Review
THE GHOST AND THE BOGUS BESTSELLER by Cleo Coyle
The Sixth Haunted Bookshop Mystery
Jack Shepard, the ghost of a 1940s private detective is back on the
scene. A slightly snobbish customer has fled Buy the Book, unpaid novel
in hand. It's more than the theft that concerns Penelope
Thornton-McClure, it's the older woman's reaction to the latest bestseller. Concerned, Pen,
accompanied by Jack, tracks the woman down. What they discover is a
slightly decrepit apartment, a talking bird, and a dead body. While it
appears that the troubled customer committed suicide, the scene doesn't
quite add up. Pen and Jack agree-it's murder!
Almost fifteen years ago I met a man. He was a little rough around the edges, but dashing, charming, and mysterious. I developed a major crush. Oh, I knew it would never work out between us, after all, he was dead...and fictional, but that didn't stop me from dreaming. Then he disappeared. For ten years I didn't hear from him, you might say he ghosted...but now Jack Shepard is back and better than ever!
After a ten year hiatus, the sixth Haunted Bookshop Mystery continues as if practically no time had passed and while readers may appreciate more subtleties if they've read the previous books in the series, especially how Jack and Pen met, it is certainly not necessary to appreciate this captivating new mystery that is both timely and timeless.
Cleo Coyle skillfully weaves a mystery filled with intersecting stories, past and present. It gives a look at literary snobbishness and academic condescension in the face of mass popularity as well as the perils of publishing. What's fascinating is how Jack shows cases from his past that shed light on the current mystery. The way in which Jack and Pen can be together is magical, and a fun trip to the 1940s for readers. But the mystery is just part of it.
THE GHOST AND THE BOGUS BESTSELLER illustrates how past choices can affect the present. It deals with love and loss, courage and partnership. Jack's been helping Pen, not only solve crimes, but believe in herself, heal herself and learn to love again. Welcome back, Jack.
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The Ghost and the Bogus Bestseller (Haunted Bookshop Mystery) by Cleo Coyle
About the Book
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Berkley (September 25, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0425237451
Penelope Thornton-McClure and her bookshop's ghost-in-residence Jack Shepard are back on a new case in this delightful paranormal mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.
A big bestseller leads to small town trouble.
Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure didn't believe in ghosts, until she was haunted by the hard-boiled spirit of 1940s private investigator Jack Shepard. Now Jack is back on the job, and Pen is eternally grateful...
After an elegant new customer has a breakdown in her shop, Penelope suspects there is something bogus behind the biggest bestseller of the year. This popular potboiler is so hot that folks in her tiny Rhode Island town are dying to read it--literally. First one customer turns up dead, followed by another mysterious fatality connected to the book, which Pen discovers is more than just fiction. Now, with the help of her gumshoe ghost, Pen must solve the real-life cold case behind the bogus bestseller before the killer closes the book on her.
About the Author
Cleo Coyle is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the Coffeehouse Mysteries--now celebrating nearly fifteen years in print. They also write the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, which were originally published under their second pseudonym, Alice Kimberly (The Ghost and Mrs. McClure, The Ghost and the Dead Deb, The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library, The Ghost and the Femme Fatale, The Ghost and the Haunted Mansion). Alice has worked as a journalist in Washington, DC, and New York, and has written popular fiction for adults and children. A former magazine editor, Marc has authored espionage thrillers and nonfiction for adults and children. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together. You can learn more about Cleo, her husband, and the books they write by visiting www.CoffeehouseMystery.com.
Author Links:
Visit Cleo online: www.coffeehousemystery.com
Friend Cleo on Facebook:www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle
Follow Cleo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleocoyle/
Purchase Links Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play BookBub
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Thank you for your great review on "THE GHOST AND THE BOGUS BESTSELLER" by Cleo Coyle and for being part of the book tour.
ReplyDeleteI have this book on my TBR list and can't wait for the opportunity to read it. Love the way the ghost is made known on the cover.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
So happy Jack is back!
ReplyDeleteJack is back because you can't keep a good man or ghost down!! sharonrizzo@hotmail.com
ReplyDeletePen & Jack make a great team! turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHuzzah! Thank you, Kathy! Marc and I are thrilled to know that you enjoyed our new Haunted Bookshop Mystery. Cheers for sharing your thoughts and insights and giving us a special reason to celebrate. When a longtime fan of Jack's gives a thumb's-up, we know we're on the right track. We're now at work on a new entry in our Haunted Bookshop series, and we'll keep everyone informed of the pub date. We promise you won't have to wait another ten years! Until then, we hope you'll see Jack in your dreams.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, and thanks to Kay, Mary, Sharon, and Jana for taking the time to leave kind comments, as well.
Have a Happy Halloween season, everyone!
~ Cleo Coyle