enjoyed this cozy mystery a lot. fun plot, fun setting, and well written story. I would definitely read more of and recommend Kate Kingsbury.

A great book by a fantastic author. The writing is excellent and the mystery keeps you turning the pages. Characters are well developed. Highly recommend.

I had to read the first one before I could read this copy. The characters are interesting but I'm still trying to get an interest in them. I've read all of the other book series' that Kate Kingsbury has written and this was a nice change from the way Pennyfoot Hotel books have been going lately.

The renovations on the Merry Ghost Inn are complete, and the first group of guests has checked in. Unfortunately, the first night they are in residence, one of the guests falls off the balcony and is found the next morning dead in the driveway. This time, the guests are all suspects, so can not leave the Inn until the case is solved. This leaves Melanie and her grandmother, Liza worried about their next set of guests due in a week. Time to put themselves into investigator mode again.

The storyline is well plotted and the characters were believable with interesting pasts of their own. I love the characters of Melanie and her grandmother, Liza. They love each other and share a very touching relationship. It is a realistic relationship with Melanie worrying about her grandma and Liza playing matchmaker. Their bickering and banter were fun to read about and it brought a lot of humor to the book. I love the British expressions that creep into Liza's dialogue. I enjoy the burgeoning romance between Liza and the hardware store owner as well as the one between Melanie and the police detective. Their lighthearted teasing is cute. I can't forget about Orville, the resident laughing ghost. He adds additional humor to the series and drops hints for Liza to interpret. The ladies have found out that his name in life was Arthur, but they like Orville better and it seems he does as well. The plot was smoothly written and well-paced with just enough twists. The mystery will keep you guessing through the entire book. There were several suspects and enough clues to sift through that it was difficult to figure out who the culprit was. I did not figure out the murderer until it was revealed in the story. I am also enjoying the ongoing side mystery of what happened to Melanie's mother. Melanie is beginning to ask questions and I hope this mystery is eventually solved. This is a fun, cozy series that has enough mystery surrounding it to make for an interesting series. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator does a great job with the story and the voices of the various characters. When she says "bugger" I can see Liza speaking those words. I definitely recommend this book, and if you enjoy audiobooks, this is a good one to listen to as well.

Although number 2 in the series, I easily fell in with Melanie, her grandmother Liza and the rest of the characters at the Merry Ghost Inn. Quick and snappy writing (how I like it) kept the mystery moving and kept you guessing as to who done it. Light romance and a ghost round out this enjoyable cozy. Recommended to any one looking for a new cozy series.

The Merry Ghost Inn has its grand opening and 6 senior readers arrive. However, everything isn't smooth sailing because one of the guests is found dead and the other members of the group are the prime suspects. Melanie and Liza still have to have business as usual while trying to find the killer or their B&B will be filled with hold over guests with a murderer among them.

Not having read the first in this series, I was still able to get the character relationships and part of the past history. A fun cozy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, the second in the Merry Ghost Inn series. From the enchanting and picturesque Oregon setting to the charming characters to the suspenseful plot that kept me guessing right up until the end, it was an engaging and absorbing read. I loved the reveal at the end, both heart-wrenching and tragic, it was a great way to end the book. I really love Orville the Laughing Ghost, it's a fun element to the story and adds just a touch of spooky that gives the series a little flavor.

Although a great book, it rambled a little bit in some places and while this wasn't a huge issue, there were a couple of scenes I found myself flipping through because they were a bit repetitive. Overall though, it wasn't a big issue, it was still an enjoyable read and this series is quickly moving up on my must-read series list.

Overall, a solid second book in a what's shaping up to be a can't-miss cozy series and very enjoyable.

Melanie and her Grandmother are finally ready to open their new B&B on the coast of Oregon. They have 6 senior ladies booked and are excited to reopen the Inn after a previous fire. They live at the B&B complete with a humorous ghost who will make every reader laugh out loud.
When a murder occurs both Melanie and her Grandmother are suspects . Melanie begins to investigate to clear their names and is soon up to her neck in suspects.
I loved the first in series and highly recommend the entire series. The writing is fast paced ,. the sleuth is excellent and the supporting characters are a perfect fit to the series. The addition of the resident ghost and Melanie's rescue dog make this a perfect cozy series. I look forward to the next in series.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Melanie and her grandmother Liza have opened a new B&B and there is more than just working out the kinks on their plates. When one of her guests plummets off a balcony whose railing had been sawn, they are pushed to find out which of the rest of their senior guests murdered the most unpleasant man.
It doesn't help that the grumpy cop running the investigation resents their intrusion into a past case and warns them not to interfere. While no one wants to point fingers, the more they learn, the less they know about who did it and why. Further complicating matters are Melanie's feeling for another officer of the law and for her mother who vanished without a trace when she was four.
As if that was not enough, there is Orville. He is the merry ghost of the inn's name. It is not his real name and Melanie tries very hard to deny his existence but Orville has other plans. He is not a bad guy. In fact, he helps them figure out the mystery. He is just mischievious.
Melanie, Liza and the readers will ponder what future mischief he will cause. I am game to find out.
I give this four purrs and two paws up.

Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury is the second tale in A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series. Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza Harris own the Merry Ghost Inn in Sully’s Landing, Oregon. They are open and booked with six guests from Portland who all belong to the same book club. The guests are currently being entertained by Cindi’s (their assistant) magician boyfriend, Nick Hazelton. Walter Dexter, though, is not enjoying Nick’s act (continuous heckling and complaining). The next morning, Melanie hears Max barking (like he is upset) outside and goes to investigate. She finds Walter dead from where he fell from the balcony. Officer Ben Carter is the first responder and discovers someone tampered with the balcony. Which one of their guests disliked Walter enough to kill him? Detective Tom Dutton (aka Grumpy) is assigned the case and issues a stern warning to Melanie and Liza not to investigate. They have no intention of listening to him. The pair, with the aid of their resident ghost-Orville, set out to nab a killer.

Doom with A View is a cute story with a subtle paranormal element. I found the book easy to read and it has a nice, steady pace. I had not the opportunity to read Dead and Breakfast (first book in series) prior to picking up Doom with a View. I was a little confused in the beginning because the author starts introducing the main characters along with all the guests (ten people, one dog, and a ghost). Once I got all the characters straight, I was fine. I was surprised that Melanie and Liza had hired an assistant. You would think they would wait until they started turning a profit. I thought it was strange that the owners did not share news with the guests themselves. Instead, they would send out Cindi to announce activities and such. It seemed odd and out of place (especially with Cindi’s appearance). I am rating Doom with a View 3.5 out of 5 stars. The mystery was not complicated and I thought the killer stood out (eliminate the obvious). The author does provide some pointed clues that will aid readers in solving the murder. I wish there had been more sleuthing or active investigating (instead of them just asking questions). I loved the ghost, Orville. He would laugh and move items around the house. Quite a bit of the book is devoted to cooking and eating (wanted less of this and more mystery). One thing I am extremely tired of in cozy mysteries is grumpy, mean detectives. Detective Dutton did nothing to enhance the story. Instead we get numerous mentions of his grumpiness. Doom with a View is an appealing cozy mystery. It has good main characters, quirky inn, a ghost, and a dog. A little fiddling and A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series would be delightful.

Sully's Landing, on the coast of Oregon, sounds like a lovely, if rainy place to visit. This well written, briskly paced mystery takes place during the Grand Opening of the Merry Ghost Inn, run by Melanie and her grandmother Llza. The first group of guests are all know each other from a book group in Portland, and hope to attend the local Arts Festival.. The first morning after their guest arrive, Melanie’s friendly dog Max showcases his canine detective skills by sniffing out a dead body.. Although it’s the second in the series, it’s easily read on its’ own. There are a lot of good food descriptions here, and I certainly wouldn't call it paranormal. The ghost seems to be more for ambiance.

Melanie, is an okay lead character. I didn't feel part of her experience and that impacted the rest of the story for me. Liza is her rebellious and outspoken grandmother that Melanie co-owns the B&B alongside. Cindi is their tattooed part time help who I wish had been developed a bit more, she has tremendous potential. Officer Ben Carter fills the CRI (cop-romantic-interest) role and seems to have a sense of humor. Detective Tom Dutton (Grandma Liza calls Grumpy) is more realistic for a police detective. Max is Melanie's dog and almost constant companion. Orville is the resident laughing ghost who is heard but not seen.

The setting with the B&B could have been utilized a bit better, rather than Melanie and Liza seemingly hiding out in a little nook in the kitchen away from their guests. But, then I love when the setting is another character so I may be biased. I did appreciate the ocean side being ever present.

The plot is a mild Christie setup with sabotage to the balcony railing and a clandestine shove. Figuring out who among the guests, all of which had motive, had the compunction to actually commit murder is the gist of the story. The pacing suffered occasionally to a bit of meandering, which some may enjoy, but for me began to lose my interest.

The killer reveal was quick and all the motive and details were discussed with the killer in a terribly civilized manor. Now I truly love a good nail-biting killer confrontation, so this was too gentle and cozy for me. But, I know some will enjoy how Ms. Kingsbury reveals the killer in a gentler fashion.

I liked the idea of the B&B setting, but wish it would have been used to its potential. I didn't care for Melanie's ongoing search for her long lost mother. It seemed like an afterthought written in and not that important at all.

Rating: Good - A fun read with minor flaws. This will appeal to some, but not others.

I'm always on the lookout for new cozies and this one sounded appealing with a B&B in a new location and a possible ghost. And since it's the second in the series, I figured it would be easy to jump in, which it was.

After some troubles while they were remodeling, they are finally ready for business. But shorty after their first group arrives, they notice tension in the group and then one of them dies, apparently of murder. After the previous murder at their location, Melanie and Liza are understandably worried about how this will affect their reputation both locally and professionally.

Although warned by the police to stay out of the investigation and not meddle, the ladies decide to help themselves, and the police, by quietly making inquiries. Their guests have been told by the police to stay put during the investigations but that means the next group of registered guests would have no place to stay. Melanie and Liza are also trying to get more information about the ghost who may or may not haunt the inn and Melanie begins a romance while dealing with some personal issues.

Melanie, Liza, Cindi their assistant, and all of the characters were enjoyable even though some were hard to like. Liza was quirky almost to the point of grating, Kingsbury is treading a fine line. The other characters though were engaging and interesting. The mystery kept me guessing though there were hints sprinkled throughout the story for readers who are paying attention. The personal issues that Melanie was dealing with dragged down the story a bit but they are interesting, just needed to woven into the story more carefully. As for Orville the ghost, is he real or not? I was leaning toward real by the end of the story but Kingsbury doesn't give a definitive answer. "Doom with a View" was a fun and interesting mystery.

While I usually love cozy mysteries, I just didn't click with these characters. Maybe if I had read book one first, that might have helped. The mystery is solid even though the ghost/seance pieces aren't generally my style. Overall I would say if you loved the first one, you should read this one. If you haven't read the first one, try that first and see if you get a better feel for the characters by reading the books in order.

Doom with a View is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series! After recovering from the events in book #1, Melanie and her grandma Liza have finally started their Grand Opening Week for their inn. All is well until Melanie's dog, Max finds the dead body of one of their inn guests. And guess what? Everyone's a suspect! Even Melanie and Liza...O_O

Just like the first installment, this was very fun and easy to read. I really enjoyed it. The characters are delightful and quirky. The writing is simple yet descriptive. The mystery was engrossing and unpredictable, and the suspense was intense. It did have a slightly slow start, but it picked up rather quickly.

Overall, I loved the book, and I cannot wait for the next one. It has everything that a good cozy needs :)

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

I love this series and this book is now one of my favorites.The characters are engaging and magical and the mystery is always weaved so nicely. I would recommend this to all mystery lovers

Just because someone is a senior, it doesn't mean they can't be a suspect in a murder investigation! Mel and Liza find themselves in a tough spot when one of their guests at their newly opened inn turns up dead BUT unlike others who find themselves in this position- they have Orville! I wouldn't call this a paranormal cozy because Orville the ghost is another character and what a gem he is! Great sense of wry humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a short quick read but it's very entertaining and made me think it might be time to take a trip to the West Coast for a stay at an inn.

Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series. I had read the previous book, but it is not necessary to enjoy this one. Melanie and her grandmother, Liza, are welcoming their first guests to the Merry Ghost Inn. The inn is a bed and breakfast with a permanent resident ghost. The week is off to a good start until one of the guests is found dead in the driveway. Melanie, Liza, and the remaining guests are all suspects. Determined not to let this latest murder ruin the inn's reputation, Melanie and Liza risk the wrath of the detective in charge to solve the mystery. This was an easy to read book. The characters including Max the dog and Orville the ghost add to the charm of this series. I am already looking forward to the next book.

As blustery Fall winds cool the Oregon coast, Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza, open the Merry Ghost Inn. They didn't expect to have the grand opening so late in the year, but their new business venture was delayed by six months after a fire damaged a large part of the building. With all the repairs and renovations finally completed, Melanie and Liza welcome their first guests, a senior citizen group from Portland. The six seniors are members of a book club and all live in the same retirement community. After just one day at the Inn, things go drastically wrong when one of the group, a cranky troublemaker that none of them really liked, is found dead in the driveway outside. When the police discover that Walter Dexter's fall from the second floor balcony wasn't an accident, Melanie, Liza and their assistant, Cindi, start investigating. Who sawed the balcony railings so that Walter would fall to his death? Could one of their seemingly harmless elderly guests be a murderer?

Doom With a View is the second book in the Merry Ghost Inn series. I haven't read the first book yet, but easily followed the characters and plot of this new book. I adore Melanie, Liza and Cindi. They are all different, but very strong, determined and intelligent women. I also enjoy how Liza is sure their resident ghost (they call him Orville) is real....but Melanie thinks it's some defect in the house. That sound of laughter they all hear....Melanie contends it couldn't possibly be a ghost. It has to be the house settling.

The book is a quick read at less than 200 pages. The mystery is fast paced and doesn't bog itself down in fluff and unnecessary details. It gets right down to business with the dead body popping up in Chapter 1. Boom -- dead guest. Right to the point. I have no problem with that. I don't like it when I'm reading a mystery novel and get through almost half of it before there is any mystery. This book cuts to the chase immediately. It doesn't just focus on the deceased guest and investigation though...there is plenty of speculation about Orville the Ghost, quite a bit of character development, interaction with side characters...good story building. I liked the fast pace, and the setting. The characters are quirky and interesting. The mystery had plenty of suspects and surprises. Max the dog is the required loyal fur face, helping his owners solve the crime and barking at empty space -- or is it Orville? :)

All in all, a fun cozy mystery! Once I started reading, I moved book one, Dead and Breakfast, to the top of my TBR pile. I want to enjoy more Melanie and Liza antics while I wait for book 3!

Kate Kingsbury is a pen name used by author Doreen Roberts Hight. She also writes the Pennyfoot Hotel series and Manor House Mysteries under the same pseudonym. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://www.doreenrobertshight.com/

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**