This is a charming series starter. New Orleans is a wonderfully ghostly setting, and Lou's ghost-talking abilities make her career logical and helpful in both her business and solving the crime she finds herself involved in. Good characters will make for a good series.

Haunting and Homicide by Ava Burke is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and ghostly intrigue, set in the vibrant streets of New Orleans’ Garden District. Lou Thatcher, a tour guide who can see ghosts, gets entangled in a murder investigation when her rival, Adam Brandt, is found dead—and his ghost sticks around to help her uncover the truth.

The novel shines with its colorful characters, heartwarming community dynamics, and a lighthearted tone that balances the spookier elements. The addition of Lou’s runaway brother and a stray puppy adds charm and relatability. The New Orleans setting, with its rich supernatural history, adds another layer of atmosphere.

However, the pacing falters at times, with the middle of the book dragging as Lou’s investigation meanders. While the final reveal is satisfying, tighter plotting could have kept the story more engaging throughout. Still, it’s an enjoyable read for cozy mystery fans craving a paranormal twist.

A cute little cosy paranormal mystery. While an interesting premise where a girl giving ghost tours can see and speak to ghosts -. It didn’t quite hit the spot for me as it was slow and boring at times. The main character Lou was difficult to relate or engage with, with a preoccupation on mundane thoughts. However for those that enjoy a quaint mystery with paranormal elements, this could be up your alley.

I received a free copy of the arc from NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. Opinions expressed are my own.

An enjoyable debut mystery with a clever mystery, paranormal elements and a well rounded cast that make it a pleasure to read.

This book is good...a perfect combination of mystery and paranormal. I enjoyed this cozy mystery very much.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Lou Thatcher gives ghost tours in the Garden District of New Orleans. Lou is also able to communicate with the dearly departed which is a plus for her tours. A rival tour guide, Adam, has been claiming she is a fake and harassing her. Adam is killed and Lou finds the body and herself a suspect. Lou needs to find the real killer to keep herself out of jail.

I enjoyed the idea of a tour guide being our sleuth and enjoyed Lou and the great cast of supporting characters. The mystery was a good one and I enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity read this ARC.

Lou lives in New Orleans, Louisiana and owns a ghost tour business. Lou has a special gift she can see and talk to ghosts making her ghost tours go viral. Another ghost tour business owner Adam Brandt is convinced that Lou is lying and is trying to prove it. When Lou stumbles upon Adams body and his ghost. The police think she's the prime suspect.

This was such a great paranormal cozy mystery. I really enjoyed the characters and the gumption of Lou. I'm excited to see what happens next in the series. I'll definitely be checking them out.

A fun paranormal cozy mystery with a great plot! I absolutely can't wait to read more from this series! The main character is a smart, quirky, businesswoman who just happens to be able to see and talk to ghosts. She has unique and varied family and friends who help her with life, business and a bit of amateur sleuthing to keep her out of jail! Throw in an adorable puppy and younger half-brother who shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night and you have even more complications to layer throughout the mystery. The author has woven some serious real-life issues into the story to make it more lifelike and varied thus making the story all that more enjoyable. A whodunit with meat on its bones and a bit of fun with ghosts getting involved in the daily life and sleuthing too! Set in New Orleans makes this the perfect paranormal cozy for mystery lovers who like a bit of fun in their story too! I can't wait for more!

The first in a new series follows Lou, who lives in New Orleans and runs a ghost tour business. When a competitor is murdered, she is the immediate suspect, especially since she found his body. What most people don't know about Lou though is that she can communicate with ghosts. She works with the ghost of the murder victim to try to figure out who else wanted him dead.

Overall, I enjoyed this debut! It's a really fun setting/premise (New Orleans, ghost tours, AND the added supernatural element), and I think the mystery was pretty solid. There is a lot of setup here, which I personally appreciated as it really let us get to know Lou and set up some future plot points. I definitely will be on the lookout for the next in this series!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Haunting and Homicide is a new paranormal cozy mystery from Ava Burke. It is the first book in the new Ghost Tour Mystery series.

The series sleuth is Tallulah "Lou" Thatcher. Lou can see, hear, and talk to ghosts. She has had this special power since she was a child and has found a way to utilize it as an adult.

Lou gives ghost tours in the historic Garden District of New Orleans. Her tours are extra special thanks to her ghostly contacts. Lou has attracted the ire of a rival ghost tour guide, who is found dead with one of Lou's daggers in his back.

At the insistence of the recently deceased (and to clear her name), Lou sets out to solve the mystery with the help of her ghostly sidekicks.

This story has a lot of great characters. Lou is kind, clever, and determined. She has a fun Nana and a delightful ghost friend named Kenneth. A super cute beagle pup, a younger brother with family drama, a best friend, and a cop crush help to round out the supporting cast.

The mystery is solid and includes enough intrigue and suspects to keep things interesting. The reveal was well done.

I would definitely read more from this author and series. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for the ARC.

This was the perfect paranormal cozy mystery with some awesome ghost characters. I loved Mamie and Albert's ghosts who were always a big help and Mamie even got to help later on in the book in a bigger way. A new ghost on the block was a jerk at first but eventually came around and was nice.

That was one nail-biting showdown but with some good old ghostly help, Lou lived to investigate another day. I really enjoyed these characters a lot but gotta admit, I was disappointed in the very ending. Everything with the mystery being solved worked out great though.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

BOOK: HAUNTINGS AND HOMICIDE
AUTHOR: AVA BURKE
PUB DATE: 25:01:2024
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book had amazing elements from the characters to the storyline and the setting. I liked the new venture into the FMC being able to see ghosts. That really helped her to solve the cases.
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This is the first in the series, and I liked that the book was mainly focused on the FMC, Tallulah 'Lou'. She was an amazing character who stood up for her baby brother, nice enough to solve her horrible competitor's murder and a bad ass entrepreneur. You can't help but like her.
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I liked that the mystery part of the book was simple. It was what the book needed. The FMC was just a typical store owner, so it was perfectly normal for her not to know her way through a murder investigation. But, she learned quickly. I didn't like who the culprit was because I was wrong 😂. But, I didn't see him coming from a mile away. So, that was okay.
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This book was a very nice beginning, and I would definitely read the next book in the series. In fact, I'm expecting it already.
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This was a fun new cozy debut. I love that it’s in New Orleans & centered around ghost tours! I will definitely keep reading this series.

Haunting and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery, #1) by Ava Burke opens with a little girl named Lou Thatcher talking with a ghost about how she doesn't want to move. Fast forward to several years later, Lou has moved back to the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana. She still can see and talk with ghosts and has opened her own business . . . a haunted history walking tour. When one of Lou's competitors dies just feet from her, she becomes the number one suspect in his death. Can Lou prove her innocence, or will she end up in jail?
A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for approving me and providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Haunting and Homicide. When I read the synopsis of the book, I just knew I had to read it. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

The beginning of this story didn't immediately pull me in, but after reading a few pages, I found myself engaged with the tale the author was weaving. Give me a paranormal setting in a city that I love to visit, and I'm all there for it. Having been on a haunted walking tour of the French Quarter a couple of times, having a book built around one of these just called my name. I'm not quite as familiar with the Garden District of New Orleans, but I have had lunch at restaurant there, and the area was quite nice from what I remember. There are a few locations mentioned in the story that I know I have to check out the next time I visit, and I will definitely want to do a tour of those locations if they are offered.

I really enjoyed most of the characters in Haunting and Homicide, but of course, there were a few that I didn't care for, namely Lou's mom and stepfather. They were a piece of work, and unfortunately, there really are crappy people like them in the world. I didn't care for Adam, but he ended up growing on me. Then, there was Lou's crush . . . he seemed very uncaring and almost harsh. The reader does find out why he acts the way he does later on in the book, but I still didn't quite like him.

Ava Burke does a fantastic job of providing the reader with several suspects and their motives. I wasn't quite sure who the killer was going to end up being, and when they were revealed, I wasn't surprised about who it ended up being. Did I figure out who it was? That would be a big no! Should I have paid more attention to the clues the author gave me? That would be a resounding yes!

When it comes to cozy mysteries, I am particular on the ones I read and end up continuing with the series. Haunting and Homicide (A Ghost Tour Mystery, #1) by Ava Burke is definitely being added to my favorites list, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Five out of five stars.

Haunting and Homicide is book #1 in the Ghost Tour Mystery series by Amber Camp.

Lou Thatcher lives in New Orleans and has a ghost tour business. She actually sees ghosts and that gives her an edge against her competitors. When a rival who accuses her of faking the ghost sightings is found dead, Lou is a suspect. I couldn’t put this down! I liked that she was truly a suspect and not just imagining that she is which prompts her to investigate. And another thing I liked was that she wasn’t very good at asking questions. It felt realistic. There was humor and pets and family drama. I was really surprised at the murder wrap up and with Lou’s decision. I can’t wait for the next book! This is definitely a new favorite series for me.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Haunting and Homicide by Ava Burke is the debut of A Ghost Tour Mysteries. The author takes the time to establish the main character, Tallulah “Lou” Thatcher, as well as her grandmother, best friend, employee, grandmother’s paramour, her brother, and her best friend’s brother (whom she has had a crush on since she was a teen). We get to meet some entertaining ghosts too. I enjoyed the descriptions of the places Lou visits on her ghost tour in New Orleans and while she was investigating. We also get details about Lou’s shop and her grandmother's house where Lou resides. The whodunit has Lou finding her nemesis, Adam dead. Lou cannot believe she is the top suspect, and the victim wants Lou to find his killer (I would have told the snarky little creep to take a hike). Lou asks questions from the living and the dead. She manages to get herself into trouble several times while searching for the truth. Lou is surprised when her teenage half-brother shows up unexpectedly. He needs assistance and his parents are not supportive (I felt bad for the kid). Thankfully, Lou and her grandmother welcome him with open arms. There is an adorable puppy that wiggles its way into all of their hearts. Grandma’s boyfriend was an interesting addition. I did not feel that a love interest was needed for Lou especially after she kept going on about her crush on her best friend’s brother. The story got off to a good start, but then it slowed down as Lou went about her day-to-day life. There were repetitive details that included information about Lou’s parents, details about the ghosts, and intel about the murder. Haunting and Homicide is a cute story, and I will pick up the next book in A Ghost Tour Mysteries. Haunting and Homicide is a spirted tale with a troublesome tour host, a gammy grandma, a departed rival, a dapper detective, an unexpected visitor, and a precious puppy.

Rounding up from 4.5 stars

Cozy mysteries aren't always my typical read. They can lean to the hokey side. However, I really enjoyed Haunting and Homicide. It's a paranormal cozy mystery in that it's clean and the main character can see ghosts. I definitely didn't figure out who the murderer was until it was revealed which is always a bonus. I also really enjoyed the characters. I'm a little disappointed that this is the first book in the series because now I have to wait to read more about them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Haunting and Homicide was a fun and cozy read. The author did a great job of setting up what I feel will be an enjoyable, cozy mystery series. Lou has moved back to New Orleans to live with her grandmother. Lou also sees dead people most charmingly. They become her friends, and although she doesn't understand why they have not moved on, she converses with them and gets them to help in her Haunted New Orleans tour. This does give her a slight edge since her ghosts can manifest some interesting things, but she's not in the big leagues of ghost tours. Nevertheless, she has earned the ire of a competitor and looks really guilty when he turns up dead. So we are introduced to all of Lou's side characters and everything going on in her life.

This is a fast-paced mystery with humor and touching moments, including the adorable dog. I didn't get Lou's attitude toward the guy she's been crushing on for years at the end, but I hope the author will clear that up in the next installment. I will read the next one because I love a cozy fantasy/urban fantasy read. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

Tallulah “Lou” Thatcher can see and communicate with ghosts. This is the perfect skill to have since she hosts haunted tours in her native New Orleans’s Garden District. Lately, Lou has been having issues with rival tour guide Adam Brandt. Adam has accused her of faking ghostly encounters and stealing away his customers. When Adam is murdered, Lou jumps to the top of the police’s suspect list not only because of her recent issues with the victim, but because she’s the person who found the body b=not long after Adam was murdered. The murder weapon also came from her gift shop. Hoping to clear her name—and help Adam’s ghost find some peace with his new existence—Lou conducts an amateur investigation into the murder.

The mystery aspect of HAUNTING AND HOMCIDE was intriguing. A ghostly tour guide who can interact with ghosts was entertaining—though I personally thought Lou’s interactions with the ghosts were a little over the top and ridiculous at times. The identity of the murderer was a bit of a surprise since that character made few appearances in the novel and never really seemed like much of a suspect. Overall, a fast and fun read for anyone who enjoys the paranormal or New Orleans.

Lou Thatcher was one of many who ran ghost tours in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lou's gift was that she could see ghosts, as well as converse with them, so her tours were always interesting. One of her rival tour leaders was harassing Lou, declaring all she did was fake. Lou's and Adam's rivalry had gone on a long time, and she was fed up with him. But she certainly didn't expect him to end up dead, knifed in the back, and for Lou to actually fall over his body. Immediately Lou was a suspect - she found his body, and one of her shop's souvenir knives was what had killed him. Lou needed to prove her innocence by finding the killer.

Lou lived with her Nan after the horror that was her mother and step-father, drove her out. She was more than happy with her Nan, and her little shop was in the house grounds. Just after Adam's murder, she found her sixteen year old brother, Bryce, hiding in the garden; it turned out he'd run away from home because of bullying that was out of control at school, and his father only told him to "man up"!! What a jerk! Searching for a killer was made a little easier for Lou by being able to talk to ghosts, but she still ended up putting herself in grave danger. Would she find the killer before it was too late?

Haunting and Homicide is the 1st in A Ghost Tour Mystery series by Ava Burke (Amber Camp of the Horse Mystery series) and I enjoyed it very much! A paranormal cozy mystery, with an intriguing and different type of plot, it was cleverly done. Fun characters - Mamie was great! - I'm looking forward to #2 in the series hopefully soon. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC to read and review.