Haunting License by Carol J Perry

Get ready for another cozy mystery review because today we’re discussing Haunting License by Carol J Perry. This is the third book in the Haunted Haven series and it features a thought provoking mystery, along with some fun ghostly encounters.

Keep reading for my full book review of Haunting License by Carol J Perry. And click here if you’re interested in more cozy mystery recommendations.

What is Haunting License by Carol J Perry About?

When a fisherman is murdered, Florida innkeeper Maureen Doherty must cast a wide net to catch a killer—with a little help from her ghostly tenants . . .

It’s June in Haven, Florida, a “between seasons” time in the tourism business, and Maureen’s Haven House Inn is feeling the pinch. There are plenty of ghosts in residence, but Maureen needs living guests to pay the bills.

Inspired by an old brochure she finds in a trunk she inherited along with the inn from her mysterious benefactor Penelope Josephine Gray, she gets the brilliant idea to revive a June fishing tournament from twenty years ago, hoping to reel in anglers who’d love to catch the Gulf Coast’s popular kingfish and take home a trophy.

But one fisherman won’t make it to the tournament. While walking on the beach with her golden retriever Finn, Maureen discovers a body. When Officer Frank Hubbard arrives, he recognizes local charter boat fisherman Eddie Manuel.

Now it’s up to Maureen and her spirited sleuths to sort through the red herrings and bait a hook for a killer before someone else ends up sleeping with the fishes . . . (from Amazon.com)

The Characters

Maureen Doherty is an innkeeper with a lot on her plate! Aside from running her hotel, she’s also has a part time gig keeping the peace between the ghosts in her building. Oh.. and there’s the fact that she always gets involved with helping the local police force when there’s trouble afoot.

This is the 3rd book in the Haunted Haven mystery series and the book is filled with old favorites like Finn (Maureen’s golden retriever), Ted (hotel chef and Maureen’s love interest), and the front porch gang. But then there are new arrivals like Kim Salter, archeologist extraordinaire. And don’t forget the professional bird photographers, Harvey and Ron.

My Thoughts

The structure of this mystery is different from what I’m used to, but I wound up really enjoying Haunting License by Carol J Perry anyway. I don’t want to spoil anything mystery-wise, so I’ll just leave it at that.

I really enjoy the town of Haven. There are so many cool stores and townspeople. But my favorite part about Haven is Maureen’s Inn, which she randomly inherited from someone who she never met. (More on that in the previous books, obviously).

But my favorite part of this story is the ghosts! Haven is a haunted town, but the people around town don’t like to talk about it much because they don’t want ghost hunters and film crew to swarm the town. So while it’s a low key fact about Haven, Maureen is friendly with quite a few ghosts in her hotel.

And there are also a few that she’s heard stories about, but haven’t quite found yet. Like the woman in the bar that people keep telling her about.

Would I recommend Haunting License by Carol J Perry?

I definitely would. Maureen is a really likable main character and I love that she has an adorable sidekick in Finn. It makes me happy how she befriends so many guests that stay at her hotel. Haven is a really neat small town that I would love to visit if it was real! Sigh.

Thanks for reading my review of Haunting License by Carol J Perry! Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

But wait, there’s More!

Don’t forget to check out more of my cozy mystery recommendations here.