An Accidental Murder

Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries #1

by J. New

Young widow, Isobella Bridges discovered and fell in love with The Yellow Cottage as a child. Many years later she returned to the Island, discovered it was for sale and bought it on a whim. Or so she thought.
She had no idea at the time how much it would change her life, nor that it was yet to reveal all it’s secrets. Ones that even Ella couldn't imagine.
She purchased the cottage from an old lady, but this was no ordinary old lady. And she left her cat, but this was no ordinary cat.
Ella soon realises that this isn't the only gift the old lady left.
Having only been in residence a few short weeks, and still unpacking boxes, she receives a telephone call from her brother, inviting her up to London for Sunday lunch.
This call sets in motion a series of events that puts Ella’s life, and those of the people closest to her in danger.

‘An Accidental Murder’ is a cosy amateur sleuth novella, with a difference. Set in 1930’s England, it is the first in the series of The Yellow Cottage mysteries.

*Please note this is a novella of around 25,000 words.*

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Historical, British Literature

1 pages, Audio CD

First published March 22, 2015

About the author

Claim your FREE book at www.jnewwrites.com

WRITER OF BRITISH MYSTERIES. Historical, contemporary, paranormal, cozy, humorous. Featuring memorable protagonists, their unusual side-kicks and an eclectic ensemble of supporting cast members. They usually include spirits (all varieties) a little bit of magic, a spot of romance and copious amounts of tea. At regular intervals they involve steam trains and sometimes bicycles.

SERIES:

THE YELLOW COTTAGE VINTAGE MYSTERIES, traditional English whodunits with a twist, set in the 1930s. Known for their clever humor as well as the interesting slant on the traditional murder mystery.

THE TEA & SYMPATHY series featuring Lilly Tweed, former newspaper Agony Aunt, now purveyor of fine teas at The Tea Emporium in the small English market town of Plumpton Mallet. Along with a regular cast of characters, including Earl Grey the shop cat.

THE FINCH & FISCHER series featuring mobile librarian Penny Finch and her rescue dog Fischer. Follow them as they dig up clues and sniff out red herrings in the six quintessential English villages and hamlets that make up Hampsworthy Downs.

Jacquie was born in West Yorkshire, England. She studied art and design and after qualifying began work as an interior designer, moving onto fine art restoration and animal portraiture before deciding to pursue her lifelong ambition to write.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s get the most important part straight: I absolutely adored An Accidental Murder, reading the novella, the first in a cozy-mystery series, straight through in an afternoon. I couldn’t put it down.

Young widow Isobella “Ella” Bridges buys up the Yellow Cottage she fell in love with as child visiting Linhay Island while on holiday. The island, never named, is less than an hour from London by train. On her return from lunch in London at her brother’s flat, Ella rescues a fleeing 7-year-old girl, leading to an adventure she could never have imagined.

The write-up on J. New’s Goodreads Author Page likens the Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries to a cross between Miss Marple mysteries and The Ghost Whisperer. My feeling about An Accidental Murder, set in 1935, rather put me in mind of an early Mary Stewart novel: a pretty, daring heroine with a paranormal streak. And I loved it as much as I have loved Stewart’s best work. I can’t wait to dip back to read the prequel, the short story “The Yellow Cottage Mystery,” and the second novel in the series, The Curse of Arundel Hall.

[John Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find murder mysteries absolutely fascinating, even when say Poirot has got them all in a room, dissects each person's role (or non-role) effectively, before revealing the killer.

Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the most famous of sleuths. I thought An Accidental Murder would run something like these great classic detective tales, but having read Miss New's superlative Predator or Prey story collection, I should have known better.

Miss New has weaved a tale that seems quirky at first. It's hard for me to say exactly what is going on without revealing what I think are key plot points, but it would not be a give away to say that the cat 'Phantom' (he of the cover) is not all he seems to be!

I know they say don't judge a book by its cover, but look at it - don't you want to be on that train to find out what's going on?

This book is utterly intriguing and I would say it's biggest strength, apart from the elegant story telling, is the beautifully crafted detail the author has put into this book. Everything is so wonderfully described, placing you in the moment.

Things get really claustrophobic as the killer is revealed. Even then, one is not sure how the story is going to end. There are many great characters in the story, of course, our heroine Isabella is a given, but I liked Ginny too (though that could be explained by the fact I loved her namesake in Harry Potter).

Mystery and murder intertwine in a deliciously wicked way that make the reader yearn for more. Not sure how many books will be in this series, but sign me up for the lot.

I rarely read a book in one go, but this totally did it for me.

Get it today.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest I kinda forgotten I had listened to this but I vaugley remember enjoying it while listening but it didn't nothing to make me remember much about it after I finished it

[Linniegayl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rather charming, short mystery set in 1930s England. There are some huge coincidences in the book, and a major mystery featuring a particularly nasty villain gets solved rather quickly. However, if one is willing to suspend some disbelief, the book can be enjoyable.

Ella, a young widow, recently moved to a yellow cottage (actually a rather large house) on the fictional island of Linhay about an hour from London (according to the author's website the island is based on the actual Hayling Island) . Soon after she moved Ella discovered the cottage has a ghost cat she's named Phantom. When her brother and his wife attempt to set her up with their latest eligible male friend, Ella hops up to London for a dinner party (there's a lot of rather quick travel back and forth between London and the island).

Soon Ella and her sister-in-law are involved in a mystery featuring an orphanage, a ghost, and at least one murder.

I found the setting interesting and the main characters charming. It was obvious almost immediately who the villain was, although the back story was a bit more complicated than I expected. However, despite some problems, I enjoyed this and have already downloaded the second in the series.

[Rachel Cotterill · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Ella moves into the Yellow Cottage it feels like coming home, but she wasn't expecting to inherit a cat from the now-deceased previous owner... and a cat that walks straight through solid walls is quite the surprise. However, it soon transpires that Phantom isn't the only ghost she can see, and her talents lead her to investigate a murder. This is a nice little novella that introduces Ella, along with her extended family and the local police. A quick and satisfying read.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quirky little historical mystery, set in 1930s London and an island somewhere nearby. I liked the characters, and the slightly supernatural additions. It could be the start of an interesting series.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light enjoyable mystery that involves some ghosts. It's rather short at 122 pages and reads like a short story more than a novella.
I didn't realise at the beginning that there is a free introductory story available when you visit the authors site so the reader is kind of thrown in at the deep end regarding the characters. We start the story with no real introduction and it feels like you've jumped into the middle of the book.
At such a short word count you don't get much character development but I did like the main ones in this.
A light fluffy bit of nonsense that's given me a break from books I really have to concentrate on. I'll definitely read the next one.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was recommended to me on Amazon, a book from the Kindle Unlimited universe. It is good spirited and easy to digest with traditional English cottage characters plus a ghost or two. A very quick read that brings a smile or two. I will most likely read more by this author for those in between chores sit down breaks I so regularly take.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy, breezy mystery that needed major editing, such as the dearth of commas, among other things. I do plan to give the next one a shot, however, as I find I liked the main characters in this one.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun listen and a fantastic start to the wonderful Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery series.

I really enjoyed learning all about how Ella became involved with Scotland Yard as a consulting detective. As with the other cases later in the series, this first case was a lot more involved than I first thought. I guessed the bare bones of the mystery, but didn’t have a clue as to the hows or whys. I loved that it took a darker turn, but it wasn’t gruesome in anyway whatsoever, as this is a cosy mystery after all. In fact there were some funny moments involving Phantom, Ella’s ‘cat’.

I’ve listened to this series in a strange order, so highly recommend starting at the beginning as they really are delightful stories. As I’ve mentioned before, Jilly Bond is just perfect as the narrator for this series, and is so good at all the different voices and the way she portrays each character.

I can’t recommend this series enough if you enjoy cosy mysteries, especially set in the 1930s England.

Thanks to Hope Roy at Tantor Media for my digital copy.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linhay Island, England. Yellow Cottage. 1930s. J. New’s An Accidental Murder (Yellow Cottage Vintage
Mysteries, #1) is a cozy mystery that begins a series whose protagonist is Ella Bridges who has just moved into a new home known as the Yellow Cottage. Ella discovers that the former owner has left a ‘gift’ for her. In addition to this gift, Ella finds that she has an”unusual sidekick” who assists her when Ella finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. This series begins with a short installment in which upon returning from a luncheon with her brother and sister-in-law Ella notices a young girl has followed her home. The kind-hearted Ella feeds the young girl and puts her to bed in the guest room. This is a lovely storyline which becomes a mystery with a special twist involving Ella’s brother, his wife, and Uncle Albert, the police commissioner. 4 stars.

[Cat Fu (carocat) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was a short book [though this is entirely my fault as clearly marked in the description that I didn't fully read as I like to not have everything spoiled] and was surprised how quickly it moved forwards. Spoilers follow.

The book is preceded by a short prequel in the series which wasn't obvious until I looked it up halfway through the book. The book, however, assumes you've read it and doesn't really elaborate on characters or locations. As such you're immediately meant to accept that there's a ghost cat that communicates with the main character and can also move objects. There's an article I read a while back on how someone skipped a page in the 'Catcher in the Rye' at the beginning and the book changed the whole concept [I've not read the book so wouldn't know]. I had a somewhat related experience with Girl on the Train though where I was wondering for most of the book if this wasn't something in Rachel's imagination, as I didn't read anything of the description and so wasn't sure of the genre. I suppose it's akin to someone watching a random episode of Charmed having to take at face value that there are witches or watching Buffy and having to accept that vampires are a thing.

So far the dislike of the book is my own fault - the length and the fact I didn't read the prequel on how she came about the cottage and, I presume, the cat. As it happens, Phantom is actually a clever name for a ghost cat.

The rest of the book didn't do much for me either though and I doubt I would have finished it in a timely manner, had it not been for how short it is. The characters weren't developed enough, I couldn't figure out the time period except for the bit where they actually mentioned dates, and the overall mystery was bland with the full explanation given after the fact. It wasn't just cozy, it was just too straightforward and every action and conversation could have been summed up with 'character did/say breezily' thus skipping over any depth. The only character who held my interest was the ghost cat whom, at this point, I'm probably overselling. He's no Salem on Sabrina, he's just an apparition who appears at crucial points to deliver plot through knocking out an antagonist by dropping something on their head or by hissing at someone thus making it really obvious they're evil.

Everything comes back around to the length: I think I would have really liked it had there been more depth to everything as the premise is fun, but equally that would make it another book and I only finished this because it was only 100 pages and I can hardly not finish something so short!

2/5 - Marking up for the premise which has so much potential, yet marking down for everything else. I would read another book in the series if it had more to it though.

[Rose English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 08 of my 2017 Reading Challenge

This is a GREAT book, a story of bygone days. On amazon some one described it like this:-

‘Miss Marple meets The Ghost Whisperer’ – Perfect For Fans of Golden Age Murder Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Clean Reads and British Amateur Sleuths'

This sums it up really well. I loved the little freebie that I received by signing up to the authors website (see review on a previous post). A prequel to this first book in the series. The descriptions of the ‘Yellow Cottage’ were truly wonderful I felt as if I were actually viewing the property for myself.

In this first full story we meet some truly wonderful characters but my favourite has got to be M
Phantom the cat, inherited with the cottage apparently, and the model of the front covers of the books.

It was a pleasure meeting Ella and her brother Jerry a writer, along with his wife Ginny the pair seem to want to fix Ella up on a date (sadly she is a widow though happy to be alone). It is at a family gathering that she is introduced to the enigmatic Peter Clairmont who Jerry met at a Fund-Raising Event for for a local orphanage. However, but there is more to Mr Clairmont than meets the eye.

I simply adored the old fashioned script it made me reminisce on old Enid Blyton stories. Very enjoyable I do not want to say anymore in case I give too much away. I love the way this story is woven and I would recommend you give it a go.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ella is a young widow who has just bought a cottage she has been fascinated with since she was a child. She had a long talk with the former owner when she first came to see the place. The owner left her a few things, possibly including a cat Ella names Phantom.
She encounters a young girl on the train back to her home after a visit to her brother & SIL in London. The child is running from something & hides under a seat until they reach Ella's stop. Ella takes her home temporarily. The child has a wallet from a man Ella just met that evening. What is going on.
This is a novella so it's a short mystery but a dramatic one.
I have issues with the paranormal in mysteries, it is so easy for it to be a cop out when solving things. But Ms New uses it as a jumping off point, not as a method of resolution which is fine for me.
I enjoyed this enough to download the rest of the series

[Joan Bannan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first line was a writing cliche. It was definitely not for me in any way. You may love it if you believe in ghosts, believe they should be main characters in stories, believe they exist because they are people, "not at rest," and you can believe that the London chief of police would start a full-blown investigation around the testimony of a ghost.

Besides that, I could not detect a motive for the bad guys.

The only redeeming quality of this book for me was that it was a mere hundred forty pages. I was done before I abandoned it.

[Debra B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 ⭐

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 2.5 stars, I think.

When a little girl follows her home on the train from a visit to London, Ella suspects that things are not what they appear. Her ghost-cat, Phantom, agrees.

The story was good and I was interested in the premise... I like Ella and her friends, I enjoy reading about the 1930's - and while having a sleuth that acts as a detective for ghosts that only she can see isn't a NEW idea, it is handled here with fresh charm.

However, I felt like there were gaps in the story. It was as if details were left out that would have helped transition the reader from scene to scene - almost as if the story were told in too much of a rush. Too many details can certainly bog down a story, but too few details leaves the reader with unanswered questions. I have dozens of questions that seem really pertinent but were never answered. Questions like - how did Mary die? Did the criminals have something to do with it, even as children? Why did Mary's death leave such an impression on Peter? How was working at the orphanage benefiting the criminals? Why were they there to start with?

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whimsical mystery where Ella discovers she can see ghosts.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella Bridges, a young widow whose husband’s death was surrounded in rather strange circumstances, has recently moved into her new home, known locally as The Yellow Cottage, on Linhay Island. She’d spent her childhood summer holidays on the island and during the time the family spent there Ella saw and fell in love with the cottage. A short prequel which can be obtained free by signing up to the author’s group delves deeper into Ella’s time spent holidaying on the island and how she came to buy the cottage.

Ella and the previous owner, Mrs Rose, had met when Ella first viewed the cottage and it was only through the estate agent that she found out Mrs Rose had been dead for several months. Ella also inherited Mrs Rose’s (deceased) cat, who she named Phantom, and a ghost in a secret room.

Ella is unpacking boxes when she receives a telephone call from her brother, Jerry, inviting her to lunch the following day. In matchmaking mode, Jerry and Ginny also invite Peter Clairmont to lunch, a fairly new acquaintance who Jerry met at a fundraising event for a local orphanage. Events are set in motion that no-one could have foreseen, putting them all in danger. Ella finds a new skill as an amateur sleuth, aided and abetted by ghosts and Sir Albert Montesford, Police Commissioner and Ginny’s godfather.

Told in the first person from Ella’s point of view, An Accidental Murder is a very readable and entertaining cosy mystery novella, with engaging, colourful characters and an undercurrent of humour. I love the paranormal element that’s woven into the story, giving it an edge and adding to the appeal. There’s the promise of more in future books. It’s written in keeping with the era, transporting the reader to 1930s England with descriptive details. You only need to see the cover to get the idea. The plot is cleverly done and flows well, with (mostly – there has to a villain after all) delightful, well-rounded main characters. Look forward to more adventures with Ella and co.

[Joanne Ernest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Yellow Cottage mysteries and if the rest are as good as this it shouls be a grand series! Isobella 'Bella' Bridges has just purchased an island cottage outside London that has presented her with some unusual abilities and a rare companion. When a young girl follows Ella home from a questionable orphanage after she visits there with the shady man who runs it, Ella enlists the help of her brother Jerry and sister-in-law Ginny to get to the bottom of the goings-on there and Ginny brings in her godfather, known to them all as 'Uncle' Albert who is the Police Commissioner to help them. One of the biggest laughs I got from the book was when Ella introduces her companion and the girl to Jerry and Uncle Albert - good fun! An intriguing mystery, engaging characters and a touch of the supernatural - what a treat! This book was given to me but the review and opinions are all mine. Do yourself a favor and start this series!

[Barb Taub · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I received a review copy The Curse of Arundel Hall, I noticed that it was the second book in the Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery series. So I wrote to author J. New and asked if it was a stand alone or if I should first read Book 1, An Accidental Murder. She replied that while it works as a standalone, she thought it might help my review to read the first book as well, and sent a review copy along too. She was right.

I started reading and went back in time. But it wasn’t to the mid-1930s setting of the Yellow Cottage series, which TV Tropes calls Genteel Interbellum Setting—that vaguely between-World-Wars era of women in furs and cocktail dresses, men in dinner jackets, country houses and estates, and sophisticated banter. No, I was once again a 10-year-old, home from school with strep throat and sequestered in my parents’ bedroom to keep my germ-ridden self away from my siblings. Since my Irish-Catholic mother had already produced six of those siblings—with another on the way—that meant she stashed me in her room with the side-by-side twin beds in approved fifties ain’t-no-sex-goin-on-here-nohow culture. (As their child-production count eventually topped out at ten, I never really quite got the point of those twin beds. Once, when I asked her, my mother said I should just be glad I didn’t have twice as many siblings. I said if that was the case, she should have thought about moving that other twin bed to a different room. In another state…)

But I digress. The point (of course I have one—I’m a professional writer. Don’t try this at home…) is that her bed had a bookshelf headboard which held her latest mystery books, currently all by Agatha Christie. So I read the (still socially-inappropriately titled) Ten Little Indians. Huh. Didn’t see that ending coming. I picked up another one, starring an unlikely sleuth—a little old lady named Miss Marple, who investigates When a Murder is Announced. And that was it. My little California-based soul was hooked: on witty mysteries with literate British amateur sleuths, on fabulous British settings, on fantastic BBC productions, and most definitely on Dame Agatha.

For me, Agatha Christie’s books succeed on two levels. Level One is first and foremost the characters. Each of them, but especially the detective, is fully rounded and fleshed out with charming idiosyncrasies or ominous foibles. On this level, author J. New succeeds brilliantly. Each character is introduced, brought to well-rounded existence into their place in that most idiosyncratic of all societies, a small English village. Protagonist Isobella (Bella) Bridges is a young widow whose husband died in somewhat mysterious circumstances. Two years after his death, she returns to the little village where her family spent happy holidays and purchases the Yellow Cottage after visiting with its owner—who, Bella later discovers, had already been dead for seven months when they spoke—who leaves her several mysteries to solve, including a ghost cat. Bella is a perfect example of her class—posh, casually prejudiced, and so supremely assured of her place in the world that she is perfectly willing to ignore fashion and custom when it suits her while unconsciously adhering to their dictates in almost every aspect of her life.

Having grown up in and around old houses, Bella accepts the ghosts with the same aplomb as she greets her quirky new neighbors. In the first book of the series, An Accidental Murder, most of the action centers around London, so we also meet Bella’s brother Jerry and his wife Ginny, as well as Ginny’s “Uncle” Albert, Scotland Yard’s Police Commissioner.

Level Two of Agatha Christie’s success is all about that surprise ending. Christie herself caught readers with the twist at the end by systematically breaking almost every rule of detective stories. There’s a story—perhaps apocryphal—that Agatha Christie was almost kicked out of the Detection Club for breaking their rules of detective fiction, and only saved by the single dissenting vote of then-president Dorothy L Sayers. (Yep, there was such a club and they actually did write down rules for detective fiction.) And it’s pretty indisputable that Agatha Christie—who served as its president from 1957-1976—also regularly broke most of those detective story rules. Of course readers are attracted to different types of mystery and detective stories. But one thing most agree is that they enjoy looking at the clues and trying to figure things out with—or before!—the sleuth. That’s why “You’re probably wondering why I’ve asked you all here” is a trope that’s kept working so well for so long.

Again, J. New doesn’t disappoint. In true homage to the genre, in The Curse of Arundel Hall all the suspects are gathered together in the drawing room while the detective lists each one’s opportunity and motive for murder. The victim, American social climbing actress Patty-Mae, had revealed herself guilty of every sort of character fault, including that most unforgivable of all—bad manners. Although the author withheld a vital clue that solved the crime until that final summation, I have to admit that the identity of the murderer would have been just as complete a surprise to me at either point.

Wikipedia defines a cozy mystery as “…a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.” True to the definition, sex, profanity, and violence are “behind the door” and only gently referenced. Sleuth Bella is an amateur who gathers a posse of essential helpers—in this case the Police Commissioner, his chief medical examiner, and her own well-connected family.

I did have a couple of places where the required “willing suspension of disbelief” was more of a stretch. And the writer’s device of ending each chapter with somewhat heavy-handed foreshadowing—”Little did I know it would be sooner than I expected.”—got old quickly. But the thing that raises this series to five stars for me and makes me anxious to read the next book, is the genre mix of paranormal with cozy mystery.

Bella sees ghosts, and even talks to them. Her cat, Phantom, is usually a ghost. Except (he’s a cat after all) when he’s not. Mixing the paranormal elements with the main mystery, and adding dessert toppings of secondary mysteries, puzzles, and mysteriously puzzling ghosts, keeps the story lively and makes the reader look forward to learning more about the characters (both living and dead).

As a cozy mystery, as a paranormal detective story, and as a completely entertaining series in a historical setting, I am delighted to recommend The Yellow Cottage Mystery series.


**I received this book from the publisher or author to expedite an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and found her writing although not my usual type of read to be very much to my taste. The flow of the book was evenly paced and the characters were well written and clearly defined. I have to say the book didn’t hold many surprises in the outcome but strangely that didn’t deter from my enjoyment in the slightest.
The cover is perfect for the story.
I look forward to reading the next book in Ella’s journey which luckily for me is already on my kindle.

[Dianne Ascroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don’t really expect to be smiling and have a warm, happy feeling when you turn the last page of a murder mystery but that was my reaction as I set down An Accidental Murder. The main reason for my reaction was the very likeable main character, Isobella Bridges. When I finished reading, I felt as if I knew her and I liked her ‘ordinariness’ and her ability to deal with her newly discovered psychic ability with aplomb. She’s a heroine who is easy to relate to.
Although the story has a simple plot and I had some idea before the climax who the murderer must be, I didn’t manage to put all the clues together until the last couple scenes; it was a puzzle that I enjoyed figuring out.
An Accidental Murder is an engaging story and the paranormal elements are an interesting dimension that add to the book’s appeal. I loved the understated humour and colourful characters. I also have a soft spot for old houses so I’m enchanted by Yellow Cottage and am looking forward to learning more about its otherworldly secrets. All in all, I’m looking forward to the release of the next book in the series. I’ll be quite happy to follow this amateur sleuth’s unwitting adventures. If you like a mix of tension and humour, you’ll enjoy this cosy mystery.
Note: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Deborah Whipp · Rating 1 out of 5]

A British whodunit novella with a ghost angle. Unfortunately, this is compared to Miss Marple in the Amazon description. Not even close. Though it started off well enough, it fell apart pretty quickly. To start off, I was under the impression Ella, the main character, was decidedly middle-aged due to her thoughts, speech, and actions. Later I find out the man her brother and SIL are attempt to set her up with is 25 YO at most. Not too big a deal, but a description of the MC might have helped. What really annoyed me was how ridiculous the plot was.

** SPOILERS BELOW**
I'll skip little things like the fact the ghost child didn't eat, but did sleep and other nonsensical items and move to the two things I found most ridiculous:
- If Peter and his sister are notorious robbers, why the hell did they select a dreary orphanage as a base of operations and place themselves in the roles of director and matron?!
- How does someone purchase a cottage and not realize the dimensions are off enough to contain a hidden room the size of a banquet hall with a table and chairs that could seat 40 people?!

[Angel Sefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me so captivated that I read it in one sitting.

I love a good mystery, and I enjoy ghost stories. And this novella had it all: mystery, suspense, humor, intriguing characters, and fascinating ghosts.
It was exciting reading about Ella, her brother Jerry, her sister-in-law Ginny, and Ginny’s Godfather and Police Commissioner Albert Montensford trying to solve this mysterious case. I followed every clue and enjoyed every twist.
I loved Ella. She is smart, funny, caring, and courageous. And, of course, I loved Phantom—her ghost cat. Having a ghost for a pet was another interesting twist.

[Neena Christianson Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was approached by the author to read and review this book, and I was glad I read it as it was a very cute little mystery. I look forward to reading more of this series when it becomes available. A young widow in the 1930's has purchased a cottage, and along with ownership of her home, she also has inherited the resident cat ghost, and the ability to see and communicate with human ghosts too. She has a loving brother and sister-in-law, who help her in her quest to solve her current ghostly mystery. This is a short novella, and can be read very quickly.

[Anna Erishkigal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miss Marple meets The Ghost Whisperer

Here's a nice little twist to a post-war mystery series set in England, a cozy mystery with the usual sweet, meddling young widow and pets, but the cat happens to be a GHOST cat and our amateur detective happens to see dead people. This is an interesting, historical twist on the paranormal detective series, one which will delight a broad variety of literary tastes.

[Jey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. I found the plot shallow. I was under the impression that the MC was an old woman until, the brother of the said MC talks about setting her up on a date with a 25 yr old. I assumed the ghost angle would add charm to the book but it made the book illogical. The only aspect that I liked about this audio book is the excellent narration which was the only reason I completed the audiobook.

[Stacie Haden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned out to be a decent little ghost mystery novella set in England. It was actually quite good for a long short story.

[Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

While expecting this to be a cozy mystery, I must have missed the part about paranormal happenings throughout. Not a huge deal and it did have some interesting moments, but not something I usually veer towards. I think I would have been more open to it if the actual mystery was more of a whodunnit than a whydunnit (is that a word?). I would have liked to see some more misdirection by the author. I also would have liked to see some descriptions as 1930's England is an interesting setting; however, that is kept to a minimal as well as descriptions of the characters. The good news is that the characters themselves were quite good and made the book garner a 3-star review. Not sure at this point I would continue the series, though I might since they are such quick reads.