Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.
The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.
It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives.
Industry Reviews
Praise for Dead and Breakfast: "What could be more intriguing than spending the night in a creaky old bed-and-breakfast haunted by a chuckling ghost? A charming grandmother/granddaughter duo, unsettling small-town secrets, and a long-hidden skeleton at the Merry Ghost Inn add up to a winning debut for this ghostly cozy series." --Juliet Blackwell, New York Times bestselling author of the Haunted Home Renovation series "Dead and Breakfast is a page-turner from the first scene, where the about-to-open B&B unexpectedly becomes a crime scene. Melanie and her grandmother Liza are smart, believable, easy-to-like people and the writing is pitch-perfect. You'll want to book an immediate reservation for the Merry Ghost Inn. Better hurry--Kate Kingsbury's fine new series is about to get all booked up!" --Susan Wittig Albert, New York Times bestselling author of Blood Orange and Bittersweet "What's not to like about a laughing ghost? Dead and Breakfast is a spirited beginning to Kate Kingsbury's new Merry Ghost Inn series. More laughter to come." --Carolyn Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Times Two "Dead and Breakfast is an intriguing whodunit enriched with two plucky heroines opening a seaside bed and breakfast, a ghost with a delightful laugh, and a splash of romance. All the ingredients necessary for an entertaining red from start to surprising finish." --Sally Goldenbaum, USA Today bestselling author of the Seaside Knitters Society mysteries "Kate Kingsbury is a pro--and it shows in every witty line of Dead and Breakfast. West coast setting, B&B with a secret room and a skeleton. What's not to love? This book is so well done it almost reads itself. Treat yourself to the first in a new series--a must read." --Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of Rock-A-Bye Bones "A laughing ghost, a winsome dog, and a charming Oregon coastal village make the Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries a place you'll want to visit again and again." --Leslie Budewitz, two-time Agatha Award winning author of the Seattle Spice Shop Mysteries Praise for Kate Kingsbury: "The novel, fast-paced and well-peopled, satisfies straight through to the conclusion." --The Huffington Post on Mistletoe and Mayhem "Kate Kingsbury is the queen of English cozy mysteries." --Fresh Fiction on Mistletoe and Mayhem "The perfect stocking stuffer for the cozy fan in your life." --Publishers Weekly on Decked with Folly "Delightful... Starring an intrepid heroine." --Midwest Book Review on Shrouds of Holly "A pre-World War I whodunit in the classic style, furnished with amusing characters." --Kirkus Reviews on Slay Bells "A true holiday gem... An amazing accomplishment." --Mystery Scene on Slay Bells "Kingsbury's books are lighthearted and serious, amusing and well plotted." --The Salem (OR) Statesmen Journal
