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A Walk on the Haunted Side (Haunted Tour Guide Mystery, #2)

A Walk on the Haunted Side by Rose Pressey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Last night, I finished reading A Walk on the Haunted Side by Rose Pressey. It's the second part of her "Haunted Tour Guide" mystery series, told in first person pov by the main character Ripley "Rip" van Raden: librarian by day, haunted tour guide by night.

Ripley is excited when a famous author, Hank Key, agrees to come to the library in Devil's Moon, KY, for a book signing. The event is more exciting than she had planned, however, when both a stalkerish fan and the author's ex-wife show up and cause drama. Later, after Hank expresses interest in some of the haunted locations in Devil's Moon, Ripley takes him and his assistant, Cady, to an allegedly haunted house, which everyone believes is cursed.

When Hank is murdered after visiting the house, Ripley isn't sure if the curse is real or if Hank was killed by an actual person. Unable to resist looking into it, Rip is aided by her BFF, Tammy, and Annie, the ghost who haunts the library. Hunky police officer and paranormal investigator, Brannon, would rather Ripley stay out of it, but once a shadow figure attaches itself to her, there's no going back.

As with other books by this author, it was in need of editing. The narrative caromed here and there, and it focused mainly on Ripley's ham-handed investigation. It was mostly fluffy and light, with a bit of creepiness thrown in.

Favorite line: What would the patrons of my haunted tour think if they saw me run out of the house like Shaggy minus Scooby?

The story wasn't bad; it simply wasn't good, either. Average score.

These Haunts are Made for Walking (Haunted Tour Guide Mystery, #1)

These Haunts are Made for Walking by Rose Pressey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Earlier this evening, I finished reading These Haunts are Made for Walking, which is the first installment in Rose Pressey's "Haunted Tour Guide" mystery series, featuring librarian-by-day, haunted-ghost-tour-leader by night, Riply Van Raden.

After catching her fiance cheating on her, Ripley returns to her hometown of Devil's Moon, KY, to take over the job as the head librarian. Her first day on the job, a woman is found dead in the library. What seems like a tragic accident at first soon proves to be murder. Aware of the disapproving glares she's getting from the townspeople, Ripley sets about investigating on her own, aided by the library's resident ghost, Annie. In the meantime, paranormal activity on Ripley's haunted tours seems to be picking up.

While her sideline job is going well, not all is rosy in the library. Annie's constant poking and prodding at Ripley is distracting, and Leslie, one of the assistants, seems to have taken a dislike to her. On top of all that, the new cop in town, handsome officer Brannon Landon, has been bugging Ripley for a chance to do a paranormal investigation in the library, since he heads up a team. When Ripley begins receiving threatening notes, her murder investigation turns deadly.

Although the storyline was fun and interesting, I am becoming increasingly disenchanted with Pressey's writing. ( Here be bitching )

One thing that did appeal to me is that Pressey's descriptions of places in Devil's Moon reminded me of Bardstown, KY, from the old jail with a cemetery out back to the tavern right next door to it.

Favorite line: "She's so clumsy, she'd trip over a cordless phone."

In short, good idea for a story, but poor execution.