The Ghost and the Dead Librarian

Haunted Bookshop Mystery #10

by Cleo Coyle

A Library Journal "Mystery Pick of the Month" In an utterly charming new mystery from New York Times bestselling author Cleo Coyle, a smalltown Rhode Island bookshop owner investigates the death of an eccentric librarian with the help of a wisecracking, 1940s gumshoe ghost.

As a young widow, Penelope moved back to her quaint Rhode Island town to give her young son a safer home and her aunt’s dying bookshop new life. Using her late husband’s insurance money, Pen polished the store into a local treasure. But her updates did more than attract new customers. They roused a dead private eye from his big sleep.

With Pen’s affection for hardboiled detective stories, it’s no surprise she’s developed a fondness for the wisecracking yet oddly likeable spirit. Sure, Jack’s cold spots are exasperating, along with his proclivity for putting noir fiction in the cozy section. But murder was Jack’s business in life, and his PI skills come in awfully handy when the body of an eccentric librarian is found amid the bookshop’s aisles.

For years, Dory jokingly called herself “The Dead Librarian” because of her hobby of collecting and writing local obituaries. Now, in death, she’s discovered with her own eerily pre-written obit. Was it a suicide note? Jack and Pen say no and their certainty takes them from a ghost town’s ancient cemetery to a posh Newport mansion. Then another body drop and a mysterious stranger makes Pen a shocking offer, one that may change her life—and Jack’s afterlife. But unless Jack can help Pen prove who “checked out” the librarian, a ruthless killer may close the book on her.

"This spin-off of Coyle's 'Haunted Bookshop' series blends cozy mystery, supernatural intrigue, and classic noir influences into a suspenseful small-town murder mystery....Combining humor, literary references, ghostly interventions, and layered community drama, the novel explores how hidden truths from the past continue to haunt the present." —Library Journal (*Starred Review)

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Paranormal

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

CLEO COYLE is the New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Their long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series will celebrate its 22nd entry this Sept. with the publication of EAT, DRINK, AND GET BURIED, now available for pre-order along with a brand-new adventure in Cleo's beloved Haunted Bookshop world, THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN, a Star Reviewed Library Journal Mystery Pick of the Month. Cleo's "relentlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech. Their books have earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus, Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers, and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections.

When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or wrangling their rescued stray cats, Alice and Marc are New York Times bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. One of those projects (ghostwritten by Alice Alfonsi) was named by Entertainment Weekly as the best media tie-in book written that year.

CONNECT WITH CLEO at CleoCoyleBooks.com and CoffeehouseMystery.com

Subscribe to Cleo’s Free Newsletter to keep in touch for updates on Cleo's book news, recipes, and giveaways of signed books, tote bags, and tasty bonus prizes.

Reviews

[Manveen M (booksandcoffeerecss) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW!!!

Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery
Publication: 29/Sep/2026
Author: @cleocoyle_author

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 3.75

Book Tropes:
• Agatha Christie Book Vibes
• 2 Murder Mysteries
• Ghost Friend
• Harvest Festivals
• 1947 New York
• Cat named ‘Bookmark’

It’s a NEW BOOK SERIES OF CLEO COYLE!!!

Jack Teachings to Pen!
Jack is the detective ghost, Pen(FMC) is the woman who can see and talk with Jack. Jack takes pen to his old case in her dreams and teaches her the pinpoints of conducting an investigations and which things are necessary to observe closely. Now, Isn’t it fascinating??????🧐

Famous Author’s Murder Occurred in a Library!
Pen is close to that author, hence, she take that upon herself to solve the case. With the help of her ghost friend, she solved the case, right? Well! Let’s just say, I leave it here to wonder 💭

Overall, This book is a package of AUTUMNAL AND HALLOWEEN VIBES in this book! If you want to pick something cozy for Halloween then id highly recommend this book 🎃

[Margie]

Dory collected obits of others and became known as the dead librarian , until she is murdered and her own obit is found near her body. This made others think she committed suicide. Penelope, who took over her dying aunts bookshop and makes it a local treasure, somehow arousing a private eye from his big sleep or as we know, he is a ghost. His skills come in handy as Penelope tries to solve the murder and he can protect Penelope from the murderer.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I'm a long time Cleo Coyle fan, this was the first time encountering this series. I didn't beat myself up, however, when I heard it was written under a pen name. That's a common practice of authors in all genres, so no surprise. In this case, we have young widow Pen/Penelope who has moved back to town to help out her aunt in a struggling bookshop. While helping make some changes, she discovers a long-time bookshop regular. Just one problem. He's a ghost. Killed in the bookshop. Fortunately for Pen's seeming habit of stumbling across murder investigations, he was also a private eye, albeit from the wise-cracking, gumshoe, hard-boiled detective era. His skills and investigative skills come in handy even if his abilities are somewhat hampered. I'll leave that to you to find out why. Needless to say, his help comes in handy when Dory, known for her writing of local obituaries, is killed in the bookshop after the signing of her first book.

The series is, as it turns out, a rebirth of sorts, but with new adventures, so don't hesitate to jump into it again if you were a past reader. I enjoyed the characters, finding the ghostly Jack Shepherd somewhat gruff at times but at the same time likable and even charming at times. True, his opinion that Pen use old style methods to elicit information don't work on her but he means well and does seem to have a knack of having her back when needed. Pen still seems a bit of a hesitant detective type but seems to be a fast learner. I may have to go find the initial offerings of the series just to see how it all began in more detail than this book offers although what is revealed here should be sufficient for most. The dream sequences Jack provides are not only helpful to Pen but offer up a cold case mystery for readers to try to solve, too, a bonus. You'll meet quite a few of the seemingly regulars of the series, too, as well as be reminded how narrow some small town focuses can be where status and family are involved. Having worked off and on to create my own family tree, I can definitely attest that digging into family history can reveal both saints and sinners as well as everything in-between, so to have family history pop up here was a fun perk for me. It also provides several suspects, that's for sure. And that's before Pen starts digging which is when things get far more complicated.

Bottom line, not to give away much more of the plot, this was a fun read and I'm glad I was intrigued enough by the title, which you'll clearly understand as you read, to request a review copy. It did take me a few pages to sort out that Pen was communicating with Jack by talking to him in her mind, not aloud, though slip ups were surely inevitable. She's also dealing with a son and wary family members. So, not just murder, but some family drama and lots of fun chatter with a wise-cracking ghost detective. I'm curious how Coyle will go from here with these characters, so already looking forward to the next book. Thanks #KensingtonPublishing for his early peek at the rebirth of an ol' series. Sounds like Pen's future is about to get more and more interesting, so glad Jack is around to help, even if she probably needs to keep a sweater handy when he appears.

[Cleo Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU SHOULD KNOW: As the author of this novel, I am happy to affirm that this book is a brand-new story in my Haunted Bookshop world. It is not a reprint of any kind. It is the start of a brand-new spin-off series in hardcover format with Kensington Publishing. Would you like me to prove that this is a brand-new “Jack and Pen” mystery? That’s easy. There are nine (9) published works that feature my characters of bookseller Penelope Thornton-McClure and Jack Shepard, the hard-boiled ghost who haunts her. All nine of those novels are in print, and you can read about every one of them on Amazon or here on Goodreads. Go ahead. Check out every mystery plotline in all nine novels. THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN takes place as the next book in the Haunted Bookshop series timeline and the first book in my new hardcover spin-off series with Kensington. New readers are welcome! You do not have to read any of the previous books to enjoy this tale. At the start of THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN, Jack and Pen have already solved many local crimes in Pen’s quaint New England town. This brand-new mystery involves the death of Dory, an eccentric local librarian. That’s the first time Jack and Pen have ever tried to solve such a case. Whether you are new to my Haunted Bookshop world or a longtime fan, it is my sincerest wish that you enjoy THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN, as well as my future Kensington Haunted Bookshop adventures.

FYI – Below is the entire FOREWORD that you will find published at the start of THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN, welcoming new readers, as well as longtime fans to this series, which I write in collaboration with my husband…

FOREWORD: If you’re new to our Haunted Bookshop world, welcome! If you’re a longtime fan, welcome back! As many of our readers know, the ghost of our hard-boiled detective Jack Shepard first started haunting our widowed bookseller in The Ghost and Mrs. McClure, published in 2004. “Jack and Pen” solved eight more cases since they met in their debut mystery novel. Now with this beautiful Kensington publication of THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN, we are thrilled to be relaunching them on brand-new adventures. This new incarnation of our beloved series couldn’t have happened without the incredible support and patience of our editor, Wendy McCurdy, to whom this book is dedicated. “Spirited” cheers also go out to our longtime agent, John Talbot, and everyone at Kensington Publishing, including Denise Silvestro, John Scognamiglio, Steven and Adam Zacharius, as well as the late Walter Zacharius and Roberta Grossman, two amazing “book people,” who taught us much. We were lucky to know them. If spirits do exist, we hope Walter and Roberta are smiling with pleasure at this publication. —Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini, who write as Cleo Coyle

[L.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pen and Jack are back! I was afraid this series had ended when we didn't see a new Haunted Bookshop in 2024 or 2025 so I did a little happy dance when I saw this book. Any cozy set in a bookshop immediately has my attention but the addition of a sexy ghost and all kinds of romantic tension and that's not something you can walk away from.

Cozy mystery is my favorite genre and I love them all, every theme from culinary to books to tea shops, story arcs or one-offs, MCs that are smart, gullible, entrepreneurs, octogenarians, freelance writers, heck I even like the male MCs. But out of all the series and all the cozy authors out there, Cleo Coyle is unique. Some cozies are overly simplistic, some overly complex, but Coyle pushes their story lines to just the right place. This series and their Coffeehouse series are complex but not so much so that you can't keep track of all the threads. The plots are intricate but not so much so that you get to the ending and you're like "huh?" At the end of all of Coyle's books there's a forehead slapping moment of "why didn't I catch that?" There was a twist in this one that I definitely didn't see coming but all the clues were there and for me that's the perfect balance.

I highly recommend this author to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, I also think this is a great series for someone who likes the more hard-boiled detective stories and is interested in branching into something more light-hearted. Given the romantic tension, it's also a good read for people who like a little romance as well.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

For us old-timers, all the usual cast of characters are back. There is a bit of catching all the new readers up to speed in who everyone is. Other than that, this entry brings us all the things that we love so much about Pen and Jack.

Penelope is a young widow that moves back to the small town where her aunt runs a bookshop. But she isn’t alone. She is bringing her young son back with her. Oh yeah, there is also a cat and a ghost. Now, the ghost might be the part that you need to know the most about. Jack is a private detective from the 1940s. Penelope is the only one that can see and hear Jack, which can be awkward at times.

This is cozy goodness at its best. The mystery is really good (and always has been), as Jack and Pen have to solve the murder of the local librarian who was obsessed with obituaries. This time it is even more personable because Pen’s son says he saw the librarian after she was killed. But he saw her still moving around and not where she was when she died. Pen’s in-laws see it as another reason she is unfit to raise her son. Penelope and Jack HAVE to solve this one before she loses her son.

I’m so glad to see this reboot because I’ve been frustrated since book one that this series wasn’t getting its due. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.

[Hana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 2.75 stars

​As a cozy mystery, this book was totally fine and did a great job of delivering the lighthearted excitement I wanted.

​I really liked our main character she was quite hilarious and proved to be a wonderful detective and mother. It was a lot of fun following her through the investigation and seeing how things unfolded. I was genuinely surprised at several points, and the ending when we discover the killer surprised me even more because I didn't see it coming, which was really nice.

​However, there were a couple of small things I didn't love. First, Jack calling our main character "doll" or "honey" felt a bit off. It seemed normal to her, likely because this is a later book in the series and I haven't read the earlier ones to see their dynamic form. Second, we get a secondary mystery from Jack's life in 1947. I didn't understand why this part was included because it didn't feel like it added anything new to the story. I just wasn't interested in that subplot, so I ended up skimming parts of it when I got bored, preferring the main present-day mystery.

​Despite those flaws, I would recommend this if you want a quick, easy mystery where you don't have to use your brain too much.

​Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mel Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something so comforting about returning to this series, and The Ghost and the Dead Librarian delivered exactly what I was hoping for. The combination of a cosy bookshop, a ghostly twist, and an engaging mystery makes this such an enjoyable escape.

I loved the atmosphere throughout the story. As a book lover, any mystery set around books and bookshops already has my attention, and this one was filled with plenty of charm. The mystery kept me guessing without becoming overly complicated, and I enjoyed piecing everything together alongside the characters.

While I did find the pacing a little slower in places, it suited the cosy mystery vibe and allowed the relationships and setting to shine. The paranormal element adds something unique to the series without taking away from the mystery itself, which I always appreciate.

Overall, this was another solid instalment that left me smiling by the final page. If you’re looking for a cosy mystery with memorable characters, a wonderful bookish setting, and just the right touch of the supernatural, this series is well worth picking up.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Shepard was gunned down in a bookshop in 1949. Decades later, he is still hanging around in ghostly form. Penelope, the bookshop's co-owner, can see and talk to Jack's ghost, a talent that comes in especially handy when someone else dies in the shop.
Together, they work as a team to figure out what happened in the present day. At the same time, Jack teaches Penelope how to solve mysteries by taking her back to a case he investigated in the 1940s, showing her the methods he used to uncover the truth.

This story did a great job of providing clues that allowed me to figure out some aspects of the mystery, while other revelations came as a complete surprise. It kept me on my toes throughout. The ending is a great start to a new chapter for Penelope and makes it clear that there will be plenty of new twists and turns in future books in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So exciting to have this series back after a 3yr hiatus! Penelope and Jack are back solving mysteries and keeping the bookshop running. The flashbacks in time are always historically interesting and I loved the female morgue doctor. Pen trying to explain new technology to Jack is always funny as well. I honestly couldn't remember where the last book left off but it didn't matter; I picked up this storyline quickly. I actually would have loved more time with Dory because she seemed so interesting, but having Penelope pick up Dory's secret job will be fun. The side characters in the series are amusing and play their parts well. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, hopefully sooner than 3 years.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I hadn’t read any books in this series years ago, I have started reading them recently. This is one of the few I’ve read, and I am happy to be back in Pen’s world. This installment has poor Pen have someone from the community who dies in her bookshop as an apparent suicide, but she doesn’t believe it. And, of course, Jack is there to help her solve the case. I’m still not sure I like seeing the case from the past that parallels the current case, but I am coming around to it. Also, this series has a sort of noir feel that isn’t exactly a favorite of mine, but I still quite enjoy this series. I’m ready to read the next one, especially after the event that happens at the end. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The wisest minds are the ones that stay open"

Welcome back Jack and Pen! When the local librarian and town obituary writer is found dead in her bookstore, Penelope along with Jack, the ghost who haunts the store set about finding who did it and why. And in typical Cleo Coyle style we are along for a wild ride of dead ends, deception and deceit as the pieces of the puzzle start to come together. But are they all there?

I have loved Cleo Coyle for years. I am also a proud Rhode Islander. Every time I hear Jack and Pen are back in Quindicott I am ready to spend time in my home state with one of my favorite authors. Highly Recommended 5/5

[ Disclaimer: I received this book from the author however in no way did it affect my reading or review]

[LittleRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleo Coyle has some solid writing chops and I’ve read her books for a long time now. This new series is intriguing and has the potential to become another long term series for her. However it’s going to need a little tweaking as things aren’t quite gelling for me with way Jack and Pen interact.

I know the author will work through the few kinks in the first entry, so I will definitely read another in this series in the future. The concept itself is certainly interesting with a ghostly PI helping to solved cases, but their collaborative efforts will need to be improved upon.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Kensington Publishing via NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was really cute! I really enjoyed the dreams/past-case with Jack. I appreciated Jack’s confusion of modern technology and terms, and the author’s keeping him era-appropriate. Penny’s friends were just quirky enough to be entertaining. Dory’s research into obituaries, and her helping her cousin with PI cases was fascinating. The mystery was interesting enough that I want to go back and read the first books. Definitely recommend for those who enjoy cozy mysteries.

[Gema Millstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE GHOST AND THE DEAD LIBRARIAN is a highly entertaining new adventure in one of my favorite Cleo Coyle mystery series. Whether you are new to Coyle’s “Haunted Bookshop” world or a returning reader to this new series launch, you are sure to fall in love with this brand-new tale featuring the delightful crime-solving duo of “Jack and Pen.” Who are they? Jack Shepard, a tough private eye from the big city was gunned down in the bookshop of a small Rhode Island town back in 1949. Now in the present day, the ghost of this wisecracking (and irresistibly charming) detective haunts Penelope "Pen" McClure, the young, widowed bookseller who co-owns the bookshop where Jack was killed. Together Jack and Pen have already solved a number of criminal cases, but this new one, involving the death of a beloved local librarian named Dory, has them perplexed. Dory is known for researching and writing local obituaries, and she dies in Pen’s bookshop on the night of her big book signing. It looks like suicide when the dead woman is found with her own self-written obituary. But Pen and Jack know that Dory would never kill herself and they begin to investigate, pulling threads of Dory’s life that unravel into an engrossing mystery—one with plenty of suspenseful moments as well as hilarious banter (the back-and-forth between Jack and Pen had me smiling, laughing, and turning pages even faster). Determined to find Dory’s murderer and bring the villain to justice, Jack and Pen make a great crime-solving duo, especially when Jack takes Pen back (through her dreams) to exciting scenes from his old life in 1940s New York in order to give her some Private Detective “lessons” that will help Pen solve her present-day case. These thoroughly entertaining detective “lessons” from Jack’s hard-boiled past serve two purposes. As Jack gives Pen a chance to help him “work” a murder case that he once solved, Coyle cleverly gives readers a second mystery story line. These time-travel dreams also beautifully deepen the relationship between Jack and Pen while adding dimensions to their characters. As for the present-day mystery, Coyle’s lovable, quirky cast of Rhode Island “townie” regulars are here, and there are lots of exciting twists, plenty of red herrings, and the ending (with the revelation of whodunit) was a nail-biting shocker. An unforgettable new Haunted Bookshop tale that skillfully blends Pen’s cozy small-town life with Jack’s big-city hard-boiled world. A fresh and unique blending of two genres that (by the end) launches this excellent mystery series in a new direction. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Edelweiss and Kensington for allowing me to read this book and post my honest review of it. All opinions are my own.

[Jess Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a former librarian and now local, published celebrity is found poisoned with her own obituary, Penelope and her ghost companion Jack realize that something isn’t right.

Given all the family history Dory has stirred up about the sensitive members of the local community, suspects abound! I loved how everything tied together, and Jack and Pen make for a great crime-solving duo.

Looking forward to the continuation of the series. Thank you to #NetGalley and #KensingtonPublishing for an ARC

[Mary C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Penelope are back! Penelope is a widow with a young son who is running her aunt's bookshop and Jack is a detective ghost who Pen is able to see and communicate with Jack. Penelope, with Jack's help. investigate the death of Dory, a local librarian. Jack shares a past case he worked on with Penelope which helps solve Dory's death. I highly recommend reading the previous nine books.
#TheGhostandtheDeadLibrarian #KensingtonPublishing # KensingtonCozies #NetGalley

[BibliofiendLM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look for my full review in Library Journal

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

review to come

[Nicole Normand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
YOU SHOULD KNOW: This book (and the new series) is a relaunch of Penny and Jack on brand-new adventures. The old series - Haunted Bookshop Mystery - was previously published under Alice Kimberly, which has been retired, and the last few books were under Cleo only. It is not in the description, only in the foreword, which you might not see during sampling. I'm happy to read it again (I have the whole series) but when I read the description/blurb, I thought it was a continuation or a spin-off - it's not. Many actions, info, situations resemble the other book; there is a hated writer, a crime which Penny and Jack are investigating, but it's not the same story. The "basic" people are the same: Penny, her son, and her aunt, Jack, the bakers, the mailman, etc.
I thought it was really silly for everyone, including the police officer, to think that the first victim wrote her own obituary - people do but I've never seen it for a successful self-harmed. I loved the banter between everyone; it's really funny. Even funnier, the typos such as this one: "toward the massive manner". I hope the editors catch all of those. Several information were easy to connect somewhere and I really liked that. We are left in the dark concerning Spencer's fund and Dory's paperwork. I'm hoping there is a continuation in the next book. There's a bit of mystery, low suspense, grief, friendship, greed, and justice.