A Fun Cozy Mystery series: Haunted Haven Mystery: Be My Ghost

 Author Carol J. Perry writes the "Witch City Mysteries" which are one of my favorites. I discovered that she also has a second series, called "Haunted Haven Mysteries," is about a haunted hotel in Florida. The first in the series, "Be My Ghost" was a fun read. 

ENJOYABLE!  GREAT CHARACTERS AND MYSTERY - The main character is a woman named Maureen who loses her clothing based job in NYC and inherits a still active hotel in Florida. She doesn't know who the former owner is, though, which is a mystery that runs through the series. But she and her dog, Finn, a Golden Retriever, encounter some of the strange goings on and meet a cast of interesting characters. 

The characters are interesting and the book makes you want to read until you can't keep your eyes open! Many nights I was so into the book, physical exhaustion overcame my ability to stay awake to read more. I'm looking forward to the next in the series (there are 2 more already).

ABOUT THE BOOK: Maureen Doherty and her golden retriever Finn have taken possession of a charming old inn—only to discover that it’s already possessed by tenants whose lease on life already ran out . . .

Maureen's career as a sportswear buyer hits a snag just before Halloween, when the department store declares bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Finn's lost his way as a guide dog after flunking his test for being too friendly and easily distracted. Sadly, only one of them can earn unemployment, so Maureen's facing a winter of discontent in Boston--when she realizes she can't afford her apartment.

Salvation comes when she receives a mysterious inheritance: an inn in Haven, Florida. A quaint, scenic town on the Gulf of Mexico hidden away from the theme parks, Maureen believes it's a good place to make a fresh start with a new business venture. But she gets more than she bargained for when she finds a dead body on her property--and meets some of the inn's everlasting tenants in the form of ghosts who offer their otherworldly talents in order to help her solve the mystery...

Good Cozy Mystery: Dressed Up 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton (features a dog)

I love cozy mysteries and if there's a dog involved, I'm usually going to read it. I just picked up a book in a series by JC Eaton called "Dressed up 4 Murder" (BOOK 6) in the Sophie Kimball mystery series. If features a Dachshund/Chihuhua mix, named Streetman. We have the same mix in our dog Dash, thus, the attraction of the book! 

 MY TAKE -  The book is filled with interesting and colorful characters, including the main character, Sophie who works doing accounting at her boyfriend's investigation job. Of course, Streetman, the dog kicked off the mystery by finding a body... The author presents several characters who are suspect, and keeps you guessing until near the end. It was a good and enjoyable mystery and I look forward to reading more of them. I think it was written more for women, since the lead character is a woman, and supporting characters include her elderly mother (Streetman's mom), and her retirees in a book club and dog contest grouping, but it was fun. - Rob

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:   A Mystery Tribune’s Best Books of the Month

Last one standing is the winner  . . .
 
The holiday season has arrived and bookkeeper/amateur sleuth, Sophie “Phee” Kimball, would love nothing more than to enjoy the comforts of her new home with her detective boyfriend near Arizona’s Sun City West. Instead, her mother Harriet wants to showcase her chiweenie-chihuahua-dachshund Streetman in the Precious Pooches Holiday Extravaganza costume events. The festivities begin in October and end on St. Patrick’s Day—with the winner starring in the St. Pat’s Day parade. But things quickly turn an awful shade of green when Streetman uncovers a dead body under a tarp-covered grill in the neighbor’s yard.
 
The victim is Cameron Tully, a seafood distributor working out of Phoenix, who died from ingesting a toxic sago palm leaf. Before the police can even find a motive and suspect, another Precious Pooch owner nearly dies from the same poison. With Harriet believing someone’s targeting her and Streetman because of the costume contests, Phee will need a potful of Irish luck to sniff out a killer . . .
 
Praise for the Sophie Kimball Mysteries
 
“An eclectic cast of entertaining characters that will keep you wondering whodunit!”
—USA Today Bestselling Author Nicole Leiren, on Staged 4 Murder