As blustery Fall winds cool the Oregon coast, Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza, open the Merry Ghost Inn. They didn't expect to have the grand opening so late in the year, but their new business venture was delayed by six months after a fire damaged a large part of the building. With all the repairs and renovations finally completed, Melanie and Liza welcome their first guests, a senior citizen group from Portland. The six seniors are members of a book club and all live in the same retirement community. After just one day at the Inn, things go drastically wrong when one of the group, a cranky troublemaker that none of them really liked, is found dead in the driveway outside. When the police discover that Walter Dexter's fall from the second floor balcony wasn't an accident, Melanie, Liza and their assistant, Cindi, start investigating. Who sawed the balcony railings so that Walter would fall to his death? Could one of their seemingly harmless elderly guests be a murderer?

Doom With a View is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn series. I haven't read the first book yet, but easily followed the characters and plot of this new book. I adore Melanie, Liza and Cindi. They are all different, but very strong, determined and intelligent women. I also enjoy how Liza is sure their resident ghost (they call him Orville) is real....but Melanie thinks it's some defect in the house. That sound of laughter they all hear....Melanie contends it couldn't possibly be a ghost. It has to be the house settling.

The book is a quick read at less than 200 pages. The mystery is fast paced and doesn't bog itself down in fluff and unnecessary details. It gets right down to business with the dead body popping up in Chapter 1. Boom -- dead guest. Right to the point. I have no problem with that. I don't like it when I'm reading a mystery novel and get through almost half of it before there is any mystery. This book cuts to the chase immediately. It doesn't just focus on the deceased guest and investigation though...there is plenty of speculation about Orville the Ghost, quite a bit of character development, interaction with side characters...good story building. I liked the fast pace, and the setting. The characters are quirky and interesting. The mystery had plenty of suspects and surprises. Max the dog is the required loyal fur face, helping his owners solve the crime and barking at empty space -- or is it Orville? :)

All in all, a fun cozy mystery! Once I started reading, I moved book one, Dead and Breakfast, to the top of my TBR pile. I want to enjoy more Melanie and Liza antics while I wait for book 3!

Kate Kingsbury is a pen name used by author Doreen Roberts Hight. She also writes the Pennyfoot Hotel series and Manor House Mysteries under the same pseudonym. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.doreenrobertshight.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Oh my gosh, the ghost parts had me laughing so much. Orville definitely has a great sense of humor. I loved the mystery. It was very well written with a great ending.

2 out of 5 stars, it was just okay.

Book 2 in the series.

The Merry Ghost Inn is finally open and receiving their first guests and solving their second murder.

Honestly, I found this one hard to get into. I put it down to read something else multiple times, and finally made myself finish it, knowing that it was about to be archived on NetGalley. There was A LOT going on with so many characters.

The best part of the whole book is Oliver, the merry ghost of the Inn. It's the amusing Oliver bits that kept me picking up the book and reading some more. I'm just not sure that's enough to get me back for book 3.

Doom with a View is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn cozy mystery series by Kate Kingsbury. In the first book Melanie and Liza had purchased the B&B that had it’s own little twist of being possibly haunted and they had nicknamed their ghost Orville. While in the process of remodeling a skeleton was found and of course with the body being older the police weren’t pushing the case to the forefront so the ladies were worried they wouldn’t be able to open without the crime solved began questioning and searching the case themselves.

Now it’s finally opening week at the Merry Ghost Inn owned by Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza and six senior reading group members have checked in to stay at the bed and breakfast located on the Oregon coast. All is going well for the ladies and their long awaited guests until the next morning they find the body of one of the guests outside having fallen from their balcony and fail to find a pulse.

As the police arrive they find that the death looks highly suspicious and think that the victim may have been pushed. With all of the guests under suspicion they are asked not to leave until the investigation is done. Melanie and Liza know that they have a whole new group booked at the Inn in the coming week so the ladies begin their own investigation to help the police wrap the case up quickly.

Having read both books in this series I can honestly call myself a fan really having enjoyed both installments now. This cozy mystery series has the elements that I enjoy from this genre with extremely likable characters and a unique setting with a bed and breakfast with it’s very own laughing ghost that plays a small part in each read.

While I would highly recommend starting the series from the beginning to gain the character and world building that takes place over the course of both reads this one can be read as a standalone if preferred. The mystery within the pages of each book is fully solved in the individuals books so it wouldn’t be totally necessary to have read the first. After having read both myself I definitely plan on continuing this series and look forward to see what will be in store for Melanie and Liza next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Doom With A View is the second book in the A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series.

Renovation and repairs from a fire have been completed and Mel and her grandmother, Liza are looking forward to hosting their first guests. The guests are comprised of 4 ladies and two gentlemen who all belong to the same book club and live in a retirement community in Portland.

To help kick off their new venture, Mel and Liza have hired their assistant, Cindi’s boyfriend, Nick Hazelton to do magic tricks. Nick’s act needs a little polishing, but Walter Dexter, one of the guests, can’t help heckling him. Nick kept his composure, while a couple of the other guests told Walter to be quiet and not ruin the evening for everyone.

The next morning as Mel is about to take Max, her rescue dog, for his morning walk she she’s what looks like a pile of clothes at the end of the inn’s drive. As she gets closer she sees that it is the body of Dexter. The police are called and when Ben Carter arrives he gets the basic information from Mel and begins to study the scene. He soon notices that the railing on the balcony is broken and after inspecting the railing he sees saw marks and the balcony is sealed off as a possible crime scene.

Mel and Liza begin to do a little sleuthing to so that the current guests can leave and they will be able to get ready for the group that is
coming in.

Nick is at the top of the list as they know nothing about him, or for that matter, not much is known about Cindi either. But as they begin to talk to the quests no one seems overly upset that Dexter has been killed.

Also, a continuing subplot is the ghost Orville, as they have named him. His jovial laughter continues to be heard in the inn. Even Mel is beginning to believe that the inn is truly haunted, especially when clues mysteriously start showing up. Also, Mel is still searching the internet for possible leads as to where her mother might be if in fact, she is still alive.

This is wonderful new series and thinks that those who don’t like “ghost stories” will enjoy this one. Orville is a happy ghost and is always laughing and at times when a laugh is needed, too.

Looking forward to the next book in this young series.

Sometimes you just need a light, fun book to take your mind off the news, your schedule and life in general. Doom with a View hit the spot for me. The second installment of the Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries. The story isn’t heavy handed or dark. Yes, there is a murder but it’s not overly described or gruesome. The victim happens to be a curmudgeon and not popular with his other traveling companions. Melissa and her grandmother, Liza, are not happy as this is yet another mishap to hit their B & B and they were hoping their reopening after a fire almost ended their endeavor into the hospitality field would go a little smoother. Their run-ins with the local constabulary are anything but helpful. However, they have a week to get to the bottom of the killing and they must stay out of the way of the lackluster detective assigned to the case. There is mild romance, delicious recipes, and many quirky characters. This isn’t heavy reading, nor deep thoughtful writing. It is just a fun, delightful story.

This is a great new series and I cannot wait to read more of it! The haunted inn is a great setting. The characters are well described and developed, and new guests make the possibilities for new books endless. The resident ghost adds just enough without being over the top. The story was really interesting and well written. I just hope to see a little more romance between Melanie and her policeman, and possibly even Liza and the gentleman where they eat luch? . Liza is lots of fun too. The inn sounds wonderful and I am glad to see it's right by the sea. This group that come to stay at the opening of the inn provide quite a few suspects and all seem to be characters.

I very much enjoyed this second book in the series. Easy, enjoyable reading. Looking forward to the next in the series.

It is opening week at the Merry Ghost Inn B&B operated by Liza Harris and her granddaughter Melanie West. A book group has booked all the rooms but trouble starts right away with Walter Dexter and his rude behavior. Then very early in the morning Melanie finds his dead body in the driveway and everyone at the B&B become suspects.

The author does a good job of setting the scene in coastal Oregon and presents a cast of interesting characters. She also drops a few teasers that have me curious about what is going to happen with Melanie in future books. This is book #2 in The Merry Ghost Inn series.

Great new series. Still a strong writer.. Love everything she writes.

Over the weekend I read Kate Kingsbury's Doom with a View, the second in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books. This cozy was off to a good start with book one and I was really looking forward to reading book two. I enjoyed the mystery but was pleased to get to know the main characters a little bit better. The main character Melanie is in herself a complex character you can not help but feel for, her grandmother who insists on being called by her first name is a bit quirky and the young girl working for them has me intrigued and hoping for more with their stories in addition to the murder mystery. I think that the mystery of Melanie's missing mom, the laughing mysterious ghost in the house and Melanie's tragic past are far more interesting as a reader and then as a bonus you get a complicated mystery. All in all I think this was a good second in series and I look forward to seeing what lies ahead with the next set of guests who arrive at the Merry Ghost Inn. This book is out in September and can be ordered in advance now.

This is book 2 in the series Merry Ghost Inn and can easily stand alone. If you want additional information about Orville the resident ghost you'll need to read book 1. Melanie and her grandmother are thrilled to be having their grand opening over Halloween but not so happy when one of the guests is found dead. Great mystery with the ghost more than willing to help investigate. An enjoyable read, well written and fun.

I enjoyed this swift paced cozy mystery! The renovations on the Merry Ghost Inn are complete, and the first group of guests have checked in. The grand opening suffers a setback when a male guest is found lifeless in the driveway.

The main characters, Melanie and Lisa (granddaughter and grandmother) have grown in character since book one. They handle stress better and they're getting used to Orville, the ghost. The author does a great job plotting and kept me guessing as to who the killer was--a lot of people seemed guilty! I would enjoy staying at this haunted Bed & Breakfast on the beautiful Oregon coastline. This is a great book to spend a cozy afternoon reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and Crooked Lane.

Doom With a View is book two in the Merry Ghost Inn series, Melanie and Liza are hosting a book group at the inn, and personalities clash a little which sets the tone beautifully, When one of the members falls through the balcony, the guests and inn keepers alike all become suspects. Melanie and Liza jump head first into investigating to clear their names and find the murderer to make rooms available at the inn for upcoming guests.
I enjoyed book one and book two is such a compliment to the first. The plot of the story was strong with just enough twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. I also loved how the author is slowly introducing us more and more to the quirks of the main cast of characters and not bombarding us with information all at once. Overall this is a strong addition to what promises to be a fun, interesting, and completely enjoyable series,

I have not read the first in this series, A little confusing at first with all the characters, but found this book enjoyable enough to check it out for future reading.

in case the link doesn't work, I'm on good reads as Cheryl Sanders.

Doom with a View by author Kate Kingsbury was a delight to read, and makes me want to make a reservation at the fictional Merry Ghost Inn. Well-written cozy, and I enjoyed the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother Liza (and am personally partial to cozies that include dogs, so I really enjoyed the fast that Melanie's dog, Max, was the one to find the body!!!). There's a resident ghost, who's actually quite likable, and I also enjoyed the members of the senior citizens book club. Lots of room for more stories it this series, and I think I've found a new author to add to my list of faves! I really enjoyed Ms Kingsbury's writing style, and will now be looking into her other series (Pennyfoot Hotel Mysteries and Manor House Mysteries) as well as the first book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery Series - Dead and Breakfast! A+

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, as I did not enjoy the first one.
This was a solid whodunit.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I almost put this book down after the first chapter. Innkeeper Melanie West finds a body on her driveway, calling emergency dispatch she says, “I think he is dead”, but is rather indifferent and returns to the house since she has piecrusts in the oven and is too worried about bad reviews of her new inn, than an actual human being.

With a group of elderly booklovers taking over the Merry Ghost Inn for their grand opening weekend, Melanie and her grandmother Liza have their hands full when the investigation drags on and no one is allowed to leave town. As to who could have tampered with the balcony and killed Walter, they each have their own speculations but it is not until Beatrice mentions the man in the skeleton mask that they sit up and take notice.

With the grumpy town detective interviewing everyone and getting nowhere, Melanie and Liza decide to start asking a couple of questions on their own. Apparently, Walter was barely tolerated by the members of his book group and after Gloria had accused him of breaking up her most recent relationship, others started turning their backs on him too.

With only a couple of days before their next group of visitors descends on the Merry Ghost Inn, Melanie and Liza are running out of time. The grumpy detective is making no headway so why not set a trap of their own considering their entire guest list are possible suspects.

This book is a good weekend read, if you remember the previous book, you would be familiar with Melanie’s backstory and though it is not a dominate part of this story, hopefully one day soon, she will have all her questions answered.

I really enjoyed Doom with a View. It's an entertaining cozy mystery that keeps your attention until the end. I'd read the first book in the series, Dead and Breakfast, and liked it, so I was looking forward to this book.

Melanie and her grandmother Liza run the Merry Ghost Inn located in an Oregon coastal town. The inn is haunted by a ghost named Orville, an artist who died there. He makes a lot of noise and moves things around at inappropriate times, scaring both Melanie and her guests.

The inn is open after some reconstruction, and the first guests have arrived, a senior citizen's book club. The first night they see a magic show put on by Nick, whose girlfriend Cindi works at the inn. The next morning, Melanie and her dog find one of the guests, Walter, dead in the driveway. It looks like he's fallen from the balcony of his room. Melanie is worried about liability issues, and is even more concerned when the police tell her that Walter was murdered.

This puts everyone in the inn under suspicion, and Melanie and the police detective (who she calls Grumpy Dutton) don't get along. Fortunately, she has a budding relationship with another member of the force, Ben, who passes along some information as the case progresses. Melanie and Liza feel like Detective Dutton won't solve the case, so they try to do it for him.

I really liked the characters in this book. They are well drawn and feel relatable. I liked the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother Liza, and the one between Melanie and Ben was nicely hinted at. More to look forward to in future books. Kate Kingsbury is an experienced writer who knows how to keep the story moving.

I highly recommend this book, and look forward to the upcoming books in the series.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Doom With A View
Merry Ghost Inn, Book #2
Kate Kingsbury
5 Stars

Synopsis:

With the arrival of six senior reading group members at the Merry Ghost Inn, the long-awaited Grand Opening week has finally begun for Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza. All is well with the Oregon coast-side B&B until Melanie's dog, Max, finds the dead body of one of their guests. Everyone at the inn immediately falls under suspicion, including the innkeepers themselves. Melanie and Liza are not sure who they can trust, and the idea of cohabitating with a murderer is enough to send chills down anyone's spine. To make matters worse, the curmudgeonly town detective wants them to steer clear of the investigation, but doesn't seem too inspired to solve the case in a timely fashion himself. To clear their own names and to avoid the blight on the inn's reputation that yet another dead body will bring, Melanie and Liza dive headlong into the murder investigation. With a little help from their chuckling ghost, Melanie and Liza dodge the detective, tip-toe around their suspicious guests, and still serve up delicious Bed & Breakfast meals on time in Kate Kingsbury's delightful second Merry Ghost Inn mystery, Doom with a View. (Goodreads)


Review:


The characters are well rounded and well developed. I thought that they both showed growth from the previous book and it was nice to get to know them a little better. I enjoyed reading about all of the situations that they got themselves into and how they were relentless in trying to solve the murder. Although they did not always see eye-to-eye on everything and on the way they needed to conduct their investigation, they always respected each other and listened to each other’s ideas. Their bickering and banter were fun to read about and it brought a lot of humor to the book.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there watching all the action taking place around me.

The mystery was carried on well throughout the entire book. There were enough suspects to consider (all the people staying at the inn) and enough clues to sift through that it was difficult to figure out who the culprit was. And there is the ongoing mystery mystery of what happened to Melanie’s mother many years ago. I like that that mystery has been carried on throughout the series and I’ll be interested to find out what happens with that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. If you are not really into paranormal stories, this book is rather light in that aspect. I would like there to be more of a ghostly interaction, perhaps in future books.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.