Lou Thatcher is haunted by ghosts friendly ghosts but when she finds herself involved in a murder investigation she’s in for the fright of a lifetime. Lou’s ability to see ghosts helps her host viral ghost tours through the historic GardenDistrict. When a rival tour guide whom accused her of faking her encounters is found murdered Lou is the only one who can see him his ghost that is. Adam and Lou were feuding and with the absence of a suspect she’s the only one with a clear motive. When the murder weapon is found to be a ceremonial dagger from Lou’s shop she is determined to prove her innocence she starts investigating right away. This was a very enjoyable who ghost story that everyone would have fun reading,

Haunting and Homicide is the first in a new cozy paranormal mystery series set in New Orleans. It follows LouThatcher a young woman who has moved to the city to live with her Grandmother and run a ghost tour business. She's just building her name on the scene, but has plenty of good buzz around her do to her regular orb sightings and spooky encounters. Her rival business owners think she's faking her "hauntings" but Lou 's edge comes from the fact that she can see and communicate with ghosts!
Life is complicated for Lou between the ghosts, her business being targeted by rival ghost tours, her grandmother's new beau, her half brother's home crisis and being secretly in love with her best friends police detective brother. She adds to that drama when she literally stumbles across a dead body and a brand new ghost, becoming a suspect in their murder!
She pledges to help the new ghost find their killer and clear her own name in the process with the help of her ghostly friends around the city.

Ava Burke is fantastic at creating characters you quickly fall in love with and there are many we are introduced to in this book that I can't wait to read about in future installments. The eerie New Orleans setting adds to the atmosphere of the mystery and sets a great scene. The ghosts play an integral part to her sleuthing without being too kitschy or taking away from the realism of the story.
Overall a fantastic new series to fall in love with 5/5 recommend!

Haunting and Homicide by Ava Burke is a gripping and cleverly crafted mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The blend of supernatural intrigue and suspenseful crime-solving makes for an exciting and unique read. Burke's writing is sharp, and the plot is packed with twists, making it impossible to put down. The protagonist is relatable and resourceful, and the eerie atmosphere adds just the right amount of tension to the story. (I received an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.) If you love mysteries with a touch of the paranormal, Haunting and Homicide is a must-read!

There's a little bit of everything in this story - good spooky fun, complicated family relationships, potential romances and of course a good mystery to solve! Lou is the owner of a haunted house/ghost tour company in New Orleans. Since Lou has had the ability to speak to ghosts all her life, it makes for a lively and now dangerous tour! When a rival ghost tour owner is murdered, Lou becomes the number one suspect. Now she has to solve the mystery before the murderer makes her his next victim!

I enjoyed everything about Haunting and Homicide from the characters, setting, to the writing. After I was finished I immediately wished there was a second one for me to read already!

I thought that this was a great start to a new series. I enjoy the paranormal aspect to the story in which Lou can see and speak to ghosts. It was a fun book and great for the halloween season or just a rainy day on the sofa. I'm not sure about the romance aspect but that may be ironed out in further books.

Tallulah Thatcher lives with her gran and runs ghost tours in her historic home town in New Orleans. She also has a secret - she can see and talk to dead people. In fact, she is friendly with many of the ghosts in her town and they sometimes appear during her tours to the point that her tours are gaining quite a following . When Lou stumbles (literally) over the body of one of her rivals, she becomes the prime suspect in his murder. When the victim's ghost begs her to help him, Lou is determined to find out who is responsible in order to clear her name and see justice prevail. But when she starts digging into the victim's past, she upsets a number of potential suspects and realizes she must solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim. As if her life isn't complicated enough, Lou's baby brother has run away from home and turned up on her doorstep and her best friend's brother (who she has secretly had a crush on forever) is running the investigation into her rival's murder.

There's a little bit of everything in this story - good spooky fun, complicated family relationships, potential romances and of course a good mystery to solve! , A great, fun mystery with likeable characters which was easy to enjoy and get lost in. An interesting and original storyline which I very much enjoyed. I very much look forward to reading more in this series. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book

Lou is the owner of a haunted house/ghost tour company in New Orleans. Since Lou has had the ability to speak to ghosts all her life, it makes for a lively and now dangerous tour! When a rival ghost tour owner is murdered, Lou becomes the number one suspect. Now she has to solve the mystery before a very "live" murderer makes her his next victim!

Lou is a relatable character who I loved and the mystery "kept me guessing". Ghosts, secrets, haunted tours in New Orleans, and a cute little canine named Toby all make for a wonderful mystery!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

If you're looking for a new Halloween cozy mystery series....this is it!

Cozy, ghosts, murder and family drama with memorable characters. Lou, our lovely female MC, takes tourists on local ghost walks....and her special super power is that she can really see the ghosts. I enjoy how the ghosts have different haunts, characteristics and powers...and I cannot wait to see how all these ghosts/characters come back in the future.

The cast is large- but it's very easy to follow and I didn't have any trouble keeping track of characters.

This hits all the right spots, and I can't wait for more ghost walks. I hope this series runs on for many years!

This series debut takes place in New Orleans. Lou Thatcher runs a ghost tour business. Although she might not have the most popular route she can provide her clients with plenty of ghost sightings. That's because she can see and talk to ghosts! When rival Adam is killed, Lou becomes a suspect. Too bad the police can't talk to Adam like Lou can because he knows she didn't do it. Instead he asks for her help.

This is such a fun mystery. Lou is likeable and might not be the best at sleuthing, but she freely admits this and has great ideas at least. The side characters are wonderful and I can see them being a big part of the next story.

The ghosts are incorporated well and I'm sure some of them will be permanent characters. They play an essential role in helping solve the mystery. Some crazy stuff happens and there's plenty of motive for Adam's murder. I got the killer right though! And the showdown with them is pretty exciting.

I enjoyed everything about Haunting and Homicide from the characters, setting, to the writing. After I was finished I immediately wished there was a second one for me to read already!

You'll want to add this to your TBR! Haunting and Homicide will be released January 21. Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!

This was a delightful first in a new series.
The characters really grabbed me and the paranormal premise was very well written.
The whodunit kept me guessing and engaged.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Home for Tallulah 'Lou' Thatcher is with her grandmother, in New Orleans, where she runs ghost tours for tourists and locals alike. There are quite a few businesses like hers, but Lou has a secret. She can actually see the ghosts she talks about, which gives her a bit of an edge! When she finds her main competitor dead, Lou can see his ghost as well, and he's less than impressed by his new status! Realising she is the main suspect, Lou begins her own investigation with a little help from her ghostly friends. She's no expert, but she must be doing something right because, it seems, someone is determined to make her their second victim.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. The first book in a new series, this is so good and I was sad to finish it. The back stories are also entertaining, and I am definitely looking forward to book 2.

Haunted ghost tours in one of the most spookiest cities in the US? Check please! This book was full of spook and fun and well, murder of course. I loved the setting and the set up and the clues but especially the ghosts! This book has potential for great follow up stories (especially the love story?).
Really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend for a fun Halloween read!

4.5 stars.

I loved this. The mystery aspect was amazing, the paranormal aspect was amazing and the writing was too. I read it in a handful of hours across the day and I really hope the author writes a follow up!

The only aspect that fell a little bit short was the romance part. It’s only a very small part of the book but it was setting up the couple really well and then the author went in a totally different direction and left it as an open-ended love triangle which I am not about!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Ava Burke for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Haunting and Homicide coming out January 21, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I’m obsessed with cozy mysteries and I’ve read a ton of them. I love the New Orleans setting. There’s a lot of history there. Lou’s character is so awesome! I love that she has ghost tours and can see ghosts. I love the paranormal aspect of the story. It was a really fun plot that she could see the rival ghost tour guide. Dylan was also a fun character. I enjoyed the dialogue with him and Lou. I’m definitely checking out more books in this series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal cozy mysteries!

I am a sucker for a ghost story, especially one set in New Orleans. This book kind of gave me Ghost Whisperer vibes without everyone she’s close with knowing her secret. I really enjoyed following a walking ghost tour because it gives you an idea of how one works and how many there are in New Orleans and the lengths that some owners will go to in order to get business. I really liked that it feels like the author did some research when it came to how a ghost will act when they don’t understand that they are dead and then they realize that someone can see them and they still act like a d*ck. At first I was confused as to why there was a puppy on the cover of the book, but then I found out why and he is probably going to be my favorite character. I was not expecting Lou to have a search warrant before she had a chance to take the evidence to police and I was not expecting her to go all Agatha Christie and try to solve the murder herself while trying not to let her secret out. I’m not sure if the brother storyline was really needed. As I got further in the book it seemed like it just kind of dropped off, like we get mentions of it, but it felt more like an afterthought. My favorite character was definitely Toby. ***spoiler*** I’m a little sad that Dylan and Lou wasn’t explored as a love story, but maybe it can be explored later.

As someone who enjoys learning about history in fun ways, a ghost tour cozy was an interesting theme for a book series. This is the first book in the series and did not disappoint. The main protagonist, Lou, is not only a tour guide on a ghost tour but she can see the ghost on her tour. Lou is an interesting, entertaining, and well-developed character for the first in the series. The mystery is well-written with plenty of twists, turns, and surprises. I am super excited for this new series and hope for more in books soon.

Lou Thatcher hasn't had the most stable upbringing. But she's finally living back with her beloved Nan, her grandmother, in New Orleans, where she spent the first nine years of her life. Lou has always felt at home here, mainly because she has a gift -- she can see and communicate with ghosts. So she's done the most natural thing she can -- she's started ghost tours, and her friendly spirits occasionally liven things up.

Unfortunately, this is what irritates rival tour guide Adam Brandt. He's sure that Lou is using trickery to get customers, and he's determined to figure it out and expose her. But one night when Lou is visiting one of her ghostly friends, she sees Adam across the street. When she goes to confront him, he runs away. But when she trips over something, it turns out to be Adam's body. Now Adam, her erstwhile enemy, wants her to find out who killed him. Lou really has no choice -- since the only other option seems to be that the police think she murdered Adam...

I have never read anything by Ms. Burke before, but I wish I had. I love books with ghosts (friendly ones, that it), and this one definitely had me enamored throughout. She writes with a supernatural flair, if you can call it that; one feels as if they are transported to New Orleans and visiting the spirits right along with her.

That's one of the many positives I can say about this book It's enchanting, mysterious, and full of a plethora of suspects (even if the police seem to not notice anyone else). Lou is trying to keep both herself and her business alive, while dodging those that want to do her harm. Along with this, her Nan has hurt her arm, and her sixteen-year-old brother turns up on her doorstep looking for help. Not even her live-in ghost Kenneth can do everything, though he tries.

Sifting through the people who wanted to do harm to Adam isn't easy, and the more Lou discovers, the more it disheartens her. It doesn't help that she's had a major crush on the lead detective, who also happens to be the brother of her best friend. Where will it all end?

But end it does, and the ending is just as surprising as the rest of the book. I had no idea who the murderer was until nearly the end, and that's part of the charm of it all. The red herrings are everywhere. The clues are few and far between. But it's one of the best reads that I've come across this year, and I would definitely hope others will think so, too. Highly recommended.

I was given an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.

NOLA, supernatural, paranormal, family, family-drama, family-dynamics, family-expectations, family-history, tour-guide, amateur-sleuth, local-law-enforcement, local-legends, relatives, relationships, ghosts, murder, murder-investigation, framed, unpleasant-relative, unpleasant-victims, unpleasant-suspect, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, pet-dog, suspicion*****

Tallulah (Lou) Thatcher is a NOLA native who has spoken with ghosts all of her life, runs a Ghost Tour and gift shop, has a great grandmother but the parents from the Pit, and is looking like the prime suspect in the stabbing death of a tour competitor. Lots of action and sparks of several kinds in this fast moving mystery. Super read!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#GhostTourMysteriesBk1 Avail Jan 2025

This was my first cozy mystery, and it won’t be my last.
Lou has always seen ghosts and is now framed for the murder of her ghost tour rival. It’s up to her to figure out who actually murdered him.
I loved that this was set in New Orleans. It gave a true haunted feel to it. It also comes with a large cast of characters you will fall in love it. There is even a hint of a romance starting that I adored.
Oh and did I mention a cute dog named Toby?
I can’t wait to read more in this series!

A Ghost Tour mystery series can’t wait to read more of this series. I enjoy NewOrleans setting. Great ghost tours added to mystery. I love that Lou has to solve death of person who thought she was a fraud.