This book was apparently a spinoff from a short story, but having not known that going in, I don't think you need to read that story to appreciate this one. If you like ghost hunting stories, this is worth checking out.

Abby is a single mother (widowed) who is just trying to user her abilities to make ends meet. While her primary job is a janitor for a haunted tea house, she also has some sort of affinity for the paranormal. It's this ability that gets her a customer in the form of a woman hunting for diamonds in her recently inherited mansion. Said mansion is also haunted by some mean ghost that makes searching the mansion more difficult.

While the story started out a little slow, it picks up with layers of mystery and a subplot dealing with Abby and her Viking ghost boyfriend's relationship. I think that might be the only thing that I sort of missed by not reading the previous short. We join their relationship already in progress and intense enough for him to risk everything to be with her (in exactly the way you're thinking). There is some level of romance and smut, but the book is primarily and mystery and sets up Abby's even more interesting paranormal predilections. Future books should be able to dive right into that drama without the build up that this book went through.

This was a fun book! I have not read the prequel, but it wasn't really necessary to follow this one. The story was engaging and enjoyable to follow. I just wish it hadn't ended so soon!

I received a copy of Midnight Magic (A Ghost & Abby Mystery Book 1) by Jo-Ann Carson from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially intrigued by the summary and curious/amused at the prospect of a janitor slash super sleuth. I am happy to report that the book did not disappoint!

The good: a plot that moves swiftly and was NOT a dime a dozen snoozefest. This book had a well-woven story, entertaining characters who kept the reader engaged, and a spunky protagonist (Abby Jenkins) that you'll want to root for.

The not-so-good: the story did meander a little with secondary plot threads that weren't essential to the storyline. They weren't bad, but the novel may have been better if it was tightened up.

All in all, reading Midnight Magic (A Ghost & Abby Mystery Book 1) by Jo-Ann Carson was an enjoyable way to spend a snowy winter evening, and I am happy to have had the opportunity to do so. I look forward to reading future novels by Jo-Ann Carson.

A fun whimsical mystery with magic and ghosts. What's not love? A fun read with likable characters. Will be trying to check out the original short story where it began though, not that you need to read that to enjoy this book.

I have not read a book previously by this author, but after reading this one, I will definitely read more. This book was a fun foray into magic, ghosts, and mayhem. I really liked Abby and Eric, although I have to admit at times I would have liked to yell at them for making a few dumb decisions, but this served to make the characters more real to me. And, yes, since Eric is a Viking, he has some antiquated ideas about women, but he handled Abby well. I hope that in the next installment we get to know more about the side characters, especially Jill and Azalea. I really think they would be fascinating. There was a good plot, and although the mystery wasn’t the center of the book, it kept you entertained but I do think this book was more character-driven. If you like light paranormal mysteries/paranormal romance with great characters, you will like this one. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and JRT Publications/Xpresso Book Tours for the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.

This book is a light, whimsical,paranormal romance/mystery. A fun, quick, and easy read!

I would give this 3.5 stars. Abby, a supernatural detective/janitor, is given the task of finding some diamonds in a spooky mansion. With the help of her Viking ghost/lover, they come across some ancient Scandinavian vampires and creepy wizards. Just seemed, at times, like a lot of things thrown at the reader, and at times hard to follow. If the story would have stayed focused on the house and search for the diamonds, it would have been stronger. All the side trips of Eric and then the voice in her head, just seemed to distract instead of add to the story. Would still recommend, but would probably not read again.

A fun, quick, and easy read! I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I really enjoyed it! I requested it from Netgalley because of the ghost aspect of things and discovered that it's a bit more sci-fi than the typical paranormal books that I read. Turns out, that didn't bother me as much as I thought it would!

Abby can see ghosts, and her boyfriend is a long dead Viking who helps her. She works in an enchanted tea house and while trying to get her PI business off and running, inadvertently released some dagurs (vampire like zombies) into her small town. Her and her troop of friends (both dead and alive) work together to get rid of them.

This book really is a perfect blend of sci fi without overly geeking out and Jo Ann Carson is a great writer with moments in there where her writing was...well, pure magic. She's definitely someone I will read again and I'm looking forward to the next installment!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2302922997

I was in the mood for something light and original and spotted this. It's my first time reading something by this author but definitely won't be the last. Such a quirky, fun story and yet there's genuine emotion written into this book . Yes it's amusing but it's also poignant as the central couple clearly do love each other. The only problem is Eric is dead whilst Abby is very much alive!
This story essentially revolves around a case that investigator Abby has taken on and yes I know there's a plethora of books featuring private investigators but stick with it because there are lots of interesting touches here. First we have the obviously star crossed lovers angle but it's mixed in with haunted houses, witches and unusual vampires. Add in a quest that leaves Abby changed irrevocably and let's not forget that Eric will do just about anything to be with Abby and her children. Yes she's a mum, a janitor and a fledgling investigator but Abby is also very much human with fears, flaws and occasionally a fiesty temperament. This story has certainly sparked my interest in the rest of this series and I happily recommend it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair