Ghost Appeal: Sleepy Hollow Mysteries

by Louisa West

I didn’t choose the boo life. The boo life chose me.
I’m Ivy Hearst and I’ve always had a spook-tacular talent for seeing ghosts. It’s just part of who I am. When I was small it used to give me the heebie-jeebies, but as I got older I learned to embrace my gift. Now, as a spiritual medium, I get to help others handle their own spirit experiences and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 


Normally.


Seeing the ghost of a dearly departed client who’s house I just performed a spiritual cleansing in? That’s a new one. And it’s landed me in hot water.


Now I’ve gotta put my gift to work and ghost-bust a murderer. With a bossy apparition all up in my business and the Savannah PD side-eying me as a suspect, this won’t be easy. A web of mystery and danger is being woven around me. Evil spirits and the killer are closing in, and I’ll have to walk the shadowy line between the dead and the living to uncover the truth.


The clock is ticking, and the supernatural forces around me are only growing stronger. Can I bring a murderer to justice before I get thrown in the slammer–or into the afterlife myself?


From the author of the best-selling Midlife in Mosswood series, this prequel novella leads into an otherworldly new series of paranormal cozy mysteries that will have you reading past your bedtime.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2024

Reviews

[Mostly Murders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ivy Hearst has been able to see ghosts ever since she was a child. As an adult she works as a spiritual medium in Savannah, helping lost souls cross over and protecting the living from malign spirits and demons. After performing a cleansing ritual for a witch who is plagued by an evil presence, Ivy is shocked to find her client dead the very next morning, in the lobby of the building Ivy lives in. With the police suspecting Ivy, she has no choice but to deal with the ghost of her client and solve their murder before the police tries to pin it on her.

But as Ivy begins investigating the other three members of the witch coven her client belonged to, she realises that something very sinister is going on, and even her best wards and charms may not be enough to stop the enemy she is up against.

A cozy mystery with a bit of a dark twist at the end. Good for readers who want a cozy, witchy read with a bit of a bite and quirky interactions between the living and those who have not yet moved on.

[TXBRITGAL · Rating 5 out of 5]

👻Ghostie filled, mystery loving AWESOMENESS!

Count me in! Another fabulous series filled with unique and witty characters from our brilliant author. If you are a fan of "Ghost Whisperer", or " Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv series)" you may be drawn to this gem of a read. Ivy is our resident witty/snarky FMC, who can also see ghosts (and maybe a few other beasties). I loved the intrigue, witty banter, mystery, and a really resilient and all around awesome FMC at the center of everything. This ghostbuster has her own Scooby Gang to "call" on, that will definitely keep you entertained. The characters are colorful and so much fun!!! I absolutely loved this introduction to Ivy and her world. I for one cannot wait for the next read where she starts her big adventure 😉. Get ready for a twisty turny, adrenaline packed, ghostie filled, mystery loving good time! Have fun.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost Appeal is the prequel novella to Louisa West's new series of Sleepy Hollow Mysteries. In it, Louisa does a great job introducing the reader to her main character, spiritual medium Ivy Hearst. Set in the haunted city of Savannah, Ivy has been able to see ghosts all her life and has chosen to help others deal with their supernatural visitors. However when a particularly dangerous entity sets its sights on Ivy she is forced to make a change that will take her all the way to Sleepy Hollow, NY. This is a great beginning to what promises to be a fun new series. Ms. West has done a great job setting the stage for book one and I can't wait to read it.

[Books_inthe_Batcave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy is a 'ghost whisperer'. But her latest client has turned up dead in her apartment building & now she is both a suspect & possibly the next target. With the help of her deceased client Ivy will now try to unravel who the killer without ending up dead herself.

Such a cute cozy paranormal mystery. Is a quick fun read to the start of a new series. Loved Ivy's determination to get the bottom things regardless of the police. Her investigation leads to some fun characters & interactions. Look forward to Ivy's next mystery.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great prequel 😁👻👀

This has been on my tbr for a while and I’m so glad I moved it to the top and finally read it! As soon as I read the scene on the bus early on in the story, I knew I was going to love this book. You know when you feel like you’ve slipped into the story and are a part of it? That happened 😁 An interesting take on ghost whispering and this prequel sets things up nicely for the future series. Loving Ivy as an fmc and am very much looking forward to continuing her journey with her. Roll on book 1! 💖🙏🏽

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this much more than expected. It was a quick read prequel to the Sleepy Hollow series. Ivy is a medium and works with ghosts. She becomes involved with multiple homicides after assisting a coven leader with an evil entity. The story progresses through some investigations, getting closer to a few of the coven members, dealing with an overbearing/evil mother, and multiple encounters with the entity. A few twists and turns set up the series to move from Savannah to Sleepy Hollow NY. Interesting premise and likable characters. I look forward to reading more of the series.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy is a ghost whisperer, she sees dead people ever since she was a child. Her former client Poppy is murdered and it's up to Ivy to find out who did it. In a fast paced mystery, there is witches, demons, ghosts and a delightful cameo by Death from the Celestial series. I think it's the start of another winning series for Louisa and look forward to more of Ivy and her quick thinking ways. She's one smart cookie! I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

[Jennifer Markowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start with saying that I LOVE the characters in this book. Especially Archie he reminds me of my cantankerous older brother. The storyline is great and keeps you on your toes as to who the real culprit is. And I have to say that I was surprised by the ending as well. It does a wonderful job of bringing you up to date on how Ivey got to where she ends up and why. Very well written and I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Janet Smith McHardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful start to a new series. Ivy Hearst is a ghost whisperer. When she is called in by Poppy to do a spiritual cleansing. When Poppy tuns up dead , Ivy know she has to find who is responsible. I enjoyed this story and the characters involved. I look forward to the next book Baby Got Ghost.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended by N.R. Walker, and I am so glad that I picked it up. The only thing I am sad about is that it is going to be 2025 before another book is published. It was a great start to a new series; the story was excellent, and the MC was likeable and her sarcasm in the face of trouble was fun. Recommend reading.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prequel to a new series, this novella is packed with adventure. I appreciate that the story is complete, unlike some prequels that only tell you half the story. I look forward to the next in the series.
The author has written other series and stand alones, however this is the first work that I've read.

[Becky Klauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun!

Ghost Appeal is the first in the Sleepy Hollow series and it was so much fun to read. I love Ivy and her friends. Having her try to help spirits then get waylaid by both human (okay, witch) and demon was suspenseful and fun. I recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

[Fraxinus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited when I saw that Ms. West had a new series! I loved her Mosswood series, her Celestine Series, and am one of the three people who adored her treasure hunting series. I adore Ms. West's sense of humor! This book was no exception, set in Savannah, GA, it was so incredibly good. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Sarah Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice start to what I think will be a new favorite paranormal cozy mystery. Ivy can see ghosts and the newest spirit to visit her, is a recent client whose house she just cleansed. Can Ivy convince the police that she's innocent and bring the real killer to justice?

This was a fun, cute and cozy read. I can't wait to read the next installment!

[Kimberly Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book by Louisa West, Ivy goes to cleanse a witch's home. Later, she finds the witch dead, and she's a suspect. She must find out the real culprit before it's too late, especially when she finds a second witch dead. Then, the demon comes after her. Can she find the culprit before it's too late?

[Tamie Szarban · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a seriously hard time putting this book down! I enjoyed every twist and turn the story took. The perfect blend of mystery and magic. I am looking forward to (hopefully) many more escapades with Ivy.

[Deborah Yunevich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

Ivy finds herself a murder suspect when two witches she sent to see are murdered. Who did it? Throw in a demon and a Primetime Atlanta witch and things heat up. I like the characters and the interactions. Ready to read more.

[SylviaV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghost Appeal: Sleepy Hollow Mysteries by Louisa West.

A cozy mystery ghost whisperer story. This is the set up book for the series and sets up the main character and the expectations going forward. I was engaged with the characters, the setting and the storyline. 4 stars.

[Linda Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good one!

This is a good story - characters that you connect with and stay engaged in the story. Well written mystery with a bit of a twist. Nice ending that segues into the next installment in the series.

[Dawn Ireland · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read that this book was edited

There were a lot of errors for a book that showed the name of the editor. Why would the editor not call out the cliches? What about the other errors I found? I didn’t even mark all of them.

[Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun introduction to the new series. We meet Ivy and learn about her abilities as the events that lead her to Sleepy Hollow unfold. I'm looking forward to what comes next!

[Linnette Parris · Rating 5 out of 5]

spooky Awesomeness

A most excellent beginning to a new series! I very much enjoyed it and look forward to more. An unusual ghost whisperer and evil dark entity to be vanquished. I highly recommend.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louisa West outdid herself with this story. A prequel to the series Sleepy Hollow Mysteries

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well written and had everything you are looking for in a paranormal mystery.
Ghosts, demons, a bad witch and a kick butt heroine. The characters are amazing and well thought out. I really enjoyed reading about Ivy's crime fighting adventures. I can't wait to see what happens in Sleepy Hollow.

The story is well written, and it kept my interest. I really enjoyed the book and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book.

Highly recommend

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I loved this book. It was full of action and adventure. The final twist blew my mind. The characters seemed "real".

[Lupe E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me parecio bien para una libro de cozy mystery, lectura tranquila con algo de suspenso pero no me impacto demasiado queria mas del libro pero estuvo bien

[Stella Shahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

This is a great story I loved reading it. Full of action suspense and mystery of who dun it. I loved the characters as well

[aem · Rating 4 out of 5]

entertaining

[Susan Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some Of It Just Off

Why didn't she call the police? And some of the police procedures were off. But all in all a good read. But demons? Yuck! I hate demons. Tricky suckers. 😂😂

[Stephanies.books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:

Definitely a fun cozy mystery. Has some fun twists and some crazy characters.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:

🧹 Witches
🧹 Demons
🧹 Ghosts