Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness

Phantoms & Felonies by Lucy Ness

Book Summary

Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness has Avery Morgan, manager of Portage Path Women’s Club, organizing a 1920’s murder mystery event to raise funds and, hopefully, bring in new members.  Bob Hanover, a local banker lousy with dough, is bankrolling the event, and starring in the play.  Unfortunately, Bob’s attitude rubs people the wrong way.  The murder mystery starts off with a bang when Bob is found chilled off.  Bob was bumped off in the speakeasy and found with Avery’s psychic aunt, Rosemary standing over the body.  Avery immediately jumps into investigator mode.  She knows that to save the club, Avery needs to prove that no one connected to it was involved in the crime.  Avery has help from the mansions resident ghost, Clemmie Bow.   Avery needs to be careful, or she could be the next one zotzed.

My Thoughts

Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness is a lighthearted paranormal cozy mystery. Avery Morgan has been hard at work to revitalize the Portage Path Women’s Club by booking events in the elegant Dennison mansion.  They need a big influx of cash as well as new members, so Avery has come up with a twenties themed murder mystery event which is open to the public.  Unfortunately, the local banker is found bumped off in the speakeasy in the basement of the mansion.  Avery sets out to solve the murder with help from the mansion’s resident ghost, Clemmie Bow.  Phantoms and Felonies is the second book in A Haunted Mansion Mystery series.  I was able to read Phantoms and Felonies, but the task would have been easier if I had read Haunted Homicide.  I just loved Clemmie Bow, the flapper ghost who has become Avery’s friend.  I enjoyed the 1920s slang (it was the bee’s knees). The mystery has several suspects who all had motive to rub-out the banker.  There are good clues to help readers solve the whodunit before the reveal.  I enjoyed the witty banter between Clemmie and Avery.  They work well together and have a good friendship.  There is humor throughout the story that will have readers chuckling.  Aunt Rosemary was a hoot.  Aunt Rosemary is a psychic who lives in Lily Dale, New York where Avery grew up.  She believes that Avery has psychic powers as well, but Avery has always claimed she does not believe in all that “woo woo” stuff.  Now, Avery works to make sure her aunt does not find out about Clemmie.  I hope that Avery will embrace her gift as the series progresses.  Phantoms and Felonies is an entertaining tale with a flapper phantom, an assertive aunt, a dashing detective, a bumped off banker, and a cat’s meow chick.  

Phantoms and Felonies comes out April 6 on Amazon*.  The first A Haunted Mansion Mystery is Haunted Homicide.  Readers can follow Lucy Ness on Facebook.  By the way, according to the 1920's slang dictionary, a "cat's meow chick" is a stylish or splendid woman".  I appreciate you stopping by today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I am sharing my thoughts on The Baby Next Door by Vannetta Chapman.  It is the 7th tale in the Indiana Amish Brides series.  I hope your day is the bee's knees.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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