Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper (review)

Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper is a wonderfully snarky paranormal mystery that evokes a favorite childhood cartoon...all that is missing is the timid Great Dane! Nina Linden is trying to rebuild her business after her personal and professional lives have been destroyed by an ex. She takes a job that entails her remaining on an isolated island along with several other people who have been tasked with restoring a dilapidated estate that has an eerie reputation. Deacon Whitney (Whit) is determined to eliminate the stigma associated with his family name but never realizes that he will have to solve the mysteries of the past before he can explore a future with the diffident woman who is working with his gardens, if they can both survive the mishaps which seem to be intensifying with every day that passes and resist the inimical forces which are apparently intent on reenacting the tragedy of years past.
This fun story conjures up a delicious haunted house mystery being solved by a group of very different personalities who somehow find a way to mesh and complement each other. Despite the fact that almost every character is larger than life, none are boring stereotypes and somehow they all seem to find a way to keep the action moving along. I am not a fan of horror stories but the undeniably gory scenes that give a gothic feel to the tale are leavened by the competitions for ultimate geekiness and after all, how can one help but like a guy who is described as adorkable? There are so many laugh out loud moments, including Whit’s truly nerdish response to Nina’s theft of his cell phone, the use of a mint-condition action figure as a bribe, a Ninja Death Squad button in the middle of a high-tech solarium and a betting pool on whether two arguing people will engage in mayhem with grout cleaner or become lovers. This is a book that will entertain you and stretch your imagination as you try to keep up with the trivia references even while you make sure the lights are on and remind yourself that you don’t believe in ghosts. I will definitely be looking for other tales by this talented author!


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I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.