Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Harper Harlow #2

Ghostly Issues

Rate this book
Harper Harlow has the world at her fingertips, and the weight of the world on her shoulders. Whisper Cove’s resident ghost hunter finds that her professional life is soaring – while her personal life is floundering. She’s on a man diet – and nothing is going to tempt her, or so she swears. Jared Monroe thought ten days away was nothing – until Harper’s anger hit him square in the face, and the heart, upon his return to town. He didn’t mean to hurt her, but a woman’s anger runs deep. When a teenager is found in a local park, Jared and Harper find their paths intersecting … again. Derek Thompson may have been looking forward to a bright future, but now he’s only looking back at a tortured past as his murderer runs free. Jared and Harper have to work together – and face their issues – if they want to put Derek to rest. Working together is a great idea … until their hormones get in the way. Can this couple find common ground? And, more importantly, can the dark underbelly of Whisper Cove survive the sordid truth? Only time will tell, and Jared and Harper are running out of it.

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2016

1194 people are currently reading
351 people want to read

About the author

Lily Harper Hart

219 books763 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,559 (53%)
4 stars
939 (32%)
3 stars
344 (11%)
2 stars
57 (1%)
1 star
15 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
Profile Image for Theresa .
1,847 reviews77 followers
February 15, 2021
4.5 Stars... Harper is not happy; which defined means DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA and laugh out loud hilarity... When Jared fails to call after ten days away, Harper is simply not feeling the love and she is not afraid to show it... Jared needs to scramble to right his wrong and try to get that first date he has been dreaming about... When a teenage boy is found dead in the park, Harper and Jared must find a way to come together and solve the mystery... Learning how to date, managing a surly teenage ghost, solving a murder, and surviving her best friend Zander has Harper's plate more than full... With memorable characters and hysterically funny writing not to mention an intriguing mystery, this read was truly enjoyable from start to finish:)
Profile Image for Mary Brown.
1,298 reviews74 followers
September 9, 2017
Ghostly Issues
A Harper Harlow Mystery, Book #2
Lily Harper Hart
5 Stars


Synopsis:

Harper Harlow has the world at her fingertips, and the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Whisper Cove’s resident ghost hunter finds that her professional life is soaring – while her personal life is floundering. She’s on a man diet – and nothing is going to tempt her, or so she swears.
Jared Monroe thought ten days away was nothing – until Harper’s anger hit him square in the face, and the heart, upon his return to town. He didn’t mean to hurt her, but a woman’s anger runs deep.
When a teenager is found in a local park, Jared and Harper find their paths intersecting … again.
Derek Thompson may have been looking forward to a bright future, but now he’s only looking back at a tortured past as his murderer runs free.
Jared and Harper have to work together – and face their issues – if they want to put Derek to rest. Working together is a great idea … until their hormones get in the way.
Can this couple find common ground? And, more importantly, can the dark underbelly of Whisper Cove survive the sordid truth? Only time will tell, and Jared and Harper are running out of it. (Goodreads)


Review:

The characters are well rounded and three dimensional. I just love the relationship between Harper and Zander. They are best friends and you can tell that they would do anything for each other. Their bickering and banter always makes me smile, and sometimes laugh out loud. The secondary characters added a lot to the story and I enjoyed getting to spend time with all of them again.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. The small town setting was spot on, where everyone knew everybody else's business.

The mystery was carried on well throughout the whole book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through that it made it difficult to know who the killer was. I felt sad for the murdered victim, his ghost seemed so lost.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted paranormal cozy mystery. With great characters, a great small town setting, a first rate mystery and lots of humor, what is not to love. I really enjoy this series and cannot wait to read the next book.



Profile Image for Imjussayin.
561 reviews11 followers
June 28, 2016

Initially, I thought there was a childishness to this book that was funny. In the book, Detective Mel uses the expression "it's wonderfully childish" and it seemed appropriate.

Like book one it started like a silly, light, quick read that some might enjoy. It should have been a nice easy read with no hiccups or icky moments.

Sadly, there is a reference to an incident that is not cute! It occurs between the protagonist Harper and police officer Jared, her intended boyfriend. They meet after a ten-day absence. Jared is in the doghouse as Harper has felt let down by his lack of communication. When they meet, Harper is cool. Jared grabs the front of Harper's shirt and forces a big kiss on her. Jared later describes the incident saying I 'Grabbed her and kissed the crap out of her.' Aggression is not acceptable behaviour by any man toward any woman.

There are frequent conversations which involve Jared saying he is going to beat up admirers of Harlow. Again, unacceptable behaviour by anybody much less an officer of the law. Once is perhaps funny, repeatedly it's annoying and worrying.

Harlow has a gay best friend - Zander. His character wore on me. There is only so much infantile talk and use of the word 'hot' to describe a man that one can take.

What started out as fun became juvenile. The characters seem stuck with the maturity of 10 - 13-year-olds. The book went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Connect with me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/imjussayin2

Book Rating

Sexual Content Rating: Mild
Language Content Rating: Mild
Violent Content Rating: Too much for a cosy mystery
Will I read the third or again? No


My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* A very good read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* An exceptionally good read. A prominent example of the genre.
Profile Image for Lori.
357 reviews3 followers
February 23, 2024
High School; don’t you miss it? Yeah. Me neither!

Sometimes the people you went to high school with follow you into adult life; for good or not so good.
High school and murder shouldn’t have anything in common, but when they do...teenage drama ensues.
Harper and Jarod have their own issues to deal with, but romance has to take a backseat to a modern investigation that gets more confusing with each fact that is uncovered.
There are plenty of suspects, but finding the motive is easier said than done. That the kids are all lying becomes obvious quickly, but are they lying to protect themselves, or someone else?
I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in the series. If you liked the first book, you will certainly enjoy this one!
Profile Image for Cathy P.
1,788 reviews9 followers
July 23, 2021
Take two

We end book one with things about to take a turn for Jared and Harper, but him leaving town gives her time to put up her walls. She is unreasonably mad, but then again she is looking for excuses not to date. Her draw to Jared proves to much though. Zander is Zander and proves why he is the best friend.
I really like the !mysteries in this series. I have read the series, but for some reason, the update didn't happen to Amazon or Goodreads. Re adding. Told from h and H POV. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Dawn Gee.
2,979 reviews11 followers
August 26, 2019
Very good continuation of series

The mystery was intriguing and I had no idea who the murderer was at all. Harper and Jared move forward in their relationship. Harper ends up in a deadly situation. I'm a little shocked that after everything is learned about the other culprits that Hart wrote their punishment so lenient. I was hoping they'd get serious jail time. You need to read the book to understand.
Profile Image for Megan.
3,606 reviews45 followers
May 13, 2021
Its not perfect but its an easy read mystery and I enjoyed the story.

I'm not sure what to make of Jared, one minute hes nice and seems fairly decent and the next not so sure.
Profile Image for Brenda.
3,474 reviews46 followers
February 5, 2024
Drug Dealers
Harper Harlow has the world at her fingertips, and the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Whisper Cove’s resident ghost hunter finds that her professional life is soaring – while her personal life is floundering. She’s on a man diet – and nothing is going to tempt her, or so she swears.
The kids were scared and wouldn't tell on the culprit. With the help of a ghost they caught the murderer.
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.
Profile Image for Anniken Haga.
Author 10 books90 followers
November 26, 2018
There are some books I just can't put down, even if I have a bunch of problems with them. This book (series) seem to be one of them.

I keep getting annoyed at the constant bickering between characters, and at how generalized the characters are in general. They all seem to be made from the same mold - and yet again, we were only introduced to like 3 other women than the MC in this book, while every other important character are male. The 3 females were victims, the mother of the MC, or a suspect.
I'm also annoyed at how every male in this book seem to have a crush on the MC years after they met each other last.

Then, to the story.
I found the story interesting - there were many variables I liked here and some things I didn't see coming - but when all was said and done, the bad guy was just like the one in book 1. I really hope we get another mold in book 3.

But despite all of these things that normally put me off a book, I kept listening in such a way that I've listened to close to 5 hours just today - sure, that is partly because I'm really down today and just lying in a dark room. Audiobooks are a lifesaver on days like that - but normally I'd have watched some TV or even slept a little inbetween, but that I didn't do that today. I just listened, so I guess there is something about this narrator/story that I just can't put my finger on yet.

Listened to as an audiobook.
Profile Image for JadeShea.
3,235 reviews60 followers
November 19, 2018
In the second book of the series Harlow thinks that Jared doesn't want her anymore since he didn't call while he was away for ten days. But she doesn't really know the truth and when she finds out, she may decide that he isn't so different from her after all.

But when he comes back to town it's to have another dead body crop up, and Harlow can see this ghost again, so this time they must work together to help solve the murder.

This one was a lot better than the first one, but it still wasn't great. I loved the cheesy parts, but then at times it went a little overboard. I really enjoyed the relationship between Harlow and Jared, but I just wish there was a little bit more to the story. I wish Harper had been a better detective type person or something.

Other than that I did like this one, but I'm not sure if I will read more in the series now.
Profile Image for Thereadingbell.
1,433 reviews39 followers
March 7, 2020
Harper and her best friend are working with ghosts to help them to the other side, and taking on investigating their deaths in the process. Harper and her police detective boyfriend are continuing to develop their relationship despite his faux pas in not calling her for the 10 days he was taking care of his ill mother. The relationship does seem to overshadow the mystery to some extent, but it was still a fun story. A teen boy is found dead and the leads aren't forthcoming. Can Jared make nice with Harper and find a killer?

A murder mystery with unlikely twist and a talented young lady who sees and talks to the dead. This psychic medium uses her skills to discover clues and help her boyfriend, a recent addition to the town police force apprehend the bad guys. There are other secondary characters that bring humor and light to the story. The story was good.
Profile Image for Darcysmom.
1,513 reviews
August 29, 2024
Harper was finally ready to let someone, Jared Monroe, into her life and then he up and disappears for ten days with no contact! Sure, she knows he is helping his mother out, but she is seriously miffed that he couldn't even send a single text that entire time!
Her anger sets up the emotional tone for most of the book. Jared eventually comes home and is shocked to find a much cooler welcome than he was expecting. Fortunately for their relationship, they have a case to work on together. And boy is it a doozy!
They have to put their issues aside if they want to solve Derek Thompson's murder and put him to rest.
As always the action and banter are fast-paced. The snark is high. And Harper's friendship with Zander is an absolute dream.
Profile Image for Brandi.
108 reviews17 followers
November 2, 2021
Once again you'll be laughing out loud! Don't read these books in public unless you are ok with getting weird looks from strangers! I love the bond the Harper and Zander have. It's wonderful to read about friendships that strong to last the ages. Harper and Jared are getting hotter! Keeping on with this series and can't wait to read what happens next.
252 reviews1 follower
October 10, 2018
Trust in Love and the Truth.

5 gold stars plus 1million more. This series is a great one to read. A read that will have people reading until the end of the book. I recommend this to anyone who love Paranormal Mystery's. I for one can't wait for book 3.
1,004 reviews
November 12, 2018
Another mystery with fun characters

A teenager is found dead in the park. His ghost is a typical teen - sullen and combative - and doesn't seem to remember much. The detectives and ghost hunters are very entertaining as they solve the murder.
Profile Image for Roxann.
306 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2019
A cozy romantic mystery

Jared and Harper are so sweet it sometimes made my teeth ache. I'm not complaining............ too much. They work well together to solve the crime. Add in Zander and Mel and it's a trifecta of romance, mystery and humor.
Profile Image for Susan Clark.
547 reviews2 followers
July 7, 2019
BRAVO!

Hart’s tale of a murdered teenager has twists and turns that surprise us. The part i found most interesting was her investigation into a supposedly haunted house and how she reacted to it. Very well done!
Profile Image for Quenya.
401 reviews19 followers
January 9, 2020
Thank Goodness that is over. I am done with this series.

Well the title is very fitting as this book has “issues.” I was hoping the issues with the first book was the author getting their feel for the series. Boy was I wrong. The author not only continued with the problems but expanded the bad and reduced the good to level that I just can’t continue with the series.

The main are characters are exceptionally immature and it only gets worse in this book. The main three characters act like spoiled four year olds with the thoughts of 13 years olds trapped in mid-20 year olds bodies. The characters bicker with each other constantly and it’s not “cute” like I think the author wants it to be. The relationships do not come off as realistic they come off as borderline unhealthy.

Where the series lost me was the author had the mystery take a back seat to the romance. It was almost an entire second thought to the story. I never got engaged in the mystery and I had a hard time being vested in its conclusion. The villain is obvious but the author did make him very evil and creepy.

I don’t mind the narrator’s voice but every character seemed to screech a lot and it was almost painful at times to listen to.
Profile Image for Harmony.
417 reviews7 followers
February 17, 2021
Once again, I found myself smiling often as I read this book.

There is just something about the dynamic of all the different relationships in this book that I really like. I do suspect that the whole Zander, Harper, Jared thing is going to get old pretty quickly. I'm not sure how any guy is expected to be OK in a relationship where he has to share Harper with Zander. I would imagine that would cause tension. For now, it's still the "honeymoon" phase of Harper and Jared's new relationship and I'm here for that! I may not be here for when things get weird. They got close to getting weird in this book.

This mystery was.... interesting. I was uncomfortable with it involving high school students, even if most of them were 18 and older. The last book also involved a younger murder victim.

I was glad to see that Harper defended herself (for the most part) and took actions to save herself. She is borderline too-stupid-to-live though. She really shouldn't do some of the thoughtless things she does. I wish she had some way to defend herself if she's going to keep putting herself in these sorts of situations.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I finished it feeling happy and with a smile on my face. My criteria for a 5-star rating.
Profile Image for Karyn.
209 reviews
November 6, 2024

So much fun!


Harper sees ghosts. She stopped caring about what others thought and opened a ghost hunter business with her bestie, Zander. Enter Jared, the new detective in town who doesn't believe in anything he can't see. Of course, sparks fly when they meet over a dead body.


I absolutely loved the characters in this book. Harper is awesome - strong in that she doesn't let anyone else tell her what to do or how to live her life, but vulnerable in that her only true friend is Zander, who she both lives and works with. Zander is absolutely ridicilous (and seriously loveable), but 100% pro-Harper, no matter what. They are joined at the hip, and anyone entering into a relationship with either has to accept that. Jared figures that out, and actually does pretty well at accepting Zander's position in Harlow's life. Every one of the side characters are also great, well developed and multi-dimensional.


This episode starts with Jared being away for 10 days, and not calling or texting Harper at all in that time. Needless to say, he's in big trouble. Can they work together to find the truth behind a teen's death?

Profile Image for Angela Griffin.
1,665 reviews6 followers
October 10, 2020
Juvenile and disappointing

I like this author; however, this story is disappointing. These characters need more development: Harper has great promise, but one minute she's a strong female who owns her gift and her sexuality unapologetically, the next minute she's devolving into a bratty twelve-year- old; Jared has no real personality, he's just whipped after one date; and Zander's character is suffering from a surfeit of "we're open-minded and tolerant so you can get away with anything" upbringing (honestly, what full grown man should be comfortable grabbing someone and saying "Mine" to establish territory...amd WHO thinks it's okay to allow it!!!). Even Harper's parents, detective/uncle Mel, and Eric are infected with childishness; the most maturity is shown by the college intern. The ghosts are as negligible as the unimpressive murder mystery. I expect better from this author, and make note of how much of this review of a paranormal mystery mentions the "paranormal" or "mystery"; it reads as an afterthought in the story, too.
Profile Image for Amanda Jane.
1,337 reviews9 followers
January 13, 2020
A teenage ghost brings back memories..

When one of the high school pupils, Derek Thompson, is found dead by the merry-go-round Zander and Harper are left taking a trip down memory lane as they return to the school.

All is not well initially between Harper and Jared and that gives first Eric and then later an old acquaintance ideas that make Harper uncomfortable.

She's not just dealing with Derek either there's another "haunted" house to sort and she's not picking up any ghostly vibes.. is the realtor just making excuses for the lack of a sale or is there something darker going on?

Meanwhile Mel is struggling with the investigation as Derek's parents are close friends.. none of them want to believe the worst but there's definitely something going on.. the steady denials and odd behaviour of Derek's best friends and girlfriend are only putting themselves in more danger.

Can the intrepid gang get to the bottom of both mysteries without anyone else getting harmed?
Profile Image for Mike Lewis.
1,761 reviews8 followers
September 24, 2022
entertaining paranormal cozy mystery series

This is an entertaining paranormal cozy mystery series. A fun cast of characters and an entertaining storyline. Harper Harlow is a young woman who can see and speak to ghosts. She has a ghost hunting business in which she goes to locations that have a ghost problem and helps the ghost transition to the other side. Along with her partner and best friend since kindergartner Xander their business ghost hunters inc. they go out and investigate and when needed transition goes. Harper also has a knack for attracting ghosts and finding ghost victims of crimes. As well as victims of accidents and other tragedies. She will help the police on occasion to find missing bodies and the victims of crimes. her new boyfriend Jared is a local police detective and Zanders uncle is his partner. It’s a small town where everybody knows each other’s business but there is always something going on. Always a fun and entertaining read. Check it out
194 reviews1 follower
December 9, 2024
Ghostly Issues - Harper Harlow Mystery Book 2

I really like these characters. They're so loyal and fun. Our couple , Harper and Jared are getting close so very fast. They really round each other out. I guess when you know you know. Wish all relationships came with an almost predetermined outcome.
The storyline was excellent. I really had no idea who the killer was. That guy is so scary and on so many levels, Horrible! I'm glad they got their kicks in at the end. I liked the way the story evolved and that you felt a part of it. It really kept you guessing. The only negative comment in relation to this series so far, would have to be that the leading couple were very much like the couple in the series I just finished by Lily Harper Hart," The Rowan Gray Mysteries". I guess it's not bad but a little disappointing. I'll have to see how the rest of the series progresses before making my final opinion on the matter.
Kathy
Profile Image for Anita Sobreira.
302 reviews4 followers
April 22, 2025
Ghostly Issues is the second book in Lily Harper Hart's "Harper Harlow" mystery series. Here's what you can expect:

- Paranormal Mystery: The story combines elements of a traditional mystery with paranormal aspects, as the protagonist, Harper Harlow, is a ghost hunter.

- Character Dynamics: The book delves into the relationships between the characters, particularly Harper's personal life and her interactions with Jared Monroe.

- Intriguing Plot: In this installment, Harper and Jared investigate the murder of a teenager, which involves navigating both the world of the living and the dead.

** Humor and Suspense:** Readers often cite Hart's ability to mix humor with suspenseful plotlines.

In summary, Ghostly Issues is likely to appeal to readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries with a focus on character relationships and a blend of humor and suspense.
Profile Image for Danielle Bush.
1,906 reviews23 followers
April 25, 2020
At the beginning of this book Harper is in a rare mood and taking it out on Zander.. She is upset because Jared left town to take care of his mom, I think she broke her leg, and he doesn't call for the entire 10 days he was gone. So Harper thinks he changed his mind about liking her, and is mad at the world. Jared comes home and is told by Mel that he has some groveling to do.. But before he can do that another body is discovered.
this mystery was pretty good, I didn't know who did it until the end. I was happy that Jared and Harpers problem was resolved fairly quickly. I hate it when that kind of thing lingers through the whole book...
I still like the sassyness and banter between the whole cast of characters. and will be reading the next book!
866 reviews7 followers
January 17, 2020
I am really liking this series. It is progressing as I prefer for the romantic, cozy mystery type of book. A little early misunderstanding, a suitable make-up period, and .... they're a couple. We can move on with the plot, instead of being mired in emotional relationship drama baggage. The characters are, while remarkably similar to the characters in the author's other series, still appealing and engaging and as complex as any character is going to be in this genre.
848 reviews4 followers
October 26, 2020
4.7 stars for Ghostly Issues and three cheers for Harper and Zander

I know it sounds silly, but I love happy endings! This second in the series has so much action, I would be exhausted just trying to keep up with it all. It is so great reading about Harper and Zander's great friendship. I want a buddy like that! Hopefully nobody know anyone as crappy as Jim Stone any more. Love this series, so I have to get started on another one.
Profile Image for Larry.
3,033 reviews17 followers
August 7, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! The main and supporting characters seem like new friends and the antagonist was truly a monster in human form who didn't show his true nature till the end of the book, just as it should happen. The plot was easily followed and the story flowed quite well. I am very impressed with this author and every book I have read by her has been superb. I definitely highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.