The Ghost Hunter Next Door

AudioBook Review Stars: Overall 4 Narration 5 Story 4 Scarlett has recently moved to Beechwood Harbor and opened a flower shop. But for years she has known that she can speak to ghosts – and it’s taken her almost that long to find her own place and decide what she wants. She’s decided that ‘schedules’ will help save her the constant interruptions from the calls from “beyond’, and opens herself up one night a week to listen to the dead: their worries, their complaints and their secrets. She’s never wholly alone though, her first ghostly companion is an Englishman who has been around for years, and she’s got her cat – plenty of company for this young woman trying to find a place. But, a local ghost who seems to be part TMZ and part mischievous has found them due to Scarlett’s once-weekly sessions, and she soon becomes a solid source of information. Of course, Scarlett has this ability – and while a television show is busy renovating an old Victorian in town, she’s given a deadline to halt production and move people on. Apparently the house is the scene of an old murder, and no one knows whatever happened to Rosie, or why. The delivery of the warning comes from a particularly nasty ghost opening up both questions and perhaps a threat in the form of a poltergeist that threatens the workers on the television show, and perhaps could be expanding his territory. Scarlett is a wonderful character and finding a place in Beechwood Harbor, which seems to welcome all sorts of paranormal entities could be just what she needs in her life. But the mystery of Rosie’s disappearance in the old Victorian is one that needs solving – and with the help of her ghostly companions, a security guard named Lucas and meeting the townsfolk. This is setting up to be a wonderfully fun and escapist series, with characters that recur and are introduced to all give a flavor of the town and more than a few laughs. Amanda Ronconi provides the narration for this story and she becomes Scarlett with her portrayal, allowing her secrets, worries and moments to laugh to come clearly forward as the story unfolds. Each character is clearly presented and voiced, there aren’t great moments of overwork and the rather easy-going attitude that comes forward with all of Scarlett’s voice feel natural and are easy to follow. A wonderful start to a new series that fans of this author’s writing, or who enjoy a more relaxed and quirky kind of cozy that doesn’t get overly complex will enjoy. I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the publisher via Tantor Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.