by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of The Skeleton Haunts a House, along with a link to purchase the book where a portion goes to help support KRL and indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy.

Not surprisingly, Halloween is Sid’s favorite day of the year. He’s a sentient skeleton who regained his consciousness (but not his flesh), and Halloween is the one occasion where he can walk around outside unnoticed. Due to recent activities that have spooked more than one resident of Pennycross, Massachusetts, Sid submits to a rare moment of discretion and chooses to don a full body suit to be the Scooby-Doo to Georgia Thackery’s Velma. Dressed in these costumes, Georgia and her childhood companion Sid, will be able to enjoy the Halloween Howl, Pennycross’s month-long event topped off by the haunted house of McQuaid University’s “McHades Hall.”

The shocking discovery of an all-too-real body strands Sid in McHades Hall while the police investigate, but Georgia’s father’s fortunate intervention prevents the unexplainable revealing of Sid’s existence. It also has the unforeseen result of the police suspecting the wearer of the empty Scooby-Doo costume of being involved in the murder. Normally, Georgia’s sister Deborah barely tolerates Sid’s existence and disapproves of their involvement in investigations. But as the person in charge of McHades Hall, and fearing that Sid’s presence may mislead the police in the wrong direction, Deborah makes the unusual request that Georgia and Sid lend a (bony) hand before the authorities head off in the wrong direction.

Despite the presence of a “living” skeleton, these books by Leigh Perry are at their core academic mysteries. Georgia and her fellow adjunct professors live nomadic lives, constantly battling for their tiny desks among the tenured. While past entries explored their frustrating but humorous challenges, here the author focuses upon the students. A desperate career graduate student—who has managed to outlast all of her advisors—forced the early return of Georgia’s professorial parents from their sabbatical, so now Georgia must adjust to living with parents as an adult.

Leigh Perry, the author of numerous mystery series as Toni L. Kelner, delightfully shines a light on the absurdity of the complicated academic world. Sid’s presence as a web and social media savvy assistant only enhances the novels, making this the perfect mystery to cozy up with on Halloween or any other time of the year.

To enter to win a copy of The Skeleton Haunts a House, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Skeleton,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 31, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.

Click on this link to purchase this book and a portion goes to support KRL & indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:

The Skeleton Haunts a House

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).