Audiobook review: Mean Ghosts by Danielle Garrett
Happily ever after when you’re a woman with an affinity to ghosts and a nose for solving murder mysteries is never dull. Scarlett’s back! And, I couldn’t be happier after a four year hiatus for the series.
Mean Ghosts is the eighth in a series of standalone paranormal cozies with a slow burn romance and building friendships across the length of the series, making it best read in order. Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries are a spin off series from the Beechwood Harbor Magic series about halfway along that series and there are a few crossover moments between the series.
So, yes, Scarlett and the familiar cast of characters are back. Flapjack, her irascible and hilarious ghost cat, Hayward, her genteel Victorian ghost friend, Gwen, who died as a hippie, and then of course Scarlett’s husband, Lucas, who is gone on occasion for security work while she tends to her flower shop and wrangles the town’s ghost population.
A funeral home worker is killed and Scarlet needs to figure out his secrets to learn what caused his death. It wouldn’t hurt if her iffy friend, the funeral home operator and ghost summoner, also wasn’t keeping her own secrets.
Meanwhile, I cracked up and enjoyed when sweet Hayward wanted to orchestrate a ghostly musical production of Cats among his fellow ghosts. Yes, you can imagine Flapjack having a field day with that one even as Scarlett tries to help.
It was so fun to be back in Beechwood Harbor, a human town hiding a bunch of paranormal secrets including a fun paranormal sentient inn and Scarlett’s own goings on. Some of the tension was gone from the earlier books because of course Scarlett and Lucas have settled into married life and work as partners, but ghostly antics were fun and the mystery was still a pretty good one for suspense.
Narration: Amanda Ronconi continues to deliver a strong narration piece and voices the characters so well with that perfect wry tone.
All in all, I was well pleased to get this new release in the series after the long wait. These are generally paranormal cozies, but can border on urban fantasy at times, so I recommend them to broader audiences who read or listen in both genres.
My Ratings
Story: B+
Narration: A
Sophia Rose
About the Book:
Sometimes a graveside goodbye isn’t the end.
That’s usually when I get a middle of the night phone call.
In this case, the person seeking help from their friendly neighborhood reaper is none other than the director of Beechwood’s funeral home.
Who may be more of a frenemy than a friend. Oops.
Here’s to hoping I can help rid the funeral home of its latest unwanted guest without burning the last bits of kindling on the bridge back to Karla’s good graces.
After all, if there’s one person you want on your side, it’s a summoner of the dead.
Author: Danielle Garrett
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries #8
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Audiobook Release Date: June 18, 2024
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 5 hours 47 minutes
Source: Tantor Audio
Audio Speed: 1.2x
Reviewer: Sophia Rose
Purchase Info:
Audible/Amazon (affiliate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries
