Jack Shepard is back! Let’s face it. While the blurb says “Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her gumshoe ghost team up”, many of us who read Cleo Coyle’s Haunted Bookshop mysteries love Jack, the ghost of a private investigator killed in 1949 on the site of the bookshop in Quindicott, Rhode Island. This time, in The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait, Jack and Penny team up to solve a current case while Jack reveals the truth about a related case from 1947.

It all starts with a launch party for the book By Its Cover: A History of Modern Book and Magazine Illustration. Buy the Book, the bookstore owned by Penelope and her aunt, Sadie Thornton, is hosting the launch party and an art exhibit to go with it. When Penny and several friends go to pick up the art pieces for the exhibit, collector Walt Waverly tells them he wants to sell everything. That includes a spooky self-portrait of Harriet McClure, who had been a local resident, artist, and recluse. Penny’s mailman friend, Seymour, falls in love with that painting, and insists on buying it, despite Walt’s warning that it’s cursed. Although they all scoff at the comment about curses, Penny’s team has a flat tire on the way home, and, when they return to Waverly’s the next day, they find him dead.

When there’s a second death, after several disastrous events, including a threat to the Finch Inn, pictured in Harriet’s self-portrait, Jack offers to take Penny back to 1947 and his investigation of a cover artist suspected of killing his gorgeous model. As always, Jack’s stories from the past offer Penny clues as to the current case.

This series has long been one of my favorites involving a ghost stuck in the present who still has links to his past. Jack’s able to take Penny with him as she sleeps. Are they dreams? Are they real adventures? No matter how it occurs, Jack stands out as a hardboiled PI with a heart of gold, typical of the 1940s. The diners and nightclubs bring his time period to life. Penny has the appropriate wardrobe for these adventures, but always complains about the shoes she’s forced to wear to be accurately dressed.

Cleo Coyle is also the author of the long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series, but Jack Shepard remains my favorite character. He first appeared in The Ghost and Mrs. McClure in 2004, written under the name Alice Kimberly. The series ran for five years, then disappeared until 2018 when the books came back under the name Cleo Coyle. Now, three years later, Jack and Penny return in The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait. For those of us who love mysteries with a touch of the paranormal, Jack Shepard and the Haunted Bookshop mysteries are worth the wait.

I love a good paranormal mystery and this series is fantastic. I love the dynamic between Penelope and Jack and I loved the mystery. The story was full of plenty of twist, great character arcs and good writing. I didn't figure out the mystery before the end, which means I was too busy reading to try and think about it too much. Overall I really enjoyed this one! I also love their coffee house mystery series!

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait by Cleo Coyle is the 7th A Haunted Bookshop Mystery. This enchanting cozy mystery can be read as a standalone for those new to the series or if you have missed a tome or two. This is an entertaining and unique cozy mystery series. I love visiting Penelope and Jack Shepard. Penelope and her two bickering friends are off to pick up some artwork that will displayed at Buy the Book as part of an exhibit. They end up finding the owner dead and it relates back to a case Jack investigated before his death. I like how the past and present tie-in together. It is neat how Penelope gets to “see” Jack’s memories. The interplay between Jack and Penelope is delightful. The mystery was complex which makes it fun to solve. There are good suspects, a red herring, and exciting twists. I appreciated that everything was neatly wrapped up at the end. The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait is well-written with friendly, developed characters. Buy the Book is a wonderful place to visit with its charming owners. The romance between Penelope and Jack is special. We can see how love can transcend time and space (reminds me of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir). I enjoy the 1940s lingo. The authors captured how a 1940s PI would talk and act. This cozy mystery has good friends, close family, mysterious acts, a dead art collector, books, and humor. The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait is a unique cozy mystery with precious paintings, a dashing detective, ambiguous acts, concealed clues, treasured tomes, and a suspicious specter.

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait is the 7th Haunted Bookshop cozy/noir mystery by the pseudonymous duo who write as Cleo Coyle. Released 4th May 2021 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well developed series with an interesting paranormal twist. Protagonist Penelope is in "contact" with the consciousness of a long departed police detective who was killed almost 70 years ago. The books are set up in a way that very very cold case mysteries from decades ago get intertwined with modern day mysteries and bookstore owner Penelope saves the day by resolving the past and the present.

The mysteries are often convoluted and a bit contrived but otherwise "fair-play". The characters are so distinct and well rendered that keeping them clear from one another is never an issue. I like the sort of noir-1940's vibe that Penelope's internal dialogue adds to the book. Although it's the 7th book in the series, the mysteries are completely self-contained and it works quite well as a standalone. This would be a good jumping-in point for readers who haven't read the previous books.

The language is clean, the violence is low-key and off scene. It would make a good commute or work read. I really enjoyed the tie-ins with period pulp fiction and artwork. Lots of fun. The authors have done their research on the era.

Four stars. Definitely worth a look for fans of cozy mysteries.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure and her Aunt Sadie are getting their bookshop, Buy the Book ready for an event showcasing the classic covers of Pulp Fiction books because of an upcoming release. When she and her two best friends head out on a road trip to pick up some art that’s being lent to them, they come back with one more painting than they’re supposed to. You see, Seymour must have a self portrait by Harriet McClure, a well-known local woman, and ancestor to Penelope’s late husband. Only this portrait isn’t like any of the others that are known around town, in this one, Harriet is much younger and there seems to be some strange things in the painting.
Well, this sets off a string of strange happenings, starting with the death of the man Seymour bought the painting from. We’re transported from the present time, to 1940’s NYC through the memories of the ghost that haunts Penelope. Yes, Penelope that has a ghost that haunts her, a gumshoe who actually had firsthand knowledge of the painter of some of the covers that are on display at the bookstore and of the woman in some of them as well. Come to find out, PI Jack Shepard actually worked a case involving the painter and a possible homicide.
This was such an interesting story. I’ve never read anything like it and reading that this is in fact the seventh in the series makes me want to read them all. You don’t need to read the previous six to get into this story, I don’t feel like I missed anything (other than a great series I wish I knew about before now) and I wasn’t lost at any point. I didn’t figure out who the killer was in this book, which is rare, and means that I was invested in the story, not trying to figure out the bad guy. The writing was good, the characters are interesting, and the storyline was chock full of twists and turns. What a great story.
**I received an ARC of this story from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This is the seventh book in Cleo Coyle's Haunted Bookshop Mystery series and though it was my first instalment I didn't feel at a disadvantage and still found the story absorbing and the characters winsome.

In this cozy mystery, I got to meet bookshop owner Penelope Thornton-McClure. She is preparing for an event to be held at her shop, Buy the Book, and is collecting paintings of vintage book covers. One of the paintings, a portrait of a beautiful woman who he learns is Harriet McClure, an ancestor of Penelope's late husband, has caught the attention of the local postman, Seymour who buys it. The picture, according to the locals is haunted, and when strange occurrences begin happening, and there is a fatal accident, Seymour still hangs on to it. Wondering if the painting is cursed, Pen turns to private investigator and ghost Jack Shepard for help.

Cleo Coyle has a lively writing style that sets the stage for the book with plenty of vivid imagery, making it easy to visualise scenes. The mystery is skillfully woven filled with intersecting stories, past and present and there are clues galore. The characters are expertly created and developed. Pen and Jack make a fascinating sleuthing duo and I could tell that they care about each other. Even though Jack has a rather gruff manner, he clearly has feelings for Pen who is smart, diligent and caring. I was totally invested in the story and reading The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait has given me the desire to check out the rest of this series as well as continuing with Cleo Coyle's other series, the Coffeehouse Mysteries. A very highly recommended, fun trip to the 1940s for cozy mystery readers.

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, Cleo Coyle and Berkley Publishing Group for a complimentary copy of The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait via Netgalley at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

First of all I have to say how amazed and impressed I was with the range of quotes that begin each chapter! Varied sources from Shakespeare and classic lit to noir mysteries such as Chandler and Spillaine to pop culture (music and comedy) and even sports(Yogi Berra!)

Planning a spectacular book launch event at the bookstore she owns, Pen Thornton-McClure sets off to pick up display items. She takes along some extra hands in the form of well educated friends, a professor and a postal carrier. As soon as they arrive at the mansion to retrieve the items, paintings, things begin to heat up. Could it be possible one (or more) of those paintings is haunted, or worse, cursed?

Something is causing one disaster after another, although it seems to be helping sales.
From family disputes to random accidents to MURDER, the twists and action never end.
I enjoyed the travel via dreams back to 1947 with Jack and visiting another era, along with a crime to solve. This book is a delight for the senses.

The ending is one you can not predict.

Jack is back!

I love this series! It is absolutely one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and I snap up a copy each time I see a new book pop up for pre-order. This time, I got my review copy and pre-ordered both the paperback and audio book. I gotta have my Jack and Penelope (that sounds like a cool mixed drink, doesn't it!)!

The Ghost & the Haunted Portrait is the 7th book in the Haunted Book Shop Mysteries. This time, Penelope is preparing for a special event at her shop involving vintage book cover art. A spooky portrait of a woman with a bit of a legend behind it starts to cause trouble. Is the portrait cursed? Who best to help investigate a ghostly curse than a ghost detective? Penelope enlists Jack's help to discover the truth behind the portrait.

I have to admit that I have not read the end of this story yet. I'm repeating what I did with the last book....I read about half of my review copy....then I wait for the physical copy of the book to finish. I don't know whodunnit yet! My book is on the way though -- just left the Baltimore postal system on its way south! You better believe I'm tracking that puppy! I want to read the rest of the book on release day! If the book doesn't arrive on time (packages from all delivery companies seem to be taking longer to get here lately), I can always load my audio book which will magically appear on my devices on release day. I got it covered! The half of my review copy that I read was very good! But I'm making myself wait to finish the story!

For those new to Cleo Coyle's books (pseudonym for a husband and wife writing team), their Coffeehouse Mystery series is also very good! I'm a firm fan of that series too!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

Ghost and the Haunted Portrait
“Our cat’s nocturnal wanderings had to be curtailed.” Hah! Tail!

Jack is back, and he’s as charming as ever. My sweet ghost pal from the 40s is on the case and helping Penny in present day solve another mystery.
There’s plenty to enjoy in this cozy mystery. You’ll have favorite moments throughout the splattering of character shenanigans, and the business association meeting is pure fun. Publishing scams were brought to light as well as a peek into book cover artwork. But you’ll get distracted and will need to pay attention to the clues cleverly dropped right in front of you. And while present day has enough murder for Pen to be involved in, I especially enjoyed the trip back to Manhattan with Jack to investigate Ruby’s connection across the decades.
I did get to wondering if Jack lingers in Pen’s head without her knowing. Can he pop in at will? Will there ever be a time when Pen won’t want Jack floating around in her head? While I wanted to see more of their togetherness when she went back in time with Jack, this 7th in the series is a delightful read. And Jack’s last line brought a sigh and a hope that maybe there will be more to the gumshoe team in the future.
As they say, Jack is my Shepard, I shall always want…

Penelope Thornton-McClure is thrilled to be picking up a shipment of original cover art from collector Walt Waverly for her bookstore’s upcoming exhibit. Centered on an art book celebrating the history of American book covers, the launch party will feature Walt’s extensive collection, which he’s only too happy to append price tags to should any curious attendees want to take pieces home.

What she’s less thrilled by is the nonstop bickering of the men accompanying her on her road trip. Her two best friends, local Jeopardy! champion and mailman Seymour Tarnish and literature Professor J. Brainert Parker, are also each other’s best frenemies, and neither could resist the chance to come see Walt’s collection for themselves. But it’s a piece of non-book-related art on display that really strikes a chord, especially in Seymour. Depicting Harriet McClure, a distant relative of Pen’s by marriage as well as a local recluse well-known for her many self-portraits, this one stands out for being a rare picture of Harriet in her youth.

Brainert scoffs at the provenance of the painting due to peculiar elements inconsistent with Harriet’s later oeuvre but Seymour insists not only on buying the portrait -- despite Walt’s claims that it’s haunted and possibly cursed -- but on pointing out to Brainert why he believes it’s not only authentic but important:

QUOTE
“<i>Second</i>. You obviously need to wear your glasses because I noticed those peculiar elements <i>before</i> we hauled the painting down. And you know what? They don’t bother me in the least. Plenty of painters have put codes on their canvases--even your precious Caravaggio snuck a picture of himself into his <i>Bacchus</i> masterwork. In Harriet’s case, this is an early painting, maybe her very first self-portrait, and it’s clear to me she’s desperate to communicate something. What it is, I don’t know yet. But I feel as if she wants me to find out. That she’s chosen me.”
END QUOTE

Pen is happy to humor him as long as she gets her art back to the store, but when Walt is found dead the very next morning and Seymour is subsequently attacked in his own home, the friends start to wonder if the painting is indeed cursed. Walt had mentioned something about another buyer, but who could possibly care enough about an obscure old painting to kill for it? Unlikely as it seems, could the painting really be haunted by a vengeful, violent ghost?

Pen is pretty sure it isn’t the latter, since she has a little experience with being haunted herself. The ghost of dead 1940s gumshoe Jack Shepard has been tethered to the mortal realm since his untimely death, and has been amusing himself in his afterlife by helping Pen solve crimes. If, that is, one assumes that Jack is a real phenomenon. Not even Pen is sure:

QUOTE
On the other hand, there was a possibility that Jack wasn’t real at all. That he was no more than a figment of my fervent reader’s imagination.

Any therapist would say as much. “Jack is a syndrome,” they’d proclaim. The gruff, masculine voice in my head was an alter ego, my way of coping with the stresses of modern living. This hard-boiled “ghost” was merely a distillation of all the colorful characters I’d grown up reading about in my father’s library, the kind of spirited soul who was brave enough to speak the blunt or off-color thoughts that I was too polite to think, let alone permit myself to say.
END QUOTE

Imaginary or otherwise, Jack’s assistance is invaluable in solving not only the case of the haunted portrait, but also a different case involving a model featured on another work in Walt’s collection. Both mysteries are fleshed out wonderfully, and seeing how they fit together in the end is extremely satisfying, doing justice to both cases and to the wronged woman at the heart of each.

Cleo Coyle has written another knockout cozy-noir hybrid that’s sure to satisfy fans of this terrific series, while also serving as an accessible jumping-on point for newcomers like myself. I’ve loved their Coffeehouse Mystery series for a while now, and am so glad to have discovered an entire other series of theirs to add to my list of books I can look forward to reading!

This was my first ever cozy mystery so I wasn't really sure what to expect. It just seemed like there was way too much going on and I couldn't keep track of what was happening in which mystery. I felt like it dragged on in parts and had a lot of information that wasn't fully needed to keep the story going. Overall, I just didn't feel wowed by this story or it's cast of characters. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

DNF at 40%

Things I enjoyed - I loved the details about the vintage pulp fiction covers. I also love ghost stories and being transported to the past with Jack.

Things that did not work for me - I couldn't get into the story. There was no pull for me to need to know what was going to happen. The reason for diving into the mystery immediately on finding the body was weak, and the story just felt slow moving. I also couldn't stand the bickering between two of the MCs from the start of the story.

Note - this is the first book I've read in this story, so maybe I'm missing some background or previous attachment to the characters, but I just didn't feel any interest in them.

It is so good to have Jack back. I enjoy the series and look forward to more. I was kept guessing by who did it The MC has 2 good friends who are always there for her. She also has her aunt and son. What she doesn't have is a boyfriend (she is a widower), unless you consider Jack (the ghost) her boyfriend.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable book that once I opened the book, I could not put it down. This is such a captivating mystery that I wanted to know every little detail, which I knew would point me to the person responsible. The writing style was easy to follow along with the comfortable tone and the pacing, which was on par with how well this story was being told. The author did a great job of co-mingling the past and the present making me believe that all things are possible. The fine line between history and present exists even if it helped solve a crime. Jack is a perfect match for Pen and I adore the relationship between them. The mystery was well-executed with the necessary items: a solidly wicked plot, a list of suspects, a slathering of clues, and a terrific cast of characters, that kept me immersed from beginning to end.

The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait
(Haunted Bookshop Mystery #7)
by Cleo Coyle
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book. The opinions are my own.
I love ghost stories! Friendly, helpful ghosts or frightening, vengeful ghosts, I like them all! So I was disappointed when this book didn't live up to my expectations. Oh, it had a ghost, but the story was so dry!
Someone buys a painting because he just loves the image of the woman in it. Then bad things start happening around the painting. The ghost was a detective and helps out in the case.
The characters are flat, plot predictable, and I had to force myself to finish it so I could review it. If it wasn't a NetGalley book I would have quit reading it.
The 2 stars are for trying and that it had a ghost anyway! I rarely give low reviews, I usually just quit reading. Sorry, but I need to be honest with the readers.

enelope McClure is a young widow who co-owns a bookshop in Rhode Island along with her Aunt Sadie. She lives with her eleven-year-old son Spencer and Sadie above the shop. When they're given an advance copy of a book on pulp art from decades ago, they are going to offer a signing event in their store with the authors. But to help them, they've also contacted a local man who collects pulp cover art and is willing to allow them to borrow some if they will come and pick them up.

With the help of her best friends Seymour and Professor J. Brainert Parker, they head off in Seymour's van to the man's home. When they arrive Seymour sees a painting of an ethereal woman and learns that she is Harriet McClure, an ancestor of Penelope's late husband. The tale behind it is rather sad; the woman was declared mad and sent to live in a Queen Anne home that is now known as the Finch Inn, owned by Barney and Fiona Finch. The home is in the painting's background, and Seymour cannot take his eyes off it, finally convincing the owner to sell it to him.

But after Seymour purchases the painting, accidents begin to occur, and Pen wonders if it is coincidence or something larger. Her personal PI, Detective Jack Shepard is willing to help and even share one of his memories regarding the paintings on loan from the collector -- because he knew the artist and the model. Since Jack's the ghost of a PI who was murdered at the bookshop in the 1940's, he's been there ever since and Pen's the only one who can communicate with him. They've grown closer through the time she's known him, and it seems she needs to become part of the memory to crack the current case. Now if she can keep a killer at bay and discover the truth before anyone else dies...

This is the seventh book in the series and I have read and enjoyed every one of them. I love the romance between Jack and Pen, and while some may scoff, love transcends time and space, and while it's not specifically said, you can feel it with the characters when you read the words. The pages come to life, the characters right with them; and you want to continue to read and be part of their lives.

As for the plot, it is probably one of the most interesting that I have so far read in this series. Pen and her aunt are using the paintings of the cover art to promote the book; the collector has agreed to sell them for the right price. But more than Seymour's attraction to the picture is causing accidents, and Pen is determined to find out which one of the people around her might be a murderer.

The fact that Jack knows the story behind one of the paintings doesn't surprise me; and I love hearing about his adventures in the 1940s. (I'm a sucker for classic movies; they're all I watch, so this makes the book more pleasurable, going into Jack's world occasionally). He brings Pen along in her sleep, and while he doesn't solve her murder for her, he gives her the information she needs to solve it when she wakens. It's captivating, to say the least.

When the ending comes, the murderer is caught (because we know they will be); and everything that is hidden comes to light, it is a surprise that both stuns and gratifies, giving us a feeling of satisfaction that everything is as it should be. I can't state how much I enjoy this series and am looking forward to the next book and Pen and Jack's adventures. Highly recommended.

Cleo Coyle is one of my favorite authors, so when The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait showed up on NetGalley, I was excited to request it.
Penny and her Aunt Sadie own Buy The Book, located in Rhode Island.
As they are preparing for a new event at the store, Penny and her two besties go to pick up some art work, which sets off a domino effect, that leads to murder and deceit.
The object of the investigation is a beautiful painting of a woman, who is rumored to have gone mad and lived as a recluse until her death.
Penny is eager to find out the truth hidden behind the painting, so she pairs up with Jack Shepard, her spectral friend, to get the answers.

I really enjoyed this book, especially when Penny can see into Jack's memories. This sets this series apart from others, and makes it colorful and unique.
I'm looking forward to catching up on any books I may have missed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for approving me to read this exciting book.
#TheGhostandtheHauntedPortrait #NetGalley