Audiobook Review: Be Our Ghost by Kate Kingsbury

Author: Kate Kingsbury

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Title: Be Our Ghost

(Merry Ghost Inn #3)

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, & fiction    

Format: Audiobook

Published: October 9th 2018

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

The Merry Ghost Inn is well and truly open for business. Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza, are rapidly getting the hang of running their charming bed-and-breakfast inn on the rocky Oregon coast. Not that business goes without a hitch—when your hostelry boasts its own laughing resident ghost, you’d better be expect the out-of-the-ordinary. But Melanie and Liza take it all in stride…until a hotshot real estate developer arrives in Sully’s Landing, touting his plans to build a tacky amusement arcade smack dab in the middle of the tasteful cliff-side town.

No one in Sully’s Landing can stand the gaudy developer, but it’s still a shock when he ends up murdered. It’s even more shocking when Liza’s friend, Doug, emerges as the chief suspect. Melanie and Liza put on their sleuthing caps yet again and set out to clear Doug’s name. But the ante is upped when Max, Melanie’s beloved sheepdog/wolfhound mix, disappears.

When Max reappears just as mysteriously as he vanished, with a threatening note attached to his collar, Melanie and Liza know the killer is on to them. They nearly check into accommodations six feet under when, en route to the crime scene, their brakes give out and they narrowly miss plunging over the cliffs to the beach below. Meanwhile, the merry ghost who haunts the inn tries to help by dropping clues for Melanie to find, but her mind is otherwise preoccupied when the killer kidnaps Liza and holds her prisoner.

Now, it’s up to Melanie to piece together the ghost’s clues, save her mother, exonerate her friend, keep her guests happy, and make sure Max gets his walkies.

Review:

Okay guys...I am addicted to this series apparently and this is the final one and my heart is broken. Sighsssssss.

The Merry Ghost Inn is well and truly open for business. Things have been going well for Melanie and Liza. However, things go haywire when a hotshot real estate developer arrives in Sully's Landing. No one can stand this developer and no one (except those swayed by money) wants his plans to go ahead. When he is found dead, the town is in shock. It's even more shocking how many suspects there are including Liza's friend, Doug, seems to be the chief suspect. The duo pull out their sleuthing hats again to try and find the truth and maybe clear Doug's name. The ante is upped when Max, Mel's beloved dog, disappears but then reappears just as mysteriously with a note attached to his collar telling the two to stop their questions or something worse will happen. 

This had me listening nonstop. I HAD to know who dunnit especially after the threatening note and the attempt made on their lives. This killer is dangerous. I had NO idea. I knew it couldn't be Doug. Doug is Liza's boo!!! 

But I really had no idea. The guy was well hated so his list of enemies was long. 

Once everything was revealed at the end....I was still blown away. BUT it all made sense...especially thinking back on everything the person revealed. I'm shocked it took our team this long to figure it out. 

The side mystery of Melanie's mom does conclude as well (no spoilers). However, it made me want more....I feel we were left on a slight cliff-hanger. Sure we got to know the answer, but there are more questions I have. Maybe a short story???? That would be nice. 

Also, things are still up in the air for Mel and her cop boo. Will they? Won't they? They have some stuff to figure out. 

Sighs...I am sad. This was the last one and it came out in 2018. Not sure if there will be a fourth!!! I would be content with a short story or something. I do not see anything announced or even rumors. SIGHS. HOW CAN THIS BE????

The narrator was fantastic. If another one ever comes out again...*wishes*...she will need to continue narrating them. 

In the end, I am sad to say goodbye to this series. I am upset that there are a lot of unanswered questions and there are so many loose ends. I enjoyed this mystery a lot, but I am kinda bummed at how it all ended. Maybe someday we'll get a short story at least. I'll give this 3 stars. 

 

Challenge(s):
- #62 for Audiobook challenge

Audiobook Review: Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury

Author: Kate Kingsbury

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Title: Doom with a View

(Merry Ghost Inn #2)

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, & fiction    

Format: Audiobook

Published: September 12th 2017

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

With the arrival of six senior reading group members at the Merry Ghost Inn, the long-awaited Grand Opening week has finally begun for Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza. All is well with the Oregon coast-side B&B until Melanie's dog, Max, finds the dead body of one of their guests. Everyone at the inn immediately falls under suspicion, including the innkeepers themselves. Melanie and Liza are not sure who they can trust, and the idea of cohabitating with a murderer is enough to send chills down anyone's spine. To make matters worse, the curmudgeonly town detective wants them to steer clear of the investigation, but doesn't seem too inspired to solve the case in a timely fashion himself. To clear their own names and to avoid the blight on the inn's reputation that yet another dead body will bring, Melanie and Liza dive headlong into the murder investigation. With a little help from their chuckling ghost, Melanie and Liza dodge the detective, tip-toe around their suspicious guests, and still serve up delicious Bed & Breakfast meals on time/

Review:

Yayy book 2! I wanted to wait until closer to Halloween or Oct...but I couldn't resist ;) 

After a rocky start, Liza and Melanie have finally opened their B&B. With the arrival of six senior reading group members, things start out okay...until Melanie's dog finds the dead body of one of the guests. At first, it looks like a heart attack, but soon they realize the guest was murdered. Everyone at the inn immediately falls under suspicion. Melanie and Liza are not sure who they can trust and the idea of cohabitating with a murderer is chilling. To make matters worse, the detective doesn't want their help, but he doesn't seem too inspired to solve the case in a timely fashion. To clear their own names and avoid getting murdered, they dive headlong into solving the case themselves.

I feel so bad for Liza and Mel. All they want to do is run their B&B and find peace. Yet another murder falls....(bad pun on accident)....on their lap. That detective sucks. They need to fire him and find someone else. I don't blame this duo for wanting to clear their names and find the murdered. How scary knowing SOMEONE staying there is a murderer. *shudders*

The mystery was good. The who and they why had me. I really had no solid idea on who and/r why. Kuddos to the author. When all was revealed I kinda felt bad for the murderer. I won't spoil why.

Again, I'm glad that the possible love story doesn't take center stage. However....I want them to get together and they are going SOOOO slow. Yes, yes, it works because both parties have been really hurt by exes, buut stilllllllllllll. LOVE EACH OTEHR DARNIT! They are perfect for each other and I want everyone happy. Even Grandma Liza and that pub owner!

The narrator is good. I like her voices. This was a big cast and all the voices were different. Made it easy!

Overall, I enjoyed this. I'm liking this series. Sadly, I think there is only one more and I know I'm going to be sad. I really hope that everyone gets a HEA. I am getting nervous and I really hope we don't have an open-end. Gah. We shall see. This was just as good as the first. A good mystery and a fun set of characters. 4 stars. 

 

 

Challenge(s):
- #60 for Audiobook challenge

Audiobook Review: Dead and Breakfast by Kate Kingsbury

Author: Kate Kingsbury

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Title: Dead and Breakfast

(Merry Ghost Inn #1)

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, & fiction    

Format: Audiobook

Published: January 10th 2017

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.

The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.

It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives.

Review:

This kept popping up as a recommendation for me so I caved and played this. 

We follow Melanie and her grandmother, Liza, who team up and open a B&B. They purchase a reported haunted mansion on the Oregon coast. While clearing out the cobwebs and attempting to remove some wallpaper they discover a very real skeleton in the closet. The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner, but no one in town wants to say much about her. Things get worse when someone is murdered at the beach near the inn and the victim, oddly, resembles Melanie quite a bit.

Awwww this was fun. I adored Melanie and Liza. I also loved that puppers that they saved. What a great team. 

I loved the blend of the mystery and supernatural. It was fun. The ghost was a character in on its own. A creepy character...but he/she was fun. We think it is a boy, but we do not know anything about this ghost. Liza thinks it's a boy. She even gave this ghost a name. Cute! I hope we learn more about this ghost in the future. I feel like the ghost should've had a bigger role BUT maybe he/she will in future books. 

OOOOO that mystery was good. Totally didn't see that coming! The ended was great!!! BUUUUT it all makes sense thinking back on it. It was right there darnit. So good. OOOOO so good. 

There is a mini love interest for both Melanie and Granny Liza. It made me smile, but I was happy it didn't take over the plot. Curious to see if they end up getting together. That would be cute! Esp the cop. He was hot ;)

The narrator was a lot of fun. Her voices were great and fit really well.

Overall, what a great way to start September/Fall! A fun cozy mystery for fall. I can't wait to read/listen to more. Curious to see them solve more mysteries, learn/see more of the ghost, and maybe Melanie and Liza will find love! I'll give it 4 stars. 

 

Challenge(s):
- #51 for Audiobook challenge