The Southern Ghost Hunter stories are cute and refreshing as a glass of ice cold lemonade on a summer’s day. They are light and fun with a touch romance (and more than a little ghostly mayhem). The newest installment, Sweet Tea and Spirits lives up to reader expectations, providing a relaxing escapist adventure.

Verity Long and her ghostly pal Frankie are hired to investigate strange goings on at the headquarters of the Sugarland Historical Society (formerly a home for widows and orphans). The new president needs Verity to stop a ghost’s salacious antics (posing the museum mannequins in risque positions). Before Verity has the chance to begin, Julia is murdered, leaving her with a mystery to solve. Frankie has his own problems, between having run afoul of a fellow mobster’s ghost and having fallen in love with one of the historical society’s ghosts. For once, Verity has the support of Ellis’s mother, Virginia, as she goes undercover with the society set in order to find a murderer and put the scandal to rest.

If you are looking for a fun, paranormal mystery that is a quick and relaxing read, Sweet Tea and Spirits is a great choice. It is also nice to see Verity and Virginia on the same side (if only temporarily). In this installment, Virginia is a much more human, albeit still controlling, character. The books do not have to be read in order.

4 / 5

I received a copy of Sweet Tea and Spirits from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Another ghostly case with my favorite Southern gal and her gangster ghost associate snooping around at the old historical museum trying to solve a murder, a ghost problem, and their separate relationship issues. Let me just get my hot cuppa and cozy into my favorite comfy spot.
Review

Sweet Tea and Spirits is the fifth installment of the Southern Ghost Hunter series. They can be read standalone, but work best in order to follow the relationships and situations that are ongoing with the series.

The first scene had my right back in the world of this series. The humor displayed through Frankie’s antics, as even in the afterlife, he’s just doing what a gangster will do, and Verity’s sweet southern gal persona appalled at her resident ghost and more appalled that her boyfriend Ellis wants her to do a meet the family because they are getting serious.

But then things are off to the races when Verity gets another case from the president of the historical society shortly before the lady is murdered and only Verity knows its murder because she gets a ghostly prompt that tells her.

I enjoy this blend of light-hearted and mystery with some moderate chills and humorous moments. By now, Verity is hitting her stride accepting her role as ghost hunter in the community even though some folks think she’s nuts, but also moving on from the fiasco of leaving her cheating ex at the altar and dealing with the aftermath since he’s from one of the most influential and prestigious family’s in town- and hsst, Verity is not in a deepening relationship with his older brother.

Now, the tone of the book may be light, but the mysteries are actually rather clever. Some elements are easy to figure out, but then there’s the twist and the surprise is fun. In this case, I had the murder figured out, but it was the ghostly situation that had the impressive twist. Very clever…

And I did enjoy that ghostly Frankie got a bit of romancing in with a pretty ghost.

All in all, these are fun, light distractions and I look forward to each new installment. Cozy Mystery fans who don’t mind some paranormal and romance are probably the best match for this series.

I love this Series and so I was super excited when I got a copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review, which I am happy to provide. This was another great installment of the Southern Ghost Hunter Series and I read way passed my bedtime, I just could not put it down. I love the characters and the storyline and I think Verity is finally coming into her own and I love her relationship with Ellis, I hope that there will be many more books to come. I would recommend you read the series from the beginning, even though you could enjoy this book without it, but you would miss some of the backstories of all the wonderful characters. Very entertaining read! I would recommend this to all my Friends.

I would like to thank Season Publishing for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an open and honest review.

Followers of my site will know I am a HUGE fan of Ms Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter Mystery series – both the full books and the short stories – and so it will be no surprise that I really loved this story too.

There were a tiny couple of glitch parts in it that gave the feeling Ms Fox might be writing the series a little too fast to remember it all properly… but that could also have been just my interpretation. Plus, I read an ARC and the final edit will no doubt have these glitches cleared up.

Apart from these very minor issues, the book was a totally enjoyable read. Life is progressing well for Verity, her hunky boyfriend and her so, so adorable pet skunk Lucy. And the afterlife is actually picking up a bit for Frankie too. I loved what was going on in the backyard at the start of the book – no spoilers here – and the other things he got to get up to once he set his mind to it.

There were a few mysteries to solve in ‘Sweet Tea and Spirits’, some old, some new. Just the right level of padding and red herrings and pretty much the perfect cosy crime/mystery - with a taste of the supernatural.

All in all it was an entertaining continuation of the series with a couple of new mysteries to solve and a lot of well-placed loose threads left to follow on into any new story… and I really do hope there will be a new book soon. Yup, my name is Janis and I am addicted to visiting Sugarland, Verity and the rest. Let’s face it… who wouldn’t want to go see what Lucy is up to?

I was recently accused of not having the right to review a book without trying any of the things within the book first. And, although some may feel that a valid point for the cook book in question, I would like to put people’s fears to rest – I did not murder anyone, commune with ghosts or re-arrange mannequins to ensure I could give ‘Sweet Tea and Spirits’ a true run through for authenticity and entertainment. I merely read it, enjoyed it and probably snorted out my nose once or twice… And although there was no sweet tea harmed in the making of this review, a few brave hot chocolates gave their lives to ensure my days ran smoothly. ;-)

Would I recommend this book to others?

Yes I would, though I would emphasise this was book 5 in a series and for people to truly get their money’s worth, they should go back and read all of the previous books and short stories within the Southern Ghost Hunters Mystery series.

Would I buy this book for myself?

Oh hell yes. I love this series; I buy the books to show my appreciation of what Ms Fox does and will keep on doing so. I am a Verity Long fan for life. ;-)

In summary: Fantastic continuation in a series, while bringing new and interesting mysteries to the reader to keep them entertained while also trying to figure out whodunit. Highly recommend.

Sweet Tea and Spirits is the latest book in the Southern Ghost Series and is a delightful mystery read. Its laugh out loud fun with Southern Charm and fun characters with a paranormal twist. This book has Verity accepting her gift of being psychic while attempting to have a romance and solve a mystery. Its cozy mystery perfection as you will laugh out loud and wish the next book in the series was already here. I highly recommend this entire series as the perfect cozy mystery reading. Thank you to the publisher for the advance reading copy. Angie Fox has a brilliant writing style that captures this reader from page one. Well Done ! .

This book was such a delight to read and i’m so grateful that I was given the opportunity to read it! When I came across this book on net galley I was in the mood to read something light and fun and this was exactly what I was looking for! It was funny, charming, and thoroughly engaging the entire way through; I can honestly say that I was entertained from start to finish. The mystery within the book was a lot of fun, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages in order to find out what happened next. This book is part of a series called The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries, and although I admittedly had never heard of this series prior to this one, nor had I heard of the author, I am now definitely interested in reading the previous books in the series, as well as any others that may come out in the future! Although this book is the fifth and newest in the series, it was easy enough to get into without being confused, as background information was given about the characters, as well as some plot points (without actually spoiling the plots) from the previous books.

This book is jam packed with humorous, quirky characters (some of whom were ghosts, how awesome is that???) that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about. Verity Long, the main character of the series, is a charmingly endearing heroine. I especially loved her interactions and antics with Frank, her ghostly sidekick who aides her in her ghost hunting investigations.

This series is set in a small, southern town called sugarland, which I found added to the charm and appeal of the book. A small, cozy, southern gothic town filled with buildings that may or may not be haunted by a ghost or two? Yes please!

If you love lighthearted, but engaging mysteries, with ghosts and endearingly fun characters thrown into the mix, then I would definitely recommend reading this book. I am very much looking forward to the next installment in the series, and i’ve already got the previous books in the series downloaded onto my kindle so that I can get caught up while i’m waiting!

This is a great book; this is the fifth book in the Southern Ghost Hunter series written by Angie Fox. Southern girl Verity Long is about as high society as her pet skunk. Which is why she’s surprised as anyone when the new head of the Sugarland social set invites her to join the "it" girls. But this is no social call. Verity’s new client needs her to go in undercover and investigate strange happenings at the group’s historic headquarters. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Sweet Tea and Spirits (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries, #5)Verity Long and her skunk are back along with her ghostly friend, Frank. She's been hired by the newest president of the local heritage society; the one who beat out her boyfriend's mother (who hates, HATES Verity.) Too bad Julia is dead. But Verity is concerned that Julia appears to have been moved. Was it something on the physical plain or a malevolent ghost? Julia had hired Verity because somebody in the heritage house keeps moving the mannequins into... inappropriate positions.
But who would have wanted Julia dead? Her husband whose previous two wives both died? Or someone else from her past? And why would the ghost of a former Widows and Orphans house be moving items around the house?
Not a lot of plot but I don't think regular readers will be too upset.

Three stars
This book came out April 25
Follows Deader Homes and Gardens

Sweet Tea and Spirits by Angie Fox is the fifth book in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Verity Long is enjoying a quiet moment with her boyfriend, Ellis Wydell when she receives a phone call. The call is from the Sugarland Heritage Society and the caller says, “I need you” and “There’s been a murder”. Ellis is then dispatched to investigate a break in at the same location. He finds the building locked up tight, but the security alarm was set off. Verity becomes the laughingstock of the town when no body was found (gossip spreads quickly in Sugarland). Verity talks Frankie into loaning her his power (after some bartering), and they set off to explore the heritage society. The heritage society building was once a Home for Wayward Widows and Orphans run by Mother Mary Cooper. Verity is greeted by Julia Harper Youngblood, the newly elected president of the Sugarland Heritage Society. She recently ousted Verity’s arch nemesis, Virginia Wydell (happy dance for Verity). It is immediately obvious that ghosts are on the premises, and they are having fun with the society’s displays. Julia hires Verity to explore the spirit activity and pays her in cash (which puts Frankie in a jovial mood). As Verity is leaving the heritage society, she gets roped into becoming a member. Frankie has gotten himself into hot water with Mick “The Angel Maker”, and he needs to go on the lam (Verity finds the perfect spot for him). Verity returns to the heritage society that night to talk to the ghosts who inhabit the house and finds Julia dead at the bottom of the stairs. While the officer on scene believes it is an accident, Verity knows she was murdered. Verity wants to find Julia’s killer, and she will need a little ghostly help to accomplish it. Verity is surprised when she gets some assistance from an unexpected source. In her spare time, Verity needs to get Mick “The Angel Maker” to forgive Frankie and find out why Frankie is looking so spiffy (and acting strangely). Just another normal week for Verity in Sugarland, Tennessee. Join in on the fun by reading Sweet Tea and Spirits!

Sweet Tea and Spirits is a humorous novel. You will find yourself laughing frequently at Verity and Frankie’s antics. The book is well-written and engaging. The characters are endearing and quirky (especially Frankie). I highly recommend reading the other books in the series before starting Sweet Tea and Spirits. It will help you to understand Verity’s financial situation, her relationship with Frankie, and why she became a ghost hunter. I have found each book in the series is better than the previous one. I give Sweet Tea and Spirits 5 out of 5 stars. Sweet Tea and Spirits is jam packed, but it all ties together for one hilarious and sweet story. There is an unexpected romance, ghostly horse racing (and gambling), an unexpected alliance, and a historical home with a surprising history. The mystery is more complicated than past whodunits in the series, but it is still easily solved. It is nice to see Verity’s character develop as she explores the supernatural and as her relationship with Ellis deepens. It was also nice to see change in Frankie. It was unexpected and amusing. I will impatiently wait for Angie Fox’s next book in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries.

Verity's at it again! Which is kinda understandable considering her abilities with ghosts. Or, the abilities she can borrow to interact with ghosts. Whatever.

Anyway. Verity, our resident ghost talker, is thrown into the middle of more danger and mayhem. To be honest, I'm almost (*almost*) more intrigued by her tangled relationship issues than her ghostly mystery. Which is not to say I don't enjoy the ghost part, because I DO. It's just...her relationship things are AWESOME. Dating the black sheep brother of her former fiance whose mother actively tries to discredit everything Verity does. Actually, Mama Wydell wasn't as insufferable in this book. She might *gasp* be coming around.

Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I'm still digging Verity's ghost problems (although, Frankie might have found something NEW to occupy his time other than being a former mobster and all around wacky guy! Yay!) and her ability to get herself involved in ALL TYPES of crazy things. As always, I can't wait to see what shenanigans she gets into next.

These books never disappoint and always manage to leave me with a smile on my face. I’m pretty sure you could pick them up at any point and dive in, but to get the complete story, I’d recommend starting from the beginning.

We meet back up with Verity, now an official ghost… helper… of sorts. She’s come “out of the closet” about dating her ex-fiancé’s brother and is now only slightly less repugnant to the social leaders of the community. This latest adventure begins with a phone call from a ghost. The ghostly call appears to have originated from the historic society, which is where a lot of the action takes place in this book.

Teamed up with her faithful, although reluctant, partner, she heads out to investigate. That curiosity ends up uncovering even more than Verity hoped to find. It seems like as soon as Verity gets involved, everyone finally gets to learn the truth about some long held Sugarland belief. No wonder her boyfriend’s mother cannot stand her (among other reasons). Along with the usual murder mystery gig, we also get a healthy dose of romance in the most unlikely of places. This book was truly enjoyable from start to finish.

One of my favourite recent discoveries, this series is funny and feel-good and the perfect thing after a few books that I just haven’t clicked with. Verity is really starting to settle into her role conversing with spirits and she’s gaining confidence in dealing with them and also I think, in the direction she wants to take this. She’s really interested in getting closure and finding out what happens, especially when someone who hired her ends up dead. She’s also getting better at dealing with Frankie, the somewhat temperamental gangster ghost tethered to her property who allows her to access the ghostly plane with his powers.

Likewise Verity is also settled in her relationship with deputy sheriff Ellis Wydell, the brother of her former fiance. Ellis’ mother continues to be a thorn in Verity’s side but in this book she’s an inconsistent thorn, suggesting the two women can occasionally find common ground. I love Ellis and Verity together and I think the author does a good job attempting to portray Ellis’ struggle to balance his desire to be with Verity versus the loyalty he feels towards his family. His family have never been particularly good to him, since he decided not to become a lawyer and instead became a sheriff. His mother clearly sees his profession as beneath him and the family name and she’s incensed that he’s also begun dating Verity, who left his brother Beau at the altar after discovering he was unfaithful. Verity was stuck with the bill and Ellis’ mother would’ve been happy to see her bankrupted paying for it. She has a lot of antagonism toward Verity for not “toeing the Southern line” – marrying him without fuss and then maybe quietly separating at a later date. Instead she caused a scandal, humiliated the Wydell’s.

I always enjoy the mysteries in these books, getting to know the different ghosts and hearing their stories. I like Frankie too although there are times his heartless attitude gets a bit on my nerves, especially toward Verity. I know he is a gangster and is probably relative for his time but sometimes it just gets a bit irritating, especially when he and Verity have the same argument several times in every book. He’s always all about the money and Verity is always all about the story, she wants to know what happened and she doesn’t care if she doesn’t get paid sometimes, as long as she gets the answers/justice/closure/etc. However we did see a different side to Frankie in this book which was really good and definitely about time. He’s certainly still a man of mystery in many ways and I look forward to finding out more about him over time.

This was another really fun installment to this series, I really like the way it’s going and I always can’t wait for the next one. I also really appreciate just how quickly the next one does seem to appear! I think I read the first book about two years ago so the gaps between books aren’t long.

8/10

Sweet Tea and Spirits is the fifth book in Angie Fox’s Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series. This is a paranormal cozy mystery. Ms. Fox has written a book with lots of laughs and an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing until the reveal. The characters are well developed and the story flows smoothly. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading paranormal cozy mysteries.

Verity Long has put her unconventional and unwanted ability to see and communicate with ghosts to good use and is starting a ghost hunting business but she needs the help of Frankie, the 1920’s gangster ghost she managed to ground to her property in Sugarland, Tennessee. Frankie can’t leave the property unless Verity has his urn with her. Someone, possibly a ghost, calls Verity from the Sugarland Heritage Society reporting a murder but there’s no body when the police investigate. The new president of the Sugarland Heritage Society hires Verity to investigate strange happenings at the group’s historic headquarters. When she finds her client dead at the bottom of the stairway, Verity is determined to figure out what happened. She meets lots of troubled and unhappy ghosts during her investigation and promises herself that she will do what she can to help them. Her boyfriend, Ellis Wydell, who is the Deputy Sheriff and her ex-fiancé’s brother, continues to believe in her abilities and is very supportive. Frankie is up to no good and not much help to Verity, other than lending out his powers.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Another fun tale in the ghostly adventures of Verity and her gangster ghost Frankie. All the characters are here, her pet skunk, her hunky cop boyfriend Ellis, her evil nemesis his mother, etc. An interesting story of murder and intrigue, plus mysteries of the past history. And of course the antics of Frankie, starting a horse track in her backyard. Can be read alone, but the other books add details. Highly recommend this book and author, and eagerly await the next book in the series.

OMG Angie Fox just gets better and better. This is book 5 in Angie Fox's Southern Ghost Hunter series, however while you will want to read each of the previous books you do not have to read them to follow SWEET TEA AND SPIRITS. Yes this is a continuing series, and yes there is a continuing story-line with Frankie, the gangster ghost, however each book stands on its own and has an ending. There are no cliff-hangers in these books. These books follow Verity Long, as she deals with ghosts, mysteries, her boyfriend Ellis and Ellis' family. I love the fact these stories evolve much how life itself does. The characters grow and change but still remain true to who they are. I love watching Verity get more comfortable with where she is in life and what that means for her future. I love Ellis...I want more Ellis...he's such a great character. But I think even better is ghost Frankie. He's such a character. Add in Verity's pet skunk, Lucy, and all the surprise "guests" that show up and you are always in for a fun engaging well-written time. I eagerly devour these books every-time I get them. They are written in first person but somehow that only adds to the appeal of these books. You never feel lost. Although I will say this one left me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. I was worried about Verity and Frankie. Fans of Angie Fox are in for a treat with SWEET TEA AND SPIRITS. If you are new Angie Fox but love great well written mysteries with outstanding characters and a setting you'll adore then you need to add SWEET TEA AND SPIRITS to your to buy list NOW. You won't be disappointed. Now to wait for the next book.......ugh that's the hard part, the waiting.

If you have read other books in the series, Sweet Tea delivers more of the same light, fun, paranormal romance read. If you are looking for a real solid mystery read without the fluff, this isn't the book for you. There is a death (but is it murder?) and a couple of other minor mysteries, but the focus is more on Verity's home life and financial insecurity, Verity and Ellis' relationship and something new (several something news) for Frankie. As a matter of fact, Frank gets a lot of development and page time in this one.

As always, Fox introduces some new ghosts, and as usual, I find them interesting. I wonder if one (female) ghost that was merely mentioned will show up in a future book and look forward to it if so.

My one dislike: I have never liked Verity's passivity and how she seems to lie down and take abuse from Ellis' mother. There's one point where the woman has put her in potential danger and I really felt Verity should have spoken to Ellis about it. As a police officer, he could have verified what his mother did. Verity does seem to make a slight improvement in this by the end of the book.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I just plain love this series. The books always have great writing, interesting characters, & an intriguing story.

Sweet Tea and Spirits could be read as a stand alone but I would suggest reading the first 4 books in the
Southern Ghost Hunter series just to understand the back story.

In this book Verity is now a “official” ghost hunter eye & is now investigating ghostly activities for the whole town of Sugarland to see (and talk about).

All the favorite characters are back, Frankie, Ellie, Lucy the skunk, and the lovable townspeople of Sugarland.

I keep an eye out for each new book by Angie Fox because I know its going to be a fun read.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Back with a new adventure with Frankie, the ghost, and Verity, his unwitting human contact, Sweet Tea and Spirits is all about tracking down the ghostly goings on at the Sugarland Heritage Society. I love these books with loveable characters, a creditable mystery and a lite paranormal ghostly presence. Fun reading.

Verity receives a ghostly phone call telling her that someone has been murdered at the Sugarland Heritage Society. Seconds later Verity's boyfriend, Officer Ellis Wydell, gets a call about a disturbance at the same place. When Ellis arrives no dead body or break in. The next day Verity drops by and has a chat with the new president, Julia, who shows Verity some very strange happenings and hires her to find out what is going on, on the ghostly plain, of course.

From there Verity encounters a real dead body and several ghosts who are not very cooperative. She also has a run in with Ellis's mother, Virginia, aka "the witch", who has made it her life mission to make Verity's life miserable and discredit her in the community any way she can. But this time around they find they need to work together to solve the murder and get to the bottom on all the strange goings on.

Add to all this, Frankie has his own set of problems with a nasty ghost named Mick "The Angel Maker". Verity is merely a good Southern girl who has gotten caught up with a stubborn, shady, gangster ghost and is just trying to make the best of it.

Love this book. If you are into fun reads with a little southern sass., a spirited sidekick and some murder and mayhem this is the book to pick up. Verity can see spirits and is called on to solve mysteries in her town. Things don't al always go as planned but it makes for a great series and I am always eager for the next

Highly entertaining!
I am really hooked with this series.
The plot is great, filled with unexpected events and a twist that will make you laugh like crazy.
The characters are amazing and fun to get to know. Can't get enough of Franky the German (Gangster ghost stuck with Verity by being grounded at her house). Verity is a practical Southern girl that is tune to the spirit world thanks to an accident with Franky's ashes, and infamous in her small town for cancelling her wedding to the son of the queen of High-society, Virginia.