Ghosts & Gowns: A Craft and Ghost Cozy Mystery

A Dress Designer Cozy Mystery #1

by Lucinda Race

Enjoy this humorous, small-town, psychic, cozy mystery by best-selling and award-winning Lucinda Race.

When a reluctant ghost whisperer inherits a dress shop, murder and mayhem follow.

Designer—reluctant psychic and amateur sleuth—Claudia Grant just wanted a fresh start.
When she inherits her late Uncle Herman’s charming dress shop in Drakes Bay, she expects sewing machines… not a resident ghost. But Uncle Herman’s spirit is very much alive (well, dead) and desperate for Claudia to uncover the truth behind his untimely demise.

On Claudia’s very first morning on the job, she befriends Beth, the next-door knitting shop owner—and discovers she's the beneficiary of her late uncle's estate. Then a mysterious man phones, claiming Herman promised him the shop. Before Claudia can stitch up the loose ends, she finds herself standing over the man’s body—with a gun in her hand, and the local police breathing down her neck.

Now the only person who can prove Claudia’s innocence is… a ghost.

With help from her spectral uncle, an adorably aloof dress shop cat, and a handsome—and highly skeptical—town cop, Claudia must unravel a tangle of clues and small-town scandals before the real murderer claims another victim… or before Claudia ends up in cuffs or as a ghost permanently.

Why You’ll Love Ghosts & GownsCharming Small Town: Drakes Bay’s quirky shops and neighborly gossip set the perfect cozy stage.Lovable Ghost: A grumpy, old-fashioned spirit who knows all the secrets… and the best tailoring tips!A Dash of Romance: Sparks fly between Claudia and a local police officer, even when the evidence stacks against her.Whimsical Mystery: Fingerprint dust, hidden ledgers, and a trail of ghostly clues keep you guessing.Stand-Alone & Series-Ready: Dive in here—each mystery wraps up neatly, but you’ll want to come back for more spectral sleuthing.Ghosts & Gowns is the first in the A Dress Designer Cozy Mystery series from award-winning author Lucinda Race. Cozy up, settle in, and prepare to be haunted… in the best possible way!

“This is an entertaining spin-off of Lucinda Race's Bookstore Cozy Mystery series."
— fblizz

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Cozy

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Award-winning and best-selling author Lucinda Race is a lifelong fan of cozy mysteries and romance novels

She spins tales of small town romance and cozy mystery—writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Whether she’s weaving a heartwarming romance or a cozy mystery, her fingers practically fly across the keyboard.

Lucinda lives with her little dog— a shih tzu mix rescue—who is always by her side. When she’s not immersed in writing mystery, suspense, or romance, she’s wandering in her garden or curled up with a book, devouring everything she can get her hands on.


Be sure to follow her on Bookbub for the latest on sales and new releases. https://bit.ly/LucindaRace

Reviews

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome psychic cosy mystery storytelling by Lucinda Race who is giving chase post haste from her dressmaking shop. Claudia Grant is a new owner of a dress shop , her skills as a ghost whisperer extraordinaire, does help her out so when she sees him ,she’s not surprised ,even when he’s supposed to have demised.Reluctant psychic too. Thanks Uncle Herman, you shouldn’t have ! Now she’s an amateur sleuth too ,strewth! Truth be told ,she’s known the ghost all her life and he’s no stranger so there’s no danger there ,she just didn’t expect to be staring at her dear departed uncle in the ,well no of course he’s not in the flesh but he’s right there in the store even though he has no body no more…So what’s a niece to do when a ghostly uncle begs for her help ? Track the clues to find out who would’ve been so bad ,a cad to do him in….Yelp!On her first day,a friend comes her way in the shape of Beth who sells yarns and spins a few next door. Phew she’s not alone anymore . She has an allie to help keep her out of jail because she was then found with a gun in her hand though it wasn’t smoking and I hasten to say ,not the same brand? But I’m not so worthy of her skills at solving these things as I keep falling for red herrings! Great writing as always by Lucinda Race who always tells those tales of hers with such aplomb and grace . Not in,your face but moving you on nice and slow and easy flow. With writing so immersive and never cursive ,it’s a delight to dive right in and not at all a chagrin or a chore and certainly NOT a bore.Storytelling compelling and great storyline .im so glad I got a copy to call mine.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Designer Claudia Grant was supposed to intern with her Uncle Herman in his dress shop in Drake’s Bay. Instead she inherits it after his death. Shortly after arriving, Claudia finds Uncle Herman is still in the shop, as a ghost, and that his death was not the accident she had been led to believe. Befriended by neighbor, Beth, and her father, Ethan, Claudia hopes to find out what really happened to Herman and reopen the shop. Before she can, Claudia is approached by a man who claims Herman was going to sell him the shop. Agreeing to a meeting, Claudia arrives only to find him dead. Now she’s the number one suspect. Amid shop break-ins and someone determined to frame her, Claudia must figure out what’s really happening before she joins Herman in the ghostly realm.

Ghosts and Gowns is the first in a new paranormal cozy series from Lucinda Race, and a spin-off from her Bookstore cozy series. Claudia is a likable and relatable character, despite her ability to see ghosts. Herman is charming in his ghostly form, and it’s sad that he and Claudia weren’t able to work together before his death. Beth and Ethan were also wonderful characters and I loved how they immediately welcomed and protected Claudia. The mystery was well written and kept me guessing. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next mystery.

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

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claudia has a special gift: being able to talk to ghosts. When her Uncle Herman’s spirit materializes before her eyes, she’s got no idea what’s in store. All she wants to do is design dresses in the shop she’s inherited from her uncle. Instead, she’s teaming up with her new best friend and solving two murders and a break-in. With the help of her uncle, a cute police officer, and her bestie, she’ll try to apprehend the murderer before she’s charged with the crime.

Ghosts & Gowns is a delightful paranormal cozy mystery. This is book one of the spin-off series to Lucinda Race’s widely popular Bookstore Cozy Mystery series. Ghosts & Gowns moves at a quick pace with descriptive narration, small-town setting, quirky characters and a mystery to solve. Readers of Lucinda Race will delight in the parallels to the Bookstore Cozy Mystery books.

Overall, this is a good start to a new series. I found Uncle Herman to be a refreshing twist on the paranormal cozy mystery genre. I look forward to the next book in the series.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Nancy

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Carissa Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read more than few cozy mysteries over the years, but so many of them don't really stay cozy. That is not the case for this story. The main character is in danger at points but help is never to far away and I know the character has a way out if need be. I don't mind a little trill in my cozy mysteries but I shouldn't have to worry about the characters not making it out of the plot.
Luckily Race does a lovely job balancing the mystery, the suspense, and the coziness. I will say the only thing I didn't overly enjoy was the addition of a ghost only the main character could see. It did give key plot point information that would not have been known other wise, but I feel like it could have been found out or discovered in some other way. I know it's the whole theme of the book. Hence the tile but it just didn't really work for me.
All in all the book is a fun, light hearted murder mystery. Which sounds odd but it's true.

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

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Cozy mystery
- Paranormal
- Small town

I was enamored right from the start of this new cozy mystery series. I absolutely LOVED the Book Store series, and with this being a spin off, I knew I was in for a treat. This series takes place in another coastal Maine town where Claudia arrives to reopen her late uncle's dress shop. Then she learns his passing may have been more mysterious than she was initially told.

Claudia has had a gift her entire life where she could see ghosts. So she is only mildly surprised to see her uncle's ghost in the shop. The relationship between these two is so sweet that it was a shame they never had a chance to work together while he was alive.

As Claudia tries to make sense of the situation, she finds herself a primary suspect in another incident. Luckily, her new friends rally around her to help uncover the truth!

At the end of the story, we also have a cameo from our favorite witches!.

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

[Susan Lutfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I have to say I usually don’t pick up this kind of book to read. That being said, I must say I’m so glad I did decide to read it! Claudia Grant moved to Drakes Bay to take over her Uncle Herman’s shop as he had died in an accident. Or was it an accident? She walked into the shop and there sat Uncle Herman – but something was not quite right. He was . . . translucent and she could see through him. It takes some getting used to being a ghost and that his death was not an accident, although his memory since becoming a ghost was not that good. He couldn’t remember the details of his death. Claudia and her new-found friend Beth try to solve the mystery of who murdered Uncle Herman. A lot of twists and turns, and an ending that I did not see coming, this book had me hooked from the first page. A fun read that you will very much enjoy! I am looking forward to the next books in this series. I can’t wait to read them.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sabetha · Rating 5 out of 5]

New place, new friends, new enemies?

This is a fun read, which seems like a weird thing to say about a murder, but the supporting cast is so lovable and fun it makes the whole book unputdownable.

Claudia may not want to claim her eccentricities but as the story progresses she gets support from unexpected places. This is such a feel good arc, and I'm excited to see how her character develops in the coming books.

This double mystery takes a few unexpected turns, and the ending was unexpected in a good way. I have a feeling Claudia and Beth are going to be a fun duo to follow. It was also funny to find a sleuth that does instantly love cats. While I love my furry babies, it's a nice twist to see different perspective.

Lucinda does a great job at painting the scene. From the description of the shop, to the town, and dress making. It all comes together to paint a great story. If you love sleuths who can talk to ghosts, you're going to love this book.

Read for the 2026 Cozy Mystery Book Club

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series starter!

This book is a spinoff from one of my favorite series, Bookstore Cozy Mysteries.

This is a wonderful series starter, with Claudia coming to Drakes Bay to take over her late Uncle Herman's Bridal Gown store.

When she arrives, she encounters his ghost, and also discovers surprising news about his death. She also meets and becomes quick friends with Beth, who owns a shop across the street.

The story is well written, fun and easy to read - I finished it very quickly. There's mystery, friendship, and possible romance.

I really liked the characters a lot, and enjoyed the tie-ins with some of the Bookstore Cozy Mystery characters. It actually made me go back to a book in that series and I was even more impressed with the tie-ins.

Looking forward to the next book!!

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

[Lorraine O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story telling, great twisty plot and very likeable main characters, except for the murderer. Claudia Grant inherits her Great-Uncle Herman's Dress Shop. When she gets there she finds out that he was murdered and that he is also a ghost in his shop. Five months ago at the funeral they were told his death was accidental fall. She isn't in the store more than a few minutes and in comes her across the street shop neighbor, Beth. She hands her Uncle Herman's Himalayan cat named Lola. A little while later, she meets Beth's dad, Ethan. He's a retired police officer. He explains to her what happened with Uncle Herman and that it is an open murder case. This explains the fingerprint powder all over the apartment. The 3 work together to clean it up. And a great friendship begins. There are many things going on at the same time in this story and it keeps you guessing until the last chapter. A fun well written story. I highly recommend it!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew from the first paragraphs this was gonna be a winner! I absolutely loved Uncle Herman’s character—he’s now one of my top favorite ghost characters in cozies. The key players were all awesome and I loved the friendship that developed with Claudia, Beth and Ethan, Beth’s dad. Ethan acted as a sorta surrogate dad for Claudia which helped both of them since he was coming off his wife’s recent death. Helping her with security. things at the shop gave this retired police chief something to feel useful about.

I loved the budding friendship with Eddie and Claudia—some of Herman’s comments that only Claudia could hear when Eddie was there were pretty funny too! The showdown was epic and now I absolutely can’t wait for the next book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided via BookSprout, and my opinions are my own.

[Genesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new series. Claudia inherited her uncle's clothes shop after his death. She met Beth, the owner of a wool shop, and they became best friends instantly. When the man who wants to buy Claudia's shop is murdered, she becomes the main suspect. With the help of Beth and her father, Ethan, a retired cop, they investigate the murder. I enjoyed reading the book; it's entertaining and holds your interest from the first page. I like the characters and the few funny scenes. To me, it's a page-turner and worth every minute spent reading it. I'm looking forward to Book 2, and I know I'll enjoy it just as much as this one.

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

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal. Claudia Grant inherits her great-uncle’s dress-making business, only to find out that not only was her great-uncle murdered, he’s now a ghost. As if that weren’t enough to deal with, she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a local man who had tried to buy the shop she just inherited

With the help of a neighboring business owner and her father, who quickly become friends of hers, as well as a cute local cop, the whole thing is sorted out and the guilty are brought to justice.

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

[ShellsBooksandCoffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, cozy fun little book.

Its a murder mystery with a hint of romance and a side of paranormal - ghosts

Claudia has just moved to the small town of Drakes Bay where she plans to reopen her great uncles shop.

Within the first week of living in Drakes Bay Claudia has discovered that uncle Herman was murdered and the case is still unsolved, she is the number one suspect in another resident's untimely death. Plus she finds out that uncle Herman left his shop to her in his will.

With the help of her new friend and fellow shop owner Beth plus uncle Herman's ghost can Claudia uncover what really happened

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claudia just inherited her uncles Dress Shop when things turn upside down. Can she and her new friends clear her name for murder before it’s too late.
I absolutely loved this story. I had parts of the mystery solved before it was revealed but missed the third part. I love all of the characters. It was great having Lily and Nikki make an appearance. I can’t wait to see if things develop between Eddie and Claudia.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by booksprout.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts & Gowns: A Craft and Ghost Cozy Mystery is book #1 in the Dress Designer Cozy Mystery series by Lucinda Race.

Claudia Grant has moved to Drakes Bay to reopen her late uncle’s shop dress shop. When she gets there, she finds her uncle’s ghost at the shop. Can she figure out what happened to him? I loved the author’s Book Store series and was excited to read this new series. This has great characters and the story hooked me from the beginning. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

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

[Trina Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cozy mystery is a delightful escape with humor, small town charm, and the right touch of the paranormal. It has a lovable heroine, a cast of quirky characters, and a mystery that keeps you guessing, it is the perfect balance between lighthearted fun and suspense. I consider this book a must read for all fans of feel good whodunits that have a supernatural twist!

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

[Fleur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the beginning with this new series, I love the characters Claudia and her Uncle Herman along with her new friends like Beth. Her welcome to Drakes Bay is definitely not the norm but it certainly was entertaining to see how she and her new friends handle things and has me wanting the next book when I finished this one!.

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

[Clarkfamilybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the spin-off series to Lucinda Race’s widely popular Bookstore Cozy Mystery series and it's just as good. When Claudia inherits her late Uncle Herman’s dress shop, she never expected to see his ghost or help to solve his murder, while also keeping herself out of jail. Can be read as both a standalone and series.
Why You’ll Love Ghosts & Gowns
A Charming Small Town
A Lovable Ghost
and a Dash of Romance
with a Whimsical Mystery.
.

[Marichus Real · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claudia inherits a dress shop from her Uncle Herman, who happens to be a ghost trapped in the shop until his death is resolved.
The first two days, there were nightmares she was not expecting, but she made some good friends who supported her. They helped her analyze all the facts to discover who the killer was. I liked her conversation with Herman.
This was a good first book in the new series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[TheCoffeeGridReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A small town cozy mystery with amateur sleuths? Sounds like a party!

I loved this book to put it simply. The characters are intriguing (especially Herman)! They didn't feel two dimensional and were each interesting alone. Honestly, I would be interested in a little novella or something giving the history of the characters before the story takes place. Some information about their background is revealed throughout, but I believe they each have an interesting story to tell.

I wish the book didn't end! It definitely kept me guessing until the end about who did it? And there were a couple surprising twists - at least surprising to me.

All of that to say, I highly recommend and 5 out 5 stars. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was pretty easy. I knew who did at least some of the dirty work. She was the one that threw me off until the charm & necklace. I loved this book. I absolutely adore the characters. Especially Herman. I want him to lead his life but I don't want him to go either. That's a hard one. I want to see the next one!.

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

[Lizz Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining spin off Lucinda Race's Bookstore Cozy Mystery series. Claudia tries to help her uncle pass to the other side by solving the mystery around his demise. She uncovers more than she bargained for in this twisty mystery. Being new to town she has to learn who she can trust and who is not what they seem. I am looking forward to more in this series.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Claudia comes to take over her Uncle Herman's dress shop and gets more than she bargained for. She makes new friends and develops a friendship with her late uncle. I liked how Claudia and Beth help solve two murders and a scam.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy mystery with a youthful feel about a big city designer who inherits a dress shop only to find out her charming, and recently deceased, uncle hasn’t passed on. With a delightful cast of small-town New England characters, what starts as a turning point in her career changes into a murder mystery, and the easy to follow clues will still leave you guessing whodunit.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery with likeable characters, xell written and easy to read. It just kept me reading. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received an advance review copy via Booksprout and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Sherry Priddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series starter. It was a fun, easy, quick read. I will be looking forward to the next one. Definitely recommend.

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

[Cyndi Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this author. I loved seeing 2 cameos/references to the last series. This was well written as always. I am really enjoying this little community and the beachy setting.

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

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Brooke Fradd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun kickoff to spooky season.

[Lucinda Race]

I hope you love book 1 in the Craft and Ghost Cozy Mystery Series.
It was a blast to write, and I'll be publishing a new book in 2026 - Ribbons & Robbery.