I really disliked the first book [I knew the killer early on and disliked the MC], but as the bestie pointed out, I often don't like a first [or second or third] book and end up reading the second and loving it and the resulting series, so in that light, I got this book and settled in to read.

Sigh.

This book was slightly better than the first one [for me], but only slightly. I DID like the MC better this round, which helped. I liked the renovations she has done with the hotel. I loved the idea of the local movie theater getting renovated and reused [and the fun retro candy!!]. I really liked how the MC has embraced the people who live [and often work] at the hotel and have adopted them as her family - the real love and caring amongst them is really lovely to see. And I REALLY love that she does her job [mostly] before sleuthing. That is very refreshing as apparently it is the "IN thing" in new cozies to have the MC ignore their jobs and livelihoods just to put their nose in where it doesn't belong. In the case of Maureen, being in a hotel, often information comes her way and while she doesn't like Detective Hubbard, she respects the job he has and tries to work within his parameters [and for his part, he recognizes that she can be of help occasionally, even though he truly comes close to crossing the line and is really a creeping creeper in this one].

Unfortunately, none of this was enough to truly keep me engaged in this book. It is just so...bland. You'd think a book where there are supposed to be ghosts and murder and intrigue that there would be more excitement, but alas, that is a no. Actually that isn't true - there are about 2-3 chapters towards the end that had some excitement and then the reveal happens [really? THAT was the ending we got? R E A L L Y?] and it is back to bland [and also rather unbelievable] and don't even get me started on the slap-dash epilogue that leaves one very, very, unsatisfied. It is like it was written at the last moment and just slapped at the end of the book. Meh. I knew who the killer was pretty early on [though I tried to convince myself otherwise with a character that I am still on the fence about] and again, the reveal was just so anticlimactic that I may or may not have rolled my eyes. Also, I cannot even begin to talk about how much you get beat upside the head with the SAME INFORMATION over and over. Do we really need to know that E V E R Y time Maureen goes out the side door [or comes in the side door for that matter] that she passes the guest laundry and soda machines? Do we need to be reminded that there are money problems and that reno's need to be done? IF one contracts a contractor to building something, does the MC need to call and confirm this more than once? Over, and over, and over again. This seems to be another trope that some writers are investing in and I need to say it again apparently; the readers are NOT five years old, we don't need the same info over and over and it is just wasted filler. There were also some weird, stilted conversations and ideas that didn't seem fully fleshed out that left some of the story very disjointed and left me feeling off-balance in the story. It was both off-putting and weird.

I am pretty sure I won't read anymore of these [should there be any more] as I have many other books that hold more appeal and action than these have. What a disappointment.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carol J. Perry, and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High spirited cozy with ghosts haunting an inn in Haven, Florida. Both ghosts and the characters of the natural world are engaging and interesting. Our heroine, Maureen, sctually inherited the rundown inn from a person she never met. And that mystery, while not solved in this book, has me hooked and ready for the next in the series. Maureen's efforts to renovate and revitalize the inn anchor the story and play into the mystery itself

Christmas lights on palm trees and Santa hats on plastic pink flamingos are signs that Christmas is coming for Gulf Coast residents. In this cozy mystery tale Maureen Doherty has settled from Massachusetts to the quaint village of Haven, Florida, a fictional place somewhere between Tampa and Sarasota. Maureen has become the new proprietor of a century old inn called Haven House. With Finn, her constantly upbeat golden retriever. Maureen rolls up her sleeves determined to make the old inn a success. Assisting her are long-time Haven folks, a hot guy with serious chef skills and oh, yes, several ghosts that offer advice. When an aged former actor is murdered in the old movie theater, Mauren becomes an amateur sleuth kind of like Angela Lansbury in Murder She Wrote. Her plan of a movie marathon of 12 Days of Christmas films is in danger of failure if the movie theater murder remains unsolved. Will the ghosts provide enough background info for Maureen to identify the murderer?

Maureen and her dog Finn are settling in at the inn she inherited- along with Lorna, a ghost. Now, though, things go a bit sideways in this fun paranormal cozy when she, along with her romantic interest Ted, decide to do a movie night. Seems like a good idea, except that there's a ghost there too- Bertram, whose murder has never been solved. And then Decklin, the projectionist is murdered, and Franklin the local detective is looking sideways at Maureen. Can she solve the murder and save herself? Well, no spoilers but she's got friends and Finn, and those ghosts to help. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I liked the first book and while having read it will enhance your enjoyment of this second, it will be fine as a standalone. Looking forward to the next one.

This is the first book I have read by this author and to me it was mediocre. I was not invested in the characters and the paranormal aspect was iffy for me. I also felt that I had read this genre recently with a ghost in a movie theater and solving a murder mystery. I'll try the next in the series when it comes and see if I can be more engaged.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

High Spirits is the second novel in Perry's Haven Cozy Mystery series, where her main character Maureen inherits a haunted hotel on the gulf coast of Florida and solves mysteries while she runs it.

I remember really loving Be My Ghost when I read it last year, with all the old people and Florida charm. But High Spirits was so, so incredibly boring. Maureen's inner monolog is constant and I felt like the main plot was her stressing over the hotels finances.

I skimmed the last half of the book - there isn't anything BAD, per say. It's just a boring, run of the mill Cozy.

Another spooky Haunted Haven Mystery from author Carol J. Perry, High Spirits might just be my fave of the entire series! A 50-year old murder and a present day murder may or may not be connected, and inn owner Maureen Doherty must work with her resident senior sleuths, and resident ghost, to discover if there's a connection. Fun Christmas movie references and tie-ins, and a delight to read! Lots of fun! A+++

Warning: Contains profanity and swearing.

Inheriting a home--even from a stranger--seems a commonplace thing, if you believe popular fiction these days. Maureen Doherty is one such lucky recipient, but it was an inn!

Alas, there was no fortune, but with a genius executive chef, and by decorating the rooms in themes (famous people who stayed there), things are looking up! And through... The resident ghost, Lorna; a former starlet from the black and white era (so that's how she appears), who is not just a pretty face.

Haven House has a murky past, surrounded by somewhat shady characters, but Maureen feels fortunate to have inherited the previous staff along with the inn. They're loyal, hard-working, and grateful she wants to breathe new life into the building and business.

As is customary, everything seems fine, until Maureen receives a message that feels like it's from beyond the grave! The print looks like the old fortune teller machines called Zoltar, but they're all gone aren't they? What about the cryptic and really bad rhyme? Does it foretell the future?

Can this be about a murder 50 years ago? Or the murder that's about to occur? The sheriff thinks Maureen is in the middle of it all, but how can she be? She knows nothing!

Unfortunately, the sheriff is far more right than any of them hoped or guessed!

A couple of characters felt rather stiff and wooden to me. Their actions seemed to be chosen from a short list.

3.6/5 Stars
-1 Profanity and swearing
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2.6/5 Stars

Thanks to Kensington Books, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley

Thanks to Kensington Books, Kensington Cozies, and NetGalley for the temporary ecopy preview of this book; any review is voluntary and entirely my own opinion.

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Fun and light however it was just your run of the mill paranormal cozy mystery. That being said, it was humorous and entertaining and that’s all that matters!

Cute and adorable as well as funny , loved the characters as well as the ghost who loves to read books to the main character's loveable dog. Can't wait to read more of this series

I enjoyed this charming bed and breakfast cozy mystery that also has a ghost theme.

We meet Maureen Doherty who moved to Haven, Florida where she’d inherited the haunted Haven House Inn from a mysterious benefactor. The employees at the Inn are nice people and most are welcoming to Maureen Meet the ghost, Lorna Dubois, a movie starlet, and a big surprise. Lorna turns out to be a wealth of information for Maureen about past people and the history of the town of Haven.
Struggling for ways to strengthen the Inn’s cash flow, Maureen and Ted, her chef, bartender, and romantic interest, plan a Dinner and a Movie night with Decklin Monroe who is restoring the old town theater. On a tour with Decklin, he tells her it’s haunted by Buddy Putnam who was shot and killed while watching a movie in the 1970s. His murderer was never caught. The local cop has some crazy idea Maureen knows something about the murder and he’s stalking her. Lorna knows of several men who were possibly connected to the old murder. When someone else is found dead in the theater, the puzzle pieces begin snapping into place and a surprise finale highlights this interesting mystery plot

Thank you to Kensington Books for sending me an early copy to review. This book publishes on 10/24.

I remember really loving the first book in this series and was excited to read more. This one wasn’t as great and honestly felt like a very boring account of someone’s every thought. With some editing this would have definitely been more up my alley. I do love the characters and how prominent the dog is in these books I just wish it was was a little less cozy and more mystery. I’d love to chat about this one! Let me know if you’ve read it.

High Spirits by Carol J. Perry is book #2 in the Haunted Haven Mystery series. What a fun whodunit! I liked the theme of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" classic Christmas movies at the old Paramount Theater in town. Haven House owner and amateur sleuth, Maureen Doherty decides to do "dinner and a movie" nights to go along with the Christmas classics. A murder at the theater on opening night of the film festival leads to Maureen looking into the murder. I really like Maureen and her Golden Retriever Finn. I like how Maureen always talks to Finn like he's a special friend. This storyline held my attention throughout - definitely a page-turner.

I enjoyed this charming bed and breakfast cozy mystery that also has a ghost theme. In the first story, we met Maureen Doherty who moved to Haven, Florida where she’d inherited the haunted Haven House Inn from a mysterious benefactor. In this book, readers learn a bit more about that lady. The employees at the Inn are nice people and most are welcoming to Maureen as the new owner. Meeting ghost, Lorna Dubois, a movie starlet, is a big surprise and Lorna turns out to be a fountain of information for Maureen about past people and the history of the town of Haven. Cute pets keep Maureen entertained, also.

Struggling for ways to strengthen the Inn’s cash flow, Maureen and Ted, her chef, bartender, and romantic interest, plan a Dinner and a Movie night with Decklin Monroe who is restoring the old town theater. When Maureen visits with Decklin to tour the theater, he tells her it’s haunted by Buddy Putnam who was shot and killed while watching a movie in the 1970’s. His murderer was never caught. The local cop has some crazy idea Maureen knows something about the murder and he’s stalking her. Lorna knows of several men who were possibly connected to the old murder, and when someone else is found dead in the theater, the puzzle pieces begin snapping into place no a surprise finale highlights this interesting mystery plot! Some funny scenes had me laughing! Great reading!

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. All opinions are my own.

High Spirits is the second installment of Carol Perry's series about Florida hotel owner Maureen Daugherty. Set in the days leading up to Christmas and filled with cozy characters and even a few ghosts. Maureen must help solve a murder tied to a years old cold case. I love this author's Salem series, so I was excited to check out this one. Lots of fun, although I found the murder a bit obvious.

I have read a few books by this author, and I loved every single one. This is the second book in the Haunted Haven series, and I think this is better than the first. Maureen is taking the running of an inherited inn and trying to improve it. I love how she cares so much, and all her ideas to make the inn a showcase. Add in all the characters that help her, love her, and make this an interesting world, and this is such a joy to read. I can’t wait to read the next one to see how far along the inn is, how her romance is coming, and what ghosts she’ll meet next. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Maureen has relocated from Boston to Florida after mysteriously inheriting an old, haunted inn. She is working to renovate the inn and turn it into a money maker and comes up with the idea for a "dinner and a movie" event with the local movie theater as part of a "Twelve Days of Christmas" theme. The theater has a past; it was the site of a cold-case murder. On the first night of the new event, a shooting murder takes place. Who committed the new murder? And is it connected to the cold-case murder? Maureen helps the local police officer investigate. This is a cute mystery with likeable characters, and the supernatural ghost element is not over-done.

A charming start for the Haven House Inn series from the author of a favorite, the Witch City series. Loved the tied with the holidays and the old movies to revive the Theater and the ghost were a great extra touch. I have a feeling this will become another favorite before too long.

Carol J. Perry is the author of the Witch City mysteries, but I’m a fan of her other series. The Haunted Haven books are just charming if you enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of paranormal. The second one, High Spirits, takes readers back to Haven, Florida and the Haven House Inn with owner/manager Maureen Doherty.

Maureen Doherty is about to celebrate her first Christmas at the inn. She still has no idea how or why she inherited the inn, but she’s making slight improvements as she can with her slim budget. She can afford centerpieces for all the tables in the dining room. Petals and Kettles, the tearoom/florist run by Leslie and Warren Brown is just perfect for arrangements. But, before she even has time to get back to the inn, Maureen is followed by Officer Frank Hubbard who has questions for her. Why was she spending time at the Paramount Theater? Why is she meeting with the Browns?

Maureen actually has legitimate reasons to visit the theater and the florist. She’s planning a series of dinners at the inn in conjunction with the theater’s “Twelve Days of Christmas” showing of old Christmas movies. But, Lorna Dubois, the long-deceased movie starlet who lives at the inn has a few stories to tell about connections to several of the town’s visitors.

It seems Officer Hubbard is digging into a cold case, a murder that happened before Maureen was even born. A small town hood, Buddy Putnam, was shot in the theater in 1975. The new projectionist at the theater, Decklin Monroe, was in town when Buddy was killed, as was Leslie Brown’s father, Harry Henshaw. And, Hubbard knows Maureen sometimes gets a “feeling” about an investigation. He suspects Monroe or Henshaw shot Buddy. And, Lorna knew of the trio of mobsters who might have been laundering money in town. But, a second shooting shakes up Officer Hubbard’s ideas about the past murder.

Perry has managed to combine a fun mystery (I did guess the killer long before the amateur sleuth did), and a quirky cast of characters. There are a few ghosts, just a touch of romance, and a dog. Add that Florida Gulf Coast setting, and it’s a formula for an engaging cozy mystery.

Another spooky, cozy mystery from Carol J. Perry. This was a quick, fun read and can't wait for more!