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Maggie Mulgrew #1
Ghost of a Chance
The first book of a fun new cozy mystery series ~ with a touch of supernatural.
Welcome to Holmestead, England ~ where an American ex-pat, an archaeologist, and murder turn this small, picture postcard village upside down.
Maggie Mulgrew runs The Ash Leaf, an antique shop in the quaint village of Holmestead, England ~ which has nothing to do with Sherlock, thank you very much.
She sells her goods to disappointed tourists, and locals who appreciate her eclectic taste.
Professor Pembroke Martin is hunting down an artifact that had been stolen by a former assistant ~ a hand-blown apothecary jar that is the center of an old ghost story. His search leads him to Holmestead, and a stubborn, fascinating American who has acquired the box that once contained the rare jar.
When the missing jar turns up, clutched in the hand of the very dead local historian, Martin becomes the prime suspect. He and that dead historian were bitter rivals.
With his future on the line, Martin turns to Maggie for help, and they join forces to find the real killer.
Maggie Mulgrew Mysteries:
Ghost of a Chance
Written on the Wind - coming August 2016
Check out all my books here: amazon.com/author/catedean
Welcome to Holmestead, England ~ where an American ex-pat, an archaeologist, and murder turn this small, picture postcard village upside down.
Maggie Mulgrew runs The Ash Leaf, an antique shop in the quaint village of Holmestead, England ~ which has nothing to do with Sherlock, thank you very much.
She sells her goods to disappointed tourists, and locals who appreciate her eclectic taste.
Professor Pembroke Martin is hunting down an artifact that had been stolen by a former assistant ~ a hand-blown apothecary jar that is the center of an old ghost story. His search leads him to Holmestead, and a stubborn, fascinating American who has acquired the box that once contained the rare jar.
When the missing jar turns up, clutched in the hand of the very dead local historian, Martin becomes the prime suspect. He and that dead historian were bitter rivals.
With his future on the line, Martin turns to Maggie for help, and they join forces to find the real killer.
Maggie Mulgrew Mysteries:
Ghost of a Chance
Written on the Wind - coming August 2016
Check out all my books here: amazon.com/author/catedean
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2016
2440 people are currently reading
1546 people want to read
About the author
Cate Dean
84 books264 followersCate Dean has been writing since she could hold a pen in her hand and put more than two words together on paper.
She grew up losing herself in fantasy worlds, and now creates her own worlds, infusing them with adventure and magic.
When she's not writing, she travels to places that inspire her, having her own adventures, and reads pretty much anything she can get her hands on.
There ~ I got the official biography out of the way. I love to write, and yes, I have been doing it most of my life. I've made up stories in my head for as long as I can remember, and I’m thrilled to be able to bring those stories to life, and share them with you.
If you want to be the first to know when the next book is released, or be in on some fun, exclusive contests and giveaways, join my list here: https://catedeanwrites.com/join-my-list.
You can learn more about me and my books at my website: https://catedeanwrites.com
I look forward to meeting you. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
July 28, 2018
I was in the mood for light, cozy mystery and this absolutely did the trick. It was light hearted and fun to read.
Why did I give it 3 stars? Well for a few reasons. Primarily though because I found the title to be a little misleading. The title, as we know, is called "Ghost of a Chance" but there is practically nothing to do with ghosts in this story. I am going to give the author the benefit of the doubt though and assume that because this is a serial, there will be more interactions with ghosts. I won't give anything away, but there was really only a few casual mentions; a possible ghost haunting her store; a few "cold spots" and continuous mentions of "I don't beleive in ghosts" but that was about it.
Another issue I had was that it sort of felt like an episode of Murder She Wrote, with neon signs pointing to the clues and then a sudden "OMG I Know who did it, but I need your help to prove it" and of course the spontaneous confession. Now, don't get me wrong, MSW is one of my FAVORITE TV shows, but to me the ending felt super rushed. I had read another review where someone stated the felt like they missed some pages or chapters and I have to agree. The ending was just...WHAM.. here it is. There was hardly any actual investigating done by our heroine (aside from 2 or 3 conversations with potential suspects) and I didn't quite understand the point of going back and forth between Maggie's perspective and Martin's, since all he did was basically fawn over Maggie, his character didn't really add anything to the story, except of course as the love interest.
I do feel like this was rushed and quickly put together, but I am going to hope that the rest of the series (should I choose to read it) will be a little more indepth and have a bit more character building. This is one of the things that draws me into a story (character development) and in this regard, this book was severely lacking.
All in all, if you don't have high expectations, then this is a fabulous, quick and cozy mystery
Why did I give it 3 stars? Well for a few reasons. Primarily though because I found the title to be a little misleading. The title, as we know, is called "Ghost of a Chance" but there is practically nothing to do with ghosts in this story. I am going to give the author the benefit of the doubt though and assume that because this is a serial, there will be more interactions with ghosts. I won't give anything away, but there was really only a few casual mentions; a possible ghost haunting her store; a few "cold spots" and continuous mentions of "I don't beleive in ghosts" but that was about it.
Another issue I had was that it sort of felt like an episode of Murder She Wrote, with neon signs pointing to the clues and then a sudden "OMG I Know who did it, but I need your help to prove it" and of course the spontaneous confession. Now, don't get me wrong, MSW is one of my FAVORITE TV shows, but to me the ending felt super rushed. I had read another review where someone stated the felt like they missed some pages or chapters and I have to agree. The ending was just...WHAM.. here it is. There was hardly any actual investigating done by our heroine (aside from 2 or 3 conversations with potential suspects) and I didn't quite understand the point of going back and forth between Maggie's perspective and Martin's, since all he did was basically fawn over Maggie, his character didn't really add anything to the story, except of course as the love interest.
I do feel like this was rushed and quickly put together, but I am going to hope that the rest of the series (should I choose to read it) will be a little more indepth and have a bit more character building. This is one of the things that draws me into a story (character development) and in this regard, this book was severely lacking.
All in all, if you don't have high expectations, then this is a fabulous, quick and cozy mystery
October 25, 2017
Maggie Mulgrew moves from the US to England when she inherits her aunt's antique shop in the touristy town of Holmestead. A trip to an auction leads to her involvement in multiple murder.
I wanted to like this. I really, truly did. Maggie, Martin and Spencer are all likable characters. Unfortunately the plot was super simplistic and super implausible.
Why did Giles ask for money when he already had the jar?
How do Maggie's knife throwing skills(!?) help her to throw a jar of oil? While her hands are tied, no less!
Pointless characters randomly wander into the story (like the guy who attacks Maggie in the street, and the hippie vegan) then disappear, never to be seen again.
Even the ghost adds little to the story. (To be fair, I'm not a "ghost" fan anyway, but really, what was the point of this ghost?)
Why does Martin think Maggie won't like him if she finds out about his past? Why don't we ever find out about Martin's mysterious past?
The story trundles along, then crashes with very little warning into a sudden, overcontrived confession scene
And one last question- one of the "cute" aspects of the book is that dumb American tourists flock to Holmestead in the mistaken belief that there's a connection to Sherlock. But they all come on bus tours - so obviously there's some kind of back room deal -perhaps a kickback from Enid? - going on. Just what do those tours advertise? How do they market the town that has absolutely no connection to Sherlock Holmes as a viable tour stop? (I know - that question is pointless and silly, but it still bugged me.)
I wanted to like this. I really, truly did. Maggie, Martin and Spencer are all likable characters. Unfortunately the plot was super simplistic and super implausible.
Why did Giles ask for money when he already had the jar?
How do Maggie's knife throwing skills(!?) help her to throw a jar of oil? While her hands are tied, no less!
Pointless characters randomly wander into the story (like the guy who attacks Maggie in the street, and the hippie vegan) then disappear, never to be seen again.
Even the ghost adds little to the story. (To be fair, I'm not a "ghost" fan anyway, but really, what was the point of this ghost?)
Why does Martin think Maggie won't like him if she finds out about his past? Why don't we ever find out about Martin's mysterious past?
The story trundles along, then crashes with very little warning into a sudden, overcontrived confession scene
And one last question- one of the "cute" aspects of the book is that dumb American tourists flock to Holmestead in the mistaken belief that there's a connection to Sherlock. But they all come on bus tours - so obviously there's some kind of back room deal -perhaps a kickback from Enid? - going on. Just what do those tours advertise? How do they market the town that has absolutely no connection to Sherlock Holmes as a viable tour stop? (I know - that question is pointless and silly, but it still bugged me.)
January 2, 2020
I enjoyed this, but there were a few ???!!!??? moments that had me wondering.
Why on earth was a Police constable investigating a murder? Its not the job of a police constable. Its not even the job of a police officer - its down to detectives to investigate such things. Murder is a level 3 offence and therefore a SIO would be appointed to lead the investigation, not a lowly constable who has NO training and isn't employed to do detective work. It irked me.
And it was only when I was part way through the book that I noticed the US spellings - no problem with that, though I thought the author was British so it seemed very odd. A couple of US-speak moments grated: e.g. Spencer asks Martin : "Martin, can you sit in back?" Brits don't say that.
This would have benefitted from a 'Brit' proof-read I think. Is the youngest son of an Earl called 'Lord'? I don't think so. 'The Honorable' is correct as far as I recall.
And the title was misleading. 'Ghost'?? There were a few infrequent mentions of a ghost in the house but that was all, apart fr0m a minuscule scene right at the end which somehow seemed 'tacked on'.
I enjoyed the plot and the characters, and the setting was good as was the 'cozy' mystery. I just wish this had been Britproofed.
Edited: I have just read the appalling list of British 'slang' words at the back of the book! Does this author not know what 'slang' is? Bank Holiday is not 'slang', neither is 'football' or 'holiday' or 'fortnight' - good lord woman, these is the British language, not informal words. Get it right.
meh
Why on earth was a Police constable investigating a murder? Its not the job of a police constable. Its not even the job of a police officer - its down to detectives to investigate such things. Murder is a level 3 offence and therefore a SIO would be appointed to lead the investigation, not a lowly constable who has NO training and isn't employed to do detective work. It irked me.
And it was only when I was part way through the book that I noticed the US spellings - no problem with that, though I thought the author was British so it seemed very odd. A couple of US-speak moments grated: e.g. Spencer asks Martin : "Martin, can you sit in back?" Brits don't say that.
This would have benefitted from a 'Brit' proof-read I think. Is the youngest son of an Earl called 'Lord'? I don't think so. 'The Honorable' is correct as far as I recall.
And the title was misleading. 'Ghost'?? There were a few infrequent mentions of a ghost in the house but that was all, apart fr0m a minuscule scene right at the end which somehow seemed 'tacked on'.
I enjoyed the plot and the characters, and the setting was good as was the 'cozy' mystery. I just wish this had been Britproofed.
Edited: I have just read the appalling list of British 'slang' words at the back of the book! Does this author not know what 'slang' is? Bank Holiday is not 'slang', neither is 'football' or 'holiday' or 'fortnight' - good lord woman, these is the British language, not informal words. Get it right.
meh
May 25, 2019
One of the worst cozies I've read this year. Mainly because the title/description is misleading. There is no ghost or supernatural element until like the last page. As if the author was like "oh yeah, I need to add a ghost real quick." There is a flickering light that adds nothing to the story/plot/mystery or whatever. The "romance" is too fast. There's no tension. The comma errors are ridiculous.
July 4, 2017
My copy had a different cover but was wonderful just the same. Wonderful cozy and brilliant meet-cute! I just finished Cate Dean's Ghost of a Chance and fell in love, a book that I bought. What a wonderful paranormal cozy this is and I can not wait to read the next. This doesn't read like a paranormal cozy but it is brilliant. Loved it! Not your average cozy either. With an American main character living in England, I was not sure what I could expect but I really enjoyed this storyline and character. She has a wonderful best friend, shop and new life, as well as unexpected joy and excruciating pain. This is a very good read and a series I will add to my favorites for sure.
June 28, 2019
Awful. Just terrible. And written by someone who seems to have no clue about Britain - or at least was writing it for Americans with no idea about the uk and didn’t bother to do anything about it before putting it on UK Amazon.
February 26, 2020
Quite enjoyed this first in the series featuring Maggie Mulgrew, an American who six months earlier inherited an antique shop from her beloved aunt in a small village in England. It's a bit odd, because earlier this week I read another first in a series about an American buying a store in a small village in England and turning it into an antique shop. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Ghost of a Chance a great deal.
Maggie's a good character. When a man she just met is arrested for the murder of a local man, Maggie begins to try and prove the man -- Martin -- was innocent. Martin's also an interesting character, and small bits of the story are told from his POV. I will definitely pick up the next in the series to see what happens with Maggie, Martin, and also with some of the secondary characters in the book.
Maggie's a good character. When a man she just met is arrested for the murder of a local man, Maggie begins to try and prove the man -- Martin -- was innocent. Martin's also an interesting character, and small bits of the story are told from his POV. I will definitely pick up the next in the series to see what happens with Maggie, Martin, and also with some of the secondary characters in the book.
April 6, 2018
Agréablement surprise par cette petite histoire rafraîchissante. Hâte de lire la suite.. Juste un petit bemol, on ne sait pas pourquoi le pot est si precieux que l'on s'entretue pour l'avoir.
April 7, 2020
A quick, rather light read that had its moments. I plan to try the second one to see where it goes and if the series develops some more oomph. 3.5*
February 23, 2020
What a waste of time. I picked it up because of the ghost reference (cozy mystery with a ghost -- my cuppa). What a disappointment. If you're looking for excellent ghost stories, try Terri Reid; you won't be disappointed. The 'ghost in the title' gimmick (even pictured on the cover) was really thin, and very misleading. And what does the title even mean -- a chance at what?? The plot just didn't engage me (read "boring"), nor did the characters. As I read along, I checked the percentage a lot to see how much I had left. I would have given up if it were a longer book, but at least it was short.
I was also distracted by the clunky writing style. Quite a few times I had to reread sentences to try to figure out just what she was trying to say, and usually just had to give up and continue reading. Oh, and the ending was ridiculous. Needless to say, I don't play on reading anything else from this writer.
I was also distracted by the clunky writing style. Quite a few times I had to reread sentences to try to figure out just what she was trying to say, and usually just had to give up and continue reading. Oh, and the ending was ridiculous. Needless to say, I don't play on reading anything else from this writer.
May 12, 2018
An interesting story with couple of murders but other than lights flickering on and off and an occasional sighting, there isn't a supernatural theme to this story. But the author might be setting the stage for the rest of the series and maybe there is more ghostly presence in future books. Anyways, a good cozy that would keep you guessing as to who the perpetrator is. The protagonists are fleshed out and interesting to get to know.
February 20, 2018
Fun, unique and a good mystery. Maggie accidentally comes between others feuding over an antique jar. One of those is a professor she has a crush on. The story is complex with many motives and possibilities for characters to be the 'murderer'. I liked the characters and the story. I will be reading more from this series.
February 28, 2020
"Not another one"
I've lost count of the murder mysteries written by US authors that are set in the UK. None of them get things right. If only they sparkled like a Christie story. I couldn't finish this one. Cardboard characters and a banal mystery. I reached 45% and decided I didn't care what happened.
I've lost count of the murder mysteries written by US authors that are set in the UK. None of them get things right. If only they sparkled like a Christie story. I couldn't finish this one. Cardboard characters and a banal mystery. I reached 45% and decided I didn't care what happened.
October 7, 2022
I quite liked this cozy mystery.
The setting in the small town with an Archaeology professor is something I quite liked.
The plot was lovely, not super shocking but entertaining. And it happened without the protagonist doing stupid things, which happens so frequently with these books.
I liked Maggie and Martin and Spencer well enough, and could def understand their love for history. The murderer was like, mh Kay, if you say so. His accomplice…idk, I suppose such people exist? I def didn’t like him.
What amused me was this books definition of an archaeologist. Like, as if any serious archaeologist would get that much fame. Seriously, it sadly doesn’t really happen. Several TV series’s? Lol
And also, that archaeologist just spends his time looking at objects/buying them and then making a story out of them? Or does he actually do archaeological work as well? Idk, his academic work just didn’t seem to be there lol
The style was okay, though some things were just a little much. Too many explanations of simple things, that could be shown in a nice scene or simply wouldn’t be said like that by most people. Some of the dialogue also sounded awfully stilted, I’m not sure there’s anyone who actually speaks like that, and If yes, I don’t think I’d want to talk to them XD
The setting in the small town with an Archaeology professor is something I quite liked.
The plot was lovely, not super shocking but entertaining. And it happened without the protagonist doing stupid things, which happens so frequently with these books.
I liked Maggie and Martin and Spencer well enough, and could def understand their love for history. The murderer was like, mh Kay, if you say so. His accomplice…idk, I suppose such people exist? I def didn’t like him.
What amused me was this books definition of an archaeologist. Like, as if any serious archaeologist would get that much fame. Seriously, it sadly doesn’t really happen. Several TV series’s? Lol
And also, that archaeologist just spends his time looking at objects/buying them and then making a story out of them? Or does he actually do archaeological work as well? Idk, his academic work just didn’t seem to be there lol
The style was okay, though some things were just a little much. Too many explanations of simple things, that could be shown in a nice scene or simply wouldn’t be said like that by most people. Some of the dialogue also sounded awfully stilted, I’m not sure there’s anyone who actually speaks like that, and If yes, I don’t think I’d want to talk to them XD
October 14, 2019
I admit I started this book with the expectation I won't like it (paranormal stuff is just not my cup of tea) but needed a book with a ghost on cover - and I have only a couple of those plus this was rather short.
So the great news is I loved this story, the characters and the realistic development. Unfortunatelly there were too many content holes/contradictions and typos/incorrect words (and I kept in mind it's BE, so I double checked them) which distracted me from the book.
It's a fun and entertainig cozy that made me curious enough I want to continue this series - despite the ghost elements - and like Maggie I don't believe in ghost :-)
In case Amazon provides an updated edition without the plot issues & typos I'll upgrade the rating to 5*.
So the great news is I loved this story, the characters and the realistic development. Unfortunatelly there were too many content holes/contradictions and typos/incorrect words (and I kept in mind it's BE, so I double checked them) which distracted me from the book.
It's a fun and entertainig cozy that made me curious enough I want to continue this series - despite the ghost elements - and like Maggie I don't believe in ghost :-)
In case Amazon provides an updated edition without the plot issues & typos I'll upgrade the rating to 5*.
August 31, 2018
I finished this book in two days. It is very short, but a fun read. Red-haired Maggie inherits an antique shop with an apartment above and more from her great-aunt Irene in England. She moves to Holmestead, England, from America to a small village and strives to fit in. When she meets Professor Martin, a famous archaeologist, things begin to heat up between them. But first, she has to help him prove his innocence from a murder charge. A very enjoyable light mystery.
March 4, 2020
Not too many spooks yet.
This book popped up in my to be read list, and I decided to give it a try, even though I didn’t have a clue as to where it came from. I enjoyed the characters and the setting and had no trouble wishing I was Maggie, helping to solve the mystery. I’m going to look up the next book which is the best recommendation you can give.
This book popped up in my to be read list, and I decided to give it a try, even though I didn’t have a clue as to where it came from. I enjoyed the characters and the setting and had no trouble wishing I was Maggie, helping to solve the mystery. I’m going to look up the next book which is the best recommendation you can give.
January 26, 2025
enjoyable
I liked this cleanly written story. Excellent characters you’d find in a small town, and a good romance all with a tricky evolving plot that comes to light at the ending of the story . Very well done, light, easy to read and very enjoyable.
I liked this cleanly written story. Excellent characters you’d find in a small town, and a good romance all with a tricky evolving plot that comes to light at the ending of the story . Very well done, light, easy to read and very enjoyable.
July 30, 2019
Most enjoyable story! Lovely characters and good murder mystery. I liked it a lot!
April 4, 2021
I’m not really into the supernatural, but this was an easy read.
December 22, 2018
I didn't care enough about the characters. The romantic involvement felt rather fake. The best part was the appearance of the ghost at the very end.
July 27, 2019
Easy to read, enjoyable cozy mystery.
September 10, 2020
An american here
Four stars as its an enjoyable read, a bit far fetched but enjoyable. Simple storyline with simple easy to like characters. What else could you want
Four stars as its an enjoyable read, a bit far fetched but enjoyable. Simple storyline with simple easy to like characters. What else could you want
March 8, 2020
I hate it when the title of the book does not match with the story inside. This book had nothing to do with Ghosts except a few sentences here and there.
This was a light and quick read, the characters in the book were likable but the mystery / plot was flat (bland, lack luster).
This was a light and quick read, the characters in the book were likable but the mystery / plot was flat (bland, lack luster).
February 4, 2018
Antiques and murder
I'm a sucker for novels involving the British Isles, scholarly pursuits, and good mysteries. Put them all together and I'm a happy reader.
I'm a sucker for novels involving the British Isles, scholarly pursuits, and good mysteries. Put them all together and I'm a happy reader.
September 26, 2018
.
This was a quick and charming cozy mystery.
The setting is in England, but the heroine, who owns the antique shop, is from the U.S. and is commonly referred to as a 'Yank'. This mystery includes the involvement of an archeology professor and some antiquities.
There is some distraction from the grammatical errors.
It was able to entertain and keep some suspense before the revelation of the mystery.
I appreciate that it is a clean romantic read, able to stand on its own, and concludes with an H.E.A.
This was a quick and charming cozy mystery.
The setting is in England, but the heroine, who owns the antique shop, is from the U.S. and is commonly referred to as a 'Yank'. This mystery includes the involvement of an archeology professor and some antiquities.
There is some distraction from the grammatical errors.
It was able to entertain and keep some suspense before the revelation of the mystery.
I appreciate that it is a clean romantic read, able to stand on its own, and concludes with an H.E.A.
January 7, 2018
Charming cozy mystery. Lovable and relatable characters that have you cheering for a happy ending.
October 16, 2022
Love the history and characters. Story was good but a little transparent, I knew from almost the beginning who the murderer was but the writing was entertaining enough to hold interest.
October 5, 2020
The final reveal in a great mystery leaves me thinking, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming, but it all makes perfect sense.” The final reveal in a good mystery leaves me thinking, “OK, I saw all of that coming, but it was fun watching the characters figure it out. The reveal in this mystery left me thinking, “What the...? None of that makes any sense!” In fact, most of the book left me thinking it didn’t make any sense.
I'm left wondering was this supposed to be more mystery than romance or more romance than mystery. Either way, it doesn't work for me. I won't be continuing this series.
I'm left wondering was this supposed to be more mystery than romance or more romance than mystery. Either way, it doesn't work for me. I won't be continuing this series.
July 7, 2021
So, I really enjoyed reading this book. However, there are couple of reasons for a three and not four stars. The biggest is that it just seemed to end. Boom, here's the killer. Maggie decides she thinks she knows who it is and that's pretty much it, with a little (well done) suspense/drama. To be fair, the clues were probably there, but I just did not see it wrapping up when it did. It did have a nice twist to the end, though.
I thought the characters were done well and that we got to know Maggie, Martin and Spencer and to some extent Enid. I wish we'd gotten more of the bakery owner, but this is book one. I enjoyed the concept of the historical items and Martin's quest for ghosts/haunted items. For readers who don't mix romance and cozy, I think there is as much to the Maggie/Martin romance as there is to the mystery. I did enjoy getting the POV of both Maggie and Martin. I'm not sure about the instant romance, but I guess it can happen.
The biggest reason for a three, though, is there is no ghost in this story! **Spoiler** The object everyone is after and the reason for the murders is supposedly haunted, but we won't know that till book 2! And, the ghost that supposedly is in Maggie's shop (and is on the cover) isn't revealed until the end -- almost the last page. I was expecting a bit more paranormal. Having said all of that, I did enjoy the book and plan on reading at least the next book in the series.
I thought the characters were done well and that we got to know Maggie, Martin and Spencer and to some extent Enid. I wish we'd gotten more of the bakery owner, but this is book one. I enjoyed the concept of the historical items and Martin's quest for ghosts/haunted items. For readers who don't mix romance and cozy, I think there is as much to the Maggie/Martin romance as there is to the mystery. I did enjoy getting the POV of both Maggie and Martin. I'm not sure about the instant romance, but I guess it can happen.
The biggest reason for a three, though, is there is no ghost in this story! **Spoiler** The object everyone is after and the reason for the murders is supposedly haunted, but we won't know that till book 2! And, the ghost that supposedly is in Maggie's shop (and is on the cover) isn't revealed until the end -- almost the last page. I was expecting a bit more paranormal. Having said all of that, I did enjoy the book and plan on reading at least the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews