So Transparent: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery

by Mallory Pierce

Wedding bells are ringing in Woebrook, which is cause for celebration…until the Grim Reaper crashes the party.

The town’s resident celebrity, horror writer Nolan Drake, brings his ghostly housemate, Gwen, to the nuptials, and she’s excited to attend her first Frink family function in over a century. Too bad everything that can go wrong before the ceremony does, and all the snafus and drama culminate in wedding planner Natalie Doyle’s body being found face down in a pile of cake.

As Nolan (and in no small part Gwen) helped the police solve two recent murders, he’s recruited by the WPD’s cockiest cop to participate in a “bro-vestigation.” The men, and their tag-along spirit, soon learn that Natalie’s personal and professional lives were very complicated and messy. In the days leading to her demise, she was cheated on, stolen from, manhandled, sabotaged, and verbally accosted in public twice!

With a host of suspects lying through their teeth and pointing fingers at each other, this might be Nolan and Gwen’s toughest case yet. At least, it’s not ice-cold like Gwen’s own unsolved murder, which continues to haunt her. Will the discovery of a clue from the past finally set her on the path to putting that mystery to rest?

If you enjoy sassy sleuths and supernatural shenanigans, you won’t want to miss So Transparent! It’s similar in tone and content to the works of Paranormal Cozy Mystery authors Angie Fox, Danielle Garrett, and Amy Boyles.

Genres: Mystery

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2025

About the author

Mallory Pierce is a third-generation graveyard enthusiast (tombstones tell such interesting stories!), reader of Nancy Drew, player of Clue, devout dissectologist (look it up!), and the owner of several fetching trench coats. So, it makes perfect sense that she spends her days writing stories about a plucky, crime-solving ghost.

Despite having visited haunted houses from San Jose to Savannah, Mallory has yet to have a close encounter with anyone from the Great Beyond and that’s probably for the best because she’s sort of a wimp. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone.

That’s the Spirit! is the first of what will hopefully be many Paranormal Cozy Mysteries penned by Mallory Pierce, which is a pseudonym of award-winning Romantic Comedy author Tracie Banister.

Reviews

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wedding of the year goes awry when the wedding planner's dead body is discovered amidst the remains of the nuptial cake. Horror writer Nolan Drake is inducted into the Woeville Police Department investigation, only to find that the unassuming young woman was plagued by enemies. It will take everything that Nolan and his ghostly companion, Gwen, have to get to the truth of this messy affair.

The partnership between Nolan the human and Gwen the ghost is delightful. I love how they work with each other to make their way to the solution of the mystery. I do wish, however, that the police department wasn't so tropefully protrayed as incompetent from the top down. Other than that quibble, the story was gripping, and I raced through impatient to find out who the killer was!

I highly recommend this series for paranormal cosy fans. It's utterly charming!


Thank you to Mallory Pierce and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this eARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so much fun and So Transparent is book three of the series, so there's a lot of paranormal fun to be had.

Nolan and Gwen work together to solve murders with Nolan working directly with the police to solve the cases. Gwen feeds him a lot of useful information that she is able to discover using her ghostly powers. I love their relationship and how they feed off of each other to solve the case. I am constantly chuckling at their antics.

Natalie, the wedding planner, isn't having a very good day. All of the plans for this beautiful wedding are falling apart, due to no fault of her own—someone is out to get her. And then when she is found face down in the wedding cake, things definitely aren't going her way. But then that's when the fun begins, with Nolan and Gwen on the case, discovering who dunnit.

Along with the murder cases that they always find themselves in the midst of, they are also trying to uncover the truth of Gwen's demise. That is an ongoing case and I am totally invested in learning the truth about that.

I highly recommend So Transparent and it's the perfect Halloween read for right now! I devoured it and I look forward to more antics and crime-solving from Gwen and Nolan. Check it out!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wedding day murder

Here comes the murder. Wedding day chaos turns to calamity when the planner turns up dead on the ruined cake. With multiple suspects, lots of unanswered questions and two very determined officers this case goes sideways fast. Nolan and Bailey are still working Gwendolyn’s murder along with Jennifer as well. Lots of action, a real doozy of a twist and an all around fun read!

[Jeremy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghost detective

Another great story in the series. More character development and hints about the future. Can't wait for the fourth book to come out.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What A Great Adventure!

I really love this series, this the third book with more to come. I can’t wait for the next one.

So Transparent is about ghost named Gwendolyn “Gwen” Frink who was murdered in 1913 about a month before she was to marry Calvin Ames. After a time her family has a séance at their home to try and talk with Gwen. It did bring Gwen back to their house but unfortunately they could not see or hear her and to make things worse it trapped Gwen at their family’s Victorian-style home in Woebrook New York.

Nolan Drake is an author of horror mystery books and moved to Woebrook and was drawn to purchase the Frink’s family home. Because Nolan was a great-great-grandson of Calvin Ames, Gwen’s fiancé and had inherited the gold pocket watch that had once belonged to Calvin that was a Christmas present from his beloved Gwendolyn. Nolan had been the first person in over a century who could see Gwen’s incorporeal form.

Gwen has no memory of who killed her and has asked Nolan to help solve her murder so justice can be done. Bailey is a police officer in Woebrook and is Gwen’s cousin and is work together to solve murders, with Nolan working directly with the police to solve the cases.

Follow along and enjoy this adventure as the story unfolds. With the many twists and turns as the story progresses it will keep you turning pages. Enjoy the ride and we will see what will happen, and if they can solve a murder (or Two).

I really enjoyed this book! And I think you will also.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends of Nolan and Bailey are getting married. They are distant relatives of Gwendolyn, who, by the way is still trying to uncover who murdered her long ago. She is able to travel where Nolan does because the talisman she is attached to is a watch of an uncle of his that he inherited. Mason and Bram have familial ties to Gwendolyn in their ancestral history. They have chosen a young woman for their wedding planner. This ruffles the tail feathers of Dana, a competing wedding planner, and top club member. The marriage between Mason and Bram is a town historic event. The union of the towns two founding families of Woebrook. Add the fact that Dana's only child eloped, robbing Dana of holding a huge wedding affair for her dauhter and she blames poor Natalie for it. The intrigue starts at page one and the hyjinks Natalie has to fix are many, but, by whom? Someone is making calls changing things Natalie has ordered for the wedding and Nolan and Bailey rush to fix what they can. I enjoyed the fact that Gwendolyn is the one taking us thru this journey. Will they ever not be sidetracked by murders to figure out Gewndolyn's murder? I kind of hope no because I really enjoy this series.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an ARC reader for Book Sirens and this is my honest opinion. I enjoyed this book. It's the third in this series, and although it's been some time since book two, I was back into the story in no time. Gwendolyn Frink, who was murdered somewhere around 1910 or so, has been stuck as a spirit in the Victorian house in the town of Woebrook that her family owned while she was alive. No one had been able to see or hear her until horror writer Nolan moved in. Delighted to have someone to talk to who could see her and talk back, she convinced Nolan to help her find out who murdered her. Having discovered, by accident that their neighbour opposite can also see and hear Gwen, they enlist her help. They have a knack for solving other murders, but so far no luck with Gwendolin's. This story is quirky, funny and intriguing, especially now Gwendoline has been learning about modern life. Her reference to Jeans as dungarees still amuses me. It seems, at the end of this book as though they might be getting close to solving her murder. Although it's a mystery it would be good to solve, I hope it doesn't mean the end of this fun, enjoyable series

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! A wedding, two very in love grooms, and a wedding planner. Everything should be wonderful, right? One thing after another goes wrong. If the tension wasn’t amped up by then, just wait until they find the body! It’s just crazy what is discovered as the investigation proceeds. Grudges and jealousy, plus controlling attitudes, just ratchet up the pressure to find out who is responsible for what. While you may have your guesses, what happens will still have you wondering, what the heck!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very intriguing mystery, that I quickly fell down the rabbit hole and became invested in the characters and story. I am totally enraptured by supernatural stories, and this one did not disappoint. I found it entertaining, suspenseful, and complex. One suspect after another fell through, and when the reveal came, I couldn't believe whodunit and why. The ending sounds gloriously ominous. Can't wait. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest review.

[Rhonda Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed reading this paranormal series!! Nolan and Gwen makes quite the comical, witty pair. One a human the other a paranormal ghost, together they are mystery solving duo. While Gwen gets to cherish some family relations through Nolan's association its such a great story plot how this unfolds… add this series to your TBR and enjoy as much as I have!!

I received this as a free book and leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a crazy murder investigation! Too many suspects, a detective with a man-crush on one of the suspects, and lies from everyone makes the investigation that much harder. PLUS a possible break in the case of Gwen’s murder! This was fun to read! I am enjoying this series immensely!

[Sherry Priddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed this series. Lots of paranormal fun. There's funny moments too. There's a whodunit to solve and we find little bits of information on Gwen's past and what happened to her. Great fun.

[Brian Holmwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as I have the previous 2 in the series. Well written lighthearted fun with a good rapport between the main characters. Good plot with a good conclusion . Looking forward to the next one

[LA FITCH · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book. Gwen is a ghost who is trying to solve her own murder but gets distracted by helping Nolan write his books and solve murders. Nolan is a murder mystery writer who helps his crush, Bailey a cop, solve murders for the police. This one is witty, keeps you guessing all the way through to the end. This is a must read.

I received this free via Booksirens and leave this review voluntarily

[Skater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Ghost Returns

Our favorite suffragette ghost is back and ready to solve a string of pranks set to ruin a wedding and the murder of the wedding planner. This series is filled with great characters, intelligent writing, and good story telling.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Killed the Wedding Planner ? . . .

When horror novel author Nolan Drake moved into ghost Gwendolyn Frink's Victorian family home, Gwen discovered he was the great-great-grandson of her fiance, Calvin Ames. Because Nolan had inherited the gold pocket watch Gwen had gifted to Calvin, Nolan is able to see her ghostly form, and she tries to protect him from harm. She also asks for his help finding out who murdered her.

Currently, Nolan is not pleased that a Hollywood team plans to arrive soon to start filming his Blood Moon story right here in Woebrook where he prefers to maintain his privacy. Their presence may help the town's economy, but he wasn't eager for the invasion. His chiropractor, Mason, walked him out of the office after dealing with Nolan's neck pain from the plane trip home, casually reminding him he would see him Saturday. Bailey, Mason, Garrett, and Asher, were descendants of Gwen's cousin Freddy, which meant they were family. Nolan was totally confused by Mason's comment until Gwen explained that Mason would be getting married this weekend to Bram, and Nolan had agreed to be the plus-one for Mason's sister Bailey at the event since her boyfriend Kingston would not be available to escort her. And now it was time for everyone to head out for the pre-wedding consult with the planner, Natalie Doyle. The fact that they had selected Natalie as the wedding planner angers a competing wedding planner, and sabotage will soon begin. It will eventually lead to the murder of Natalie who is discovered face down in the wedding cake, and Nolan and Gwen assist the police in their investigation to find the guilty party. Will they be able to solve this one? And will they find any clues to solve ghostly Gwen's murder yet?

[Teri Radogna-linquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best next chapter in Nolan and Gwen's adventures ever. The story arc was well written with solid interactions and relationships between the main characters continuing to develop. Nolan and Gwen continue to be a great team as they solve the "who done it". The investigation into Gwen's death continues and left me wanting more. It was wonderful to see a bit more of their psychic next door neighbor in the mix and I hope that she is included more in future books as she provides Gwen with much needed girl insight. I loved the back and forth between Nolan and the obnoxious WPD "bro" as they investigated the murder and moved through the multiple suspects.

The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was because of the limited development of certain characters stories in the book, ( the grooms, the wicked mother-in-law, and some of the other Frink relatives). I love Bailey and was a bit disappointed in her lack of involvement in much of the story as it felt like she was a second class character in the book instead of one of the mains. It was wonderful to see the brief information about the suffragette exhibit but it was introduced at an odd time in the story and than ended abruptly. I missed seeing ghostly interactions between Gwen and Enzo and it will be interesting to see if their relationship develops further in the future. Despite this I love the series and this book was well worth the read. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens in ongoing adventures for these very likeable characters.

Thank you to the author and BookSirens for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[PurpleLadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Transparent, by Mallory Pierce is a cozy mystery with a dash of romance. This is book three of the GhostWriter Mystery series, and the main Characters are Gwendolyn (Gwen) who is a ghost; Nolan Drake, a semi-famous author and distant relative of Gwen's fiance; and Bailey, a female police officer and distant cousin of Gwen. Gwen was murdered and wants to find out who killed her and why. Nolan can see and hear Gwen, so while he and Bailey try to figure out who killed her, Gwen has appointed herself Nolans personal bodyguard. This is a good thing because people keep getting hurt or die in this small town. On a side note, Nolan has a major crush on Bailey, but keeps self-sabotaging every opportunity he gets to move their relationship from friendship to dating.

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

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first two books in this series I couldn't wait for the third one to be released and it did not disappoint. Gwen, the Ghost and self appointed sleuth, not only involves herself but once again drags an unwilling Nolan, the horror writer, into trying to solve yet another murder. What else is a ghost to do when she can't go far or communicate without him? To further complicate things, the murder takes place at a very crowded wedding. With so many possible suspects, and so many clues to follow, this one will have you guessing "whodunnit" to the very end. A very clever and light read with lots of humor throughout the story.

[Marie Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am such a fan of the Ghost Writer series from Mallory.

I enjoy the mysteries, which are well developed and written.

For me the key selling point of these stories is the relationship between Gwen & Nolan. They have an amazing dynamic and the banter between them just zings off the page.

I'm very much looking forward to the next instalment.

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

[Jonita · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, easy read- the third in a series with Gwendolyn, a ghost seeking answers to her own murder while getting help from a few friends- at the core! I was able to read this one in only 2 days and it fit with the spooky vibe of the fall season without being too scary and not at all off-putting. I enjoyed the return of the familiar characters and am looking forward to finding out what happens in the next installment!

[Linda K Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice series where the ghost is helping solve a murder mystery. There is a wedding, that all of a sudden everything has been changed at the last minute. This is saved to a degree, but who is responsible? Then the wedding planner is found dead. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. And we still need to find out how Gwen was killed over a century ago.

[Soderquist Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good cozy mystery and a good series is even better – especially when each book could be a satisfying stand-alone. So Transparent has all of that and more. The characters (including a charming, intelligent ghost), plot twists, mystery, and relationships are well-written, believable, and fun. Of course, I recommend it and look forward to the next episode.

[Debbie Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It is another great mystery in this series. I liked how the mystery was solved. I liked how Nolan and Gwen work together.