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Haunted Paint Store Mysteries #2
Where There's Smoke . . .
256 pages, ebook
Published August 4, 2026
About the author
E.J. Copperman
44 books850 followersLibrarian note: E.J. Copperman is the pen name for author
Jeff Cohen
E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It will be followed in 2011 by An Uninvited Ghost, the second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.
E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large doses of Jersey attitude.
Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist, now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.
E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It will be followed in 2011 by An Uninvited Ghost, the second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.
E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large doses of Jersey attitude.
Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist, now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 9, 2026
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Paint store owner Laura Meehan loves libraries, so after working all day at her store, she volunteers Fridays at The Sea Breeze Public Library. She is heartbroken when she learns the library is on fire; a clear case of arson. She had just learned that the librarians and the library were receiving threats from someone regarding books they determined were inappropriate for children. Could they have started the fire? Or did another patron have a major bone to pick? Or could it be something else entirely?
Laura can’t stand that part of her “happy place” was destroyed. She enlists the help of her tech-savvy husband Roy and her ex-detective father’s ghost, Amos, to figure out who lit the flame before another fire breaks out.
Laura and Roy have a strong marriage with a bit of snark. They are both adjusting well to life in New Jersey, including her father, Amos, haunting the paint shop. Laura is the only one who can see and hear him. Still, Roy has accepted the arrangement, even as Laura tries to determine whether it is really her father’s ghost she is communicating with or a figment of her imagination. Each day Laura is visited by a group of contractors purchasing the materials they need for their sites that day. Each brings their own point of view of what is happening around town, and the arson at the library. Each character is uniquely crafted and adds to the story. I enjoy Amos’ common sense approach to everything. There is a deep love between father and daughter, and appreciate Laura working with a therapist to work through her feelings.
The mystery is complicated by the police’s main person of interest going missing. Laura is positive the person would never do anything to hurt the library, so her mission is to locate them. In doing so, she uncovers some other irregularities that need to be taken into account. Her interactions with others, including Detective Watson, can be brusque, but you can’t discount her determination. Clues fell into place for me early, allowing me to focus in on the guilty party before Laura, but then she needed to convince the people that could actually make the arrest.
While the author didn’t want to write about politics, book banning is a hot topic issue. I believe if you want to ban a book, you need to prove you have actually read the book and write a report stating what you find offensive and why it should be banned, and present it to the appropriate board for discussion and a vote. I echo Mr. Copperman’s statement in his Author Notes: Libraries are sanctuaries and cathedrals of thought. We must protect them at all costs, because without thought we have nothing.
Where There’s Smoke . . . is a fun follow-up to All Spooked Up. An appealing cozy mystery with entertaining characters, including a lovable resident ghost, set in a curious small town. There was an interesting development in the final scene which has me very intrigued and excited about Book #3. My virtual bags are already packed for my next getaway to Sea Breeze, New Jersey.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Severn House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Paint store owner Laura Meehan loves libraries, so after working all day at her store, she volunteers Fridays at The Sea Breeze Public Library. She is heartbroken when she learns the library is on fire; a clear case of arson. She had just learned that the librarians and the library were receiving threats from someone regarding books they determined were inappropriate for children. Could they have started the fire? Or did another patron have a major bone to pick? Or could it be something else entirely?
Laura can’t stand that part of her “happy place” was destroyed. She enlists the help of her tech-savvy husband Roy and her ex-detective father’s ghost, Amos, to figure out who lit the flame before another fire breaks out.
Laura and Roy have a strong marriage with a bit of snark. They are both adjusting well to life in New Jersey, including her father, Amos, haunting the paint shop. Laura is the only one who can see and hear him. Still, Roy has accepted the arrangement, even as Laura tries to determine whether it is really her father’s ghost she is communicating with or a figment of her imagination. Each day Laura is visited by a group of contractors purchasing the materials they need for their sites that day. Each brings their own point of view of what is happening around town, and the arson at the library. Each character is uniquely crafted and adds to the story. I enjoy Amos’ common sense approach to everything. There is a deep love between father and daughter, and appreciate Laura working with a therapist to work through her feelings.
The mystery is complicated by the police’s main person of interest going missing. Laura is positive the person would never do anything to hurt the library, so her mission is to locate them. In doing so, she uncovers some other irregularities that need to be taken into account. Her interactions with others, including Detective Watson, can be brusque, but you can’t discount her determination. Clues fell into place for me early, allowing me to focus in on the guilty party before Laura, but then she needed to convince the people that could actually make the arrest.
While the author didn’t want to write about politics, book banning is a hot topic issue. I believe if you want to ban a book, you need to prove you have actually read the book and write a report stating what you find offensive and why it should be banned, and present it to the appropriate board for discussion and a vote. I echo Mr. Copperman’s statement in his Author Notes: Libraries are sanctuaries and cathedrals of thought. We must protect them at all costs, because without thought we have nothing.
Where There’s Smoke . . . is a fun follow-up to All Spooked Up. An appealing cozy mystery with entertaining characters, including a lovable resident ghost, set in a curious small town. There was an interesting development in the final scene which has me very intrigued and excited about Book #3. My virtual bags are already packed for my next getaway to Sea Breeze, New Jersey.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Severn House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
August 5, 2026
I really enjoyed this. I hadn't read the first book but it didn't make a difference. Laura investigates when there is a fire at the library she volunteers at. It looks like arson and the disappearance of the head librarian raises suspicions as to her guilt. Laura is determined to prove otherwise with the aid of her husband and the ghost of her dead father who was a detective.
I liked the narrative throughout. Laura is feisty and quite sarcastic and I enjoyed the snarky comments all the way through. There seems to be more going on regarding the motivation for the fire - nasty comments around book content suitability for minors, as well as some financial issues, and I enjoyed the way we were pointed in one direction and then another. I will definitely read more in the series.
I liked the narrative throughout. Laura is feisty and quite sarcastic and I enjoyed the snarky comments all the way through. There seems to be more going on regarding the motivation for the fire - nasty comments around book content suitability for minors, as well as some financial issues, and I enjoyed the way we were pointed in one direction and then another. I will definitely read more in the series.
August 10, 2026
3.5 stars
Where There's Smoke... is the second book in the Haunted Paint Store Mystery series. I did read the first one before this one, but I think you could read this one as a stand alone and still enjoy it. I did ultimately enjoy this cozy mystery. One thing that I like about this series is the relationship between Laura and her husband Roy. It's refreshing to show a couple who have a healthy relationship. You can tell they obviously care about each other. I also enjoy not really knowing if Laura's dad is a ghost or a figment of her grief and imagination. The small town setting makes for amusing characters that round out the story nicely. I recommend giving it a try.
Where There's Smoke... is the second book in the Haunted Paint Store Mystery series. I did read the first one before this one, but I think you could read this one as a stand alone and still enjoy it. I did ultimately enjoy this cozy mystery. One thing that I like about this series is the relationship between Laura and her husband Roy. It's refreshing to show a couple who have a healthy relationship. You can tell they obviously care about each other. I also enjoy not really knowing if Laura's dad is a ghost or a figment of her grief and imagination. The small town setting makes for amusing characters that round out the story nicely. I recommend giving it a try.
August 4, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
This was a fun, cosy mystery with lots of humour, and a lovely ghost 👻
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting, and it felt politically relevant, but in a light hearted way! Any books set in a library are an instant win from me🥰
I struggled a bit with how many characters there were. I admittedly haven’t read the first book, so it may be that I’d have found it easier if I had read that one first!
Laura admittedly wasn’t my favourite character ever, but I loved her Dad, and her husband, Roy, so I think that made it a lot more bearable for me!
This was a fun, cosy mystery with lots of humour, and a lovely ghost 👻
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The plot was interesting, and it felt politically relevant, but in a light hearted way! Any books set in a library are an instant win from me🥰
I struggled a bit with how many characters there were. I admittedly haven’t read the first book, so it may be that I’d have found it easier if I had read that one first!
Laura admittedly wasn’t my favourite character ever, but I loved her Dad, and her husband, Roy, so I think that made it a lot more bearable for me!
August 8, 2026
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE... by E. J. Copperman
The Second Haunted Paint Shop Mystery
Books have always been important to Laura Meehan and libraries a safe haven. That's why, after moving back to her hometown and taking over her father's paint store, she volunteers at the local library one night a week. The day after Laura learns that someone is threatening the librarians, accusing them of giving pornography to children, someone sets a fire in the children and young adult section of the library. Fortunately the library was closed at the time so no one was hurt. Unfortunately, Evelyn, the head librarian, was seen walking away from the library early that morning and no one has seen her since. While she might not consider Evelyn a good friend, Laura admires her and intends to find her, especially when the arson investigator seems to think that Evelyn set the fire herself!. With the help of her tech savvy husband and the ghost of her father, a former police detective, Laura will set out, not only to find Evelyn, but prove her innocence.
Although this is the second book in the Haunted Paint Store Mystery series, it is my first entry and I had no problem jumping in as it works perfectly as a stand alone mystery. That being said I would have enjoyed seeing how things began, and how her semi adversarial relationship with Detective Watson started. There's tons of snark, but behind everything is a finely drawn mystery with a happily married couple at its center. I like how Laura isn't sure if her dad is really a ghost or a figment of her imagination, and I appreciate her seeing a therapist.
I am pleased that WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...tackled the issue of book banning and the scary fact that librarians are being threatened by self righteous bigots for doing their job. If you don't like a book, don't read it. Libraries and their books are for everyone and everyone should be safe there. And don't tell me what I can and can't read.
With suspicious behavior, some twists and turns, and more than a few chuckles WHERE THERE'S SMOKE... is an inventive and finely crafted mystery.
The Second Haunted Paint Shop Mystery
Books have always been important to Laura Meehan and libraries a safe haven. That's why, after moving back to her hometown and taking over her father's paint store, she volunteers at the local library one night a week. The day after Laura learns that someone is threatening the librarians, accusing them of giving pornography to children, someone sets a fire in the children and young adult section of the library. Fortunately the library was closed at the time so no one was hurt. Unfortunately, Evelyn, the head librarian, was seen walking away from the library early that morning and no one has seen her since. While she might not consider Evelyn a good friend, Laura admires her and intends to find her, especially when the arson investigator seems to think that Evelyn set the fire herself!. With the help of her tech savvy husband and the ghost of her father, a former police detective, Laura will set out, not only to find Evelyn, but prove her innocence.
Although this is the second book in the Haunted Paint Store Mystery series, it is my first entry and I had no problem jumping in as it works perfectly as a stand alone mystery. That being said I would have enjoyed seeing how things began, and how her semi adversarial relationship with Detective Watson started. There's tons of snark, but behind everything is a finely drawn mystery with a happily married couple at its center. I like how Laura isn't sure if her dad is really a ghost or a figment of her imagination, and I appreciate her seeing a therapist.
I am pleased that WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...tackled the issue of book banning and the scary fact that librarians are being threatened by self righteous bigots for doing their job. If you don't like a book, don't read it. Libraries and their books are for everyone and everyone should be safe there. And don't tell me what I can and can't read.
With suspicious behavior, some twists and turns, and more than a few chuckles WHERE THERE'S SMOKE... is an inventive and finely crafted mystery.
August 4, 2026
A funny mystery story with a friendly ghost and plenty of twists.
Laura Meehan takes over the running of the small-town paint store after her Father dies. Her ex-policeman father retired from being a good detective to take up running the paint shop a few years before he ups and dies. Trouble is he is not ready to leave this world and refuses to give up the roll of shop owner and hand over the reins to Laura, instead he stays to haunt her in a benevolent but interfering way. The result is a humorous relationship
Laura is not sure if her father’s presence is part of her imagination or a true ghostly haunting. She is the only one who can see or hear the apparition but her long suffering husband believes her and dies not interrupt their conversations.
Laura is also a volunteer at the small library, and when her boss confides that she has been getting threats from an unknown troublemaker, her amateur sleuthing kicks in and she talks it over with her special Dad. That night the library burns down in a mystery fire. Laura can’t help but get involved investigating.
There ensues a hilarious romp of twisty plots and multiple suspects. The characters, include a grumpy police detective and the curmudgeonly and recently deceased father and the amateur sleuthing aided by the expert detective/ghost results in a hilarious and twisty story
Laura Meehan takes over the running of the small-town paint store after her Father dies. Her ex-policeman father retired from being a good detective to take up running the paint shop a few years before he ups and dies. Trouble is he is not ready to leave this world and refuses to give up the roll of shop owner and hand over the reins to Laura, instead he stays to haunt her in a benevolent but interfering way. The result is a humorous relationship
Laura is not sure if her father’s presence is part of her imagination or a true ghostly haunting. She is the only one who can see or hear the apparition but her long suffering husband believes her and dies not interrupt their conversations.
Laura is also a volunteer at the small library, and when her boss confides that she has been getting threats from an unknown troublemaker, her amateur sleuthing kicks in and she talks it over with her special Dad. That night the library burns down in a mystery fire. Laura can’t help but get involved investigating.
There ensues a hilarious romp of twisty plots and multiple suspects. The characters, include a grumpy police detective and the curmudgeonly and recently deceased father and the amateur sleuthing aided by the expert detective/ghost results in a hilarious and twisty story
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I started in this series at book 2, with this ARC. I don't think I would have picked it up if I have had read book 1. I do not like the main character. I think she's supposed to come off as no nonsense, but really she comes off as rude and bitter. She is very to the point and only gives you as much as you give her. It's really confrontational. Especially for an owner of a paint store who sees her dead ghost police father. Even he is disappointed in how she treats others, and she doesn't change. She goes from adoring of her husband to 'I guess this will do' in a matter of his actions. Ex him eating chocolate covered almonds and having bad breath after that.
It made it really hard to care about the mystery and characters. Her confidence that she cand do better than the police astounds me. They are trained and made for the job, and she just doesn't care. Even her husband tells her to let them work. He agrees with her dead father, and he can't even hear him.
It wasn't a fun time. It didn't feel cozy. It just felt like she was a know it all in a small town.
I started in this series at book 2, with this ARC. I don't think I would have picked it up if I have had read book 1. I do not like the main character. I think she's supposed to come off as no nonsense, but really she comes off as rude and bitter. She is very to the point and only gives you as much as you give her. It's really confrontational. Especially for an owner of a paint store who sees her dead ghost police father. Even he is disappointed in how she treats others, and she doesn't change. She goes from adoring of her husband to 'I guess this will do' in a matter of his actions. Ex him eating chocolate covered almonds and having bad breath after that.
It made it really hard to care about the mystery and characters. Her confidence that she cand do better than the police astounds me. They are trained and made for the job, and she just doesn't care. Even her husband tells her to let them work. He agrees with her dead father, and he can't even hear him.
It wasn't a fun time. It didn't feel cozy. It just felt like she was a know it all in a small town.
August 10, 2026
Where There's Smoke... continues the Haunted Paint Store Mysteries with another intriguing combination of mystery and the supernatural.
As the second installment in the series, the book benefits from the distinctive premise established by the haunted paint-store setting while offering readers another opportunity to become immersed in its world of secrets, suspicious circumstances, and ghostly intrigue.
What makes a series like this particularly appealing is the balance between the familiar pleasures of cozy mystery fiction and the added unpredictability of a supernatural element. Readers can enjoy investigating the case while also wondering what the living,and the dead,might be hiding.
With its 289-page length and strong early reader response, Where There's Smoke... has the potential to appeal to established fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries, cozy crime, amateur sleuth stories, and atmospheric small-town investigations.
As a second series installment, it also presents an opportunity to introduce new readers to the earlier book while giving existing fans another reason to remain invested in the Haunted Paint Store Mysteries.
As the second installment in the series, the book benefits from the distinctive premise established by the haunted paint-store setting while offering readers another opportunity to become immersed in its world of secrets, suspicious circumstances, and ghostly intrigue.
What makes a series like this particularly appealing is the balance between the familiar pleasures of cozy mystery fiction and the added unpredictability of a supernatural element. Readers can enjoy investigating the case while also wondering what the living,and the dead,might be hiding.
With its 289-page length and strong early reader response, Where There's Smoke... has the potential to appeal to established fans of the series as well as readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries, cozy crime, amateur sleuth stories, and atmospheric small-town investigations.
As a second series installment, it also presents an opportunity to introduce new readers to the earlier book while giving existing fans another reason to remain invested in the Haunted Paint Store Mysteries.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked the first book in this story, and now that I’m done with the second book, I love this series even more. This time the mystery involved a fire and a disappearance related to the library Laura volunteers at. I can’t help but just love how forward and pushy Laura is, and I laugh with her interactions with those she pushes around including Watson. Also, Laura is still convinced that she’s hallucinating her father, and I love how supportive Roy is with her. I really enjoyed this and the author’s sense of humor, and I can’t wait to read more. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
August 10, 2026
Could I have loved this anymore. When Sea Breeze library burns down and it’s clearly arson, paint shop owner Laura just has to get to the bottom of it. With her husband Roy and her dad’s ghost (still deciding if he’s real? 🤣), she’s on with clues and dodging plenty along the way.
Who’d burn a library?! Someone with a grudge? Or something more serious? Kept me guessing right to the end! Cozy, fun, and a little spooky, exactly my kind of read.
Who’d burn a library?! Someone with a grudge? Or something more serious? Kept me guessing right to the end! Cozy, fun, and a little spooky, exactly my kind of read.
August 4, 2026
Where There's Smoke. When there is a fire in the library, the police seem certain of the culprit. Laura has to piece together what really happened to avoid a miscarriage of justice. A funny, intriguing and compelling nove
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It seemed to get better or it grew on me as the book continued or maybe I just got tired of having to make so many notes! For example:
- Early in chapter 10, Laura mentions “When I knew Bonnie in high school, she had aspired to be a nurse.” but very shortly after that, Bonnie said “You know in high school I wanted to be a nurse, you remember that. (I hadn’t remembered that.)”
- An odd juxtaposition about Roy’s abilities during a phone number search: “clacking away, assuring that any investigation by authorities would be able to trace his somewhat shady activities …to me.” versus, immediately following, “ I knew Roy; he’d not only get the information, but he’d cover his tracks and Big Brother would never know I wasn’t at home watching The Repair Shop.”
At the end of the day, the solutions to the crimes seemed a bit far-fetched but I’m willing to accept them since I’m a cozy mystery buff! And I loved: “There wasn’t a gruntled person within driving distance.”
- Early in chapter 10, Laura mentions “When I knew Bonnie in high school, she had aspired to be a nurse.” but very shortly after that, Bonnie said “You know in high school I wanted to be a nurse, you remember that. (I hadn’t remembered that.)”
- An odd juxtaposition about Roy’s abilities during a phone number search: “clacking away, assuring that any investigation by authorities would be able to trace his somewhat shady activities …to me.” versus, immediately following, “ I knew Roy; he’d not only get the information, but he’d cover his tracks and Big Brother would never know I wasn’t at home watching The Repair Shop.”
At the end of the day, the solutions to the crimes seemed a bit far-fetched but I’m willing to accept them since I’m a cozy mystery buff! And I loved: “There wasn’t a gruntled person within driving distance.”
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews