Home for the Haunting

Haunted Home Renovation Series, Book 4

By: Juliet Blackwell

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

San Francisco contractor Mel Turner is leading a volunteer home renovation project, and while she expects lots of questions from her inexperienced crew, she can't help asking a few of her own - especially about the haunted house next door . . . the place local kids call the "Murder House." But when volunteers discover a body while cleaning out a shed, questions pile up faster than discarded lumber.

Mel notices signs of ghostly activity next door and she wonders: Are the Murder House ghosts reaching out to her for help, or has the house claimed another victim? Now, surprised to find herself as the SFPD's unofficial "ghost consultant," Mel must investigate murders both past and present before a spooky killer finishes another job.

©2013 Julie Goodson-Lawes (P)2013 Tantor

A Hauntingly Good Read

What does Xe Sands bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Xe Sands is an outstanding narrator!

Any additional comments?

Juliet Blackwell's series about Mel, a lady construction contractor who seems to be able to see and sometimes talk to ghosts, are fun reads. They are light and do not delve into the gruesome black areas that many ghost stories do. Its a great entertaining light read. Even my husband has enjoyed the series!

Trouble arrives in the form of Cookie

I loved this new entry in Juliet Blackwell's Haunted Home Renovation Series. Mel Turner, general contractor, is working on a home for a disabled man who uses a wheelchair. They plan to build a ramp, several specific projects, and generally tidy up. Some of Mel's workers are at the house on a Saturday along with many neighborhood residents to help as best as they can.

Before the charity work can begin, Mel's sister Cookie arrives without her husband or children. She wants to show that she is important as Mel, so accompanies Mel all day to learn what her job is like.

Cookie shows how little she knows by wanting to just pop into numerous boutiques, eat out, and then go to Mel's evening class as well. In a comical scene, Mel tries to drop Cookie at a Bart station so she can get within a few blocks from home. Cookie objects so vociferously that she takes Cookie part way home where she is picked up by family to get home.

The next day brings the charity work day. They soon discover that the house next door is known as the Murder House where a man shot his daughter and wife with his son and second daughter hiding in an upstairs bedroom. The father then shot himself, and the remaining children crawled out a window to escape and to gather help. Ghosts are known to exist there introduced by loud banging of the front door knocker in a repeating pattern.

Mel has begun working on learning more about ghosts via classes with a renowned professor on the subject. He helps Mel set up a séance on the 25th anniversary inside the Murder House. Mel has even become friendlier with the SFPD detective that seems to show up in each book.

I am truly impressed by how much Mel has grown, up to and including this book in the Haunted House Mystery series. This book could stand alone, but I believe it was so very much richer having read it in publication order, just as this series has become.

A good series!

If you've read any of my other reviews, you already know I like a fun listen. And these Blackwell books are that. They are fun. Xe Sands is very playful with the characters, but I'm fussy about readers and hear more vocal fry in every single character than I'd really like to hear from just one or two. It can sometimes be difficult to tell who is speaking.

The heroine seems to be pretty down to earth, if you don't count the wacky way she dresses. I could have lived without that character quirk - it seems a little forced, but it doesn't get in the way of the stories so I choose to wink at it.

The books themselves have romance and fun twists and it isn't easy to figure out who the bad guys are - always a plus. Blackwell isn't King or Koontz, but sometimes it's a relief not to have your socks scared off. And, really, who doesn't like a humorous ghost story?

good book

narrator groans the text of characters that is annoying. but overall was a very good book

great series

Loved the story and the series. Each book islike catching up with good friends.

Stories are getting creepier

But still with plenty of hero Mel's self-deprecating humor. Tons of suspects to keep the reader guessing.


SPOILER:



Things also are steaming up a bit with Graham.

Another great adventure!

I really enjoyed the next installment in this series and look forward to the next one! Don't miss this or any of the other books in the series.

Great !

This is the second in the series that I have listened to. I find the main characters likeable- In this story, her sister shows up unexpectedly. A fun addition to the story.

Like it a lot!

I enjoy narrator XE Sands so much. She reads this story so well. I like this series. Very entertaining .
Joan in KY

Another good book

This is another good addition to a very good series. If you would like to spend your day with a cozy mystery this is a good one.