The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly

Penelope Thornton-McClure is the new co-owner of Buy the Book, a charming mystery themed book store. When a best-selling author dies right in the middle of a signing under suspicious circumstances, help arrives in a surprising form. A ghost.

What a charming book! The small town atmosphere in a tiny Rhode Island town was the perfect background for this cozy mystery and Buy the Book was the ultimate dream bookstore. I could just imagine sitting in the big fluffy chairs and curling up with Dashiell Hammett or Mickey Spillane. I immediately fell under the author’s spell.

Best of all, was the charmingly rugged character of ghost detective, Jack Shepard. The quintessential ‘50’s P.I. who favors pin-striped suits and fedoras added delightful color and overall atmosphere.

Pen’s character was one you could immediately admire. A new widow, taking a chance on a different life, helping her aunt to keep the bookstore afloat and raising a son alone was just the beginning. Through her relationship with Jack, she found strength of character she didn’t know she had. It was inspiring to watch Pen spread her wings under Jack’s tutelage.

The small town supporting characters were fabulous, and brought even more credibility to the overall community feel. I wanted to stay at the Finch’s Inn, take a walk by the lake and buy some fruit from Mr. Koh’s store.

And oh, yes, the mystery! That’s what this book was, after all! I couldn’t forget how well woven the plot was, how the red herrings kept you guessing, with just the right amount of tension to keep you turning pages without taking away from the comfortable feel of this book. I literally hated to put it down.

As a classic mystery lover, I adored the nods to famous authors sprinkled generously throughout the story. The quotes from Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, Pulp Fiction novels and others filled my heart with pure joy!

I can’t wait to read what Pen and Jack are up to next!

Reviewed By: Terri

Email: Terri@ck2skwipsandkritiques.com