The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out

I found this book quite entertaining. It's well written, I liked the cast of characters and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Good mystery, excellent romance. My biggest gripe is that the climax went right until the end, so the romance kind of got pushed out of the narrative, so it didn’t read like a HEA. Maybe there will be another sequel? This is a really well done age gap romance, with Nick indulging Perry frequently (he’s gruff to everyone but him), but consciously never acting paternal towards him. Lovely!

This is the second book in The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks series. It is a MM romantic suspense. I really enjoyed this book, the characters are a little quirky, but fun. The story is well written, and I did not guess the villain before the author revealed him to the reader. I did not get a chance to read the first book in the series, so this can be read as a stand-alone book.

This was a book that reminded me of the quintessential cozy mystery. I grew up reading books like this and Josh Lanyon has so many books that bring me back to those days when I had no real responsibilities and just loved to sit and read for hours. I loved catching up with these characters. I did have to skim the first book for a refresher since there was a gap between releases but I don't mind doing that. This is a good book to read on a stormy night.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

To live and draw in L.A.

Now living in Los Angeles with former navy SEAL Nick Reno, artist Perry Foster comes to the rescue of elderly and eccentric Horace Daly, the legendary film star of such horror classics as Why Won’t You Die, My Darling?

Horace owns the famous, but now run-down, Hollywood hotel Angels Rest, rumored to be haunted. But as far as Perry can tell, the scariest thing about Angels Rest is the cast of crazy tenants--one of whom seems determined to bring down the final curtain on Horace--and anyone else who gets in the way.

The second in The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks mystery series, The Ghost Had An Early Check-Out  by Josh Lanyon continues with our newly established couple Nick Reno and Perry Foster now living in LA and working on the dynamics of their relationship and living together.  I love how Josh Lanyon writes relationships...relationships of all kinds and then threads them through her stories.  In this case a mystery story.

Nick is sketching an eerie old Hollywood hotel, an architectural wonder or horror depending upon reviewpoint, when he hears screams coming from the hilltop. That begins Nick's introduction to Horace Daly, wildly eccentric and on the ancient side, it's his scream that Nick hears and it's his mystery that Perry (bringing a reluctant Nick) tumbles into.

It starts with Horace, that crazy hotel and its inhabitants, along with all those old horror movie props.  Lovingly if not gleefully described by the author through her characters. If you have ever watched an old Vincent Price or any other horror movie it that ilk, then you will have no problem imagining the movies, the props, and even Horiace in his heyday.  Perry, inhaler in hand, wants to help Horace who is convinced someone is trying to kill him.  Nick wants to watch over Perry on his time home, not happy its at a dusty old hotel with a quirky old actor asking for his boyfriend's help.

As usual, there is a whole wonderful cast of secondary characters, even a pet alligator named Wally to help or thwart our heroes in their investigation at the hotel and the danger to Horace.   As the plot twists and turns, our couple also continues to work on their own relationship and love affair, the narrative spotlight turning from the mystery to the couple and back again.  It all intermingles effortlessly and the story moves forward quickly.

The Ghost Had an Early Check-Out (The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks #2) by Josh Lanyon is a wonderful mystery romance, full of terrific characters and a complex storyline.  I love this couple and can't wait to see what ghostly romp they will fall into next.

Cover art works for the type of mystery the novel is about and sets the tone.