A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell

Overview:

Dangerous tides ahead...
 
When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty. Alicia plans to transform the island property into a welcoming inn, and while Mel has never attempted a project so ambitious—or so tall—before, she’s definitely up for the challenge.
 
But trouble soon arises when Alicia’s abusive ex-husband shows up to threaten both her and Mel, and later turns up dead at the base of the lighthouse stairs. With no other suspects in sight, things start looking choppy for Alicia. Now, if Mel wants to clear her friend’s name, she’ll need the help of the lighthouse’s resident ghosts to shine a light on the real culprit...

My Review:

This is the 7th book in the Haunted Home Renovation series by Juliet Blackwell.  I really like this series because many of the characters we have met in the previous books show up in subsequent books - not just the main characters and I enjoy that.  It makes this world feel real and not just a series of unfortunate events tied together by Mel and her closest friends and family.  I like that she revisits the other renovations that she has done and that some of the characters actually provide clues - even minor ones - for the current mystery.  That is unique to most other series by different authors and it's a refreshing change.  

I also enjoyed the setting of this story.  Lighthouses are a favorite of mine and they have such an air of mystery and romance about them that is irresistible.  

All that being said, I felt this book was a little rushed.  There didn't seem to be a definitive end to the ghost (i.e. he didn't "cross over") so I'm guessing he may show up in another book but it still left me feeling like that part was unfinished.  I also didn't like the secondary story line because the timing of the events are really rushed.  I don't want to say specifically what they are because I don't want to give away any spoilers but I am having a hard time with the pacing.

I really like the secondary characters in the series like Mel's dad and their business partner Stan, as well as her best friend Luz and would love to see them more fleshed out and taking a greater role in the stories.  I enjoy their presence and want to see them take center stage a little more often.

Overall, this is a quick, easy read that I really enjoyed.  The characters are fun and multi-dimensional and the details of home renovation are interesting.  I have a love of old architecture and am passionate about saving old houses so I can relate to this series, though I think I like Blackwell's Witchcraft series better.

If you're looking for a good cozy series, pick this one up!