The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
by Cleo Coyle
About The Ghost Goes to the Dogs
The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Setting - Rhode Island
Berkley (May 2, 2023)
Mass Market Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 0425255492
ISBN-13 : 978-0425255490
Digital ASIN : B0B8GC8YHT
A stray dog leads bookseller Penelope McClure and her gumshoe ghost on a chase for a cunning criminal in this brand-new entry in the “UTTERLY CHARMING” (Mystery Scene) Haunted Bookshop Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle.
Pet Mystery Week brings brisk business to Penelope’s Rhode Island bookshop, but a real mystery comes barking at her door when a lost dog turns up in a panic. Pen and her son Spencer follow the furry fugitive to a wooded area where the dog’s owner lies unconscious. Mrs. Cunningham is a warm-hearted widow who volunteers at the animal shelter and runs Buy the Book’s pet lovers book club. Why would anyone shoot such a sweet soul?
The police believe it’s an accident, a shot by a careless deer hunter, but Pen remains skeptical. To straighten out this doggone mess, she whistles for the ghost of PI Jack Shepard, an expert in hounding as well as haunting. Jack has a dog story of his own, a case from the 1940s that may help Pen sniff out clues to her present predicament. Yet even with Jack’s hard-boiled help, Pen may not be able to stop the killer from striking again or letting this whole case go to the dogs…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It’s Pet Mystery week in Quindicott, Rhode Island, and Penelope McClure’s Buy the Book bookshop is catering to canines, felines, snakes, parrots, fish, and any other pet that comes through the door and their humans. In addition to the happenings at the bookstore, there are guest speakers, a traveling vet, pet adoptions, a blessing of the animals, a pet parade, and animal movies being shown at the theatre. All the local businesses are getting involved.
As Pen was getting ready for her events a dog was creating a heck of a racket in front of her shop. Pen’s son Spencer recognizes the dog and tries to calm the pup but ends up chasing him down the street to a wooded area. Pen follows as quickly as she can. They stop when they find the dog’s person unconscious on the side of the road with a bullet wound. Mrs. Cunningham is loved around Quindicott. She heads the pet lover’s book club at Buy the Book and volunteers at the local animal shelter. Why would someone have shot her?
Pen is dismayed when the police decide it was a stray bullet from a hunter. She thinks there is much more to the story and she knows just who to contact to help her investigate. Her favorite PI and resident ghost, Jack Shepard. He just so happens to have a dog case of his own dating back to the 1940s. He thinks his case will help her solve her current canine case. Together they set out to sniff out all the clues and like dogs with a bone they won’t give up until they catch the shooter and leash them up and put them in the pokey.
I get so excited when a new book is released in this series! Jack and Pen are a dynamic duo that pull readers into their crime-solving adventures and hold on tight. Jack always appears when she needs him and I love that she can travel to his world in her dreams.
Spencer really impressed me. He was respectful and truly wanted to help. He reminded me of my grandson, especially the way he was so dedicated to keeping Sparky safe. Mailman Seymour also plays a bigger role in this story. The former Jeopardy champ really knows his stuff but he can be long-winded. He also has great comedic timing, even if he may not know it, and knows how to take control of a situation. Chapter 33 is a hoot, I laughed so much I had tears in my eyes between Jack’s comments and Seymour taking charge.
This time the two mysteries have dogs being key players. Sparky is such a loyal animal and went where he could get help for his owner. Spencer and Sparky form a quick bond. Toto Two appears at Jack’s door and “hires” him to solve a riddle. I loved the way the authors captured each dog’s unique personality. I know they are animal lovers.
The mystery regarding Mrs. Cunningham was complex and multifaceted especially because the police were no help at all and wouldn’t listen to anything that didn’t confirm the conclusion they had already reached. I appreciated the twists and the unexpected connections. The second mystery took Pen and Jack to some interesting places and she met some interesting people. Both are entertaining and supremely plotted. I really enjoy following the clues and trying to put them together before Pen and Jack. I did figure out part of Jack’s mystery but the current-day mystery was harder to solve. There were some really scary situations and a chilling reveal.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Cleo Coyle is a master at setting a scene. The descriptions take readers right into the drama, the chaos, the good times, and the bad. The characters come to life and I felt like I was right there with them. I have always been able to escape into these stories and have real life slip away. Just ask my husband how hard it was to get my attention when I was reading this book. We had our own comical moment.
The Ghost Goes to the Dogs is so dog-gone great. Each new book in this series tops the last and becomes my new favorite. Another title that will be added to My Best Reads of 2023. I loved every minute!
I highly recommend every book in the Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series and the Coffeehouse Mysteries are excellent too! You can’t go wrong with a book by Cleo Coyle.
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About the Author
CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times-bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries and Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, now celebrating nearly 20 years in print. With more than one million books sold, their work has been honored with starred reviews and multiple best-of-year list selections by reviewers. Alice and Marc are also bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live and work in New York City, where they write independently and together.
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Also by Cleo Coyle
Coming November 14, 2023
Great Escapes Praise for The Ghost Goes to the Dogs (Haunted Bookshop Mystery)
by Cleo Coyle
The Ghost Goes to the Dogs is a must-read for cozy mystery fans. It’s got great characters, a small town (and big city…you’ll see!) vibe that I love, a celebration of pets, and a “dog-gone” good mystery! I think you’ll enjoy this delightful book as much as I did!
~Christy’s Cozy Corners
The Ghost Goes to the Dogs is fast-paced and well-plotted. I enjoyed the way Pen and Jack worked together to solve the mystery. I recommend this mystery to fans of cozy mysteries, and especially for anyone who loves 1940s detectives or pet theme cozies.
~View from the Birdhouse
If you enjoy both noir and cozy mysteries, you cannot go wrong with this book. The mystery is engaging but the genuine and inventive characters will stick with you well past the final page. Plus, The Ghost Goes to the Dogs is, of course, filled with endearing dogs giving you an even better reason to jump right into it. 5 stars!
~Diane Reviews Books
With laughs, thrills, and ghostly chills THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS is a doggone fun tale!
~Cozy Up With Kathy
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’m really looking forward to reading this!
Love this Great Escapes Book Tours’ review! I think I’m going to make room in my library for Cleo’s Haunted Bookshop Mystery Series and Coffeehouse Mysteries! Love all the book covers! Thank you!
Such a fun series. I love it.
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
Thanks for the article. This sounds really interesting.
Dear Lori – You have rendered us nearly speechless with this beautiful review! In fact, it is among the most touching, moving, and amusing reviews we’ve read in the nearly twenty (good grief 20!) years that we’ve been writing cozy mysteries.
Thank you so very much, not only for your incredibly kind words about THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS, but also for the amazingly tireless work you do to support the cozy genre, its authors, and its readers. Cheers to you!
As for our latest Haunted Bookshop entry, we are honored to know that you consider it one of your Best Reads of 2023. That means the world to us because this 9th title in our series is a very special one, as readers will understand when they see our dedication and Author’s Note.
We should add that yes, we are (indeed!) animal lovers, as you suspected in your review. And we grinned from ear to ear to learn that you had tears of laughter in your eyes during Chapter 33. (Yep!) That whole scene put us in stitches as we were writing it, and we were delighted to see you mention it.
We also love the fact that Pen’s son Spencer (and his brave defense of our hero dog Sparky) reminded you of your own grandson. That is such a touching thing to know. Again, thank you so much for all the kind words in your amazing review. We’re overjoyed to know that you loved THE GHOST GOES TO THE DOGS so much.
We’re also happy to tell you that we’re continuing the Jack & Pen series into the future. We are already at work on their next Haunted Bookshop adventure, and (God willing) we’ll be writing (and you’ll be reading!) many more in the years to come.
Wishing you and everyone happy reading, and high spirits!
~ Cleo Coyle
(aka Alice & Marc)
Bless you
Just received The Ghost Goes to the Dogs and can’t wait to start reading it. I’ve enjoyed all of the Haunted Bookshop books and hope they continue. Really enjoy the connection with Penny and Jack when he takes her back in time in her dreams. Would really love to read that they actually kiss each other before she awakens!!
Great review, can’t wait to read this!
I’d love to read this!
Love this series. Usually don’t care for
“woo-woo” stories, but this one is great.
thanks for offering the book.
Can’t wait to read this book! Have read all of your books and loved each and every one. Fabulous cover too.
I’ve loved all of the Coffeehouse and Haunted Bookshop mysteries written by Cleo Coyle. Always great stories and wonderful characters!
Love the series!
Congratulations on the new book.
Really looking forward to reading this one as I lost both my Yorkies, EJ in May 2021 and Nikki in October 2022. Miss them both dearly.
Really enjoy the series, looking forward to the new book
Love the series, looking forward to reading the new book
Sounds like a fun book for out by the pool on a warm summer day
Sounds great! Love the cover!
Oh, this series sounds great! What fun!
Such fun
I am looking forward to spending more time with Jack and Pen!!
I love this series!
Wow! I can hardly wait for this book.
I love the series!!