Ellie is a fake medium to help pay for her sister's care. She is enlisted by Nicholas to uncover who is pretending to be Xavier a ghost that is talking to his mother and plaguing his home in England.
There are plenty of wacky characters in this story but I especially enjoyed Vivian, the mother, and her non-hospitality manners.

I enjoyed this start of a new series and will look forward to reading more

A good book. Well written with great characters and a good plot. The storyline flows and the mystery is enjoyable. I highly recommend.,

I apologize due to a death in the family I was unable to read and review this book. I apologize to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my inability to follow through.

I did not finish - I have tried reading this book on multiple occasions and just could not get into it.

This is book 1 in a new cozy series, Eleanor Wilde Mystery. It provides a lot of background for future books. Ellie is a fake medium who needs money to care for a sister in a vegetative state living in a nursing home. She is hired and flown to England to convince Nicholas Hartford's mother that her home will soon be ghost free after Ellie conducts a seance. But there is more than a ghost at work in England when a dead body turns up and secret passages are discovered. Castle Hartford may be the end of Ellie's career if she doesn't come up with some answers quickly. I appreciated the fact that Ellie admits readily that she is a fake and takes money from people under false pretenses but it just doesn't sit right. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it!

First in the series.

I thought this was a fun new twist on the usual paranormal cozy mystery. The main character, Eleanor, is not a physic at all, but pretends to be one to make a living and support her sister. Despite the fact that at heart, Ellie is a con artist, she's still incredibly likable and funny. And she does play "ghostbuster", getting rid of the rats in the attic or making sure that the plumbing is fixed.

Ellie is smart and observant, and the mystery unusual enough to keep me up late reading until the very end. And this time, Ellie's client knows she's fake and just wants her to get rid of the ghost that he's sure is fake as well, but that the rest of the family is positive exists.

I had several laugh out loud moments while reading, and I look forward to more of Madame Eleanor Wilde.

This was fantastic! Ellie is a con-artist, having styled herself as a psychic & ghost hunter out of the necessity of caring for her sister, who is in a coma and whose care she and her brother are responsible for. Whilst visiting her sister in the care home, she meets a man who offers her a ghost-hunting job in England that she can't refuse.

The old English family of Nicholas Hartford (he of the job offer and pots of cash) is typically eccentric, each member having their own quirky characteristic(s) that don't necessarily mesh well with each other.

Ellie is a fun character with just enough cynicism about her chosen profession to be able to both pull it off well and be able to clearly see what's going on around her. She has half the family believing she's actually getting rid of a 'ghost', and the other half rolling their eyes as she does so.

The writing and the story are excellent, and the mystery well done (if slightly implausible, but...cosy mystery). I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for the next in the series.

This book was so much more than I was expecting! The main character, Ellie, was a delight! I enjoyed learning how she uses her fake medium skills to help people. Little does she know, there may be more than meets the eye!

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

Eleanor (Ellie) Wilde doesn't believe in the paranormal, but that doesn't stop her from making a living as a medium. She doesn't consider herself a fake, because she really can solve pesky ghost problems. The ghosts, however, are typically rats in the attic or rattling pipes — but her clients don't need to know that.

Ellie is flown to England to the ancestral manor home of Nicholas Hartford III. His mother is convinced they're being haunted by a spirit called Xavier, and Nicholas wants Ellie to put Xavier to rest. Before that happens though, Ellie stumbles across a dead body. Now she's charged with solving the mystery of Xavier and that of the stranger's corpse that disappeared in the blink of an eye.

I enjoyed this first book in the Eleanor Wilde Mystery series. Ellie was a great character — witty, astute, clever, and likable — even if she is a bit of a con-artist. There's a touching side story with Ellie and her ailing sister, and you can see how much she cares about her family. SÉANCES ARE FOR SUCKERS is a charming cozy mystery mixed with romance and a touch of "real" paranormal, which I'm excited to see what happens next with that!

Not my favorite first in series that I've read this year but I am curious to see which direction the characters go in. I felt that it took a long time for the murder to occur and I wasn't sure this book would end up being a "whodunnit". The theme of the book was fun so it did keep my interest.

The first book in the Eleanor Wilde Mystery series by Tamara Berry is Séances are for Suckers. Eleanor (Ellie) is a ghost hunter working to pay for her sister's medical care. She is approached by wealthy Englishman Nicholas to rid his family home of a "ghost". Nicholas' mother is sure that Xavier is real, but Nicholas believes something more is going on. Ellie finds more than she bargained for in the English village. The book has a clever plot twist that I will not share so nothing is spoiled. Ellie is a likeable character, and the basis for the book is different in a great way. I look forward to many more books in this series.

I had to keep going back to make sure this was the first book in the series because it was written so well and the characters were so established. Ellie is fabulous and the way her sister finds her voice is definitely unexpected. Her brother is a great foil for Ellie. To be honest, I don't feel like I know enough about her sister to have a firm grasp of her personality. I can't wait for more adventures with Ellie but I do have to admit that it was written so that it could have been the end of the series or even a stand alone. Knowing that it is the first in the series, I had to remind myself that as the series evolves, so will Ellie and I really can't wait to see what will happen next for her.

Thank you to Kensington Books, Tamara Berry, and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this story and share my honest thoughts and opinions with others.

I enjoyed Seances are for Suckers immensely.  Not only was the story fascinating but the main character, Eleanor Wilde is a refreshing change from the average female lead.  First she is a fake medium, who realizes most ”ghostly “ problems can be solved by a combination of mundane and theatrical means.  She may technically be a fraud but in reality she is much more, and her career does pay for her sister’s care..When she is approached by a very rich and very handsome Briton, Eleanor is at first reluctant to take his case.  He wants her to prove that the “ghost” that is haunting his ancestral estate and influencing his mother is no such thing. Alternately, he wants her to banish the spirit. Eleanor is faced with a crumbling estate, worn furniture, terrible food - and a dead body.


Seances Are for Suckers is an excellent mystery with a compelling lead.  The novel is refreshingly original with just the right touch of humor. Tamara Berry is definitely an author to watch.  I highly recommend Seances Are for Suckers.


5 / 5


I received a copy of Seances are for Suckers from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


-- Crittermom

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a decidedly different take on the paranormal cozy. Ellie is a fake psychic. She is very good at solving “hauntings” that have an all too corporeal origin while giving the believers what they crave most: confirmation that there is such a thing as a ghost. She is hired by an English aristocrat to come to his ancestral castle to banish the human who is convincing his family that they have a ghost in their midst.
He knows she is a fake. She knows she is a fake. But do the spirits know she is a fake. She sets up all sorts of devices to unmask the villain, suspecting at times almost everyone present in the castle. She finds not one but two bodies, one old and one recent. Her own life is in jeopardy before the true villain is unmasked. But she does not succeed on her own. In fact, by the end of the book it is highly likely that she will have a spectral partner helping her in future adventures.
While I cannot say Ellie has captivated me, there are enough quirks to the book that I will happily follow her into new stories. I do hope the black kitty, Beast, gets to help in the future.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I am looking forward to reading other books by this great author.

I really enjoyed this book. At first it seemed like it was going to be a lighthearted look at a medium and how she conducted her “séances”, but then it took a right turn and turned into a more gothic mystery. I thought the characters were interesting, and that the author did a really good job of keeping me on my toes regarding the individual motivations. I especially liked the way that Ellie approached each challenge with wit and courage. I would give it 3.5 stars, because there were a couple of plot points that seemed a little bit out of left field, but I am rounding it up to 4 because the atmosphere the author built was exceptional. I am excited to see that this may be a series (if the way it ended is any indication), because I would love to spend some more time with Ellie! Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded upward. Tamara Berry is the queen of snarky humor, and now that I have read the first installment of the Eleanor Wilde series, I am primed and ready for those that follow it. Big thanks go to Net Galley and Kensington Books for the review copy; this book is for sale now.

Ellie narrates her own story in the first person. She explains that she makes her living through fraud, scamming those that want to talk to their dead relatives and solve their Earthly problems via séances. A referral brings her a wealthy Brit that wants a fake medium to vanquish the ghost his mother believes is haunting their mansion. Expenses paid, she flies out to join him and is delighted to find that he lives in an actual castle. His mother, however, hates houseguests and discourages them with miserably small, terrible meals and bad accommodations. As preparations are made for the séance, guests exchange furtively obtained and hoarded snacks in order to avoid starvation.

Nicholas is a hunk; he and Ellie are both drawn toward each other and repelled in classic fashion, and there’s a lot of crackling banter that keeps me snickering. Other well drawn characters include Nicholas’s mother, his sister and her teenage daughter, and a couple of other men, one of whom works for the family. When she comments to the reader, “Bless the sturdy and simple folk of this world,” I nearly fall off my chair. The narrative and dialogue are wonderfully paced and hugely amusing. The solution to the mystery is both partially obvious and wildly contrived, but since this is satire, that makes it even better. In fact, there’s more than one tired old saw that works its way into this story, but it’s with a side-eye wink every time, and I love it.

As the narrative unspools, a corpse is found and then lost, threats and warnings heighten the suspense, and we wonder along with Ellie which of these guests and family members are truly as they seem, and which might be a killer.

The scene leading into the séance is so hilarious that I nearly wake the mister with my cackling.

The only aspect I find unappealing here is the somewhat saccharine story having to do with Ellie’s dying sister. Ellie’s dishonest vocation is, she tells us, necessary so that she can pay for her catatonic sister’s nursing care, and while squeamish cozy readers may find it comforting, I am more than ready to dispatch sis to the great beyond and just let Ellie be Ellie anyway. Happily, this doesn’t hold the story back, particularly since most of the sister’s part of this tale is told at the start and is out of the way by the time we are rolling.

I can’t wait to see where life—and the wakeful dead—will take Ellie next. Highly recommended for mystery lovers ready to be entertained.

Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry is the first in a new series and I immediately liked the heroine, Eleanor Wilde. She removes troublesome spirits and manifestations from the homes of her clients by putting on a supernatural (and also completely bogus) show while also quietly removing the source of the disturbance. Usually it's mice in the walls. Holding fake seances isn't the most honest work, but she's doing what she has to to provide her sister with needed medical care.


Nicholas Hartford approaches her to deal with a ghost at his family's ancestral estate, knowing full well that Eleanor's abilities are no more real than Xavier, the family ghost. His mother, on the other hand, believes in both. Eleanor is completely willing to do her thing for the ridiculous amount of cash that Nicholas is willing to pay, but there's something sinister happening at the estate and someone doesn't want her to succeed.



I highly recommend this one, especially if you enjoyed The White Magic Five and Dime series by Steve Hockensmith and Lisa Falco.

Madame Eleanor Wilde is a con artist, and like all the best con artists, she knows the best way to con someone is to show them exactly what they expect to see. She’s a very successful medium and ghost exorcist, and when she’s hired to go to England by an intriguing aristocrat who knows exactly what she is and wants to hire her to con his mother, she can’t quite resist the challenge.

Nothing is quite as it seems at the Hartford Estate, though. And when a real dead body turns up, Ellie starts to think maybe she’s in over her head.

This was such a fun read! Ellie’s cynicism and the way she read people made her so relatable and funny, and it was obvious she and Nicholas were striking sparks off each other right from the start. A cozy mystery with a healthy dollop of romantic comedy, I was giggling more than a few times while reading. There’s a fair bit of real emotion there too, because the reason why Ellie chooses to make a living conning people is to raise funds to keep her comatose sister Winnie in a comfortable care home. A triplet, Winnie and her brother Liam are the only people who really matter to Ellie, and her love for them and determination to do what’s right by those who need her most was genuinely heart-warming.

I absolutely loved this, and I really hope to read more Ellie Wilde books in the future. She’s a warm, funny, relatable heroine. I could wish for a bit more insight into Nicholas, her love interest, but since this is told in the first person from Ellie’s point of view, perhaps we’ll come to know him better in future books. Five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.

Seances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry is the first installment in A Eleanor Wilde Mystery series. Eleanor “Ellie” Wilde makes a living with her business Eleanor’s Cleansing Service. She cleanses houses of ghostly spirits or at least that is what she tells her clients. Ellie has learned that many things can cause the noises (from rats to noisy pipes), but to satisfy the client, she must put on a show. While Ellie’s brother, Liam does not approve of how she makes a living, it does pay for Happy Acres Sanctuary where their catatonic sister resides. After finishing her latest job, Ellie is ready to head off to two weeks in Mexico when she is approached by Nicholas Hartford III. Nicholas does not believe in ghosts, spirits or goblins, but his mother is convinced their ancestral estate is haunted by a mischievous spirit named Xavier. Nicholas wants Ellie to find out what or who is behind the various incidents, take care of the problem and then convince his mother that Xavier has moved on. Ellie arrives in England ready to tackle her new job, but she is unprepared for eccentric Hartford family, the worn dorm room furniture in her bedroom and the lackluster food served in small quantities. She begins her assignment by getting to know the Hartford clan, poking around the house and investigating the local museum. Xavier is proving to be a challenge which Ellie thrives on. Things get tricky when she stumbles upon a body in the kitchen which vanishes by the time Ellie returns with help. Ellie will need to pull out all the stops if she is to unveil the entity behind the illusive poltergeist.

Seances are for Suckers is a comedic tale. You will find yourself laughing your way through this spirited cozy mystery. Ellie was not one for academics. After an auto accident when she was eighteen which resulted in her mother’s death and putting her sister in catatonic state, Ellie needed to find a way to earn good money. Her flair for the dramatic plus her practical nature along with an eye for detail combined into Eleanor’s Cleansing Service. People seem to believe in a supernatural cause for their problems over a practical one. Ellie takes care of the problem (rats, bats, noisy pipes, and problematic house cats) and then puts on a show for the client to eliminate the vexing apparition. Ellie is a smart, plucky woman who loves her family and her job. Nicholas is handsome, intelligent, level headed and wise to Ellie’s ways of eliminating problems, but he admits that she comes highly recommended and always leaves a satisfied client. I especially enjoyed Nicholas’ droll wit. He has some great lines in the book. The author took the time to develop the characters. Rachel, Nicholas’ niece, is entertaining and provides a different perspective. She also gives Ellie with some needed intel and a sidekick along as food is provided (the mother’s cooking is abysmal). The story is told from Ellie’s point-of-view and her train of thought (practical insights) provide many laugh out loud moments. The mystery is complex and multi-faceted with red herrings, multiple suspects and unexpected twists. However, avid cozy mystery readers will have no problem solving this ghostly whodunit. This book has romance, quirky characters, a charming village, an ancestral estate, humor, spooky elements, and a puzzling mystery which have been combined into one entertaining cozy mystery. I am giving Seances are for Suckers 4 out of 5 stars. I look forward to Ellie’s next phantasmal adventure.