A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell cozy paranormal mystery reviewsA Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell cozy paranormal mysteryA Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell

A Ghostly Light is seventh book in Juliet Blackwell’s HAUNTED HOME RENOVATION MYSTERIES series. Like her WITCHCRAFT MYSTERIES series, each of these novels is a solid cozy paranormal mystery featuring pleasant characters and an enjoyable San Francisco setting. Fans of either series who don’t care that the books follow a formula should be pleased with A Ghostly Light.

This time Mel is renovating a lighthouse on an Island in San Francisco Bay, though she’s having some trouble due to her newly acquired fear of heights. When a murder occurs, Mel’s friend Alicia is charged and taken into custody. To exonerate Alicia, Mel must find the real killer. She’ll do this with some amateur detective work, some help from her family and friends (including her new boyfriend), and, of course, some ghosts who haunt the island and the lighthouse.

Readers who hope to figure out whodunit should expect several red herrings, but not enough clues to solve the mystery. Instead, we follow Mel around as she finally sort of stumbles upon the answer. It isn’t that exciting, but that’s okay. Readers are most likely to appreciate the interactions between Mel and her family, her developing romance, and the interesting histories she uncovers about San Francisco, lighthouse keepers, old photography techniques, and certain historical personages (such as Robert Louis Stevenson) during her investigation. That last part is my favorite aspects of these stories because I enjoy learning the history.A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell cozy paranormal mystery audiobook review

Another reason I enjoy Blackwell’s stories is that the audiobooks are narrated by Xe Sands who is such a delight to listen to. I wouldn’t consider reading these in any other format. These are produced by Tantor Audio and each run around 8 hours long.

As with the previous installment, Give up the Ghost, there’s a surprise ending to A Ghostly Light. Changes in Mel’s routine should be coming with the next book, and I look forward to that. I’m also hoping that someday Mel Turner will meet and befriend Lily Ivory, the heroine of Juliet Blackwell’s other supernatural mystery series, WITCHCRAFT MYSTERIES. That would be cool. Maybe someday Mel could be shopping for a vintage wedding dress??

Published June 27, 2017. In the latest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of Give Up the Ghost, it will take a beacon of ghostly intervention to guide contractor Mel Turner to the truth… Dangerous tides ahead… When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty. Alicia plans to transform the island property into a welcoming inn, and while Mel has never attempted a project so ambitious—or so tall—before, she’s definitely up for the challenge. But trouble soon arises when Alicia’s abusive ex-husband shows up to threaten both her and Mel, and later turns up dead at the base of the lighthouse stairs. With no other suspects in sight, things start looking choppy for Alicia. Now, if Mel wants to clear her friend’s name, she’ll need the help of the lighthouse’s resident ghosts to shine a light on the real culprit…

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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