Ghouls Just Haunt To Have Fun (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
Gilley Gillespie, the technical side of the partnership of Gilley with MJ Holliday, a psychic medium, had a new idea to make them big bucks and get some free advertising on the side. Hollywood had called with the idea of a sort of haunted Antiques Roadshow to be broadcast on their favorite cable network, Bravo. Gilley is totally excited about the idea, MJ says no way, and their business partner and former client, Dr. Steven Sable was already packed. After much deliberation and discussion, the three agree to go to San Francisco where the producer named Gopher would set up several mediums and several objects such as hairbrushes and other small personal items. Then the mediums would determine if these everyday items could hold such power and whether that power was limited to good or positive energy.When the trio lands in San Francisco in their third book, MJ discovers they will stay at THE most haunted hotel in America, The Duke Hotel. However, their cab can’t even deliver them to the door because there is a crime scene taped off and blocking the entrance along with a crowd of people, police, EMTs, and construction workers working on the hotel renovation. A woman’s body lies in the center of all that, and MJ has her attention. Police allow her to near the body to question her about how she happened to end up on the pavement, and among other information, MJ learns the woman’s name and room number before she crosses her over. She accompanies the detective to her room where she spells out what happened.While this scene seems totally unrelated to the haunted objects, it definitely ties in and helps to explain things later in the book. From one event to another, they are all tied together. The ghosts of the hotel show up for the Bravo shoot of MJ and three other psychics trying to determine if objects are haunted. They make mischief that scare two of the psychics and reveal them to be fakes. That left MJ and Heath Whitefeather, a young man who had been raised on the reservation. With so little to do there, he walked the land and spoke to the spirits he found. MJ and Heath realized that each other was the real deal and the beginnings of a friendship formed.The shoot of haunted objects fell apart when the hotel ghosts disrupted the entire thing. However, the director, Gopher, sees a new opportunity much more intriguing that objects – these are dead people he can investigate via MJ and Heath. Since they are staying at the hotel, it becomes a necessity to deal with them. A woman is killed in the rest room after MJ notices another woman in the mirror walk into the ladies room and not exit. MJ goes into the rest room where there is another huge mirror and a now dead body. There are four of these huge mirrors framed in gold that the owner of the hotel just bought at an auction in London, where the young woman who had lain in front of the hotel had been living.Many more details are revealed as MJ and Heath investigate with Steven and Gilley in his custom made sweatshirt full of magnets to keep the ghosts away from him, since he has revealed he is afraid of ghosts! They find benign ghosts and then they find the violent ones. It is MJ who finally begins to piece the many clues together to determine just what happened to the entire hotel.There are many voices in the book and differing accents, too, that Eileen Stevens as narrator handles very well. She makes each person sound distinctly different from the others. Her overall narrating is done very well also; it is a pleasure to listen to. Nothing distracts from the story to bring the reader out of the context of the book. There are surprises, and I found my jaw dropping in places. In others, I routed for the characters and urged them on in the right direction. It was almost as if I were a bystander in the story itself. To bring me into the story that far truly shows a talented author. Please excuse me while I quick go grab book 4 in this terrific series, GHOULS GONE WILD. Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
What do You think about Ghouls Just Haunt To Have Fun (2009)?
This series keeps getting better! Loved this one mystery with humor always a good read!
—missy123
I am working my way through the series...they are all just great!
—nlbhonge
