Village of Ghosts

by Ralph E. Vaughan

Many residents of Little Wyvern, a village in legend-haunted Hammershire County, don’t have a pulse. The village boasts a population greater than can be seen with the naked eye. Ghosts walk among the living, will-o’-the-wisps roam the old graveyard of St Barnabas Church, and many cottagers set table-places for guests still with them after a hundred years or more. A balance is maintained between living and deceased...until a few villagers form FOG, Friends of Ghosts, and mount a national campaign to make Little Wyvern "England’s Most Haunted Village." The scheme will bring in outside revenue, but most villagers—alive or dead—tend to keep themselves to themselves and resent outsiders. When murder strikes FOG, villagers believe the most likely suspect is a vengeful wraith angered by the plan to exploit the dead. But DCI Arthur Ravyn and DS Leo Stark of the Hammershire Constabulary are on the hunt for a killer with a more earthly nature, before he strikes again.

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2016

About the author

Ralph E. Vaughan is the author of several books combining the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and HP Lovecraft, such as "The Adventure of the Ancient Gods" (first story to combine Holmes & Lovecraft), "The Dreaming Detective." and "Sherlock Holmes and the Terror Out of Time." A longtime fan of the steampunk movement, he expressed that fondness by writing "Shadows Against the Empire," an epic Victorian interplanetary adventure, followed by its sequel "Amidst Dark Satanic Mills." He is also the author of "HP Lovecraft in the Comics," an exhaustive examination of the works Lovecraft's works as they were adapted into the medium of comic books, and "Reflections on Elder Egypt." a collection of essays about various aspects of Ancient Egypt and how that lost civilization is viewed by modern culture. He is the author of "Paws & Claws: A Three Dog Mystery," first in the Paws & Claws Series, in which three amazing dogs protect their neighborhood, thwart the evil plans of the nefarious Feral Gang, and occasionally save the world. This was followed by additional books, including "K-9 Blues" and "The Death and Life of an American Dog." He is a long-time resident of Chula Vista, California, which is the setting of the Paws & Claws Series. He has been married for more than 40 years, and has two children, a daughter who is a playwright, and a son who is a conductor for the BNSF.

Reviews

[Chris Caughey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in the series and DCI Ravyn is really fun to follow on his search for the killer!

[Gerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in this series was as good as the first. Death comes to the Village of Ghosts quite often when FOG, Friends of Ghosts is created. DCI Rayvn and DS Stark are together again to investigate the murders, and a little bit more information about the two men emerge. I thought I knew who the killer was, but was way off. I think I like this series because there is so much to wonder about... The writing is good the the plot nicely convoluted, and the characters both annoying and endearing. I highly recommend this book and this series.

[Nancy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Weekend Whodunnit

This book is so entertaining and an easy read who dunnit. Enjoy the cast of eclectic characters and how they are described. This makes them easily come to life in minds eye.

[Tracey S Choat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy but good

This is the second book in this series I've read. I've enjoyed both books very much. This is an and atmospheric crime thriller, very different from most. I love reading history and mysteries. This series has both.

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for light reading

Main characters DCI Arthur Ravyn & DS Stack are excellent, supporting characters are also well written.

Lots of "thinking" will be required & from the deepest recesses of old school lessons much will be remembered, but that's half the fun.

[Mary Lou Fineman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosted and goblins and murder, oh my!

I truly enjoyed both books in the series and hope there will soon be a third. There were a lot of folks who were done in. Many thought it was from supernatural causes, but the intrepid DCI Ravyn and his cohort Stack know better. Or, do they? Great fun for the reader although the victims' would not agree.