I've read Josh Lanyon's Adrien English series, and ending up liking that series quite a bit. This one felt like a more watered down version of that without the romantic angst. I wouldn't say it was a struggle to read this one. It wasn't, and Lanyon definitely delivers on her writing. However, I wasn't gripped throughout most of the story and felt no immediate desire to pick it back up once I stopped reading. One of the biggest weaknesses for me was the wacky sense of the time period. It's supposed to be set in present day, but the dialogue combined with the setting made it feel like it took place 100 years earlier.

I had so much fun! A perfect book for hot summer days!

What Josh Lanyon could do really good- to write a good story. There is indeed a STORY in her every novel, we can argue about anything else, but never about THIS fact. And this one has not just summer in its title but also somehow a summer SPIRIT, and other spirits also...

I have to be honest with you, I don't like paranormal genre, but if it is told with a profound sense of humor, irony, sarcasm, and, with the icing on the cake with a lovely romance and VERY CHARMING characters, I do not want to complain!

I was hoping for a bit more depth as far as the characters, romance, and plot went. Sometimes I would have to go back and reread parts because I felt like I was missing some details. But overall it was enjoyable.

Theater critic Artemus Bancroft is abruptly and mysteriously summoned home to California with a vague but urgent plea for help. He arrives to discover the apparent haunting of Green Lanterns Inn, his aunt's home (and his until he left to make his way in NYC). I was attracted to the premise of this story and had no idea that Artemis was gay, and that a relationship would begin and develop, but it was tastefully done and certainly didn't detract from the mystery. I'm now a new fan and will be looking for more from this author.

3.5* This was a bit of an Agatha Christie-esque romp. Entertaining and visual.


This was a good read that I finished in one setting. It was very visual, in the sense that it was so clearly written that I could picture the events in my mind's eye, and yes, it was just like being in the middle of an Agatha Christie mystery. It was well done and I hadn't foreseen the outcome at all. In fact the only character I did have suspicions about was Seamus Cassidy, as not being able to recognise a certain basic thing when your job is all about dealing with many similar things was a giveaway. And, I think this was a deliberate giveaway so that it obfuscates what's really happening in the tale.

I did end up with my mouth hanging open a couple of times, and the only character not to feel real for me was the butler, with his weird English and attitude; his certainly wasn't one of someone in servitude.

One of the better mysteries I've read from this author.

ARC courtesy of JustJoshing Publishing Inc and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

Thanks to Netgalley for this early release copy in exchange for an honest review. Good story with familar tropes. While it was a readable book, it was just bland. Not Lanyon's best work.

It was quite enjoyable and like it even if some of the characters were a bit unbelievable.
The mystery was ok and it kept me guessing.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was an odd book. It felt disjointed. The characters mostly acted like they were in an Agatha Christie novel up into the very end when there was a more modern feel. The main character did not speak or act like a young film critic from New York. The plot was mostly predictable, but I found the romance sweet. However, there were some questionable police ethics and definite conflict of interest going on. Overall, this was a short, average read.