Gumbo, Ghosts, and Deadly Deception

Midnight House #1

by Erin McCarthy

Some houses hold secrets. Midnight House holds bodies.

When Harper Bergeron inherits her eccentric aunt’s haunted bed-and-breakfast in the heart of New Orleans, she expects old plumbing and tourists seeking ghost adventures. What she doesn’t expect is murder.

After a celebrity psychic drops dead during a séance in Room Three—locked from the inside—Harper’s dream of running the quirky B&B quickly turns into a paranormal whodunit. With the help of her crime-podcasting best friend, a charming (but suspicious) local historian, and her pet skunk, Teddy, Harper is thrust into a mystery that stretches from the lively streets of the French Quarter to the shadowy secrets buried deep beneath Midnight House.

But as ghostly whispers grow louder and an old missing persons case resurfaces, Harper discovers that secrets won’t stay buried—and some spirits never rest.

Gumbo, Ghosts, and Deadly Deception is a Southern gothic cozy mystery with plenty of humor, a dash of danger, and one very nosy skunk.

Genres: Mystery

194 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2025

About the author

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over a hundred novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, fun mystery set in New Orleans.

I had the pleasure of meeting this lovely author a couple months ago and picked up this book to read on my trip to New Orleans. I enjoyed it so much. The setting was perfect and I loved all the references to places in the city that I was discovering while I was there.

And I was so happy to learn this is the first book in a series (no cliffhanger, next book is about the same characters). I already picked up book 2. Book 3 is out July 12th.

These books would make the perfect reads for spooky season, for readers who love New Orleans or anyone looking for a quick, fun mystery to read between heavier reads or to get out of a reading slump. I’m happy to have found a new author to read.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aunt Odette ran a B&B in the dead centre of New Orleans, and when she died, it was passed on to her niece, Harper Bergeron. More than just the house, Odette also gifted a decades-old missing person case and, by extension, the murder of a psychic who came to the B&B with the hopes of contacting the spirit to bring closure to a family left bereft. With the help of her skunk, her best friend, and a detective for whom Harper has mixed feelings, the proprietress seeks justice for villainy committed long ago.

This was a pleasant read, but it didn't fire my enjoyment as much as a cold case set in New Orleans should. I liked the main character, but I didn't feel that closeness that usually accompanies an engrossing read. Moreover, the motive for the crimes felt flimsy, and the wrap-up was interminable.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this first book in the series!

Definitely held my interest from beginning to the end. That's what draws me to a series. I thought the storyline was fantastic and all the characters were really interesting. Teddy, the skunk, of course, being my favorite. So glad he was featured throughout the entire storyline. I will definitely be continuing with this series. I already love it a lot!!!🐾🐾

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy in the best way.

This was a good read! I was creeped out the entire time, but in the best way! I Highly recommend!

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT

⭐ 4 ⭐

This was a fun read.

I’d of course rather have been in New Orleans by a pool while finishing it, but if I sorta squint I can make our back yard pool/landscaping look like a semi-tropical courtyard…..especially if I am drinking sauvignon blanc in a plastic cup over crushed ice….

Many thanks to my mother (aka my pusher) for alerting me to the Stuff Your Kindle Day/Mystery & Crime Collection going on, and to this book in particular.

I reckon I’m gonna have to give in and buy the other two out in this series (or is it a trilogy? I don’t know, and I’d rather go take a shower than spend time ascertaining such).

PS
And, yes, of course I want a descented skunk as a pet now. Why did you even have to ask?

[Marty Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a new series, an old New Orleans bed and breakfast handed down through generations is a main character in this fun mystery cozy. McCarthy's standard lovable main character eventually figures out who committed the murder but also solves other crimes and young women's disappearances over 40 years with her best friend. Along the way she discovers new things about her house and some of its own secrets, helped along the way by her pet skunk, Teddy. Fun, quick read looking forward to the next in this series.

[Hap C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gumbo, Ghosts, and Deadly Deception was a quick, enjoyable read with just enough mystery to keep me turning the pages. I liked the little plot twist, and Teddy the skunk was such a fun and lovable sidekick! My only lingering question is why the gardenias only grow in that one specific spot—I kept hoping we’d get an explanation. Overall, it was a charming cozy mystery, and I had a great time reading it.

[Annette Aguilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice Served Cold

A murder that scanned 40 years still unsolved and still stirring up trouble! More will die before it is solved! Who’s next? Good question, who has the most to lose? A gripping tale that will keep you guessing, until the very end!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A haunted B&B in New Orleans? Not really unique. But one where a murder happens during a seance to contact a missing woman assumed to have been murdered forty years earlier? Maybe a touch more. Can the new owner of the property keep out of the way while police investigate?

[Bryanne Finley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect from a cozy mystery, but this surely delivered on that promise. I was clueless right up until the end. I think I figured it out the page before they did. Fun, easy, and quick read.