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Charley's Ghost #1
The Ex Who Wouldn't Die
alternate cover edition of ASIN B007V7UPUU
When Amanda's lying, cheating, scam-artist husband, Charley, saves her life in a near-fatal motorcycle accident, she can almost forgive him for dragging his feet on their divorce. Then she discovers he'd been dead for several hours at the time she thought he rescued her. And not just dead…murdered.
On the good side, at least they are no longer married.
But she's the primary suspect in Charley's murder and, as if that isn't bad enough, Charley's ghost shows up in her apartment. He was rejected, kicked back, not allowed to go into the light. The situation was bad enough when he was alive and trying to charm his way back into her life, but now he claims to be unable to go more than a few yards away from her. She can't even be certain he isn't peeking when she undresses for bed.
Even death did not them part.
As Amanda puts her life in danger in an effort to bring Charley's murderer to justice and send him into the light or the dark or anywhere away from her, she learns her knowledge of Charley's misdeeds is only the tip of a toxic iceberg. Charley blackmailed his murderer, blackmailed Amanda's father, lied about his family being dead when he is actually related to half the town of Silver Creek, Texas, and, with his treachery, has stirred up secrets that will change Amanda's life.
When Amanda's lying, cheating, scam-artist husband, Charley, saves her life in a near-fatal motorcycle accident, she can almost forgive him for dragging his feet on their divorce. Then she discovers he'd been dead for several hours at the time she thought he rescued her. And not just dead…murdered.
On the good side, at least they are no longer married.
But she's the primary suspect in Charley's murder and, as if that isn't bad enough, Charley's ghost shows up in her apartment. He was rejected, kicked back, not allowed to go into the light. The situation was bad enough when he was alive and trying to charm his way back into her life, but now he claims to be unable to go more than a few yards away from her. She can't even be certain he isn't peeking when she undresses for bed.
Even death did not them part.
As Amanda puts her life in danger in an effort to bring Charley's murderer to justice and send him into the light or the dark or anywhere away from her, she learns her knowledge of Charley's misdeeds is only the tip of a toxic iceberg. Charley blackmailed his murderer, blackmailed Amanda's father, lied about his family being dead when he is actually related to half the town of Silver Creek, Texas, and, with his treachery, has stirred up secrets that will change Amanda's life.
277 pages, ebook
First published April 17, 2012
354 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
About the author
Sally Berneathy
34 books285 followers“Write what you know,” they said. I’d been married three times. I wrote romances.
Fast forward ten years.
“Write what you know,” they said. I’d been divorced three times and fantasized about murdering my ex. Only massive doses of chocolate kept my finger off the trigger.
Now I write about murder and chocolate and the occasional ghost.
Fast forward ten years.
“Write what you know,” they said. I’d been divorced three times and fantasized about murdering my ex. Only massive doses of chocolate kept my finger off the trigger.
Now I write about murder and chocolate and the occasional ghost.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
December 10, 2018
As the brakes failed and she lost control of the motorcycle she’d been riding at excess speed, Amanda still couldn’t get over the intense anger she felt at her husband Charley. The argument which had caused her frustration and speed was an ongoing one where he refused the divorce she wanted so badly. But it was Charley who saved her when she lost consciousness after her tumble down the side of the mountain – and when she woke in the hospital to discover that Charley had been murdered before she’d had her accident Amanda was stunned. Had she been hallucinating?
With Amanda as the main suspect in Charley’s murder, and the police not believing a word she said, she set out to find his murderer and clear her own name. As only Amanda could see the ghostly form of her almost ex-husband, she reluctantly accepted his help. After all, he knew who murdered him – he just had to help Amanda prove it. How hard could it be?
The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die is the 1st in the Charley’s Ghost series by Sally Berneathy, and it was such a fun read! I’ve read all the author’s Death by Chocolate series and love her sense of humour and dry wit, and this one was no exception! I’m going to have to check out #2 in the series now. An excellent, highly entertaining cosy mystery, The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die is one I highly recommend.
With Amanda as the main suspect in Charley’s murder, and the police not believing a word she said, she set out to find his murderer and clear her own name. As only Amanda could see the ghostly form of her almost ex-husband, she reluctantly accepted his help. After all, he knew who murdered him – he just had to help Amanda prove it. How hard could it be?
The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die is the 1st in the Charley’s Ghost series by Sally Berneathy, and it was such a fun read! I’ve read all the author’s Death by Chocolate series and love her sense of humour and dry wit, and this one was no exception! I’m going to have to check out #2 in the series now. An excellent, highly entertaining cosy mystery, The Ex Who Wouldn’t Die is one I highly recommend.
November 18, 2012
Where to begin....
The title is the first thing about this book that grabbed my attention. Who wouldn't love that?! And of course, the premise seemed promising. Still, I sat on it awhile. Boy am I ever slapping myself for that momentary lapse in judgement!
Amanda was charming. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't about to settle for anything less. And she wanted Charlie, her lying, cheating, no good scam artist of a husband dead. But then he died and while she was over the moon about that, she wasn't too crazy about the fact that she was being blamed for his murder or that the murderer had set his sights on her. Not to mention one pesky little detail: even in death, she couldn't rid herself of Charlie.
I found this to be a lighthearted, quirky little story that appeals to my more unconventional sense of humor. Shouldn't Amanda be upset that her husband has just died? Shouldn't she be mourning his loss, his memory, something? Heck no! That jerk put her through the mill and she's just wondering why the heck til death do us part is being clearly ignored by the big man upstairs!
I really enjoyed the "mystery" woven in, too. it wasn't overly complicated, just mysterious enough for me to form my own conclusions, but never providing enough evidence for me to be sure until closer to the end. Turns out I had it figured out about 50% through, but that didn't detract from the story--it was fun getting there. I will say that this story could benefit from a little more editing (partial sentences that should have been deleted, misplaced commas, etc.) but the story was solid enough for them not to bother me too much and they weren't enough for me to factor them into my rating. It's hard enough writing a story, and the work this author put in shows. I wouldn't dream of giving it anything less than a solid 5 stars. I will be keeping my eye out for #2 in the series!
The title is the first thing about this book that grabbed my attention. Who wouldn't love that?! And of course, the premise seemed promising. Still, I sat on it awhile. Boy am I ever slapping myself for that momentary lapse in judgement!
Amanda was charming. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't about to settle for anything less. And she wanted Charlie, her lying, cheating, no good scam artist of a husband dead. But then he died and while she was over the moon about that, she wasn't too crazy about the fact that she was being blamed for his murder or that the murderer had set his sights on her. Not to mention one pesky little detail: even in death, she couldn't rid herself of Charlie.
I found this to be a lighthearted, quirky little story that appeals to my more unconventional sense of humor. Shouldn't Amanda be upset that her husband has just died? Shouldn't she be mourning his loss, his memory, something? Heck no! That jerk put her through the mill and she's just wondering why the heck til death do us part is being clearly ignored by the big man upstairs!
I really enjoyed the "mystery" woven in, too. it wasn't overly complicated, just mysterious enough for me to form my own conclusions, but never providing enough evidence for me to be sure until closer to the end. Turns out I had it figured out about 50% through, but that didn't detract from the story--it was fun getting there. I will say that this story could benefit from a little more editing (partial sentences that should have been deleted, misplaced commas, etc.) but the story was solid enough for them not to bother me too much and they weren't enough for me to factor them into my rating. It's hard enough writing a story, and the work this author put in shows. I wouldn't dream of giving it anything less than a solid 5 stars. I will be keeping my eye out for #2 in the series!
September 14, 2020
There was no mystery to speak of since we know "whodunnit" almost from the beginning so that was strike one for me. I want the opportunity to figure out the puzzle myself.
I thought that Amanda was self-absorbed and hateful so that was strike two. Her husband had just died and although he was a petty con artist, he was a human being but she showed little to no regret over his passing. Some of the things she said to him made me extremely uncomfortable and I wondered why Charley remained in love with her. Amanda wasn't funny, she was mean-spirited. She showed very little compassion for her family or her in-laws.
I understand that Amanda was frightened about what could happen to her as the primary suspect in her husband's murder but she never spared a thought for anyone else, never listened to very good advice and just went on her way doing whatever she felt like. There was no thinking things through or self-reflection on her part and eventually I didn't care if she ended up in jail or got killed by Charley's murderer.
I'm tired of sarcasm, cynicism, stupidity, and selfishness masquerading as "fiesty and independent."
The story was predictable and I saw the big "twist" coming from the moment Amanda spied a certain someone in the church. Strike three.
I thought that Amanda was self-absorbed and hateful so that was strike two. Her husband had just died and although he was a petty con artist, he was a human being but she showed little to no regret over his passing. Some of the things she said to him made me extremely uncomfortable and I wondered why Charley remained in love with her. Amanda wasn't funny, she was mean-spirited. She showed very little compassion for her family or her in-laws.
I understand that Amanda was frightened about what could happen to her as the primary suspect in her husband's murder but she never spared a thought for anyone else, never listened to very good advice and just went on her way doing whatever she felt like. There was no thinking things through or self-reflection on her part and eventually I didn't care if she ended up in jail or got killed by Charley's murderer.
I'm tired of sarcasm, cynicism, stupidity, and selfishness masquerading as "fiesty and independent."
The story was predictable and I saw the big "twist" coming from the moment Amanda spied a certain someone in the church. Strike three.
January 31, 2023
Excellent cozy by Sally Berneathy about a dead husband, who haunts her as a ghost, to help her try to fix the mess he got her into while he was alive. Good read, a lot of twists and turns. Enjoy!
February 15, 2015
OMG, this was so much fun! Amanda Randolph brought us along with her on a thrilling ride replete with danger, murder, humour and an unwanted ghostly sidekick.
Amanda was a great character--snarky, rebellious, stubborn, feisty--a wild child who rode and repaired motorcycles and, despite being born and raised in high society, refused to conform to the rules and defiantly went about her own way. Sometimes, she was a little too stubborn for her own good, refusing to listen to the wise advice of those around her and getting herself into sticky situations that probably could have been avoided if she had used more common sense and intelligence.
The exchanges between her and the lying, cheating, scamming con artist, Charley, her dead, almost-ex husband, were hilarious, if sometimes mean-spirited on Amanda's part. But, Charley definitely was not as pure as the driven snow, either, so a lot of her vitriol toward him was well-deserved and justified.
Charley's family was wonderful, especially Irene, who was the dream mother-in-law with a huge heart and capacity for love and kindness and cooking, even if she was a little blind to her son's shortcomings and flaws.
Unlike most mysteries of this kind, we knew pretty well from the beginning who the bad guy and his motive was. There was no shocking, surprising reveal at the end. But, the challenge and fun were generated by Amanda's and Charley's efforts to prove guilt and bring to justice a rich, arrogant, cold-blooded monster, who believed his wealth and position in the upper echelons of society made him immune to the consequences of his murderous actions. The other twists and revelations were also somewhat predictable but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
I would gladly recommend this book to anyone looking for a highly entertaining paranormal mystery.
Amanda was a great character--snarky, rebellious, stubborn, feisty--a wild child who rode and repaired motorcycles and, despite being born and raised in high society, refused to conform to the rules and defiantly went about her own way. Sometimes, she was a little too stubborn for her own good, refusing to listen to the wise advice of those around her and getting herself into sticky situations that probably could have been avoided if she had used more common sense and intelligence.
The exchanges between her and the lying, cheating, scamming con artist, Charley, her dead, almost-ex husband, were hilarious, if sometimes mean-spirited on Amanda's part. But, Charley definitely was not as pure as the driven snow, either, so a lot of her vitriol toward him was well-deserved and justified.
Charley's family was wonderful, especially Irene, who was the dream mother-in-law with a huge heart and capacity for love and kindness and cooking, even if she was a little blind to her son's shortcomings and flaws.
Unlike most mysteries of this kind, we knew pretty well from the beginning who the bad guy and his motive was. There was no shocking, surprising reveal at the end. But, the challenge and fun were generated by Amanda's and Charley's efforts to prove guilt and bring to justice a rich, arrogant, cold-blooded monster, who believed his wealth and position in the upper echelons of society made him immune to the consequences of his murderous actions. The other twists and revelations were also somewhat predictable but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
I would gladly recommend this book to anyone looking for a highly entertaining paranormal mystery.
February 12, 2017
I enjoyed this supernatural mystery! I liked Amanda. Irene was really sweet. The mayor was evil to the bones. And I have mixed feelings about Charley. I mean, in life he was certainly a jerk and not a good person. And not a good husband. But in death I sort if liked him a little. In death he's sort of maybe redeeming himself. Maybe. We'll see.
August 7, 2012
This is a quirky fun story that makes you turn the pages. It is not for everyone but it is fun to read. Amanda Randolph is from one of Dallas' high society families.. a rebel who prefers motorcycles and jeans. She owns a motorcycle repair shop and her husband Charley is a con artist who is killed. Amanda is the prime suspect and if that's not bad enough, Charley can't cross over. Amanda and Charley are stuck with each other, except in death Charley can't lie. Amanda travels to a small Texas town to stay with her in laws and uncover the truth about who killed Charley and why. Its not surprising who the killer is but it has a fun surprising ending when the killer is exposed.
July 11, 2013
This is the first book in the Charlie's Ghost series and the first book I have read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery with snarky humor. Our heroine is a motorcycle mechanic Amanda and our hero is her no good cheating, blackmailing husband Charley who haunts her after his murder. When the police try to pin his murder on Amanda, she and Charley must work together to find the proof to exonerate her and implicate the real killer! Lots of snarky humor between Amanda and Charley make this a fun book to read!
August 4, 2013
Great book. Found it by accident in a collection of "boxed" books that I bought on my kindle for .99 cents. I was hooked from the beginning. Story was good and stayed with it. After reading it, I looked for more books by this author and this is book one in a series.
I will definitely be reading #2.
Her husband, who was a jerk and was divorcing, dies before the divorce is final. Only problem, she can still see him and talk to him. He wants to make sure his murderer is caught. Problem is they think she did it.
I will definitely be reading #2.
Her husband, who was a jerk and was divorcing, dies before the divorce is final. Only problem, she can still see him and talk to him. He wants to make sure his murderer is caught. Problem is they think she did it.
January 19, 2013
Charlie is a low down sleeze ball who had the nerve to die before He could sign divorce papers for Amanda. What he got her into after he died is just wrong. What happened to Charlie and the after maths of his death, you won't believe. There is a real twist in the road in this one!!! Can't wait for another one in the series to come out.
June 28, 2013
This was such a departure from 'Death By Chocolate' that it took me a while to put my feet down. Having an ever-present ghost as an un-wanted sidekick was an adjustment. But I'm glad I did. This is a good story with believable characters, a plot you can follow, and a real surprise ending.
August 4, 2013
This book was suspenseful and provided laughs throughout the book. It's filled with sarcastic, loving, and even sinister personalities which the author successfully mixes together to create wonder, mystery, and humor. I'm tempted to read more books in the series.
June 22, 2013
Funny, quirky page turner. The title caught my attention. The story was enough for me to read the book twice - just for the fun of it.
June 19, 2018
So much fun! I really liked the story and the ghost angle was funny!
April 27, 2021
This was a toss-up between 2 and 3 *.
It was a fun read and I finished it, that was a long way to 4 stars.
But there were way too many inconsistencies and stupidity to rate it any higher. A few examples.
- A detective believes Amanda, but does nothing at all to protect her or inform her. The reason, I was too busy detecting to listen to you or even take your calls.
- 2 people are killed by the perp, and you do everything in your power, to do exactly the same as the others did, go somewhere alone with him
- Ok, you are judge and wife. Judge has a child with someone else. Raise her with your wife, never tell your daughter even when she is an adult. Let some bastard blackmail you, let him marry your daughter. And then have the gall to tell your daughter that you love her. This alone deserves a minus 5 score.
-Ok you are a ghost. You know about this story. You want to protect your wife. But you decide not to tell her anything that can help her.
- My first trigger was the bike accident, you are an experienced driver, and you feel that there is something wrong with your brakes and have an accident. You come home, find out that , your husband is killed, and decide not to tell anybody that your bike was sabotaged. Who does that?
It was a fun read and I finished it, that was a long way to 4 stars.
But there were way too many inconsistencies and stupidity to rate it any higher. A few examples.
- A detective believes Amanda, but does nothing at all to protect her or inform her. The reason, I was too busy detecting to listen to you or even take your calls.
- 2 people are killed by the perp, and you do everything in your power, to do exactly the same as the others did, go somewhere alone with him
- Ok, you are judge and wife. Judge has a child with someone else. Raise her with your wife, never tell your daughter even when she is an adult. Let some bastard blackmail you, let him marry your daughter. And then have the gall to tell your daughter that you love her. This alone deserves a minus 5 score.
-Ok you are a ghost. You know about this story. You want to protect your wife. But you decide not to tell her anything that can help her.
- My first trigger was the bike accident, you are an experienced driver, and you feel that there is something wrong with your brakes and have an accident. You come home, find out that , your husband is killed, and decide not to tell anybody that your bike was sabotaged. Who does that?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2024
“The Ex Who Wouldn't Die”, first in the 'Charley's Ghost' series is an interesting read, just not for the main plot.
Amanda nearly dies in a motorcycle accident but is rescued by her nearly ex-husband, Charley - a conman of the first order.
When she comes to in hospital she learns that at the time of the crash Charley was already dead - shot! And she's the main suspect.
Charley, it turns out, is trapped on this mortal coil and knows exactly who killed him, the Mayor of Silver Creek, Texas.
It turns out the Charley has been engaged in blackmail, just not very successfully.
He'd also lied about having no living family - in fact he was related to half of Silver Creek.
He now claims that he can't lie at all - preferring not to answer those difficult questions.
Amanda schleps off to the town works on proving the Mayor's guilt and her innocence.
It's all quite run of the mill stuff and it is only a matter of time before everything works out.
What did interest me was the town lawyer, Sunny Donovan, a woman who seems to know far more than her her prayers. What was her connection to Charley and why does Amanda feel she's met her before?
The answer came as almost a complete surprise.
3 Stars.
Amanda nearly dies in a motorcycle accident but is rescued by her nearly ex-husband, Charley - a conman of the first order.
When she comes to in hospital she learns that at the time of the crash Charley was already dead - shot! And she's the main suspect.
Charley, it turns out, is trapped on this mortal coil and knows exactly who killed him, the Mayor of Silver Creek, Texas.
It turns out the Charley has been engaged in blackmail, just not very successfully.
He'd also lied about having no living family - in fact he was related to half of Silver Creek.
He now claims that he can't lie at all - preferring not to answer those difficult questions.
Amanda schleps off to the town works on proving the Mayor's guilt and her innocence.
It's all quite run of the mill stuff and it is only a matter of time before everything works out.
What did interest me was the town lawyer, Sunny Donovan, a woman who seems to know far more than her her prayers. What was her connection to Charley and why does Amanda feel she's met her before?
The answer came as almost a complete surprise.
3 Stars.
November 21, 2023
Amanda Randolph nearly dies when she loses control of her motorcycle. Her soon to be ex-husband comes to her aid but will not give her a hand as she struggles to climb a hill to the road. She later learns that he couldn't physically help her because he had died and Amanda is suspected of murdering him.
This starts a journey to learn about the man she married, learning that most of what he had told her about himself were lies. She finds out from her husband, Charley, who killed him and that the killer had murdered a former girl friend and a homeless man.
Amanda meets Charley's family and is determined to gain evidence against the killer, the mayor of Silver Creek, Roland Kimball.
Most of all, Amanda wants to get Charley out of her life. He is constantly near her and only she can see and hear him. He tells her that if he prevents her from being killed that he will be able to go into the light. That remains to be seen.
This starts a journey to learn about the man she married, learning that most of what he had told her about himself were lies. She finds out from her husband, Charley, who killed him and that the killer had murdered a former girl friend and a homeless man.
Amanda meets Charley's family and is determined to gain evidence against the killer, the mayor of Silver Creek, Roland Kimball.
Most of all, Amanda wants to get Charley out of her life. He is constantly near her and only she can see and hear him. He tells her that if he prevents her from being killed that he will be able to go into the light. That remains to be seen.
January 17, 2021
Amanda Randolph, daughter of powerful judge in Dallas, owner of a motorcycle repair shop and the soon to be ex-wife of Charly the con man. The day the divorce was to be final, Amanda finds out that Charly has again stalled the proceedings. Amanda had a celebration planned for her big divorce day but was angry when she found out that Charly had once again not followed through.
Amanda finds out that Charly does indeed have a wonderful family that he never told her about in Silver Creek, a small town an hour away from Dallas. During the time at Silver Creek, Amanda finds the person she believes is Charly's killer, with his ghostly help of course. There is danger and humor around every corner when you have to deal with your (ex) husbands ghost. Amanda also finds some secrets that her family has kept hidden for 30 years.
Great story, engaging characters and twists and turns.
Amanda finds out that Charly does indeed have a wonderful family that he never told her about in Silver Creek, a small town an hour away from Dallas. During the time at Silver Creek, Amanda finds the person she believes is Charly's killer, with his ghostly help of course. There is danger and humor around every corner when you have to deal with your (ex) husbands ghost. Amanda also finds some secrets that her family has kept hidden for 30 years.
Great story, engaging characters and twists and turns.
April 17, 2021
Enduring Charley's Ghost
The most disappointing part about this novel was the mystery, everything else was enchanting. The activities surrounding the murder mystery bordered on the unbelievable, Sunny is role in the story was not difficult to work out, one just needed to determine the Judge's role in the story. With all of the nefarious activities that Charley had been engaged in during his lifetime, it was amazing that he was not killed before. What was also amazing was the inherent goodness of Irene and Herbert, especially Irene, her love for Amanda created a balm for Amanda when she needed it.
There were moments when I felt like scrolling to the end but an unexpected bit of humor served to bring me back to the story.
For those who might chose to read, have patience, it will be worth it in the end.
The most disappointing part about this novel was the mystery, everything else was enchanting. The activities surrounding the murder mystery bordered on the unbelievable, Sunny is role in the story was not difficult to work out, one just needed to determine the Judge's role in the story. With all of the nefarious activities that Charley had been engaged in during his lifetime, it was amazing that he was not killed before. What was also amazing was the inherent goodness of Irene and Herbert, especially Irene, her love for Amanda created a balm for Amanda when she needed it.
There were moments when I felt like scrolling to the end but an unexpected bit of humor served to bring me back to the story.
For those who might chose to read, have patience, it will be worth it in the end.
October 7, 2023
This novel offers a compelling exploration of a dystopian society where individuality is suppressed and conformity is enforced. Through the eyes of the central character, readers are drawn into a world where freedom of thought and expression are subjugated to an extreme degree. The narrative skillfully weaves together themes of identity, rebellion, and the consequences of blind obedience. The prose is vivid and thought-provoking, making the reader reflect on the fragility of human rights and the power of resistance. The characters' development and interactions add depth to the story, creating a suspenseful and engaging narrative that leaves a lasting impression on the reader's mind. Overall, this book is a thought-provoking and cautionary tale about the dangers of sacrificing individuality for the sake of societal control.
May 27, 2019
While I have enjoyed other books by Sally (specifically the Death by Chocolate series), the premise of this book did not really appeal to me. However, I ended up with a copy of it as part of a free download of several mystery books so I figured I would give it a try.
Looks like I'm going to have to read more of Sally's books even if the premise is not all that interesting sounding. This book was quite fun. The main character it quite interesting and the family dynamics were heartwarming. The mystery itself was more about proving who it was and bringing the perp to justice rather than a who dun it. However, there were other mysteries surrounding the characters that were fun to try to unravel.
Looks like I'm going to have to read more of Sally's books even if the premise is not all that interesting sounding. This book was quite fun. The main character it quite interesting and the family dynamics were heartwarming. The mystery itself was more about proving who it was and bringing the perp to justice rather than a who dun it. However, there were other mysteries surrounding the characters that were fun to try to unravel.
December 3, 2019
Amanda is trying to divorce her husband Charley when he ends up dead and she is the prime suspect. Her motorcycle is tampered with and she has a bad accident all due to her soon to be ex husband’s shady dealings.
She only learns that she has in-laws after Charley dies and finally gets to meet them. When Charley shows up a ghost she soon learns more about all his shady dealings and now she is involved in his mess too. The mayor of the town Charley is from is corrupt and wants to kill her because he thinks Charley may have told her all of his secrets before he died. She is hoping she can solve his murder to be able to get rid of her ex’s ghost. Lots of secrets are revealed and of course Amanda is now a target. This is a fun read with suspense, mystery, drama and some humor.
She only learns that she has in-laws after Charley dies and finally gets to meet them. When Charley shows up a ghost she soon learns more about all his shady dealings and now she is involved in his mess too. The mayor of the town Charley is from is corrupt and wants to kill her because he thinks Charley may have told her all of his secrets before he died. She is hoping she can solve his murder to be able to get rid of her ex’s ghost. Lots of secrets are revealed and of course Amanda is now a target. This is a fun read with suspense, mystery, drama and some humor.
September 3, 2025
Murder with a twist and a fun ride.
When rebellious Amanda’s almost-ex husband, con-artist Charley, refuses to sign the divorce papers again, Amanda storms out of his house in a loud argument. Furious, she hops on her motorcycle for a planned trip and nearly dies when she crashes in the mountains. Somehow, Charley saves her without so much as lending a hand. Typical. When Amanda finds out he’s dead, she’s stuck with his ghost, someone wants to eliminate her, and she’s being framed for his murder, Amanda must figure out who did kill him, before the murderer kills her, too. Heartwarming, snarky, twisted, and often amusing, this story checks all the boxes for a fun, captivating read. Excited about getting into the next book in the series, I highly recommend it for anyone who likes paranormal mysteries with a huge dose of heart and humor.
When rebellious Amanda’s almost-ex husband, con-artist Charley, refuses to sign the divorce papers again, Amanda storms out of his house in a loud argument. Furious, she hops on her motorcycle for a planned trip and nearly dies when she crashes in the mountains. Somehow, Charley saves her without so much as lending a hand. Typical. When Amanda finds out he’s dead, she’s stuck with his ghost, someone wants to eliminate her, and she’s being framed for his murder, Amanda must figure out who did kill him, before the murderer kills her, too. Heartwarming, snarky, twisted, and often amusing, this story checks all the boxes for a fun, captivating read. Excited about getting into the next book in the series, I highly recommend it for anyone who likes paranormal mysteries with a huge dose of heart and humor.
February 26, 2018
No matter how hard she's tried, Amanda can't get rid of her ex. Well, to be truthful they weren't divorced yet when Charley was murdered, but even in death she can't get rid of him. In life, Charley couldn't tell the truth if it slapped him in the face, but now that he's in limbo - caught between life and the hereafter- he can't lie and seems fixated on helping prove Amanda wasn't his murderer. As she delves into Charley's background, she finds a welcoming family and secrets that bring the two polar-opposite families together.
A fun story with a dash of paranormal and a surprising twist at the end.
A fun story with a dash of paranormal and a surprising twist at the end.
July 13, 2020
Go to the light! Please go!
A wacky, entertaining plot, with lots of unpredictable twists and turns, unexpected surprises, and unbelievable misadventures. The characters are so real the beautiful wife, her dead nearly ex, his family, her family, and the real murderer. It keeps you guessing from beginning to end. I read it straight thru without stopping, I just couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! I guess you have to be from Texas, to understand about funeral food and sweet ice tea! Felt like part of the story, their emotions, feelings, and anguish seems so real! Loved it, can’t wait to see what they get into next!
A wacky, entertaining plot, with lots of unpredictable twists and turns, unexpected surprises, and unbelievable misadventures. The characters are so real the beautiful wife, her dead nearly ex, his family, her family, and the real murderer. It keeps you guessing from beginning to end. I read it straight thru without stopping, I just couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! I guess you have to be from Texas, to understand about funeral food and sweet ice tea! Felt like part of the story, their emotions, feelings, and anguish seems so real! Loved it, can’t wait to see what they get into next!
August 8, 2020
i read this book to the end, but it really wasn't a great book. I believe it could have been but it wasn't delivered in such a way that kept me really interested.
The blurb pretty much tells the story, but the author made the characters too sweet and cosy, and the bad guy just a meanie. The ghost/ex, Charley, always jumping in like a child at an adult party and the main character, Amanda, reacting as if everyone could or couldn't see the little pest.
The reader knows the bad guy from the start, and it's just a matter of proving it. It all ends with a Jamboree group hug.
I enjoy crime/mystery with humour, but this didn't do it for me.
The blurb pretty much tells the story, but the author made the characters too sweet and cosy, and the bad guy just a meanie. The ghost/ex, Charley, always jumping in like a child at an adult party and the main character, Amanda, reacting as if everyone could or couldn't see the little pest.
The reader knows the bad guy from the start, and it's just a matter of proving it. It all ends with a Jamboree group hug.
I enjoy crime/mystery with humour, but this didn't do it for me.
March 11, 2021
Well, this was dumb. Partly entertaining but mostly dumb. Don’t get me wrong- I have no problem with ghosties, even silly ones. I loved the title, and the premise seemed fine. And the ratings were pretty good. And I was looking for something light to read on my kindle as a counterbalance to the heavy but excellent non-fiction book I’m reading. (I often have more than one book going at a time.)
There was some humor, and some entertaining scenes, but overall meh. I understand this is the first book in a series, but I have no further interest in either Amanda or her ghostly con man ex-husband Charlie.
There was some humor, and some entertaining scenes, but overall meh. I understand this is the first book in a series, but I have no further interest in either Amanda or her ghostly con man ex-husband Charlie.
October 14, 2022
Funny, entertaining cosy mystery
Charley, conman and charmer, gets himself killed by someone he had blackmailed. In the process, his soon-to-be ex-wife, Amanda, gets dragged into the saga as his suspected murderer. She tries to untangle the web of lies while coping with Charley's unexpected and unwanted appearance in her life in ghost form. A few surprising twists and turns keep the novel entertaining. The characters are endearing and charming. Even though it has a similar plot to Death by chocolate (another first in a series by Sally Berneathy), it is worth a read because of the believable world and zany characters the author has created.
Charley, conman and charmer, gets himself killed by someone he had blackmailed. In the process, his soon-to-be ex-wife, Amanda, gets dragged into the saga as his suspected murderer. She tries to untangle the web of lies while coping with Charley's unexpected and unwanted appearance in her life in ghost form. A few surprising twists and turns keep the novel entertaining. The characters are endearing and charming. Even though it has a similar plot to Death by chocolate (another first in a series by Sally Berneathy), it is worth a read because of the believable world and zany characters the author has created.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2021
I enjoyed this fluffy, escapism read. It seems that ghosts who hang around are popular book characters these days from the great Cleo Coyle bookshop stories with Jack the 1940s hard-boiled detective ghost to the mother-in-law series (can't remember the author) who is much better a "person" now that she's dead. I like the genre as long as it isn't too saccharine. Amanda is pretty self-centered, in-your-face but I enjoying taking a ride with her. I will probably read more of the series later; on to something else right now.
July 21, 2020
This is really not fair you know! I only read free or 99 cent books. They are not supposed to hook me in with their sassy characters and unique plots. To say I enjoyed it would be a gross understatement. Don't tell anyone, but I'm going to pay full price for the next one, and I can promise you there are maybe 5 authors who can make me do that. So do it. Take the plunge. Get this freebie. Don't say I didn't warn you. Read at your own risk.
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