The First Thing We Do...

by Glenn J. Hill

Now on Kindle Unlimited!
When the deadliest line in Shakespeare is spoken… the curtain rises on murder.
Retired investigator William Mills was hoping for a peaceful retirement in Ashland, Oregon—a quirky, charming theater town with a haunted past. But when a dead body appears in the Bowmer Theater, William is drawn into an intriguing four-hundred-year-old mystery as multi-layered as the Bard himself.
With the help of sharp-witted realtor Carol Lindsey and a ghostly cat with a flair for drama, William uncovers long-buried secrets, nefarious plots, and a one-hundred-year-old missing person mystery.
Set against the backdrop of a quirky and charming theater town with a haunted past, The First Thing We Do... is the perfect blend of cozy mystery, supernatural intrigue, delicious food, and theatrical flair.
To fuel the mystery solving, William prepares mouth-watering gluten-free Middle Eastern and Southern Italian meals.

Perfect for fans of paranormal cozy mysteries, paranormal culinary mysteries, and small-town intrigue, The First Thing We Do… is Book One in the binge-worthy Ghostly Ashland Shakespeare Mystery series, where every act hides a secret, and every ghost has a story.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2025

About the author

I started writing some years ago, when I was studying to become a certified Jewish Storyteller. At the time I began writing my own original stories to tell to live audiences, along with my own versions of traditional tales.

I had not known my Mother was Jewish when I was younger. I only found out in the last twenty years that she was from a hidden Jewish family who at pain of death, had to flee from persecution and the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal in the 1400`s,1500`s and 1600`s.

Some of my ancestral Jewish family in Venice claimed to be descended from King David, though there is no sure proof of this. In the 1500`s and later they were court musicians and instrument builders in the Courts of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth,where the family continued to play music for the Royal Court and the Globe Theater in London. Eventually their descendants settled in the American colonies, as early as 1609.

I draw upon this once hidden ancestry and my stringed instrument building experiences in my writing. I am a trained classical Italian violin builder, and harp builder,designing, building and carving custom one-of-a-kind harps for forty-one years now.
My creative endeavors over the years include having danced ballet and modern dance with local dance companies, as well as acting, dancing and singing in semi-professional musical and dramatic theater productions.

I live and write in Southwest Oregon, with my beautiful wife Laurie, and our two sweet girl dogs, Princess Jasmine, a Shih-tzu, and Bella, a Lhasa Apso.

In my Book Two, "The Violin Maker: In The Fires of Time", (to be released in the summer of 2020),of this series, "The Music of Time", the story in this novel will be continued back in time in the 1500`s and beyond.

This novel was partially inspired by past life recalls I have had, as well as a near-death experience I experienced on Yom Kippur, before I found out I was Jewish by birth.

Follow your Bliss and Live your Life in Joy.

Glenn J. Hill

Reviews

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in the Ghostly Ashland Shakespeare Mysteries. The cover initially drew me to the book. I’m glad I checked it out because it was intriguing from the start. The small town setting and all its characters were great. Long buried secrets came to light, and the drama kept me interested, and I was always waiting to see what was coming next. Watching William and Carol unravel this mystery was so entertaining. Throw in a ghost and a ghostly cat, and you have a wonderful cozy mystery. I will definitely be reading the next one in this series. I recommend this if you enjoy cozy mysteries and a bit of Shakespeare.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a corpse makes a surprise entrance during a Shakespearean play, William Mills and Carol Lindsay become involved in an investigation that has ramifications for the future of Ashland.

The first book in the Ghostly Ashland Shakespeare Mystery series, the story is heavy with detail as it introduces the main characters, William and Carol. I found the pacing to be a little slow for my taste, and the relationship between the two leads developed rather abruptly. Though I liked the paranormal aspect (and it was a good plot device), it was too ephemeral.

Thank you to Glenn J. Hill and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this digital complimentary copy. As always, my opinions are my own, honest and true.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing start. Being a Jewish woman with my heart in Israel, what the character, William, experienced in his past hit me so hard. It was beautiful how he was working so hard to overcome his pain and live again. The closeness he is able to accomplish with Carol was wonderful and uplifting, even though they were investigating a murder. And what a quirky murder and town! I think the Achoo cult was hilarious. Dante the ghost cat was one of my favorite characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Thing We Do… is the first book in Glenn J. Hill’s Ghostly Ashland Shakespeare Mystery series. William Mills returns home to Ashland, Oregon, after the tragic loss of his wife in a bombing that left him clinically dead for five minutes. That brief death leaves him with new abilities though he doesn’t fully realize it at first. Instead of having a chance to heal, he finds himself caught up in a mystery involving a dead body, a four-hundred-year-old manuscript, a century-old missing person case, and a ghost cat.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the debate over the true authorship of Shakespeare’s plays. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Henry Carey, son of Mary Boleyn and cousin to Elizabeth I though the book doesn’t mention those details (that’s just the Tudor nerd in me coming out!). Another highlight is the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the daughter of the wealthiest family in town, and how that cold case connects to events in the present.

While this story isn’t as cozy as the mysteries I usually prefer, I enjoyed that William is a retired investigator and brings real investigative skills to the table, rather than stumbling into sleuthing like many cozy mystery protagonists do. There are enough loose threads and intriguing elements to make me want to come back for the next book.

[Linley Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this ghostly mystery. although it’s not the ghosts you need to be scared of as usual it’s the living humans. I also really enjoyed the recipes that are included at the end of the story. The way the characters were introduced and finding out the connections between them was well written and I felt were believable especially given one of them used to be an investigator and some of them. It’s easy to see there could end up maybe a romance for future books in series, I felt for the main character having lost his wife and the grief is too fresh for romance in this book but we’re happy to be friends. Which I like as I am able to have plastic relationships with men. A lot don’t think it’s possible so was nice to see something in the plot showing it’s possible.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashland, Oregon is usually either peacefully calm or bustling with theatergoers. However, William Mills returns to find the plaza riven with protests. Based on the evidence of a dubious manuscript, the festival name has been changed to that of an obscure woman contemporary of Shakespeare. William can’t help getting involved in the investigation when the festival lawyer’s body drops to the stage of the Bowmer theater right in front of him. Readers unfamiliar with Ashland and southern Oregon might find the story entertaining. Those who are familiar with the area and the festival might find it hilarious. A triumph of imagination over implausibility. I did feel a bit of disappointment, however, because I have stayed at the hotel and never encountered a spectral cat.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Thing We Do is Book 1 A Ghostly Ashland Shakespeare Mystery by Glen J Hill. I thought that this book was different. It is a paranormal/cozy mystery story. William is returning home to become the Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theater. His family owns an enchanted bookstore. I liked the characters and I think that the author did a wonderful job introducing the characters as well as the town. There is mystery, betrayal, and crooks and a town left in 50/50 protest. This story has something for every reader to enjoy. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Sally Wilsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you solve a hundred year old mystery. That is the problem for former investigator William Mills who just wants a quiet peaceful place to retire. With the help of Caroline a realtor and a ghost cat will he find the answers. I really enjoyed this book and found myself guessing throughout the book. The author reels you in and keeps you engaged. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been to Ashland and have seen a couple of Shakespeare plays there and this story brought all that back. I loved the intrigue of the unknown manuscript. The secret plan to “update” Ashland were not only diabolical but downright awful. I loved the added mystery of Ophelia and Dante. I now want a Dante of my own. I loved reading this book and look forward to the next one!

[Sherry Priddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun cozy ghost mystery. It was a quick read. Enjoyed the ghost. Its not as cozy as most, but definitely an enjoyable read. Looking forward to more.