by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of Spouse on Haunted Hill. We also have a link to order it from Amazon, and from an indie bookstore where a portion goes to help support KRL.

Alison has enough problems what with business at the haunted B&B slower than usual, two contrary resident ghosts, and a daughter, Liss, who’s in California visiting her dad, aka The Swine. He just can’t be trusted. It’s a relief to go to the airport to pick up Liss, just to make sure she’s really back. It’s not good news to see Steven The Swine deplane right behind her. It was a last minute trip, a chance to spend more time with her, he says. Alison knows that translates into “another scheme has blown up in my face and I’m hiding out.” This time, he’s put his family in danger.

The danger shows up pretty fast when a guy drops by to see Steven. Seems his hideout wasn’t so hidden after all. The guy’s name is Maurice, and he’s there to remind Steven about a $400,000 debt to Lou Maroni as part of a business deal they’d come up with. Hmm, Steven told Alison it was $600,000. The ghosts also overheard Steven’s plan to get Alison to sell the B&B and give him the money, like that was ever going to happen.

If that stress isn’t enough, Paul, the ghost detective, has a plan to use electricity to propel him to the next level. What that is exactly, no one knows, but he’s tired of being confined to the B&B, especially when Maxie, the other ghost, can come and go as she pleases. Alison thinks Paul will either abandon her or burn down the house with his experiment.

When Maurice is found in an alley, shot dead, Steven becomes a prime suspect. Alison wouldn’t mind him being sent to jail, after all, it’s not like he pays his child support anyway. On the other hand, Liss would be upset, and that’s to be avoided.

More thugs show up and Alison’s got a houseful of people she doesn’t want. Even her boyfriend Josh is acting weird. Her mom and ghostly Dad are about the only normal ones in the group and that says a lot. Alison’s got more patience than six average people.

The mystery is a good one with a lot of misdirection involved because Steven always has a plan and a backup plan. It’s a matter of staying a step ahead of him, something that’s not easy to do. There are a lot of changes coming for all concerned: Paul with his experiment, Maxie and her ghostly boyfriend, Liss as she grows up, the B&B and Alison herself.

Penguin has not renewed the contract for this Haunted Guesthouse Mystery series but luckily, Crooked Lane saw an opportunity and will publish the next two books! If you love the series and want to see it continue, post a review on Amazon or Goodbooks or just tell friends about the books. Ask your public library to carry the series. Authors share wonderful stories with readers. Spreading the word makes sure they can continue to do so.

To enter to win a copy of Spouse on Haunted Hill, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “spouse,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 7, 2017. 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.

Use this link to purchase the book & a portion goes to help support KRL & indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy:

Spouse on Haunted Hill

You can also use this link to purchase the book on Amazon. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch, in the land of blues, booze and shoes—St Louis, Missouri. While writing magazine articles to support her mystery book habit, she secretly polishes mystery books of her own, hoping, someday, they will see the light of Barnes and Noble and a Kindle. You can find several of Sandra’s short stories at Untreed Reads including her newest, “Arthur,” included in the anthology titled, Flash and Bang, available now. Look for Denali, in the anthology Dogs and Dragons.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.