MURDER AT BLACKWOOD INN

A ghostwriter uses her down time to help her eccentric aunts deal with the spirit that haunts their house.

The Northern California town of Pelican Point is home to the Italianate mansion of Carissa Blackwood’s grandfather, which her aunts have converted into the Blackwood Bed and Breakfast Inn. Aunt Runa is very tall and an expert on crystals; Aunt Hazel has white hair and cultivates a poison garden. The house is run with the help of the housekeeper, Marnie, and the handyman, Noah. Much to their neighbors’ horror, the house has been painted black with purple and green trim, and each room has a theme. Right from the get-go, Carissa, who’s there to provide expertise on the business side of running the fully booked inn, realizes that the place seems to have a resident ghost. Carissa has the Nancy Drew room, and her childhood love for the sleuth comes in handy when problems arise. Perhaps it’s the seven cats that make Carissa think the house is haunted by the ghost of her grandfather, who dabbled in spiritualism. The preview party brings a number of antagonistic guests: real estate agent Patty Fay Johnstone, who wants to buy the house; competing innkeeper Annabelle Topper; and next-door neighbor Harper Smith. When Patty Fay is found dead the next day with a gemstone under her bed, the sheriff is suspicious. The next to die is a guest, a salesman who’s really a private eye. When belladonna is determined to be the cause, the sheriff arrests Hazel. Channeling Nancy Drew, Carissa searches the attic for clues about her grandfather’s past that she hopes hold the key to the murders.

Quirky characters abound in this lighthearted tale of ghosts and murder.