Between a Ghost and a Spooky Place is the first installment in the new Ghosts of London series of humorous ghost mysteries, featuring Harry McCabre, who is the cousin of Alice Whitehouse (The Mysteries of Bell & Whitehouse). The stories are set in London, and revolve around Harry, her new best friend Jarrett Zephyr-Thornton III (an eccentric billionaire’s son) and stalwart Inspector Darian Watley of Scotland Yard. In the first book Harry is recruited by the Wraith Wranglers, a group of ghost hunters, and future books will feature her, Jarrett, and Darian in a series of fun and exhilarating ghost adventures. When Henrietta ‘Harry’ McCabre’s employer, a dodgy antiquarian, is found murdered, she promptly shoots to the top of Inspector Darian Watley’s suspect list. Fortunately she has a solid at the time of the murder she was delivering a rare and precious book for the Clavicule Necroire. Soon the whole case revolves around the Necroire, as the mysterious tome allegedly has the power to turn people immortal. And since Harry was the last person to handle the book, she quickly goes from suspect to target, and from being interrogated by Darian to being protected by him, at his own apartment. Soon the hunt is on, with billionaires, rogue priests and East End crime bosses trying to get their hands on the Clavicule Necroire… and on Harry.
Nic has a background in political science and before being struck by the writing bug worked odd jobs around the world (including but not limited to massage therapist in Mexico, gardener in Italy, restaurant manager in India, and Berlitz teacher in Belgium).
When he’s not writing he enjoys curling up with a good (comic) book, watching British crime dramas, French comedies or Nancy Meyers movies, sampling pastry (apple cake!), pasta and chocolate (preferably the dark variety), twisting himself into a pretzel doing morning yoga, going for a run, and spoiling his big red tomcat Tommy.
He lives with his wife (and aforementioned cat) in a small village smack dab in the middle of absolutely nowhere and is probably writing his next ‘Mysteries of Max’ book right now.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
I was looking for lighthearted book to read, and this looked promising. Young woman who gets caught up in murder and mayhem. Her boss gets murdered and comes back as a ghost. The hunt is on for shady characters, stolen artifacts, and eternal life. I’m rather torn. I would recommend people try reading the book to see how it suits their sense of humor. I thought the book had some points, but I also felt it had enough negatives that I probably will not be reading others in the series. Pros - The plot is coherent, the characters are developed. It’s definitely a very wholesome book, no sex or bad language. Some of the scenes are amusingly well written (the coffee table over the head was one of my favorites). It did maintain a light tone. Cons- The book is written with almost juvenile humor. The characters are drawn with broad satirical strokes that I found to be a too much. The Police Chief and the rich man-child parodies were rather painful to read. I found the occasional misused words interfered with the reading flow. Overall, I would recommend that you try the book to see if it suits your sense of humor.
When Henrietta aka Harry finds her boss dead, the last thing she expected was to be drawn into a world of ghosts, supernatural books, and immortality. She discovers she can see and talk to ghosts when her boss Mr. Buckley visits her with news about the book she sold for him. It is a sacred book with life giving powers that had been stolen. People who have handled the book are showing up dead and Harry must find the book and return it to it's rightful owners in order to save her own. Jarrett, her new found friend, wants the book in order to save his dying mother. Together they enter the world of the supernatural to find the book and catch a murderer. Very likable book. Good writing and good plots and subplots. I will be reading more of this series.
Nic Saint is the pen name of a husband-and-wife team that writes humorous ghost mysteries . Expect laughs, some wordplay, clever plotting, plenty of surprises, and a generally entertaining reading experience.
This is the first in a series of books set in London, featuring Henrietta ("Harry") McCabre, her eccentric and wealthy best friend, Jarrett Zephyr-Thornton III, an inspector from Scotland Yard, and a group of ghost hunters known as the Wraith Wranglers.
The book is suitable for all ages, from 12 to 112. Since there is no offensive material here, this would be a fun book for tweens and teens to read during summer vacation. If you have a reluctant reader in your household, this is just the kind of entertaining book that could get them hooked and hungering for more.
This story was good, well paced and very entertaining. The characters were interesting and I could engage with them, though I found some names somewhat corny, and seemed more American than British. The whole story would have been better set it in the US, there must be plenty of suitable areas in any large city. It is always better to set a book in an environment that one knows thoroughly rather than one in which there is only a very superficial knowledge. There were glaring errors which would make any British reader wince - eg: the top currency note is £50 not £500, £1 notes went out of circulation in 1988 and UK police are not routinely armed - I could go on, and on. This is what has brought my rating down to 3 stars.
I have read other books from this author and love the series with Bell and Whitehouse characters....and this story is about a young girl who is a relative to them. She lives in London,gets by pay check to pay check,and comes back to work after making a late night delivery,and finds her boss lying on the floor...dead. and thus begins the story.....and the friendship with Harry and the ghost of her dead boss..lol . This is a good story with adventure but most of all..fun characters!,especially the gay millionaire,Jarrett.. I am glad this is only book 1 in the series because that means there is more to come..
Harry Mcabre, Alice her cousin, a millionaires son, and Inspector Watly don't believe in ghosts. For Harry though, an encounter with her murdered boss throwers a drink into her beliefs. Her boss was murdered and her cousin Alice thinks that Harry can communicate with this ghost to find out who killed him. Inspector Watly does not think that there is a ghost and definitely does not think that an immortal could possibly commit murder and leave no clues what so ever. To find out you must read the book. Really good story.
I enjoyed this first in the series. Harry's boss is murdered and she seems to be next on the list. She decides to try and figure out who is behind it all and along the way gets mixed up with priests, a crime boss, and an odd billionaire's son. I wasn't sure how I was going to like Harry at first but I like the way her character development went. The story was interesting, I had no idea what to expect next. It got a little over the top sometimes but it was a fun read. I will continue on with this series.
Harry was working for a dodgy shop owner that sold stolen historical items. She finds him dead in his store and now his ghost is visiting her so she can help him find who killed him. Everyone she encounters during her search is looking for the book Clavicule Necroire that a supposed to heal people and give them long lives. The people associated with the book are dangerous, but she has some quirky helpers. There is a little romance and more ghosts that show up to help find the killers.
Between A Ghost And A Spooky Place, the first book in Nic Saint's Ghosts Of London series, has some great characters but unfortunately they weren't able to WOW me.
The story, which drags along at a snails pace, comes across as being poorly planned in my opinion. Characters are running here and there only to come up empty handed - much like the addage "running around like a chicken with no head" implies.
A cute and funny story that was an absolute blast to read. Quick-paced and well written this story will not disappoint! The characters are lovable and fun to follow. The story flows easy and makes for an enjoyable read anytime! I recommend you get your copy, well worth the price and your time, I look forward to venturing on to the next installment in the series. The author really knows how to grab her readers and keep them interested in the story until the last page is turned.
Very enjoyable cast of characters, with a well thought out plot of classic good vs evil. There is comedic relief as the good Detective Watley is unable to see or hear the ghosts that abound in this story. And there is a tiny thread of romance running through the story as well. All in all, I believe that I've found a "new to me" series to binge read 👍🏻👍🏻
Harry (Henrietta) McCabre finds her boss, Sir Geoffrey Buckley, murdered after she returns from delivering a book. Sir Geoffrey Buckley shows up as a ghost and tells her who murdered him. Inspector Darian Watley is the policeman in charge. If the murder investigation. Nic Saint writes compellingly and with humor to keep your attention to see what will happen next. You will need to read this book to see how the mystery unfolds. Happy reading! 😊
The characters in this first book in the series are starting to develop. The mystery was interesting, though I found the supernatural elements just a bit over the top at times. Still, I did enjoy reading it, and our protagonist is likable, and a small romance is developing. I think book two is well worth reading.
Harry is a wonderful character. She is brave , faces challenges head-on, is funny and cares about people. She asks sees ghosts. I like the plot and characters. I like the pace of the story, and the humor. There are some surprises. Harry is why I give this 5 stars instead of 4 . This is different than other ghost mysteries I read.
Be ready to laugh, at the names in the book if nothing else. This book is delicious with its fantastic nonsense, a strong romantic policeman, a bumbling wealthy sidekick, a dainty heroine made of steel. And don’t forget the ghosts or Darien’s mother! Have a lovely cup of cocoa or tea and be prepared to chuckle. BRAVO
I thought that I couldn't enjoy any book as much as the Max the Cat mystery series but Nic has done it again this is a delightful romb with lots of fun new characters I'm sure you will enjoy meeting. So make yourself a nice cup of tea and settle down for a great time enjoy!!
The author's use of the word "erm" to indicate a character's conversational pause for thought so often it was annoying. He had several different characters use it, lessening whatever impact he'd intended. Then, to further confuse the issue, he named one of the characters, Em. Otherwise, it was a passable supernatural mystery.
More like 3 and a half stars. I liked the story and the characters. But how many times in one book can an author use "erm?" So many "erm"s. I will give the next book a try, but if "erm" keeps popping up, that will be it for me.
This was a strange book, but still fun to read. The ghosts were coming and going, murders happening too often while poor Harry was struggling to figure out what was going on. It was a little too goofy and strange for me; I was happy to finish it.
Ghosts, demons, millionaires, Scotland Yard, budding romance and lovely quirky characters make a fast enjoyable read. Nice cliffhanger leading to new adventures. Highly recommend.
Although somewhat slow in the beginning, this book takes you to amazingly different places. Enjoyable,, but frustrating at the same time. And just when you think everything is cleared up, along comes a surprise.
I enjoyed the story line plus the characters are super. The story is fast moving and you never know what is going to happen next. You will enjoy this book.