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Ghostly #5

Ghostly Target

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When someone starts killing police officers in the city, Detective Angus Young prioritizes finding out who's attacking those he works with. He's determined to take down the killer before any more officers are targeted.

Having the skill to speak to the ghosts of the dead is usually helpful to a medical examiner, but not when the ghosts can't identify who killed them. Keeping Angus safe is Lance's first priority as he does everything he can to try and help fit the clues together and bring peace to those who have died.

Working together, Angus and Lance put everything else on hold as they follow the leads to find a cop killer. With the help of friends both living and dead, the puzzle slowly starts to fit together, but once they have all the pieces, can they find the killer before another officer is shot?

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 31, 2023

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About the author

E.M. Leya

99 books321 followers
E.M. Leya lives surrounded by the beautiful mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah with her amazing daughter and loving pets. She is passionate about the world we live in and current events, deeming herself a "news junkie". She believes that we are all here to create something beautiful, whether it's through our talents or our actions. She enjoys writing stories that take us deep into real world problems while showing that love can happen for anyone, regardless of how dark their past might be.

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5 stars
314 (50%)
4 stars
215 (34%)
3 stars
84 (13%)
2 stars
6 (<1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Aricka Decker.
703 reviews36 followers
July 28, 2025
"He'd nap at Lance's and be there when he got home. Soon enough, the house would be his home anyway. He might as well get used to it."

We are on book five of the Ghostly series, and this time in Ghostly Target, we are dealing with an active shooter. Hold on to your panties because cops are getting messed up in this one, and we have to follow along with Angus as he tries to figure out who is targeting law enforcement.

All the while, we are worrying for him and watching Lance go through it emotionally. This book really shows how being in a relationship with a cop, when something like this can happen, can seriously mess with your head. The stress, the fear, the helplessness. It felt very real and very intense.

We also get a new ghost in this one, though he is not the most helpful of the bunch. Still, the scene at the end with Lance and the ghost’s funeral was touching. I cried. I am a big fat baby. Okay? These ghosts really hit me in the feels for absolutely no reason and I am not okay about it.

Overall, this was probably my least favorite of the series so far. Even though I never could have guessed the mystery — and believe me, I tried — I just was not as emotionally locked into this one. That said, this is still a solid book. A total four star read. It is just not my personal favorite.

What I did love, as always, was how the ghostly crew came together to help Angus and Franks solve the case, with Lance doing his part too. Like I have said before, I am mostly here for the little ghost family we are building. I love them. Do not go into the light, boos.
Profile Image for Sammy Higgins.
449 reviews7 followers
June 12, 2026
I really enjoyed the mystery in this one, and it kept me engaged. It was good seeing them doing some detective work and not relying on the ghosts for all of their information. A few things could’ve been fleshed out a bit more, but overall it was good.

As usual, I loved the side characters, and we get a new one in this one as the ME office finally got a shiny new intern. We had the usual cast of ghosts, and my ultimate favourite, Franks. I just adore that man and his working partnership with Angus.

The romance was surface-level and again more like a friendship. It’s like they’re together because it’s easier, and both mention this multiple times throughout the series. I just want a little chemistry or a proper kiss. Please give me something! They spend no proper time together, apart from to watch tv and doing things for the case. Even the long-awaited cruise was only a couple of pages; it could’ve been a golden opportunity, and they missed it.
Profile Image for antonia&#x1fae7;.
622 reviews6 followers
April 20, 2024
kind of boring but nice nonetheless.

i love lance and angus's relationship.

joe's funeral was emotionally charged and i'm glad nobody else died.

i like that we saw more of lizzy and betty in action though i understand why it doesn't happen more often.

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for BeckieLouLou.
807 reviews21 followers
October 2, 2025
4 stars. Audiobook. Paranormal cozy mystery with a touch of romance, zero spice, contemporary setting, series of 9 books following the same couple. Police homicide detective and medical examiner that can see ghosts. I would not say this is a buying-level series, but if you can get it from the library or part of a subscription service, then go for it. Maybe a good pallet cleanser after something super emotional since there is very little drama, angst or action.

The stories were well written and I eventually warmed to the characters, but the series overall was somewhat bland. It was too light in too many areas and needed a bump-up somewhere. No spice, little to no romance and sweetness, lack luster bad-guys, average investigating, no extra quirky parents, no nosy but endearing neighbors, no sassy friends or snarky ghosts, no obnoxious but lovable siblings/boss, no crass BFF or fun-loving crazy aunt. We don’t even get any decent hurt/comfort. At book 5, the MCs are a couple but still going home alone and spending so much time separate, even when they are dealing with some sad stuff and only a short drive away. There was some cuddle scenes and sweetness, but it’s really far into the series and sparse. I feel a bit unfair in my assessment because these books are fine, I’ve just read so many that are similar but way more than fine.
Profile Image for Beth.
3,030 reviews28 followers
March 16, 2024
Ghosts help catch a cop killer

This fifth book in the series has the ghosts playing a key role in helping to catch a cop killer. Meanwhile Lance and Angus make plans to move in together after their cruise.

This is a quick read and one that brings home the dangerous nature of police work and the impact on their loved ones. We meet a new ghost who might stick around and find another person who can see the ghosts. We also meet a medical examiner intern who is hoping to get hired at the office.

The story has its moments of high tension and we can empathize with the politics of policing that Angus has to deal with. It’s an entertaining read that fits in well with the other books in the series. I am really enjoying this series and I’m glad I gave the series a try after getting the recommendation.
Profile Image for Lisa.
3,647 reviews146 followers
November 4, 2023
If this is really the last story for these guys then at least we have left them in a good place.
Angus gets involved investigating a series of cop shootings and the ghosts have quite a part to play too.
I was nervous at the end expecting Angus to get shot whilst he was looking for the shooter.
I do so like Lance and Angus and the secondary characters are good too.
Profile Image for Ka.
387 reviews10 followers
February 16, 2026
Sigh. I think I'm gonna stop reading this series. Not because of the "thin blue line" bullshit, but mainly because it's just gotten really boring over the past few books (more the writing style than the content) and isn't showing any signs of improvement. The end of this book involves our main couple heading off on a week-long cruise, and Lance sees a ghost on the ship. I started book #6 hoping it would be a fun vacation story where they solve a murder mystery on the cruise ship, which would be a very different and more interesting setting than usual for this series, and most of the side cast (who I like, but we've really started getting into the weeds on all their lives) aren't present, so there might be more focus on the main character relationship and/or the mystery itself might be more interesting... but no, the next book starts by saying they just got back from vacation and presumably, we're gonna start another strangely boring murder investigation, so I decided to just stop reading this series for now. I have a lot of other books to get through. I don't hate this series or anything and might return to it if I run out of other murder mysteries, but for now, I think I got the idea, and this book is a good place to stop for now.

ALSO: I really don't want to be political in a book review, but every time the author blames "the media" for riling up the populace against the police, all I could think was "how? By simply reporting the ACTUAL REALITY that some police officers abuse the power of their badges to commit assault and murder? What do you want, for them to lie about it, or just not tell anyone?" Now, obviously, there are people who actually hate the police... but the VAST majority of people (including your hated "liberal" types) actually LIKE the idea of police when it comes to fighting crime or stopping violent individuals or otherwise doing their jobs. We appreciate and respect them for that. You can tell just by the popularity of police procedurals on TV and in books. When the police are actually trying to uphold justice and the law and such, generally the populace admires them. That is why we give the police guns and the right to do stuff most people aren't allowed to do. BUT, as you should know, with power comes responsibility, and if you can't handle the responsibility, you shouldn't have the power.

You can't expect "a few bad apples" to repeatedly get away with assault and murder of individuals who did not deserve those things, and then say "But #notallcops! how can you just blame a whole group of people for the actions of a few???" which is the most hypocritical shit I've ever seen. Personally, every interaction I myself have had with the police has been either positive or neutral. Once or twice the person was kind of an asshole, but just in a regular human way, not in a "I know I can beat you up and nothing will happen to me" way. Several times I've found the cops I interacted with to be likable, helpful, and kind. I personally don't think the majority of cops are bad people who are looking to abuse the power society gives them, and I doubt most people think that.

The problem is that if a random police officer approaches you, you don't know if they're a "good cop" or if they are a fucking psycho who got hired because background checks on cops in a lot of areas are not very good. Even though the probability of the latter is low, you can't blame people for being afraid that they've run into that 1-in-100 guy, since OOPS I ACCIDENTALLY KILLED YOU WHEN I WAS JUST TRYING TO ROUGH YOU UP is a pretty fucking serious outcome.

It's not "the media" who make people afraid of cops. It's the actual behavior of actual cops. Is it all or even most cops? No, of course not. But since the few cops who DO murder or assault the public rarely get punished, people are afraid. It's fucked up to blame THEM for being afraid, instead of the system that allows this sort of thing to keep happening. When you see multiple instances of cities having to pay out in court because it is PROVEN that an officer abused his/her power to assault or kill someone, and then that officer is transferred somewhere else to do it again (and they often DO do it again) instead of being fired, you have to wonder why these people are being protected. They make the police look bad, and I honestly don't know why this is a thing. Why on earth would the GOOD people who do this job be okay with having coworkers who do stuff like stalk their exes, beat their domestic partners, or physically abuse people they have already subdued or arrested? You'd think the Good Cops would WANT such people to be stopped. Sigh.
3,028 reviews3 followers
November 12, 2023
a terrific plot, great suspense,

Rating: 4🌈

The Ghostly series continues with Ghostly Target, a book about a killer targeting police officers. This plot switches the focus from the normal plots where the bodies have been found to the detective team of Angus and Franks, and a suspenseful investigation.

One officer down, that’s the first body but the killer is shooting at officers, randomly it seems picking targets. So immediately Laya has a strong narrative full of fear, anger, and frustration from all the characters involved. This is not just Angus and Franks, the officers fearing for their own lives but dealing with the death of one of their own, but Lance, and the co workers, and all the ghosts who make up their found families .

It is also the ghost of the first officer who was shot, and dealing with the aftermath of his death. This element is always such a great aspect of this series and is a strong one here. The author is very good as portraying a person’s confusion and frustration at being dead and denied access to the life and people they love.

All the ghosts are so memorable and their roles in the investigation and events just make them more interesting.

Lance and Angus’s relationship is gotten more committed, obviously as they are talking about moving forward with one house. But so much of the story, naturally, has to be about this killer and their investigation, that I felt their relationship development was lost.

I need more of Frank actually. Frank’s a fascinating character and deserving of his new life, maybe a dog or something. His personality is crying out for another storyline.

I enjoy the series and this new novel. Wonderful investigative plot and use of the ghosts! A new book was just added to the series list but no release date. Thrilled to find that this series will continue!

Ghostly series:

- [x] Ghostly Awakening #1
- [x] Ghostly Findings #2
- [x] Ghostly Envy #3
- [x] Ghostly Claus #4
- [x] Ghostly Target #5
- [ ] Ghostly Hostage #6 - TBD
Profile Image for Kelly (Maybedog).
3,730 reviews240 followers
June 6, 2025
The mystery was interesting. The police work was good. I like that they treated the bikers with respect and that the ghost was of a decorated Black police officer. It’s funny that the MCs ride because it doesn’t fit my perception of them. But that’s kind of cool.

I really like all the characters, especially the ghosts. I love Angus’s parents but they weren’t in this book, just mentioned. The mom’s best friend, a ghost, was there though and she’s great.

The main characters are really mellow, maybe more realistic. They don’t avow how much they love each other like each couldn’t live without the other. They just say, “I love you.” Everything is very practical and matter of fact. I’m more into the angst and melodrama but I still really like these guys. Their relationship has been slow but steady which doesn’t feel realistic but is a nice change. They do talk about the important things. With Angus a police officer, there’s always the chance of death and they discussed how they would react if he became a ghost.

There was a little danger, not a lot. The whole thing was very low emotion even though they said they were scared. I didn’t really feel it but I think a lot of that was the reader.

The reader, Greg D. Barnett, has a decent variety of voices but he usually puts a pause after sentences after he breathes in: “Lance sat down” breath in, pause. “Then he started talking.” Breathe in, pause. It’s really distracting and makes the text seem wooden.

I loved this and will read the next one soon.
Profile Image for Shannon Boote.
Author 1 book10 followers
January 11, 2026
I have read every book in this series, except for the last one. (Ghostly Awakening, Ghostly Findings, Ghostly Envy, Ghostly Claus, Ghostly Target, Ghostly Hostage, Ghostly Death, and Ghostly Dilemma) The entire series are 4-4.25 stars all day long. If you are looking for sexy times on page that stem up your reading glasses, this is not that at all. All sexy times are off page and that doesn't distract from the stories at all but adds to its charm. It actually feels sweet. This is a soft, slow burn, low angst, story with two cinnamon rolls for main characters that both give me a toothache. This is seriously a great palate cleanser and while there are some stakes the story is not about that.

Lance, an assistance medical examiner is on his first day back at work after a bad car accident almost killed him. His only family is his brother, who is away in the Navy. Lance leads a quiet life very alone in his daily life with few friends he has at work. One his first day back, the ghost of one of the corpses on his table starts to talk to him and Lance thinks it is a side effect of the head injury he sustained, he feels crazy and is freaking out about what it means for his future. In comes Angus a homicide detective that inadvertently sees Lance interact with a ghost for the first time. Growing up with a mother who can speak to the dead, Angus feels compelled to help Lance understand what is happening to him.

What comes after is Lance finding friendship and love in both the living and the dead. Finding family, friends, and love has never been so sweet. The respect and care Lance and Angus show each other is top tier relationship goals. The books are not action packed, there are no explosions, no hanging by one finger off the edge of a cliff moments. But these stories carry a lot of heart and are just sweet. Definitely going to check out E.M. Leya's other series.
Profile Image for Kari.
892 reviews86 followers
February 8, 2025
This is the fifth book in the series featuring police officer Detective Angus Young and medical examiner Lance. In this one we have Angus and his colleague Frank chasing down a cop killer hooligan. I love watching Angus and Lance together and I love how their relationship is developing. I can’t wait until they finally move in together with Haunt, which I think should be occurring in the next book. I would like more romantic moments between Angus and Lance, especially because their relationship is still sort of new. It seems like either the ghosts, or Frank, or Angus’ parents are always around. I’m glad they’re finally alone on a cruise at the end of the book, that was sweet. This book had less serial killer vibes which was a good change. Also, the ghosts help a lot in catching the bad guy, especially Betty. All of the ghosts are super remarkable and unique. She is so much fun to watch. I also liked that Lance is finally getting an assistant to help out at the morgue. I hope Frank finds someone soon so he stops feeling like a third wheel around Angus and Lance, he’s a lovely character, maybe in one of the next books
Profile Image for Kate.
2,764 reviews6 followers
August 30, 2025
**********Contains Spoilers**********

I’m new to EM Leya’s work and I’m looking forward to reading more. I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was another good addition to the Ghostly Series. I found this book a lot more exciting than the previous book, Ghostly Claus but that’s mainly because I didn’t like the murder victim as he was an a*se and was being extremely disruptive when Lance was just doing his job, and couldn’t talk to him since he was in the middle of an autopsy with Callie’s assistance.

I found the plot very engaging and I had to smile at the funeral scene when the deceased officer showed up at his own funeral and the antics he pulled that only Lance was privy too. Angus & Lance’s relationship is strengthening with each book. I hope that Franks will find a girlfriend soon, even if he isn’t looking. I’m looking forward to reading Ghostly Hostage next, as well as more books by EM Leya in the future. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to others.
669 reviews6 followers
November 30, 2024
This is the fifth book in the series. This time Angus and Lance are searching for a cop killer. Officers are shot completely unaware, with no provacation. All the attacks look completely random, and since it's just a sniper's bullet that takes them down, the ghost didn't see anything. Finding clues is difficult, and when things start to fall into place, will they be able to stop the attacks, when leads are given by the dead. I like this series. I especially like that it isn't one big sex fest....Sometimes there is so much emphasis on the spicy parts, that the story gets lost, or isn't really developed. Reading this though I kep thinking that if people could really talk to the dead, solving crimes would be a breeze...
Profile Image for Jude.
1,173 reviews6 followers
December 11, 2023
Truthfully I was a bit disappointed. The series has been great, and the plots are interesting. This one also had an interesting plot, and the ghosts played an active role. However, even though all the boxes were checked, it lacked some type of oomph! I think it centered around the relationship which seems to have lost its heat. No sex, no close emotional moments. Even the humor was just off. The deceased cop's behavior at his funeral lacked humor as we, as readers, know he is performing for an audience of one. Not sure how it could be fixed as I am not an author - just a rabid reader.
Profile Image for Donna.
3,470 reviews40 followers
October 8, 2024
OK, this is getting annoying! I spent the whole time I was reading this last night feeling like I shouldn't know what would happen next... yes, I have obviously read this sometime in the past and didn't mark it as read for one reason or another! 🤦‍♀️😭🤬

So, as I enjoyed the story, I will move on to book #6, Ghostly Hostage... let's go find out if I have read this whole dang series...
30 reviews
July 29, 2024
So far my Favorite

Wow! This book is one the best in the series. I was so invested in the story and where the characters will take us. Lance and Angus developing relationship was everything in this book We got more character development for both characters and the plot was great. The story took us for a small ride and enjoy it. I read this book in one sitting and have no regrets.
Profile Image for Kerry.
1,850 reviews62 followers
February 24, 2025
Another good mystery featuring Lance and Angus and an assortment of ghosts and other characters. I'm happy to see Lance's ghostly family expanding and helping to find the killer.

I'm finding the audiobooks to be very enjoyable to listen to. However, I must admit, I probably wouldn't read the physical books because the story is rather slow, repetitive, and there is absolutely no romance or sexy times.

Read February 22, 2025
Profile Image for joani.
1,678 reviews6 followers
June 19, 2024
This is one crazy case

All the ghosts come together to help Angus catch a cop killer. They are all so great! I love Jeremy at the lab and he has been a really great at helping Lance. It got a bit emotional for Joe and his family and Lance actually does the one thing he would never do. It was very sweet and touching.
1,395 reviews2 followers
October 18, 2024
Lance & Angus

Really enjoyed this one. Cops are being targeted and the detectives are working overtime to stop it from happening again as well as keeping themselves safe. Lance and Angus definitely deserve the cruise they are set to go on. Jeremy, the morgue ghost is the one who finds the biggest clue and moves the case towards closing. Good story, on to the next.
Profile Image for Chetana.
1,114 reviews27 followers
March 5, 2025
3⭐️

This installment was a lot more action packed than the others in the series. And there are some points in the book where Lance being able to see ghosts might cause some ripples in the future at work for both Lance and Angus. I am enjoying reading this series and am hoping there are more books coming out soon.
Profile Image for Karen Rich.
790 reviews12 followers
November 8, 2023
Book 5 is amazing, I love Lance and Angus and all they others, they make me laugh, I love the relationships between them all living and the dead. This series is an essential read and I promise you will enjoy it.
I highly recommend this author and series.
Profile Image for DeeNeez.
2,073 reviews13 followers
December 15, 2023
Awesome series. I’m loving the interaction between the Angus and Lance, but I mostly love how the ghosts are a key part of solving their investigations. And I’m happy to hear the series does not stop here! Highly recommend to read the series in order.
Profile Image for Susan65.
1,657 reviews54 followers
November 20, 2023
There I just something about this series that I love.
870 reviews
January 8, 2024
Addicted

I am addicted to this series loved the story arc, characters and the great way each story unfolds. I totally think it worth a read and highly recommend.
Profile Image for PaperMoon.
1,888 reviews86 followers
January 9, 2025
3.5 stars - there are quite a lot of recurring characters but my familiarity with them through the preceding books means this does not detract/confuse my reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews