Book 73, 2018

[chez_jae]

Ghostly Interests by Lily Harper Hart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished reading Ghostly Interests last night. It's the first installment in the "Harper Harlow" mystery series by author Lily Harper Hart. Going on the record right now as saying I'm side-eyeing the author for naming her character after herself, or vice versa. That's just weird.

Harper has always been able to see and speak to ghosts. She's made a living out of it by helping spirits to cross over and also by doing some hardcore ghostbusting of those spirits who aren't willing to move on. Not everyone believes in ghosts, but everyone in the small community of Whisper Cove believes in Harper. Together with Zander, her bff since childhood, and two other dedicated helpers, Harper runs her own business, Ghost Hunters, Inc.

When Harper sees a young woman wandering on the beach, she knows it's a spirit, and she goes to investigate. She and Zander come upon the police, who are dealing with a dead body on the beach. One of the officers is Zander's uncle, Mel. He trusts Harper, but his new partner, Jared, is skeptical. Harper pursues the case on her own, and she and Jared continually cross paths. Zander seems to think Harper has the hots for Jared, and that the feeling is mutual, but she's not so sure. However, when Harper gets too close to the truth and is in danger, it will be up to Jared to save her.

This book was hilarious! I loved Harper's snarky sass and wit. Zander was simply extra as her faithful sidekick. Jared was hot and yummy. All characters were wonderful, even the secondary ones.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Nancy Drew? If I'm anyone, it's Trixie Belden."
♦ "There's nothing better than a good cavity search story."
♦ "You can't stop yourself from checking out his rear end every time you're around him. I know, because I've been checking it out, too, and my eyes keep meeting your eyes there."
♦ "You saved me from possible broken limbs and your uncontrollable laughter when you saw me fall."
♦ "Honey, you burnt cereal the other morning." // "You don't cook cereal." // "And yet you still burned it."

Zander was a hoot! Main complaint from me was that, when the GHI team was comparing themselves to the Scooby Doo gang, the name Thelma was used. THELMA?! Her name was VELMA! I will deduct half a point for that, but the story gains half a point for preferring Trixie Belden to Nancy Drew.

One other complaint is that the murder victim had been sexually assaulted. That's not really in the spirit of a "cozy mystery", pardon the pun. Not like murder is "cozy", but that added a brand new, squicky element to things that I did not like.

Overall, a wonderful story. Fun, funny, lite. Four stars.