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Joanna Davis #1
Ghostly Command
GHOSTLY COMMAND is the riveting story about a ghost and a reluctant paranormal investigator working together to solve the ghost’s murder, the first book in the Joanna Davis Mystery series.
Author Joanna Davis has a gift, an uncomfortable gift she has had since she was ten-years-old. She can see and hear those who have passed on. Suddenly she has a ghost in her kitchen who is trying to solve her own murder, except there is already someone in jail for the crime, an innocent someone or so says the ghost. Can Joanna help? Does she want to? Does she even have a choice? Follow this reluctant investigator as she works to solve this case and find the person who actually committed the crime.
Author Joanna Davis has a gift, an uncomfortable gift she has had since she was ten-years-old. She can see and hear those who have passed on. Suddenly she has a ghost in her kitchen who is trying to solve her own murder, except there is already someone in jail for the crime, an innocent someone or so says the ghost. Can Joanna help? Does she want to? Does she even have a choice? Follow this reluctant investigator as she works to solve this case and find the person who actually committed the crime.
236 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2023
45 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 12, 2024
3⭐
Genre ~ paranormal cozy mystery
Series ~ A Joanna Davis Mystery #1
Setting ~ Connecticut
Publication date ~ July 1, 2022
Est page Count ~ 236 (23 chapters)
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ author, small town
I've said it before and I'll say it again I REALLY hope I get to be a ghost. I wouldn't mind communicating with one either. Are you a believer or not?
A good introduction of our main character, Joanna, who has a ghost in her kitchen that likes to wake her up at 4am, oof. We, also, have some chapters that follow Sal and Squirrel, who are doing renovations on Joanna's haunted house.
We slowly find out that our ghost, Sophia, has been murdered. There is a man in prison for her murder, but is he the one that actually did it? I thought Joanna did a great job investigating. From researching at the library, obtaining house records and joining a paranormal group she really went above and beyond. Will everyone think she's a nut though when they find out her abilities? Joanna really worries about this being the case.
Overall, a fine start to a series. I found this to be well researched in the paranormal world and how the abilities work. I liked trying to figure out who the murderer was right along side of her. She had a great relationship with her grown children, too. I did find it a bit repetitive and mundane in Joanna's every day life. I wasn't very interested in what she was eating for lunch everyday or how she liked her coffee or Felix the cat's constant hissing at Sophia's presence.
Side bar with a possible mini spoiler:
The murder happened literally in her backyard, but Joanna seemed to not have any knowledge of it. How can that be? She chalked it up to being pregnant. I know about pregnancy brain, but you can't tell me that she never once heard about an actual murder, not only in this small town, but in the area behind her house for over 20 years. I just can't believe it, like at all.
*Thanks to the author for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ paranormal cozy mystery
Series ~ A Joanna Davis Mystery #1
Setting ~ Connecticut
Publication date ~ July 1, 2022
Est page Count ~ 236 (23 chapters)
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ author, small town
I've said it before and I'll say it again I REALLY hope I get to be a ghost. I wouldn't mind communicating with one either. Are you a believer or not?
A good introduction of our main character, Joanna, who has a ghost in her kitchen that likes to wake her up at 4am, oof. We, also, have some chapters that follow Sal and Squirrel, who are doing renovations on Joanna's haunted house.
We slowly find out that our ghost, Sophia, has been murdered. There is a man in prison for her murder, but is he the one that actually did it? I thought Joanna did a great job investigating. From researching at the library, obtaining house records and joining a paranormal group she really went above and beyond. Will everyone think she's a nut though when they find out her abilities? Joanna really worries about this being the case.
Overall, a fine start to a series. I found this to be well researched in the paranormal world and how the abilities work. I liked trying to figure out who the murderer was right along side of her. She had a great relationship with her grown children, too. I did find it a bit repetitive and mundane in Joanna's every day life. I wasn't very interested in what she was eating for lunch everyday or how she liked her coffee or Felix the cat's constant hissing at Sophia's presence.
Side bar with a possible mini spoiler:
The murder happened literally in her backyard, but Joanna seemed to not have any knowledge of it. How can that be? She chalked it up to being pregnant. I know about pregnancy brain, but you can't tell me that she never once heard about an actual murder, not only in this small town, but in the area behind her house for over 20 years. I just can't believe it, like at all.
*Thanks to the author for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
July 2, 2022
R.K. O'brien has outdone herself with this new release. Ghostly Command has relatable characters and is a page turner. Unless you plan to stay up all night, don't start it late.
Joanna Davis is faced with solving a murder and dealing with a ghost. This mystery book will have you facing many emotions including some humor. Can Joanna solve the murder? Won't post any spoilers, but this book is definitely a must read. Hoping to see many more of this series from O'Brien!
Joanna Davis is faced with solving a murder and dealing with a ghost. This mystery book will have you facing many emotions including some humor. Can Joanna solve the murder? Won't post any spoilers, but this book is definitely a must read. Hoping to see many more of this series from O'Brien!
July 5, 2022
Ghostly Command is such a good book, I could not put it down. This book opens the mind to the possibilities of there being something after death. Joanna uses her psychic "gifts" with a little bit of reluctances to help an unexpected guest. This mystery not only has you gripping at the pages for more to come but it had such a bitter sweet ending. I can not wait for the next one of this series.
March 20, 2024
A different type of mystery. A ghost is trying to solve her own murder. There’s no big TSTL moment (thank goodness), a detective who believe the main character 😮😮 shocking!! Overall not bad
January 16, 2023
I enjoyed this novel for what it is, but I will note that I think this novel fits a very particular group of readers, and I’m likely not the target audience. Ghostly Command, the first of the Joanna Davis novels, sets up the story of a middle-aged, divorced woman who is a writer, a mother, a small-town community staple, and heavily involved in renovating her home. I will admit that for me, the novel was a bit cloggy and hard to get through at times, in large part because of the way the story was set up. It felt that Joanna’s every action, every thought, was shared. In truth, I feel like there’s a good 100 pages or so that are completely unnecessary, doing nothing to drive the story along. As a writer myself, this really got to me. I found myself searching for the reason behind each scene. While some scenes were obviously needed, leaving key points of information (I was able to guess the perpetrator early on, which is one of the things I didn’t like about the novel), others seemed to be the mundane daily life of Joanna Davis. It got to drag on, the amount of small talk, and there were pages that felt like the conversations repeated themselves.
I really enjoyed the use of Joanna’s handyman as another point of view, and their friendship was one I was eager to read more of. I adored the scene between himself and his wife, and his reaction in the end was well done. R. K. O’Brien has no issue in crafting lovable characters. I was so excited whenever Joanna’s kids popped up, eager to learn more about them. I found I didn’t really enjoy the scenes of Joanna’s little meetups with those who knew about ghosts and paranormal activity. It just felt like it didn’t add much and wasn’t very memorable.
Dialogue was stiff at times, but overall, I could see the author in the work, and Joanna felt like a realistic portrayal. For me, it was an average read, but I can see how many would connect here. It’s not every day you read about an older woman harnessing her inherent gift in speaking to spirits to solve a murder! There are many parts that were truly charming, and I think most of the downfalls came in the pacing of the novel. I would recommend this novel for people who would like to try a cozy mystery without too much heavy action, or people who believe in mediums and paranormal powers!
I really enjoyed the use of Joanna’s handyman as another point of view, and their friendship was one I was eager to read more of. I adored the scene between himself and his wife, and his reaction in the end was well done. R. K. O’Brien has no issue in crafting lovable characters. I was so excited whenever Joanna’s kids popped up, eager to learn more about them. I found I didn’t really enjoy the scenes of Joanna’s little meetups with those who knew about ghosts and paranormal activity. It just felt like it didn’t add much and wasn’t very memorable.
Dialogue was stiff at times, but overall, I could see the author in the work, and Joanna felt like a realistic portrayal. For me, it was an average read, but I can see how many would connect here. It’s not every day you read about an older woman harnessing her inherent gift in speaking to spirits to solve a murder! There are many parts that were truly charming, and I think most of the downfalls came in the pacing of the novel. I would recommend this novel for people who would like to try a cozy mystery without too much heavy action, or people who believe in mediums and paranormal powers!
February 4, 2023
If you like ghostly mysteries, then check out this book. It is the first in a series with a middle-aged divorced woman that has the gift of communicating with ghosts.
I have to admit that I didn't remember that from the synopsis, so when I started the book, I felt a little lost. It seemed like things were happening without that background information until a little later. However, once that information is disclosed, some of the incidents make a lot more sense.
Joanna is a likable character, as are many of the main characters we meet. This is set in a somewhat smaller town, so gossip abounds, and there will always be the "haters." I liked that Joanna wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, and the main thing was remodeling her home. As it is with older homes, when you start working on one thing, you find five other things wrong. Good thing she had a good contractor helping her with those renovations.
When Joanna first meets the ghost, it is a bit unnerving, but as time goes on, she discovers a mystery that needs to be solved. As an author, she did a lot of research for her books, so researching this ghost and what happened to her wasn't too hard. Now it was a matter of finding someone that believed her and would take another look at this supposedly solved case.
I won't give you any spoilers, but I was quite surprised at how the mystery unraveled itself. Considering the individual involved, it could have blown up even more so.
This was an enjoyable storyline, and it kept me engaged. There were times when I thought the writing felt stilted or there was information that was repeated multiple times. However, that did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.
We give it 4 paws up.
I have to admit that I didn't remember that from the synopsis, so when I started the book, I felt a little lost. It seemed like things were happening without that background information until a little later. However, once that information is disclosed, some of the incidents make a lot more sense.
Joanna is a likable character, as are many of the main characters we meet. This is set in a somewhat smaller town, so gossip abounds, and there will always be the "haters." I liked that Joanna wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted, and the main thing was remodeling her home. As it is with older homes, when you start working on one thing, you find five other things wrong. Good thing she had a good contractor helping her with those renovations.
When Joanna first meets the ghost, it is a bit unnerving, but as time goes on, she discovers a mystery that needs to be solved. As an author, she did a lot of research for her books, so researching this ghost and what happened to her wasn't too hard. Now it was a matter of finding someone that believed her and would take another look at this supposedly solved case.
I won't give you any spoilers, but I was quite surprised at how the mystery unraveled itself. Considering the individual involved, it could have blown up even more so.
This was an enjoyable storyline, and it kept me engaged. There were times when I thought the writing felt stilted or there was information that was repeated multiple times. However, that did not detract from my enjoyment of this book.
We give it 4 paws up.
August 4, 2025
A Cozy Mystery with a Supernatural Twist I Didn’t Know I Needed!
From the very first page, I was hooked by Joanna’s story. A midlife heroine who's starting over and solving a murder with the help of a ghost? Yes, please! The writing was sharp, the pacing was perfect, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I especially loved how the author portrayed Joanna’s psychic gift believable, sensitive, and not overdone. The emotional depth gave it that extra layer that made it more than just a whodunit. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
From the very first page, I was hooked by Joanna’s story. A midlife heroine who's starting over and solving a murder with the help of a ghost? Yes, please! The writing was sharp, the pacing was perfect, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I especially loved how the author portrayed Joanna’s psychic gift believable, sensitive, and not overdone. The emotional depth gave it that extra layer that made it more than just a whodunit. Can’t wait for the next in the series!
July 1, 2023
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. It has been a little while since I have read a cozy mystery. This one follows Joanna who is a author but she has a special gift that allows her to see the dead. The ghost comes to her to help solve her murder. This was a quick ready and some of it was kind of funny. I did find that some of the scenes were a bit wordy and it not push the story forward.
September 3, 2024
Good mystery!
I enjoyed Joanna a lot.. Her character was great and seemed believable she was a strong, intelligent woman who even questioned her supernatural experiences. The story is a fast read because you don't want to put it down. It's suitable for all audiences. I gave it a 5 star rating because I enjoyed it so much and couldn't put it down
I enjoyed Joanna a lot.. Her character was great and seemed believable she was a strong, intelligent woman who even questioned her supernatural experiences. The story is a fast read because you don't want to put it down. It's suitable for all audiences. I gave it a 5 star rating because I enjoyed it so much and couldn't put it down
March 19, 2025
Interesting concept, but totally predictable. A portion of the story could have left out and not impacted the whole story (lots of fluff). Very much a cozy mystery with no big drama or action scenes. Just a home owner searching for the killer of the ghost who appeared in her kitchen. I did like the relationship between Joanna and her contractor.
July 2, 2025
A Really Well Written Book!
It is such a pleasure to read a book from an author who respects their readers enough to write well, and have others read their work and screen out the typos!
Joanna is renovating her vintage home, and becomes aware that a ghost is living in her kitchen. Joanna helps the ghost correct a 20 year old injustice.
It is such a pleasure to read a book from an author who respects their readers enough to write well, and have others read their work and screen out the typos!
Joanna is renovating her vintage home, and becomes aware that a ghost is living in her kitchen. Joanna helps the ghost correct a 20 year old injustice.
October 11, 2022
Do You Believe in Ghosts?
A nice quick read from my hometown, West Haven. It was fun and exciting to know the locations that were talked about. I cannot wait for the second one!
A nice quick read from my hometown, West Haven. It was fun and exciting to know the locations that were talked about. I cannot wait for the second one!
October 27, 2024
Good story, a few unexpected twists. It wrapped up almost too smoothly though. I do plan to read the 2nd and 3rd books in the series, as I enjoyed the first one.
October 14, 2025
it took me a little while to get into this book. but once I did I couldn't put it down. very excited to start the next book in this series.
Read
October 3, 2024I am so excited to add to this series. The second book, GHOSTLY PASSAGE, comes out November 25. If you would like to help me boost the buzz before it launches, visit https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
and add it to your WANT TO READ shelf. It will help me tremendously.
and add it to your WANT TO READ shelf. It will help me tremendously.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews