself to more of these stories, starting back at the beginning. Even better, the first book in the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries is currently FREE for Kindle – snag it here: https://amzn.to/2J3C7Wq
The Nitty-Gritty:
When I finished The Mint Julep Murders at around four o’clock this morning, there was only one teeny-tiny detail from the entire novel that stuck out to me as an inconsistency. After mulling it over, I have decided that I am not going to divulge that minuscule item because there is a very good chance that most readers wouldn’t even notice it and I’m not going to nit-pick over that itty-bitty, near-nothing thing. As far as I am concerned, this story is flawless.
I enthusiastically rated The Mint Julep Murders as 5-stars and I couldn’t be more excited to read more of this series. There’s a little bit of everything here – paranormal, mystery, romance, suspense… If you are looking for an intriguing read that is truly creative and unique, I’m confident that this book won’t let you down.
Final Thoughts:
Angie Fox has created a world with which I may become slightly obsessed, and I am definitely okay with that.
There a few things you need to know before you start devouring this book as I did.
• This is book #8 of the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries if you haven’t read the rest of the saga (really, what are you waiting for?!)
• Verity Long has a vase that her ex-fiance (Beau) gave her as a gift, only it wasn’t just a vase, it contained the ashes of a 1920s gangster name Frankie.
• When she wanted to clean the ‘vase’, she washed the ashes from it with water and threw them to her flowers ‘grounding’ Frankie to the property and now he can’t leave unless she takes vase with her (which, she apparently didn’t clean very good)
• Frankie can lend her his power to allow her to see the ghost side and when she is connected, she can get hurt by both sides.
• She is dating a cop, Ellis (ex-fiancé older brother… small town) but they are so cute and so in love with each other.
• In Murder on the Sugarland Express, we met detective De Clercq who wants to put Frankie in jail. Thanks to her work solving a Great Gatsby-era cold case, she gets a pass to talk to Bruno Scalieri at the Sugarland Federal Penitentiary Maximum Security.
• Bruno was there when Frankie was murder and may have seen who did it and they think maybe knowing who kill him might help to unground him from Verity’s house.
The new location of the Sugarland Federal Penitentiary Maximum Security is in Mint Julep, an abandoned haunted asylum in the middle of nowhere. The plan is, get in, and get out. Get what Bruno wants in exchange for what he knows about Frankie’s murder, do it, get the information and never get back there again. But as plan goes, this one went sideways rather quickly when Bruno demands to be free and when a raging thunderstorm strikes, leaving the new owner of the new asylum, a couple who (at least the wife) are obsessed with ghosts, Ellis and Verity, stranded inside the asylum without communication because there is no electricity.
I have to say that I DID NOT see that coming. This book was super-fast pace, it all happens in one day. Verity doesn’t have any time to breathe, accidents happen, everything is happening at the same time and she needs her A+ game to solve this mystery. I’m proud to say that I did apply myself! I was on the verge of taking notes and following all the clues and then THAT HAPPEN! I was amazed and I have to say I loved it a lot! And full honesty here, I had a hard time writing this because I don’t want to give any real spoilers but this is the first time that the story is left with an ‘it will continue’ and it freaked me out beyond of my comprehension and now IM DYING to get the new book!
I recommend this book so much, I have to say it’s different from what we have read from Angie but it’s totally worth it and the plot demanded it. Go and read it now!
This new installment has Verity, Ellis and Frankie inside an abandoned insane asylum. While outside a storm rages. It’s darker and spookier than the rest of the series. It made me a little bit jumpy in the nite. I loved this book! It’s her best one yet! I heartily recommend it!
Angie Fox has weaved that “Sugarland” magic we’ve come to love,in this newest novel of the series. This time we find Verity , Frankie and Ellis off on a ghost hunter adventure. Yet this time it’s really just for Verity’s ; ghost hitchhiker buddy related reluctant- ghostsighting power supplier Frankie “The German”. By going to the Mint Julep’s this trio they might be able to get Frankie to go to the light. Not stay in a urn! Of course nothing goes as planned!!! Dust bunnies get sweeped out ohh did I mention a murder or two maybe more, now has to be solved? That is if they all can make it thru a night at the Mint Julep Mansion.
All I can say is WOW!! It’s been awhile since I sat down to enjoy reading a book and ended up finishing it the same day.
Verity, her boyfriend Ellis and ghostly sidekick Frankie visit a haunted insane asylum in attempt to find out who killed Frankie and free him from Verity’s family home. They are there to see a ghost from Frankie’s past. They end up trapped inside until a murder is solved. Haunted insane asylum, power outage, no phone service, thunderstorm, and a murderer among them. Verity spends time getting to know some of the residents of Mint Julep Manor and trying to help them and get help from them to solve the murder that prevents the living guests from leaving.
Ellis and Verity’s relationship continues to grow. Frankie has another lead to help gain his freedom. I can’t wait to see where the next story in this series takes us next .. haunted school? hotel? museum? penitentiary? historical landmark? I thought the haunted mansion in the previous book in this series was great, this location was even better. I loved it – thank you Angie for introducing us to all these wonderful colorful characters.
Loved this book. Angie gave us another fun and entertaining story!
Great for anyone interested in a fun read with romance, mystery, paranormal, with a little bit of suspense. Verity Long is a smart and quirky heroine that you can’t help but root for. Verity and Frankie seem to find trouble every where they go but always manage to end up on top. Verity has the ability to make the best of every situation and some how find a way to help a wayward ghost no matter how dire the situation.
Can Verity finally help Frankie? Can Verity and Ellis survive a real live haunted house? Has Verity finally met a ghost she can’t charm?
I loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning. I had no idea who the killer was. There was never a dull moment in the story. All the characters were great and loved how it took place in a old Asylum.
The Mint Julep Murders is definitely a 5 star read
Nothing is creepier than a haunted asylum during a storm. I felt as if I had stepped into Mint Julep Manor along with Verity Long. I understand her desire to help Frankie get his freedom and to solve the latest murder. I was thinking I wanted to leave the Manor behind with its secrets – dark, creepy and not knowing who is there in the dark with you. But I was hooked and pulled back in with great plot line stories among the suspects and ghosts. I didn’t see killer until the end and could not put the book down until I knew.
This series does not disappoint and it’s hard to pick which of the eight books so far is my favorite. I do know I can’t wait for the next installment.
The Mint Julep Murders by Angie Fox
It never ceases to amaze me how she comes up with these ideas! Such unexpected events, and unusual characters. I try to nurse a book for a while, rather than devour it, but this one was devoured. Now I have readers remorse for having finished it too quickly. I guess I’ll have to read it again just for kicks! If you’ve never read any of Angie Fox’s books, you MUST. She is a five star writer who never lets you down!
This is The Mint Julep Murders, book 8 of the Southern Ghost Hunter series written by Angie Fox. If you haven’t met Verity Long and Frankie “the German” yet…YOU ARE MISSING OUT!! These are the best books. Verity Long can speak to ghosts and is always getting herself into a bit of trouble. And Frankie? Well he is dying to meet you! Yeah yeah…he is already dead…he’s a ghost. I guess you think you know everything, don’t you? Well Ms Angie Fox is gonna throw you for a loop every time with an interesting, fun, creepy, spooky and always entertaining tale! You will love these!! Promise
ANOTHER FABULOUS ADDITION TO THE SERIES & MY NEW FAVORITE!!!
Title: The Mint Julep Murders
Series: Southern Ghost Hunters Mysteries
Designation: Book 8 of Series, Full-Length, Standalone, NO Cliffhanger #cozymystery #sweetromance #humor
Author: Angie Fox
My Rating: FIVE DELIGHTFULLY ENTERTAINING STARS*****
Ghosts, ghosts, and more ghosts, plus throw in a super spooky asylum for the criminally insane, a raging thunderstorm, a heaping helping of pulse-pounding danger, a heavy sprinkling of laugh out loud humor, a generous splash of perplexing mystery, a jigger of spine-tingling suspense, then add a brave police officer boyfriend and an accidental ghostly housemate who seems to have a knack for finding trouble, shake well, and what do you have? One heck of a cocktail for murder – both past and present! 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 The Mint Julep Murders, a full-length standalone and eighth release in the Southern Ghost Hunters Mysteries Series. Fox did an outstanding job of giving readers backstory for the series as well as the characters, and this book could certainly be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend, at least, reading the first book, Southern Spirits, which will introduce you to the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries world and most definitely enrich your reading experience.. I became a diehard fan five 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 paranormal elements, side-splitting humor, and dreamy romance. But I digress, so let’s talk about this book. The Mint Julep Murders is imaginative, unique, cute, laugh-out-loud funny, sweet, and heartwarming. The narrative is beautifully written in the first-person with a single perspective from the heroine, Verity Long. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well executed, at times hilarious, and flows effortlessly. There was so much I truly enjoyed about this book, but it’s the large cast of instantly engaging characters who completely steal the show. They literally explode from the pages, grab your attention, engage your imagination, and completely capture your heart! Verity Long and her cast of endearing cohorts carry this entire series and have become my favorites in the cozy mystery genre. Fox skillfully combines every single one of these elements to craft a deliciously cute and delightfully entertaining whodunit filled to the brim with danger, drama, humor, ghosts, suspense, and plot twists, with 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 only because it’s true; 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 endearing cast of characters Fox has created for this series. Southern Belle Verity Long is an absolute delight and Ellis Wydell is one hunk of burning love! lol… And never fear, Verity’s gangster ghost housemate, Frankie Winkelmann aka Frankie the German, 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 cozy mystery completely stole 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! Angie Fox is a master of her craft and never fails to deliver a wonderfully layered whodunit of thrills, chills, and kills, expertly infusing events from both past and present to create a mystery within a mystery. 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 and a half have been difficult for Verity Long, it’s also been surprisingly busy for the beautiful former aspiring graphic designer from Sugarland Tennessee. Unfortunately, the one thing it hasn’t been is profitable – until recently. After successfully solving several murders, Verity has gained some recognition, or I should say notoriety, as Sugarland’s resident ghosthunter expert and is finally earning a little cash with her new job skills. Verity isn’t rolling in money – yet – but she’s managed 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 favorite son of wealthy, influential town aristocrat Virginia Wydell. Verity’s graphic design services had been in demand until her almost mother-in-law used her influence to ruin her good name 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, the geriatric 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’s life isn’t perfect, but on the bright side, she does still have her pet skunk, Lucy, a hot hunky boyfriend, her grandmother’s house, 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 have really been looking up lately. At least, she’s managed to solve a few cases. Now, if she could just convince everyone to accept her new abilities and recent career change, she may be able to win over all the citizens of Sugarland, maybe even Virginia Wydell, and make a real go of her ghost hunting business. It seems Verity is well on her way to accomplishing her goals, but be careful what you wish for, Verity; you could become a target yourself!
The world turns, life goes on, and southern bell, super-sleuth Verity Long finds herself caught up in another dangerous investigation. Thankfully, or maybe not, the universe seems to have her on speed dial with dead bodies, from both past and present, popping up at every turn. And once again, 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 gangster ghost housemate, a menagerie of spiritual cohorts from the ghostly plane, her friends, and her steady beau, Verity has become quite well known as Sugarland’s very own ghost hunter extraordinaire. No, not that Beau (the lying, cheating Beau Wydell), her now very public, no-longer-on-the-sly sweetie, Ellis Wydell, Sugarland Police Detective and Beau’s older brother. Nothing like keeping it in the family! And Ellis is certainly ready, willing and able to serve and protect, especially when Verity is involved. He’s very protective, thank heavens, since Verity always needs protecting. Despite her best efforts, Verity attracts trouble like a lightning rod draws lightning – quite literally. Verity may now be a legitimate and highly recognized ghosthunter (in Sugarland), but she’s still the born and bred, always gracious, genteel southern belle her grandmother raised her to be, always willing to lend a helping hand, especially to neighbors and friends. And, of course, that includes her accidental ghostly gangster housemate and kinda, sorta friend, Franklin Rudolph Winkelman aka Frankie the German, right? Doing a favor for Frankie is just the right thing to do. After all, it’s her fault Frankie is trapped on her property, and this could be the key to freeing him. But that helping hand has now stranded Verity, Ellis, and Frankie at Pikesville Sanitorium, an old mental hospital located an hour away from Sugarland, built in the early 1900s, abandoned in the 1950s, and nicknamed Mint Julep Manor because of it’s sprawling southern plantation architecture. And they’re trapped inside the haunted insane asylum during a raging thunderstorm – with a murderer! Poor Verity, Ellis, and Frankie! It seems murder always finds a way to bleed across the veil of time from the past to the present and, yet again, Verity finds herself in the eye of the storm – literally as well as figuratively! Oh my! Here we go again!
Many of the books in this series have had their hertpounding scary moments but this book tops them all. As usual the author did an amazing job on the book. I absolutely love the main characters and the book is very entertaining. I actually enjoyed it so much I read it in a day. The suspense is over the top amazing and definitely keeps you on your toes. I truly enjoy this series and very much look forward to the next book! If you love a good cozy mystery this is definitely the book to read!
Was a great addition to the series, but not my favorite.
This one was different from the rest, not taken place in Sugarland.
Its a great book, I just didn’t love it.
Some things were solved, and yet there is still some left unsolved.
*I received my copy in exchange for an honest review
The Mint Julep Murders
Angie Fox has given us another wonderful Southern Ghost Hunter mystery. It’s a little bit murder mystery, a little ghost story, a tiny bit romance and special skunk, and a lot creepy.
Our heroine Verity accidentally tied a deceased mobster to her rose garden when she dumped his urn on her roses. Until he accomplishes some unknown, he can’t leave her property unless she takes his urn with her. They discovered that he can share some of his ghostly powers with Verity, so she can see and sometimes interact with the ghosts and the past. Verity, Frankie, and Ellis, Verity’s boyfriend, get dragged into various ghostly and mortal mysteries that are both a little scary and a lot of entertainment.
This book is one of Angie Fox’s best yet. It involves a haunted asylum with disturbed and haunted ghosts and Verity and Frankie, with Ellis’s help, still looking for a way to free Frankie. The ghosts don’t want anyone to know the truth of what happened there. What ensues is a very interesting and hair-raising quest to solve several ghostly mysteries and keep the humans alive.
Angie fox is a terrific writer who ties together the 1920’s gangster past and Southern present with very fascinating and spooky happenings along the way.
This book is among her best and the series keeps getting more enjoyable all the time.
This was by far the most intense Southern Ghost Hunter book to date. I couldn’t put it down until I devoured every last page! While there are some callbacks to the rest of the series this could easily be read as a stand alone novel. This series has been getting better and better and while I definitely enjoy the cozier side of the first few novels it was nice to have one that was fairly dark, although I definitely don’t want the series to go that way entirely either. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes and if Frankie can every gain his freedom, and if he will even want it if he does. I assume Verity will be too far under his skin to ever break up the team. Hopefully Ellis and Verity can keep their relationship going after the events of this book, because I really want to see some more snarkiness between Verity and Virginia, Ellis’s mother. Highly recommended series and author!