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Jill McLeod California Zephyr #3
The Ghost in Roomette Four
A GHOST ABOARD THE CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR?
Zephyrette Jill McLeod tells herself that shimmering light in the Pullman car couldn’t possibly be a ghost. With her logical, practical mind, Jill doesn’t believe in ghosts. She doubts the evidence of her own eyes. But she can’t explain what she saw.
A porter tells her he too has seen the spectre. It must have something to do with that body Jill found two months ago, in roomette four. The young man’s death was supposedly due to natural causes.
BUT THE UNQUIET SPIRIT IS POINTING TO MURDER.
Zephyrette Jill McLeod tells herself that shimmering light in the Pullman car couldn’t possibly be a ghost. With her logical, practical mind, Jill doesn’t believe in ghosts. She doubts the evidence of her own eyes. But she can’t explain what she saw.
A porter tells her he too has seen the spectre. It must have something to do with that body Jill found two months ago, in roomette four. The young man’s death was supposedly due to natural causes.
BUT THE UNQUIET SPIRIT IS POINTING TO MURDER.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2022
About the author
Janet Dawson
66 books75 followersJanet Dawson is the author of The Sacrificial Daughter, first in a new series featuring geriatric care manager. She has also written thirteen novels featuring Oakland private investigator Jeri Howard. Her first, Kindred Crimes, won the St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America contest for best first private eye novel. The most recent book in the series is The Devil Close Behind.
Her Jill McLeod historical mystery series features a Zephyrette sleuthing aboard the long-distance train called the California Zephyr in the early 1950s. The first in that series is Death Rides the Zephyr.
In the past, Dawson was a newspaper reporter and a Navy journalist. She has worked in the legal field and on the staff of the University of California Berkeley. She is a long-time member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Her Jill McLeod historical mystery series features a Zephyrette sleuthing aboard the long-distance train called the California Zephyr in the early 1950s. The first in that series is Death Rides the Zephyr.
In the past, Dawson was a newspaper reporter and a Navy journalist. She has worked in the legal field and on the staff of the University of California Berkeley. She is a long-time member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 26, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
Jill McLeod is a Zephere on the train 🚆 from Oakland, California to Chicago and back to Oakland. On the way to Oakland they find a dead body in a sleeper. Then there is another dead body in the same sleeper. Was it murder? Why? Jill finds out the truth leading to arrest of the killers. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers who enjoy travel adventure mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡🚆
Jill McLeod is a Zephere on the train 🚆 from Oakland, California to Chicago and back to Oakland. On the way to Oakland they find a dead body in a sleeper. Then there is another dead body in the same sleeper. Was it murder? Why? Jill finds out the truth leading to arrest of the killers. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers who enjoy travel adventure mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡🚆
September 29, 2025
Enjoyed the book and I usually don’t like historical fiction but this book was very interesting and kept my attention.
April 22, 2026
Silly but also entertaining
July 25, 2022
Great read
An amazing story well told. I loved the history brought forth by the authentic descriptions of the California Zephyr, the country side it traveled through as well as the stories and sites of the cities. Wonderful descriptions of how the characters looked and acted in that time frame. An Excellent mystery story to highlight it.
An amazing story well told. I loved the history brought forth by the authentic descriptions of the California Zephyr, the country side it traveled through as well as the stories and sites of the cities. Wonderful descriptions of how the characters looked and acted in that time frame. An Excellent mystery story to highlight it.
July 28, 2023
I have always been fascinated by trains and have wished many times that we had trains still running much like the California Zephyr. Janet Dawson is exemplary in writing what this train was like to ride on and her murder mystery on the train is written in spectacular fashion. I was completely engrossed in finding out who and why it happened.
October 26, 2023
A FABULOUS MYSTERY THAT KEEPS YOU INTERESTED UNTIL THE LAST PAGE
What can I say? I completely loved THE GHOST IN ROOMETTE FOUR, Book 3 in the California Zephyr Series by author Janet Dawson. In fact, I loved Books 1-4 also. And, if truth be told, I will read the entire series before I am through.
Janet Dawson is a force to be reckoned with. Her mysteries solid and characters believable, she’s just one of those meticulous authors that don’t come around nearly often enough. And while I enjoyed her other work, I feel it’s the California Zephyr Series that allows her to spread her wings and show off her writing chops by undertaking and lovingly crafting this series of Historical Mysteries. She’s delivered on the promise and adeptly written an amazing story and almost a memoir that is replete with facts, locations, mores, styles, and the changing roles of women in society. Readers are the beneficiaries as the detail-oriented nature of her effort creates a portal in time where we can hang out, visit, and learn about the era, all the while being entertained.
Jill McCleod is our intrepid hero. Having suffered a devastating personal loss, she’s back to living her life and working as a Zephrytte. It means being a hostess on a train that runs from Oakland, CA to Chicago and back again. Now the book is set in the 50s, so what she’s doing is a pretty gutsy thing to do. No doubt, independence like this is indicative of an adventurous spirit … maybe a little too adventurous for the twenty-four-year-old swears she saw a shimmering light in the middle of the night The light came from a Pullman where a man had recently died. While certain members of the staff believe what she saw was the result of an overactive imagination, others believe the light is the ghost of the man that may not have died of natural causes as stated in the autopsy—a man that might be communicating that he was murdered. But Jill is feisty and knows what she saw and is unwilling to let the matter go. Her determination to uncover the truth of what occurred sets the stage for her delving into secrets better left alone … secrets that lead to danger.
It’s against that backdrop of investigating the supernatural, Dawson does what she does best in weaving an incredible wealth of information into some mighty good storytelling. The pace is unhurried which goes along with the decade. Not everything was moving at supersonic speed, so the story unfolds, inviting us to go deeper and deeper into the mystery of what is going on. Because of all of the above, I’m giving this book five stars. Ms. Dawson really is a wonder and the book such a pleasant surprise, I decompressed while reading it and returned to when things weren’t so highly pressurized. I have to confess that I totally get and appreciate what she’s putting out there. I do hope her writing captures a new generation of young readers. It would be nice to pass on the excitement and love affair many had (and have) with trains … decades gone by … and wonderful mysteries like these.
What can I say? I completely loved THE GHOST IN ROOMETTE FOUR, Book 3 in the California Zephyr Series by author Janet Dawson. In fact, I loved Books 1-4 also. And, if truth be told, I will read the entire series before I am through.
Janet Dawson is a force to be reckoned with. Her mysteries solid and characters believable, she’s just one of those meticulous authors that don’t come around nearly often enough. And while I enjoyed her other work, I feel it’s the California Zephyr Series that allows her to spread her wings and show off her writing chops by undertaking and lovingly crafting this series of Historical Mysteries. She’s delivered on the promise and adeptly written an amazing story and almost a memoir that is replete with facts, locations, mores, styles, and the changing roles of women in society. Readers are the beneficiaries as the detail-oriented nature of her effort creates a portal in time where we can hang out, visit, and learn about the era, all the while being entertained.
Jill McCleod is our intrepid hero. Having suffered a devastating personal loss, she’s back to living her life and working as a Zephrytte. It means being a hostess on a train that runs from Oakland, CA to Chicago and back again. Now the book is set in the 50s, so what she’s doing is a pretty gutsy thing to do. No doubt, independence like this is indicative of an adventurous spirit … maybe a little too adventurous for the twenty-four-year-old swears she saw a shimmering light in the middle of the night The light came from a Pullman where a man had recently died. While certain members of the staff believe what she saw was the result of an overactive imagination, others believe the light is the ghost of the man that may not have died of natural causes as stated in the autopsy—a man that might be communicating that he was murdered. But Jill is feisty and knows what she saw and is unwilling to let the matter go. Her determination to uncover the truth of what occurred sets the stage for her delving into secrets better left alone … secrets that lead to danger.
It’s against that backdrop of investigating the supernatural, Dawson does what she does best in weaving an incredible wealth of information into some mighty good storytelling. The pace is unhurried which goes along with the decade. Not everything was moving at supersonic speed, so the story unfolds, inviting us to go deeper and deeper into the mystery of what is going on. Because of all of the above, I’m giving this book five stars. Ms. Dawson really is a wonder and the book such a pleasant surprise, I decompressed while reading it and returned to when things weren’t so highly pressurized. I have to confess that I totally get and appreciate what she’s putting out there. I do hope her writing captures a new generation of young readers. It would be nice to pass on the excitement and love affair many had (and have) with trains … decades gone by … and wonderful mysteries like these.
August 10, 2026
The Ghost in Roomette Four is a fun and atmospheric mystery that combines an old fashioned train setting with a touch of the supernatural. I liked the idea of Jill McLeod being someone who doesn't believe in ghosts, only to encounter something she cannot easily explain. Her discovery of a body in roomette four and the strange events that follow immediately give the story an intriguing mystery to unravel.
The setting aboard the California Zephyr adds a lot to the atmosphere. There is something naturally suspenseful about a mystery taking place on a moving train, where the characters are surrounded by strangers and there are plenty of places for secrets to hide. I also enjoyed the way the ghost becomes connected to the unexplained death and seems to be pointing Jill toward the possibility of murder.
Overall, this is an enjoyable choice for readers who like historical mysteries with a supernatural element. The combination of trains, investigation, an unexplained death, and a ghostly presence creates a story that is easy to get drawn into. Jill's practical personality also makes her investigation interesting as she tries to make sense of something she doesn't believe should be possible.
The setting aboard the California Zephyr adds a lot to the atmosphere. There is something naturally suspenseful about a mystery taking place on a moving train, where the characters are surrounded by strangers and there are plenty of places for secrets to hide. I also enjoyed the way the ghost becomes connected to the unexplained death and seems to be pointing Jill toward the possibility of murder.
Overall, this is an enjoyable choice for readers who like historical mysteries with a supernatural element. The combination of trains, investigation, an unexplained death, and a ghostly presence creates a story that is easy to get drawn into. Jill's practical personality also makes her investigation interesting as she tries to make sense of something she doesn't believe should be possible.
July 25, 2022
This book piqued my interest just by reading the description. I thought it was cute when the author detailed everything. At first, I thought it was just setting the stage, but it went on and on. You will not only know almost everything there is to know about fashion in the 50s, but you'll also receive at least one history lesson in every chapter. There are descriptions of the streets taken from point a to point b. I think you get my drift. About halfway through the book, I found myself skimming through large sections of it just to get to the actual mystery.
So originally I was going to give this story 3 stars, but the plot is really good. It reads so much like an Agatha Christie novel. I realize that the author did a tremendous amount of research and wanted to include all of that in the novel, but it really was too much. That being said, if you can push past all of the peripheral rhetoric that doesn't contribute to the plot, it is definitely worth a second look.
So originally I was going to give this story 3 stars, but the plot is really good. It reads so much like an Agatha Christie novel. I realize that the author did a tremendous amount of research and wanted to include all of that in the novel, but it really was too much. That being said, if you can push past all of the peripheral rhetoric that doesn't contribute to the plot, it is definitely worth a second look.
September 11, 2022
This well written book was full of interesting in-depth details of the California Zephyr during the early 1950’s. To its detriment, the extent to which details are shared actually become tiresome to anyone reading for the “ghost aspect” or those not used to reading lengthy descriptions. I did, however, become quite interested in the Zephyr. This led to my excitement at seeing a Zephyrette uniform & similar Zephyr info at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI. As for the “ghost aspect” of the book, this truly was a backstory. I’m torn ad to whether or not I will read more of this author’s series.
February 1, 2026
Another enjoyable entry into the Jill McLeod series. I especially loved the supernatural twist. I quite enjoy these books. I really love all the research that went into creating such a unique group of stories. In this one, Jill sees a ghost in the cabin where a passenger died suddenly, and she starts questioning if his death was murder. The mystery was good, and I loved that we got to see Jill's personal life outside of her duties as a Zephyrette. All in all, a great book, and I'm a bit sad there's only one book left.
March 24, 2026
Made me cry
I loved the part how Tidsy's dress matched her Dodge Coronet. I actually found a runway gown online and matched it to a 1956 Coronet, black, burgundy and chrome. Maybe that's why car makers went two-tone. Cars as accessories. This one read a little like a pulp novel with LIFE magazine ads! Just a life that doesn't exist anymore. A 1955 Plymouth Savoy, Glenwood Springs . . . I miss my grandparents. It's all part of being from Omaha! Thanks!
I loved the part how Tidsy's dress matched her Dodge Coronet. I actually found a runway gown online and matched it to a 1956 Coronet, black, burgundy and chrome. Maybe that's why car makers went two-tone. Cars as accessories. This one read a little like a pulp novel with LIFE magazine ads! Just a life that doesn't exist anymore. A 1955 Plymouth Savoy, Glenwood Springs . . . I miss my grandparents. It's all part of being from Omaha! Thanks!
November 4, 2025
Good story
The story here was exciting, although I had worked out the whodunnit quickly.
Of course the bad guy was ugly and sallow. The Black porters were courteous and helpful.
Sometimes parts of the story were retold using the same language. I wondered if it had been written as a series.
I was upset by derogatory language used to describe people of color.
The story here was exciting, although I had worked out the whodunnit quickly.
Of course the bad guy was ugly and sallow. The Black porters were courteous and helpful.
Sometimes parts of the story were retold using the same language. I wondered if it had been written as a series.
I was upset by derogatory language used to describe people of color.
February 20, 2026
First
I got this book first but since it was number 3 I had to purchase 1, 2, & 4. Such good books! Be patient with this one because Jill digresses as she is refreshing what happened when Randall was murdered on the train! All becomes clear and I absolutely LOVE GHOST stories! This was the best! Now on to book 4!!!
I got this book first but since it was number 3 I had to purchase 1, 2, & 4. Such good books! Be patient with this one because Jill digresses as she is refreshing what happened when Randall was murdered on the train! All becomes clear and I absolutely LOVE GHOST stories! This was the best! Now on to book 4!!!
July 29, 2022
Murder Mystery Most Ghostly
I was very happy to see some of Jill's home life and see Tidsy again. I enjoy life on the train but getting these glimpses of home life were an added joy. The murder mystery was intriguing and also added enjoyment.
I was very happy to see some of Jill's home life and see Tidsy again. I enjoy life on the train but getting these glimpses of home life were an added joy. The murder mystery was intriguing and also added enjoyment.
July 31, 2022
Good ghost story
This was a well researched story about a death aboard a train. The many details of the route, the clothing, the train cars, the passengers, impeded the action of the discovery of the murder. The plot was interesting, but the descriptions were too long.
This was a well researched story about a death aboard a train. The many details of the route, the clothing, the train cars, the passengers, impeded the action of the discovery of the murder. The plot was interesting, but the descriptions were too long.
August 12, 2022
Detailed and descriptive
This book is full of very detailed and descriptive writing. I can clearly visualize everything that happens. Jill finds a body on the train and the sleeper compartment may now be haunted.
This book is full of very detailed and descriptive writing. I can clearly visualize everything that happens. Jill finds a body on the train and the sleeper compartment may now be haunted.
October 21, 2025
I thought I was going to scream if Jill walked back and forth through the train cars one more time. I liked the first story in this series, but this one really 'went on the rails'; pun intended. Maybe I'll try one more to see if things get better again.
July 24, 2022
Couldn't stop
Unique. Loved all the history and the characters. The plot is straight forward. I would read more about Jill and her friends.
Unique. Loved all the history and the characters. The plot is straight forward. I would read more about Jill and her friends.
July 26, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Numerous twists and turns and liked the ending
September 4, 2022
A fair portion of this book place off the train so there was more story and less train schedule detail. That made for a much more interesting book.
November 1, 2022
Too many details
that don't enhance the story. Except for that, the plot is well written and the characters are well drawn; and who doesn't believe in ghosts.
that don't enhance the story. Except for that, the plot is well written and the characters are well drawn; and who doesn't believe in ghosts.
February 16, 2023
Unusual Setting
Not at a library or manor home but the story is based it was on a train.. Riding a train was a popular way of travel. An interesting story.
Not at a library or manor home but the story is based it was on a train.. Riding a train was a popular way of travel. An interesting story.
February 7, 2024
Paranormal phenomena seems like cheating in crafting a mystery.
Read
May 15, 2026Read 5/26
November 10, 2023
cliff hangers
Currently Reading
March 23, 2024A mystery and fun look back to the 50's and train travel. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset. purchased this four book set edition on December 4, 2023, from Amazon for free. Jill McLeod California Zephyr Series Books 1-4.
March 23, 2019
THE GHOST IN ROOMETTE FOUR, Janet Dawson, 2018
As the California Zephyr hurtles along in the dark on the run from Oakland to Chicago, Zephyrette Jill McLeod, walking through the Silver Gorge pullman car, sees something she can't explain, and has trouble accepting. Had she seen a ghost? She finds that others have seen it, too. Two months prior, Jill found a passenger dead in that roomette, supposedly of natural causes. Is the spirit of that man asking for help? Jill can't help but puzzle over the things that keep happening in that car, and eventually sets out to find answers.
I love trains, and Dawson manages to insert loads of information about the Zephyr and train travel in the 1950s into the story without bogging it down. At times we get a bit too much information on the tasks of being a Zephyrette, but the story is good enough to overcome that. This story does depend on the paranormal, so if that bothers you, skip this one. But the others in the series do not, and anyone who likes trains or cozy stories set in the 1950 will undoubtedly enjoy it.
As the California Zephyr hurtles along in the dark on the run from Oakland to Chicago, Zephyrette Jill McLeod, walking through the Silver Gorge pullman car, sees something she can't explain, and has trouble accepting. Had she seen a ghost? She finds that others have seen it, too. Two months prior, Jill found a passenger dead in that roomette, supposedly of natural causes. Is the spirit of that man asking for help? Jill can't help but puzzle over the things that keep happening in that car, and eventually sets out to find answers.
I love trains, and Dawson manages to insert loads of information about the Zephyr and train travel in the 1950s into the story without bogging it down. At times we get a bit too much information on the tasks of being a Zephyrette, but the story is good enough to overcome that. This story does depend on the paranormal, so if that bothers you, skip this one. But the others in the series do not, and anyone who likes trains or cozy stories set in the 1950 will undoubtedly enjoy it.
August 23, 2018
This is a first time read of Janet Dawson. My thoughts are based on my reading pleasure and not the skill of the author's writing. I loved the idea of both a murder on a train (love trains) and ghost (being a paranormal investigator). When investigating the murder and enjoying the whole ins and outs of the trains' journeys, especially in California since I've visited many of the locations, the story was of great interest. To me, what bogged it down was too much side stories, family and descriptions of foods and clothing. I was like, "come on already, let's get back on the train and solve this murder." I very much enjoyed and appreciate the amazing historical notes at the end from the author about the trains and service and now I'm ready to take a trip!! Again, too busy with what to me, was unrelated to the murder plot. Would I read another by this author? Maybe.
February 22, 2019
Not a great book.
In a great book the reader needs to suspend his knowledge and be enveloped in the reality created by the book. The concept of a "haunted" roomette was not believable. Why the Zephyerette had to take on the investigation made no sense. This would have been a simple murder easily investigated by the police with her cooperation.
My other problem with the book was actually a design feature purposely crafted by the author. It didn't work for me. The author was meticulously descriptive of the clothing everyone was wearing, every last detail. Examples NOT limited to: a slim figure in a wide-skirted dress of green and white piqué, with a small white handbag that matched her shoes - dressed in a moss green gabardine suit and carrying a square gray leather bag - dressed in dungarees, a checked cotton blouse and a pair of ballet flats - etc.
In a great book the reader needs to suspend his knowledge and be enveloped in the reality created by the book. The concept of a "haunted" roomette was not believable. Why the Zephyerette had to take on the investigation made no sense. This would have been a simple murder easily investigated by the police with her cooperation.
My other problem with the book was actually a design feature purposely crafted by the author. It didn't work for me. The author was meticulously descriptive of the clothing everyone was wearing, every last detail. Examples NOT limited to: a slim figure in a wide-skirted dress of green and white piqué, with a small white handbag that matched her shoes - dressed in a moss green gabardine suit and carrying a square gray leather bag - dressed in dungarees, a checked cotton blouse and a pair of ballet flats - etc.
July 29, 2018
This really was a delightful story that I did not want to end. However, to solve the murder mystery I was forced to proceed.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts, this is a finely crafted mystery. A passenger is found dead at the terminus in Oakland, and Jill investigates the victim and suspects it was not a natural death.
I particularly like the seance and the many references to historic Oakland and San Francisco.
Jill, Margaret and Tidsy take a chance in baiting the suspected killer, the result being Jill is targeted as a threat and attacked.
There is a bit less of the description of the trip the California Zephyr takes from Oakland to Chicago in this one.
I won a free copy of this from the publisher and I can't wait to read more if they are published.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts, this is a finely crafted mystery. A passenger is found dead at the terminus in Oakland, and Jill investigates the victim and suspects it was not a natural death.
I particularly like the seance and the many references to historic Oakland and San Francisco.
Jill, Margaret and Tidsy take a chance in baiting the suspected killer, the result being Jill is targeted as a threat and attacked.
There is a bit less of the description of the trip the California Zephyr takes from Oakland to Chicago in this one.
I won a free copy of this from the publisher and I can't wait to read more if they are published.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews