Hounded by the Past

Mysteries of Aspen Falls #7

by DeAnna Julie Dodson

A Victorian mansion outside Aspen Falls, Colorado, is revamped into a hotel full of spooky gimmicks, but when Ashley Hart visits, she witnesses a very real murder.

Veterinarian Ashley Hart expects the unexpected when hoteliers TJ and Carla Lindell invite her to join them on opening night at their “haunted” Victorian hotel, as they reenact the fatal tragedy that befell the original owners in the late 1800s. Ashley and her boyfriend, handsome park ranger Cole Hawke, get more than they bargained for, however, when they witness TJ shot dead before their eyes—and it’s definitely not an act. Ashley and Cole soon realize that TJ’s death was no accident, and someone close to him carefully plotted his cold-blooded murder.

Ashley and Cole quickly become embroiled in the investigation and hope they can help authorities get to the bottom of the ghastly crime. Unfortunately, someone at Caswell Manor keeps trying to frighten them off with increasingly sinister deeds. Can Ashley uncover the killer before someone else dies, or will her attempts at solving the case come back to haunt her . . . with deadly consequences?

This clever whodunit from Annie’s Mysteries of Aspen Falls series is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries, animals, female friendships, and light romance.

Genres: Mystery

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with four spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her first books, In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, are a trilogy of medieval romances and have just been redesigned and freshly edited for Kindle. She is also the author of the contemporary mystery, Letters in the Attic, and has recently signed on to write another Annie's Attic Mystery: The Key in the Attic, due out in 2012. Her newest books, yet to be released, are A Dinner of Herbs, a Civil War drama, and a 1930s English mystery, Rules of Murder. Civil as an Orange, her current work in progress, is the sequel to Rules of Murder. You can find out more about DeAnna and her books, including sample chapters, at her website: http://www.deannajuliedodson.com/

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good mystery

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hounded by the Past by DeAnna Julie Dodson is a scary mystery with veterinarian Ashley Hart as the protagonist. She and her beau, park ranger Cole Hawke, attempt to catch a killer at a spooky new hotel in Aspen Falls, Colorado, that has a shadowy past.

The old Victorian Caswell Manor is refurbished by TJ and Carla Lindell to become a haunted hotel for guests. When TJ brings their dog, a whippet, to the vet, he invites Dr. Hart to the grand opening show.

Dueling pistols. A fatal reenactment. Murder onstage. Shady backstories. The characters are alive and well in this mystery—even the whippet. Clues and red herrings abound. Dodson knows how to build a mystery.

If you like characters you care about stuck in spooky houses with a killer on the loose, then Hounded by the Past by DeAnna Julie Dodson is the novel for you.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Eureka Springs,Arkansas the Hotel in this book reminds me of our Crescent Hotel. The Crescent has been a Girls Collage, a "hospital" that promised it could cure Cancer in the early 1900. It is now one of the most elegant Hotels in Eureka Springs but does Haunted tours. Hope you enjoy this book!

[Debra McEathron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good cozy mystery with Ashley and Cole involved. The new haunted hotel was getting ready to open with a lot of interest. Then at the grand opening a murder happened. Ashley and Cole start looking into some of the history and found more than they bargained for.

[Kathy Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't figure it out til the end. Good.

[f_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so the plot twist in this one took me by surprise, and I loved it. It took me so long to solve the mystery, which was great since I’m always guessing the plot twists. Definitely a favorite in the series:)

[Michelle C Lidtke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute mystery story I found in a little library. Murder she wrote type, Nancy Drew. I figured out the killer right away. I'll continue looking for the series

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haunted by the Past by DeAnna Julie Dodson is a good cozy mystery. The romance in this novel is between two characters who have never met before.

There is a spooky and scary setting—complete with dangerous thunderstorms and a stalker. Set in the woods of Maine, Rebecca Pierce has come to her lonely family cabin to decide how to move forward in life. This novel is packed with tragedy but ends positively. That’s why I like these Annie’s Hearts in Peril stories.

Griffin Mercer is visiting his great-grandmother Nana. Nana and her live-in companion Amanda are experiencing some scary situations. Nana becomes a matchmaker between Griffin and Rebecca. Backstory sneaks in here to help the reader understand actions.

The ending is edge-of-your-seat to see how our protagonists get out of the danger they are in. It works! If you like spooky stories during thunderstorms, then Haunted by the Past by DeAnna Julie Dodson is the book for you.

[Anne Juhasz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read but predictable and not very well written.