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Cherringham #19
Ghost of a Chance
Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
Every Halloween, the supposedly haunted Bell Hotel hosts its famous 'Ghost-Hunters Dinner', complete with scary stories, spooky apparitions and things that go bump in the night. But this year's event ends in a terrifying accident, and suddenly everyone wonders ... Is there a real ghost loose in the hotel? Jack and Sarah are convinced that the culprit must be human: who would want bad things to happen at the classic hotel? But soon they're forced to confront their own superstitions as they find themselves on the trail of an unsolved Victorian murder ...
-- Cherringham is a serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new mystery thriller released each month. Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly - but with a spot of tea - it's like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.
-- For fans of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series, Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who series, Caroline Graham's Midsomer Murders, and the American TV series Murder She Wrote, starring Angela Lansbury.
-- Co-authors Neil Richards (based in the UK) and Matthew Costello (based in the US), have been writing together since the mid 90's, creating content and working on projects for the BBC, Disney Channel, Sony, ABC, Eidos, and Nintendo to name but a few. Their transatlantic collaboration has underpinned scores of TV drama scripts, computer games, radio shows, and - most recently - the successful crime fiction series Cherringham. Now into its second season of 12 novellas, Cherringham is popular around the world and has been adapted as a series of audiobooks in Germany.
Every Halloween, the supposedly haunted Bell Hotel hosts its famous 'Ghost-Hunters Dinner', complete with scary stories, spooky apparitions and things that go bump in the night. But this year's event ends in a terrifying accident, and suddenly everyone wonders ... Is there a real ghost loose in the hotel? Jack and Sarah are convinced that the culprit must be human: who would want bad things to happen at the classic hotel? But soon they're forced to confront their own superstitions as they find themselves on the trail of an unsolved Victorian murder ...
-- Cherringham is a serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new mystery thriller released each month. Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly - but with a spot of tea - it's like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.
-- For fans of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple series, Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who series, Caroline Graham's Midsomer Murders, and the American TV series Murder She Wrote, starring Angela Lansbury.
-- Co-authors Neil Richards (based in the UK) and Matthew Costello (based in the US), have been writing together since the mid 90's, creating content and working on projects for the BBC, Disney Channel, Sony, ABC, Eidos, and Nintendo to name but a few. Their transatlantic collaboration has underpinned scores of TV drama scripts, computer games, radio shows, and - most recently - the successful crime fiction series Cherringham. Now into its second season of 12 novellas, Cherringham is popular around the world and has been adapted as a series of audiobooks in Germany.
Audiobook
First published October 1, 2015
86 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 28, 2025
Der 19. Band dieser Cosy Crime Reihe hat mir gut gefallen!
Zwar fand ich den Band nicht so spannend wie schon andere vorher, aber dafür hatte er eine schöne Atmosphäre. Die Geschichte spielt zu Halloween, es geht um ein "Geister-Dinner" und Geistererscheinungen sowie einen mysteriösen Unfall.
Jack und Sarah glauben nicht an Geister und nicht an einen Unfall...
Wie immer eine gute und kurzweilige Unterhaltung.
Zwar fand ich den Band nicht so spannend wie schon andere vorher, aber dafür hatte er eine schöne Atmosphäre. Die Geschichte spielt zu Halloween, es geht um ein "Geister-Dinner" und Geistererscheinungen sowie einen mysteriösen Unfall.
Jack und Sarah glauben nicht an Geister und nicht an einen Unfall...
Wie immer eine gute und kurzweilige Unterhaltung.
December 26, 2020
The huge Chandelier of Bell Hotel falls and almost kills some of the guests, Jack and Sarah are called in to see into it but they end up investigating a 100 year old murder.
This series did not let me down, still funny, captivating and brain teasing, a little paranormal activity was welcome!
This series did not let me down, still funny, captivating and brain teasing, a little paranormal activity was welcome!
September 2, 2023
Five stars because it was so fun. The mystery...well, it kind of isn't one. There are questions to be answered, but it's not their usual case. But you can tell the writers just had a blast with it, and for that... well done you!
October 22, 2017
Zur Sprecherin muss ich nichts sagen: Sie ist weiterhin grandios. Diese Geschichte hat mir gut gefallen und passte zufällig zur kommenden Halloweenzeit. Etwas mystisch und gruselig. Ich fand es klasse. Ein kurzweiliger Genuss.
June 30, 2022
Is it solved?
January 2, 2025
Is it solved…..?
June 16, 2018
Ghost of a Chance: Cherringham 19
Chronological order recommended but not necessary
In A Nutshell: Murdered Freddy is haunting the Bell, the local hotel where somebody murdered him. Basil hosts an annual dinner on the anniversary of Freddy's death. It draws customers with a taste for macabre mystery and ghosts. Then the chandelier crashes on the customers, and it's not one of Basil's ghost tricks. So, whodunit? Enter Jack and Sarah.
The Protagonist(s):Take one hard-boiled former New York City Detective retired to Cherringham England (Jack) and one Brit design techie divorcee who fled home to Cherringham (Sarah), and you have our protagonists. The professional and amateur in the sleepy Oxford countryside. It's an unusual but addictive pairing.
It has all the hallmarks of a classic mystery with the quintessential eccentric Brits. A sleepy village that is so well developed I want to go there for tea. And there are delightful, fun plots that hold the reader's attention.
Must read, easy read, good fun. And this one has a touch of the paranormal. Love cosies, and you will enjoy Cherringham.
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Check out my blog on imjussayin
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next oneor reread ?: Yes
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1*Finished the book butdidn't like it not fulfilled
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.
Chronological order recommended but not necessary
In A Nutshell: Murdered Freddy is haunting the Bell, the local hotel where somebody murdered him. Basil hosts an annual dinner on the anniversary of Freddy's death. It draws customers with a taste for macabre mystery and ghosts. Then the chandelier crashes on the customers, and it's not one of Basil's ghost tricks. So, whodunit? Enter Jack and Sarah.
The Protagonist(s):Take one hard-boiled former New York City Detective retired to Cherringham England (Jack) and one Brit design techie divorcee who fled home to Cherringham (Sarah), and you have our protagonists. The professional and amateur in the sleepy Oxford countryside. It's an unusual but addictive pairing.
It has all the hallmarks of a classic mystery with the quintessential eccentric Brits. A sleepy village that is so well developed I want to go there for tea. And there are delightful, fun plots that hold the reader's attention.
Must read, easy read, good fun. And this one has a touch of the paranormal. Love cosies, and you will enjoy Cherringham.
Connect with me on Twitter and FB
See all my reviews
Check out my blog on imjussayin
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1*Finished the book but
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.
January 12, 2019
#19 ♥️
April 3, 2022
It appears that the butler was murdered about a hundred years ago and has been haunting the building ever since, despite it having been turned into a family hotel which has fallen on hard times. Jack and Sarah get asked to investigate by the elderly hotel owner after a nearly devastating unexplained incident during the yearly demonstration by the ghost whisperer. Good sleuthing, surprising twists, unusual red herrings, and interesting characters round out this fun episode.
Love this idea of a series given in short bursts that are just the right size as well as so much more flexible than a whole novel! The ongoing sleuthing involves a retired and widowed older NYPD homicide cop who is finding life in the English countryside a fair antidote to his mourning, and a local recently divorced woman who has returned to her hometown with her children. They make a good sleuthing pair.
Voice actor Neil Dudgeon has been an excellent asset to my listening pleasure, making sure that
I know who's talking while I do mindless things.
Love this idea of a series given in short bursts that are just the right size as well as so much more flexible than a whole novel! The ongoing sleuthing involves a retired and widowed older NYPD homicide cop who is finding life in the English countryside a fair antidote to his mourning, and a local recently divorced woman who has returned to her hometown with her children. They make a good sleuthing pair.
Voice actor Neil Dudgeon has been an excellent asset to my listening pleasure, making sure that
I know who's talking while I do mindless things.
March 28, 2018
A local hotel is hosting a ghost evening featuring a 100 year old ghost named Freddy. Freddy was murdered in his attic room at the hotel and his murderer was never discovered. Dressed in Edwardian garb and enjoying their dinner, the attendees listen as ghost expert Basil tells Freddy's story. Everything is fun and scary until the huge chandelier crashes into the dining table, shattered crystal going everywhere. No one can understand why the chandelier fell so Jack and Sarah are asked to investigate.
This was really a fun read.
This was really a fun read.
November 13, 2020
2,5 tähteä.
Kuuntelin tämän lähinnä tehdessäni kotiaskareita, esimerkiksi tiskatessani. Se saattoi vaikuttaa lukukokemukseen, koska keskittymiseni herpaantui jatkuvasti ja tiettyjä sanoja tai lauseita saattoi jäädä jopa osittain kuuntelematta. Ei tämä kirja muutenkaan mitenkään huippuhyvä ollut, melko keskinkertainen ja jopa mitäänsanomaton. Luultavasti kokeilen jotain muutakin tämän kirjasarjan kirjaa, koska ne ovat helposti saatavina äänikirjoina ja myös lyhyitä kuunneltavia.
Kuuntelin tämän lähinnä tehdessäni kotiaskareita, esimerkiksi tiskatessani. Se saattoi vaikuttaa lukukokemukseen, koska keskittymiseni herpaantui jatkuvasti ja tiettyjä sanoja tai lauseita saattoi jäädä jopa osittain kuuntelematta. Ei tämä kirja muutenkaan mitenkään huippuhyvä ollut, melko keskinkertainen ja jopa mitäänsanomaton. Luultavasti kokeilen jotain muutakin tämän kirjasarjan kirjaa, koska ne ovat helposti saatavina äänikirjoina ja myös lyhyitä kuunneltavia.
February 20, 2022
An entertaining ghost story with an ending that is a first for Jack and Sarah. Not going to spoil it for you but let’s say that Sarah is pleasantly amazed when Jack can still surprise her.
Nineteen shorts in, and I still love this series. They are a great break from larger books and a pleasant way to spend a few hours without making a heavier commitment, for those times when your mind is wandering, and you can’t focus on anything but a short story.
Nineteen shorts in, and I still love this series. They are a great break from larger books and a pleasant way to spend a few hours without making a heavier commitment, for those times when your mind is wandering, and you can’t focus on anything but a short story.
June 11, 2018
Very cozy and only a little spooky.
July 16, 2018
Audiobook : Spotify.
Read by Neil Dudgeon.
Read by Neil Dudgeon.
August 11, 2018
Not bad
March 1, 2019
Suomeksi kuunneltuna nämä . Kevytdekkareita.
May 25, 2019
Hur mysig som helst. Lyssnade på ljudboken och hur perfekt är det ine med ett cozy murder mystery läst av Neil Dudgeon? Mysigt.
August 26, 2019
An excellent story. This series has not let me down so far, and I’m convinced it won’t
August 18, 2020
The Bell Hotel in Cherringham hosts its annual Halloween Dinner ... and Jack and Sarah end up doing some ghost-busting ... great fun ...
February 10, 2021
Not my favourite cherringham but still cosy nonetheless. Hanging out with Jack and Sarah is always a joy.
December 16, 2021
Oh my goodness, such a cute one! I liked how the author took a step back from the usual outline and did something a little special for Halloween. Great story!
May 30, 2023
A spooky old hotel, a ghost, and a night of terror. It makes for a wonderful ghost story.
December 24, 2023
The Mystery of Freddy
Another thrill seeker for the dynamic duo. Can you solve the mystery before Jack and Sarah does? Read on and see the outcome.
Another thrill seeker for the dynamic duo. Can you solve the mystery before Jack and Sarah does? Read on and see the outcome.
April 25, 2024
A bit far fetched.
February 10, 2025
Vermakelijk lunchverhaal.
February 17, 2025
I nice distraction. Sarah and Jack solve a 100 year old murder. Or do they?
October 15, 2025
This was just a really fun installment in the series where our plucky duo investigate a haunting in a local hotel.
November 1, 2025
A good book to listen too when you clean the house. It gives you ”Midsomer murders” wibes. It is fun to try to figure out how the guilty person is. Jack is a retired cop from US, Sarah is a singel mom and they solves crime together. This one was about a mystery.
September 6, 2023
I have once again fun by listening to this short cozy mystery.
2019/August/2 - 3-star rating
Good and funny, even if a bit short, story. About murdered ghost Freddy and how Jack and Sarah found out who killed him. I enjoyed this book in audiobook edition.
2019/August/2 - 3-star rating
Good and funny, even if a bit short, story. About murdered ghost Freddy and how Jack and Sarah found out who killed him. I enjoyed this book in audiobook edition.
December 2, 2015
3 stars
entertaining mystery story.
entertaining mystery story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews