Headless at Halloween

Nightmare, Arizona #5.5

by Beth Dolgner

Tricks, Treats, and Trouble in Nightmare, ArizonaWho knew libraries could be so dangerous? When Olivia Kendrick gets her new library card, she also gets a new murder mystery to solve. No one liked Pete Bennett, but someone disliked him enough to leave his headless body stashed among the library’s Halloween decorations.

As Olivia and her supernatural friends at Nightmare Sanctuary Haunted House enjoy their busiest nights of the year, she is determined to find out who wanted to kill the meanest man in the small town of Nightmare.

It turns out to be a very long list.

From a dilapidated RV park to a makeshift haunted house, Olivia collects clues and unearths sinister secrets. Even while she’s handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, Olivia is busy unraveling the real Halloween trick…

Headless at Halloween is a novella in the Nightmare, Arizona paranormal cozy mystery series, taking place less than a week after book five, Poisoning at the Party. This lighthearted series is about starting over, found family, and solving murders in a quirky old mining town with a secret supernatural community.



The Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mystery SeriesHomicide at the Haunted House

Drowning at the Diner

Slaying at the Saloon

Murder at the Motel

Poisoning at the Party

Headless at Halloween (Novella)

Clawing at the Corral

Axing at the Antique Store

Fatality at the Festival

Terminated at the Trailhead

Body at the Bakery

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Cozy Mystery, Halloween, Fiction, Audiobook, Ebooks

98 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2024

About the author

Beth Dolgner writes paranormal fiction and non-fiction. Her interest in things that go bump in the night really took off on a trip to Savannah, Georgia, so it's fitting that the Betty Boo, Ghost Hunter Series of paranormal romance novels takes place in that spooky city. Beth's young adult novels, the steampunk Manifest and the urban fantasy A Talent for Death, also have paranormal elements. Her non-fiction work includes Georgia Spirits and Specters and Everyday Voodoo.

Since Georgia is obviously on her mind, you might think Beth lives there. Well, she did, but these days she and her husband live in Berlin, Germany, with their three cats. Beth misses those mild Georgia winters and proper iced tea, but there's no reason her characters can't enjoy those things.

Beth also enjoys giving presentations on Victorian death and mourning traditions as well as Victorian Spiritualism. She has been a volunteer at an historic cemetery, a ghost tour guide and a paranormal investigator. Right now she's chronicling the best spooky spots around Europe.

Beth is online at www.BethDolgner.com.

Betty Boo, Ghost Hunter Series
Ghost of a Threat,
Ghost of a Whisper
Ghost of a Memory
Ghost of a Hope

Manifest
Georgia Spirits and Specters,
Everyday Voodoo

Reviews

[Mairi Swan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bite sized cozy murder novella. It doesn't add anything really to the continuation of this series but it was fun to read.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another one of my favorite series that I love picking up when a new one comes out! I was super excited when this one came out because Halloween 🎃 is one of my favorite holidays! Put two of my favorite things together and I have to get my eyes on it!

I absolutely love that this series is set around a family of sorts. Some are actual family, others are chosen. I loved that the Sanctuary included the little ones around the town in the Halloween 👻 festivities! Not to mention was helpful in finding the way to solving the mysteries that weren't able to be solved otherwise!

[Kathy Brackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky for the season 🎃🖤

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but cute story.

[Darian · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun little halloween story

[Ashley Yungbluth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Headless at Halloween" by Beth Dolgner is book 5.5 in the "Nightmare, Arizona" series. This was a nice and quick read. Olivia is helping figure out who killed someone in the library. All she wants to do is use her library card, and now, once again, she is at the wrong place at the wrong time. I liked the mention of Ohio in it. l also liked how Olivia figured out who was to blame. She does a great job figuring things out and using the help of others. Beth is a new to me author this year, and I am so happy I started reading books by her.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally like novellas because they are just too short but that wasn't the case with this book. The author packed all the usual characters and a good mystery in to it, so it felt like a treat and a full book. I think because it was just focused on the one mystery and the long running disappearance of the owner wasn't mentioned. I love the characters and think they are a big reason why I like the series so much. Super natural's working in a haunted house while solving murders what's not to love? The mystery while not complicated and easy to solve was good. It's a great introduction book to the series or if like me a long time fan of the series a good mystery to enjoy while waiting for the next book to come out.
When not working at the haunted house Olivia hopes to fill her down time with reading, instead she ends up involved in another murder investigation, when the librarian discovers a dead body in the Halloween decorations. Despite missing a head he is quickly identified and the suspect list is long, nobody had a nice thing to say about him, not even his wife. Can Olivia use her conjuring skills to find some clues to help quickly solve the murder? Before the tricks and treats start?
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the paranormal Haunted Sanctuary residents' favorite time of year: Halloween! And Halloween is the biggest tourist attraction for Nightmare, AZ and the Sanctuary. Each of the residents have their own special paranormal talent and they are like one big family which includes Olivia Kendrick who works there as her night job, and has helped the small town police department in solving crimes in the past. In this novella, Preparations have been made for the holiday at the Sanctuary and Olivia wanted to get some books from the library and her new card. While there, she hears the librarian scream as she comes up from the library basement. Among the halloween decorations down there is a headless man in the prop coffin with plastic pumpkin where his head should be. So, Olivia is on the case trying to find out who wanted to kill Pete Bennett so brutally? This is a fast paced page turning story with lots of twists and turns until the ending! I love this series and can't wait to see what is next in store for Olivia. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here re strictly my own.

[Spinneretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This novella in the Nightmare Arizona series, takes place around Halloween, so if you’re trying to read the series in order, it takes place just after “Poisoning at the Party” (book 5).

It’s Halloween in Nightmare when Olivia and her friends are at the library and witness the librarian finding a body.
Discovering that it might just be the most disliked man in all of Nightmare means that there are plenty of suspects, but it doesn’t stop Olivia from investigating!

This is a cosy short in the Nightmare world, with all your favourite characters, and of course everyone’s favourite holiday at the Sanctuary Haunted House.
As far as the story goes, it’s pretty much a standalone in the Nightmare world, with no additions to the ongoing background story, but you do need to have read the other books in the series just for the character and world setup.
It’s a fun, fast read, with a rapid conclusion and plenty of Halloween fun.
If you’re a fan of the series, or a paranormal cosy mystery lover, you’ll enjoy this novella, and the series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia has an unparalleled ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to finding bodies. Or maybe it's the right place since she tends to help solve the mysteries. Either way, she's the lady on the spot when a body is found at the library.

To be fair, she isn't actually the one who discovers the body, but she is in the library and she gets a first look at it before the police get there.

Then the sleuthing begins. Olivia has a fair amount of suspects since the victim was an individual with a chip on his shoulder. In fact, he was kind of a jerk to plenty of people around town for all he only spent a couple months a year there.

Following the clues, Olivia does her thing and helps the police (Officer Reyes sees an awful lot of her considering she's only been in town a few months herself) figure out who did the deed. Then Olivia gets to enjoy celebrating Halloween knowing justice has been served. GOOD STUFF!

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halloween in Nightmare, Arizona is like a holiday there. The residents of the Haunted Sanctuary is not only a safe haven for those who are not like the majority of the world. They each have a gift, a power that makes it a safe haven for them. The sanctuary is a tourist event where haunted house ventures are run all year around. Halloween is the height of Nightmares tourist time. Olivia was in the library just to get a few books when the librarian comes up from the basement screaming! Along with Halloween decorations, in the prop coffin is a body. Not only a body, but, headless! A plastic pumpkin sits where his head should have been. To say the man was difficult and disliked is putting it mildly. The list of suspects is quite large. Will Olivia be able to help the small town police find the killer? I love this Nightmare series and cannot wait for the next one!

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much, I really enjoyed reading about Halloween in Nightmare. I loved how Beth Dolgner made this novella feel like a full blown story, it was on par with the others in the series and I absolutely loved it. Olivia and the crew just get better every time I read about them, I really enjoy how the storyline plays out and how Olivia gets caught up in the murders even without trying. I love her "Jessica Fletcher/Miss Marple" ways, she's written so well and I felt connected as a reader to her.
These stories are written so well and it's just easy to fall into the story and get consumed by them, they're easy going and I love how natural the storyline flows. Thoroughly enjoyed this read and I look forward to returning to Nightmare.

[Susan1566 · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I was getting ready to read the last two books in this series, I realized that I had missed this one, not quite sure how.
But I’m glad I found it.
This is a novella (86 pages) set in Nightmare Arizona. When a decapitated body is found in the library Halloween coffin, Olivia naturally gets involved.
The decease is a man that no one in town liked, he complained about everyone and everything. This makes the suspect pool quite large.
As Olivia askes her questions, we get to see all the fun Halloween action in town. I really liked the scrambled brain burger, what a great description.
This book has no action but a nice little mystery and the great Nightmare characters.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love this series. I was excited to see that book right after I’d finished the fifth book in the series. Of course, another reason I was excited is that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, too. LOL! This time it’s a short caper with Olivia at the library when the librarian discovers a headless body. Just like always, Olivia is thrust into another case. While this was short, it wasn’t short on fun and excitement. Loved this little tale, and I can’t wait for more. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Cheryl Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun story. Olivia is approaching Halloween and sure enough there is a body that pops up, in the library. She sets about solving the mystery, mostly on her own in this one, but with the supporting cast around to lend a hand when needed. Another highly amusing and fun read. In this one she solves the mystery pretty quickly, using her conjureor skills to do it. While the sherrif is there, Damian only makes brief appearances in the story. It works well though and it's a nice cozy mystery story to read. A nice addition to the Nightmare horror house stories.

[Barbara Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Novella!

"Headless at Halloween" is a Halloween novella, and part of the Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mystery series that is written by Beth Dolgner. This episode has Olivia, an amateur sleuth like Jessica Fletcher, who works at a haunted house in Nightmare, Arizona, investigating the death and beheading of a mean old man in the library basement. With several suspects in the town, will she find out who the killer is before another body falls dead? I gave this novella 5 stars.

[The Poisoned Pen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun novella for Halloween!

I'm making my way through the series and I made sure to include this short read. It's perfect for Halloween!

I would've liked it to be a wee bit longer, but I really enjoyed it. Another mystery to solve, and a Halloween to enjoy. I love Halloween so this was perfect, especially for my October Book Bingo card!

One of my favorite things in this series is the found family and the sense of home. That's something I've always wanted and enjoy reading about.

I'm off to read the next book!

[Jm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another day, another body discovered by Olivia Kendrick, new resident and scare house employee in Nightmare, AZ, where supernatural is natural. Officer Reyes by now (in the series) has become fatalistically resigned to this new order in his town and invites her this time to help solve several mysteries - who is the victim, why was he killed, who killed him, and where is his head?

This shorter story is decorated with all things Halloween as celebrated by children and older children. The mystery wrap was too sudden for me but it's a fun little spooky read.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headless at Halloween is a novella in the Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries series by Beth Dolgner.

This was a fun Halloween story. Olivia gets her new library card, but before she can check out, a body is found. The victim is a very unpopular man so there are plenty of suspects. Olivia is on the case as well as working at her night job. Halloween is quite the event at the Sanctuary.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is out in town again and helping the local librarian prove her innocence. This novella was short but was a fully-developed story with a fascinating mystery, enough suspects for an investigation, and a satisfying conclusion. Great addition to the series and a way to dip your toes into it but start at the beginning to get an understanding of the community of Sanctuary and the secrets they have.

[Sherri Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is at it again piecing together whodunnit! I love the found family who work at the haunt. The way they care for and support each other is heartwarming even though the outside world may think they are freaks or monsters. I enjoy the author’s creativity with such fun characters! I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of the book and these are my opinions.

[Kathi Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Halloween novella!!

The Nightmare, Arizona series is exciting, well-written and always makes me want to visit and meet everyone at the Haunted House! This novella is perfect to get you in the mood for Halloween 🎃 If you've never read any of this series, this is a great introduction!

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

I loved all the twists and turns in this book. There was so much I never saw coming. I was a bit confused when I started reading. I’m guessing this should have come before the last book did. But once I got the order straight in my mind I was completely absorbed by the story. I can’t wait to read more about this quirky town.

[Jennine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is really comfortable in her own skin now, amongst her paranormal friends and workmates she has accepted and embraced her new life.
Par for the course are the visitors to the sanctuary of spooky all year round halloween but is one a murderer? And what is the motive?
RECOMMENDED CLEAN MYSTERY.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you expect when you go into the basement of a library? Definitely not a dead body in a fake coffin but that's something that happens in the story. It doesn't help that the dead buy was not a nice person so Olivia has a whole bunch of possible killers.

It's a neat story with an unusual opening and a good follow-through.

[Kathy Wortham · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's not supposed to be in a casket? A headless body?

A visit to the library should be uneventful. Not in Nightmare, Arizona. Olivia has been at the discovery of so many bodies in her short few months that Officer Reyes is not surprised to see her at the latest incident. At least this time she didn't find the body, the librarian did, in the basement Halloween decorations.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short novella is included in the Poisoning at the Party audiobook. It’s a fun mystery involving a headless body found in library at Halloween. Like many of Beth Dolgner’s victims, Pete Bennett had more than one person who could benefit from his death. I recommend this short read/listen and the rest of the series to fans of paranormal cozy mysteries.

[Debbie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this series by accident

But now I cannot get enough of it I finished reading the five books now I've read the novella now I'm moving on to book 6 through 10 I really hope that that will not be the end of this series because I'm getting kind of addicted to it and I'd love to read more.

[Kristy Rae Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea there was a book #5.5, so even though I'm currently on #8, I went back and read this. It's a lot shorter than the other books, but it was good. Reading it out of order was fine, because it seemed more standalone anyway. I should have read it around Halloween due to the cozy fall vibes, but I still enjoyed it. Fun plot and a fast read.

[Lavender Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novella that should not be missed!
It has a puzzling mystery, appealing characters, and an entertaining plot. Very enjoyable.

A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.