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Canine Casper Cozy Mystery #1
The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast
THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MURDER AND BREAKFAST is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews.
Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, has had enough of catering to the wealthy and their pampered dogs. Realizing it is time to make a change, she quits and heads to a small coastal town in Maine where she remembers fond summers as a kid. Marie expects to go for a brief getaway—and is shocked to learn that her great-aunt left her an inheritance: a dilapidated, historic house high up on a hill overlooking the harbor.
Marie feels an instant connection. Although the locals tell her it would be folly, Marie decides to renovate and give it a second life as a B&B.
But there is one thing she couldn’t have planned for: the house is haunted.
Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.
When an unexpected death occurs soon thereafter, solving the crime will be more than just a matter of curiosity for Marie—her very future may depend on it.
Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, has had enough of catering to the wealthy and their pampered dogs. Realizing it is time to make a change, she quits and heads to a small coastal town in Maine where she remembers fond summers as a kid. Marie expects to go for a brief getaway—and is shocked to learn that her great-aunt left her an inheritance: a dilapidated, historic house high up on a hill overlooking the harbor.
Marie feels an instant connection. Although the locals tell her it would be folly, Marie decides to renovate and give it a second life as a B&B.
But there is one thing she couldn’t have planned for: the house is haunted.
Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.
When an unexpected death occurs soon thereafter, solving the crime will be more than just a matter of curiosity for Marie—her very future may depend on it.
228 pages, ebook
First published August 17, 2020
2078 people are currently reading
4202 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Love
95 books314 followersA lifelong fan of the romance genre, Sophie Love is thrilled to release her debut romance series: FOR NOW AND FOREVER (THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR—BOOK 1). Sophie would love to hear from you, so please visit www.sophieloveauthor.com to email her, to join the mailing list, to receive free ebooks, to hear the latest news, and to stay in touch!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
September 4, 2022
Eigentlich hat dieses Buch alles, was ich mag! Ein gemütlicher Krimi, ein altes Haus, in dem es spuken soll, eine sympathische Hauptprotagonistin mit Hund... :)
Es war gut. Ich habe diesen Reihenauftakt sehr gerne gelesen, aber es gibt noch ein bisschen Luft nach oben.
Ein Krimi wird es erst in der zweiten Hälfte des Buches, was für mich aber okay war. Ich mag ja diese gemütlichen ruhigen Krimis.
Trotzdem hat mir aber das gewisse Etwas noch gefehlt.
Aber es ist das erste Buch einer Reihe, daher habe ich die Hoffnung, dass es sich noch steigern kann :)
Es war gut. Ich habe diesen Reihenauftakt sehr gerne gelesen, aber es gibt noch ein bisschen Luft nach oben.
Ein Krimi wird es erst in der zweiten Hälfte des Buches, was für mich aber okay war. Ich mag ja diese gemütlichen ruhigen Krimis.
Trotzdem hat mir aber das gewisse Etwas noch gefehlt.
Aber es ist das erste Buch einer Reihe, daher habe ich die Hoffnung, dass es sich noch steigern kann :)
October 12, 2021
I loved that the heroine was almost 40.
That was the main reason I grabbed this audiobook when I saw it was free on Hoopla. You get a little tired of reading about 20somethings having all the fun.
The book itself wasn't bad, it just wasn't amazing.
I actually really liked the is-it-isn't-it vibe when it comes to her house being haunted. But by the end of the book, it seemed as though the story couldn't really decide what it wanted to be exactly.
It does have a paranormal slant to it, but there is also just a plain old cozy mystery.
Which sounds great.
But it doesn't quite pull everything off.
Mostly because some of the paranormal part revolves around a very ex Machina "plot twist" thrown in at the end.
It is and isn't a spoiler, but I'm going to tag it just to err on the side of caution.
The idea itself is very cute, I simply wasn't in love with the willy-nilly way it was done.
I also thought the story leaned into boring territory several times, but that could quite possibly be because this is the first book and it needed to give a lot of set-up for future stories. And I am curious to see if this goes anywhere fun. There was enough left unresolved (in a good way) that I would be interested in reading another one of these books.
That was the main reason I grabbed this audiobook when I saw it was free on Hoopla. You get a little tired of reading about 20somethings having all the fun.
The book itself wasn't bad, it just wasn't amazing.
I actually really liked the is-it-isn't-it vibe when it comes to her house being haunted. But by the end of the book, it seemed as though the story couldn't really decide what it wanted to be exactly.
It does have a paranormal slant to it, but there is also just a plain old cozy mystery.
Which sounds great.
But it doesn't quite pull everything off.
Mostly because some of the paranormal part revolves around a very ex Machina "plot twist" thrown in at the end.
It is and isn't a spoiler, but I'm going to tag it just to err on the side of caution.
The idea itself is very cute, I simply wasn't in love with the willy-nilly way it was done.
I also thought the story leaned into boring territory several times, but that could quite possibly be because this is the first book and it needed to give a lot of set-up for future stories. And I am curious to see if this goes anywhere fun. There was enough left unresolved (in a good way) that I would be interested in reading another one of these books.
November 5, 2024
3.5⭐
Genre ~ cozy mystery
Series ~ Canine Casper Cozy Mystery #1
Setting ~ Maine
Publication date ~ August 17, 2020
Est Page Count ~ 198 (33 chapters)
Audio length ~ 5 hours 54 minutes
Narrator ~ Ulka Mohanty
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ ghosts, haunted house
Marie has had enough of her job as a dog groomer, so she up and quits after a hoity toity customer is nasty to her. It wasn't her dream job anyway, that's to own a bed and breakfast. Then she kicks her cheating boyfriend to the curb and heads to Maine to get away.
Lucky for Marie, unlucky for her great aunt June since she’s dead, she inherits her house at the perfect time. Who cares that it's seen better days, she's going to renovate it and live out her dream.
The cover is spookier than the content, but it was an easy breezy cozy read that passed the time while I did fun household chores. Perhaps it'll get spookier as the series continues. There's a cute dog named Boo, which made me happy.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job. I don't have any complaints.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ cozy mystery
Series ~ Canine Casper Cozy Mystery #1
Setting ~ Maine
Publication date ~ August 17, 2020
Est Page Count ~ 198 (33 chapters)
Audio length ~ 5 hours 54 minutes
Narrator ~ Ulka Mohanty
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ ghosts, haunted house
Marie has had enough of her job as a dog groomer, so she up and quits after a hoity toity customer is nasty to her. It wasn't her dream job anyway, that's to own a bed and breakfast. Then she kicks her cheating boyfriend to the curb and heads to Maine to get away.
Lucky for Marie, unlucky for her great aunt June since she’s dead, she inherits her house at the perfect time. Who cares that it's seen better days, she's going to renovate it and live out her dream.
The cover is spookier than the content, but it was an easy breezy cozy read that passed the time while I did fun household chores. Perhaps it'll get spookier as the series continues. There's a cute dog named Boo, which made me happy.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job. I don't have any complaints.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
November 4, 2020
3.5 stars
A perfect lead into a cozy and warm Halloween.
Cozy Mysteries- for when I'm in the mood for a few bumps and paranormal twists, without any serious horror.
Themes:
Bed-And-Breakfast- Gothic style, Possibly Haunted, Outdated and Spooky
Beachfront Setting (felt a tad off compared to the aesthetic, but I understand why this was done)
Small Renovations- Hiring contractors, things going wrong with the house, these added elements kept the story moving along
Paranormal Occurrences- blended believers and debunkers nicely! The scenes were pretty good, especially the BIG paranormal scene. :)
Murder Mystery- classic cozy mystery but this one had a more real feel to it.
Investigations- Small town sheriff and police work (the usual this would never happen, laid back police work) + classic cozy DIY sleuth detective work.
A Lighthouse- Possibly Haunted?
Canine for doggy lovers!- Boo, the black dog. Cute. Feisty. Loved him.
Food/Cooking- I craved the hot chocolate and pancakes that were described. The food sounded so good I could smell breakfast in the air which made my stomach gurgle with hunger! Well done!
This was a cute and fun cozy. I was unsure who to point fingers at the majority of the mystery. I loved all the mysterious elements including ghost hunting. The romance was the equivalency of a crush, lightly touched on, it kept it kind and sweet.
I downloaded this e-book while it was free on Amazon because the cover was super cute and I thought it would make for a perfect lead into a cozy and warm Halloween. I was under no obligation to write a review, my honest opinion is freely given.
Note for author/editor:
The Kindle E-Book edition had quite a few typos that need correction yet.
As far as the other 3 books in the series go, I plan on checking them out next Halloween when they are all polished up!
[11/4/20- Ghostly Grounds #1 is still available for free download on Amazon, if you are interested in checking it out.]
A perfect lead into a cozy and warm Halloween.
Cozy Mysteries- for when I'm in the mood for a few bumps and paranormal twists, without any serious horror.
Themes:
Bed-And-Breakfast- Gothic style, Possibly Haunted, Outdated and Spooky
Beachfront Setting (felt a tad off compared to the aesthetic, but I understand why this was done)
Small Renovations- Hiring contractors, things going wrong with the house, these added elements kept the story moving along
Paranormal Occurrences- blended believers and debunkers nicely! The scenes were pretty good, especially the BIG paranormal scene. :)
Murder Mystery- classic cozy mystery but this one had a more real feel to it.
Investigations- Small town sheriff and police work (the usual this would never happen, laid back police work) + classic cozy DIY sleuth detective work.
A Lighthouse- Possibly Haunted?
Canine for doggy lovers!- Boo, the black dog. Cute. Feisty. Loved him.
Food/Cooking- I craved the hot chocolate and pancakes that were described. The food sounded so good I could smell breakfast in the air which made my stomach gurgle with hunger! Well done!
This was a cute and fun cozy. I was unsure who to point fingers at the majority of the mystery. I loved all the mysterious elements including ghost hunting. The romance was the equivalency of a crush, lightly touched on, it kept it kind and sweet.
I downloaded this e-book while it was free on Amazon because the cover was super cute and I thought it would make for a perfect lead into a cozy and warm Halloween. I was under no obligation to write a review, my honest opinion is freely given.
Note for author/editor:
The Kindle E-Book edition had quite a few typos that need correction yet.
As far as the other 3 books in the series go, I plan on checking them out next Halloween when they are all polished up!
[11/4/20- Ghostly Grounds #1 is still available for free download on Amazon, if you are interested in checking it out.]
September 4, 2021
More like 3.5 but I listened on audio and really liked the narration. Very cute and easy listening. Good escape without a lot of need to pay attention to details. It was just what I wanted for a short walk or to listen to while doing chores. I will def check out the series.
I listened on my libray app...Hoopla. It was worth the risk since it was free. I just discovered today that it is free on kindle. If you need a light cozy mystery...especially for fall, I recommend it!
I listened on my libray app...Hoopla. It was worth the risk since it was free. I just discovered today that it is free on kindle. If you need a light cozy mystery...especially for fall, I recommend it!
March 23, 2022
It's a storyline that has been used over and over so don't expect much in the way of originality. Someone, usually a relative, dies and either leaves money or big old house to a relative they have almost no connection to except a far-reaching bloodline. The said relative doesn't seem to have the sense that God gave green apples and proceeds against all common reasoning, to open a Bed & Breakfast, a cafe, or a cupcake shop...you've seen them all if you've read much of the cozy mystery genre. I have to admit I don't like cozy mysteries and what actually made me pick this one up was the house on the cover and the promise of a cute dog that had more common sense than the niece from the very start. The dog was adorable but didn't make up for the lack of a plot line or any twists or surprises. I hate to say bad things about any book that someone spent time writing, but needless to say, this series is not for me...but fans of the cozy mystery genre will more than likely love it.
October 13, 2021
I enjoyed this rapidly paced cozy mystery. The premise begins with a familiar setup—an aunt leaves her bed and breakfast to her niece. The inn’s in bad shape, plus it’s haunted. However, waiting at the house is the star of the show…a dog…who turns out to be a ghostbuster! Fun story!
July 26, 2021
DNF about 40 pages in. I had noticed a few typos which I was willing to overlook, but when I read about the character “sliding down the balcony” instead of the banister, I just couldn’t keep going.
November 4, 2020
The Ghostly Grounds - Book 1 was not very enjoyable for me to read. It can be classified as a beach read or a cozy murder mystery; and those genres are really not for me. I find the simple-mindedness of the characters, the barely there plot points, and the lazy tropey writing to be a miserable experience of reading. This book is really no different. I actually thought it would be better than I expected, but it was worse than all the other books in this genre that I've read. The writing was mediocre and rife with stereotypes and tropes. The characters were not fully fleshed out, and the scenes were repetitive. The horror side of the story was done pretty well I guess, but I'm quite easily spooked so..
The crux of the story, the survival of the bed-and-breakfast was done so poorly I felt so confused as to why the author had taken the route she had. The plot made no sense, and the foundation for the rest of the series also made no sense to me.
The main character is quite foolish and immature for her age. The plot development was fast and not well-written. There were quite a few plot-holes and just the direction the story took was so left-field that I felt like finishing this book as fast I could.
It was a quick book on ghosts and a murder mystery and I really had expected more from it, but I was left disappointed and quite sure that I would not be reading the rest of the books in the series.
2 stars - one for the dog, Boo, who was adorable and easily the star of the book. And the other star in the rating is for the story idea. It could have been an amazing book in a different author's hands no doubt. This book had a lot of potential.. sadly it just didn't pan out the way it could have.
The crux of the story, the survival of the bed-and-breakfast was done so poorly I felt so confused as to why the author had taken the route she had. The plot made no sense, and the foundation for the rest of the series also made no sense to me.
The main character is quite foolish and immature for her age. The plot development was fast and not well-written. There were quite a few plot-holes and just the direction the story took was so left-field that I felt like finishing this book as fast I could.
It was a quick book on ghosts and a murder mystery and I really had expected more from it, but I was left disappointed and quite sure that I would not be reading the rest of the books in the series.
2 stars - one for the dog, Boo, who was adorable and easily the star of the book. And the other star in the rating is for the story idea. It could have been an amazing book in a different author's hands no doubt. This book had a lot of potential.. sadly it just didn't pan out the way it could have.
June 28, 2023
I wasn’t expecting a literary masterpiece, but I think it was fair to expect something fun. This was not fun. I understand needing time to build the setup, but you don’t need to occupy over 50% of a cozy mystery with that. Do you know when the actual mystery took place? It was in roughly the last quarter of the book! There wasn’t any time to get to know suspects and draw up theories. Plus, the ghostly activity didn’t begin until the second half and that was incredibly lackluster. A deeply dissatisfying read!
March 15, 2021
Took me awhile to finish this, and overall it was a cute book, but I had issues with it. The murder didn't happen until 2/3 of the way through the book and then the "investigation" was practically non-existent and in the end, the culprit was caught but the MC did very little to bring that about. Instead of being a cozy mystery, this felt like it was really just a long-winded and unfocused introduction to the setting and the characters. I'll give the second book a try to see if the story is tightened up and more of a mystery but as for now, I will just say this is a cute story but not a cozy mystery.
Also, authors, please consult a law enforcement professional if you want to make your police interactions even remotely believable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Also, authors, please consult a law enforcement professional if you want to make your police interactions even remotely believable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 30, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It was very entertaining. I just loved all the characters especially the really smart dog. Ghost and murder mystery is always a hit. No actually physical violence or graphic sexual content. Great plot and well written with no foul language. It did have me a little confused that Marie would take the blame for a mistake that she herself had no part in. That just didn't make any sense to me. But still I feel it's a hit. I recommend it for all ages. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 25, 2020
An enjoyable cozy mystery about Marie, an almost 40-year-old woman. She is having a tough time in her life and then her Aunt dies leaving her an old gothic mansion. Deciding to start fresh, Marie sets about fixing up the old house as a B&B. When a ghost hunter stays with her and then his rival shows up, life at the B&B becomes very complicated. Murder, ghosts, lies and a dog named Boo. This book was fun with some interesting twists.
December 26, 2020
This book is thoroughly enjoyable. The plot moves along at a good pace with plenty of red herrings and twists. The characters are mostly people I would like to meet. The setting is rich with just enough detail. I immediately bought the next book in the series.
September 9, 2021
Marie has just quit a horrible job and found out her boyfriend was cheating when she receives a phone call informing her that her great aunt June has died, and heads up to Maine to make arrangements. She learns that June has left her the large old home she remembers so fondly from her childhood, and decides to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Is it haunted? Some paranormal investigators think so. And what of the skeptic who makes a business of debunking alleged paranormal sightings? Can her dog see things that humans cannot? I enjoyed reading this cozy mystery with a touch of the paranormal.
June 16, 2024
It was a fine White cis-het cozy mystery. Until...
The man posts a video without her consent saying there are ghosts at her B&B. She gets him to remove it. She gets lots of bookings. Then he discovers that his footage was a mistake. She says "I can't live my life on a lie so we have to tell people it's a mistake."
Which is right.
THEN she says to man who acted without her consent "I'll say it was all my fault and I asked you to do it." Which... Is a lie.
WTF? He could have just said "I was mistaken". But now she has lost her reputation and jeopardized her business. WHY? It makes zero sense. She hates being dishonest but she lied on camera.
Then at the end she agrees to lie again.
This is all unnecessary. The author just couldn't get to the end so had to jury rig something?? It's so frustrating and irritating. Also, let's send the message that women should torpedo their own lives to save men (who they barely know), because reasons.
The man posts a video without her consent saying there are ghosts at her B&B. She gets him to remove it. She gets lots of bookings. Then he discovers that his footage was a mistake. She says "I can't live my life on a lie so we have to tell people it's a mistake."
Which is right.
THEN she says to man who acted without her consent "I'll say it was all my fault and I asked you to do it." Which... Is a lie.
WTF? He could have just said "I was mistaken". But now she has lost her reputation and jeopardized her business. WHY? It makes zero sense. She hates being dishonest but she lied on camera.
Then at the end she agrees to lie again.
This is all unnecessary. The author just couldn't get to the end so had to jury rig something?? It's so frustrating and irritating. Also, let's send the message that women should torpedo their own lives to save men (who they barely know), because reasons.
August 31, 2021
Unlikeable main character who was too stupid to live let alone solve a crime. She was 40 going on 16. Marie's great Aunt left her the house and the dog. The dog had a tag on it that makes it seem like the Aunt knew she was going to die. Since she was found dead, the death must have been out of the blue. There was no backstory regarding the ghost in the B&B. The Aunt must have known it was there. She named the dog Boo after all. Boo seemed like a gift for Marie, except he seemed to have been with the aunt for a while. Marie was rude to her guests, never apologized. Got mad about a released video, then upset that she couldn't run a haunted B&B. I can't believe I actually finished.
October 18, 2021
Very cute first book in a series. Looking forward to reading the next.
December 18, 2023
3,5*
It was a fun and easy-to-follow story. It was spooky but not scary and had a good storyline.
We get to know the main character Marie and how she closes a few doors behind her to start anew in her, from her great-aunts inherited house, which is rumoured to be haunted. She starts a B&B and runs into trouble with her first customers already. From there the story is about solving the 'issue' and managing the B&B at the same time. And of course, the role her dog Boo plays ;)
I got this book for free on Amazon, I picked it because the title looked interesting and I enjoyed it enough that I bought book 2 straight after finishing this one.
It was a fun and easy-to-follow story. It was spooky but not scary and had a good storyline.
We get to know the main character Marie and how she closes a few doors behind her to start anew in her, from her great-aunts inherited house, which is rumoured to be haunted. She starts a B&B and runs into trouble with her first customers already. From there the story is about solving the 'issue' and managing the B&B at the same time. And of course, the role her dog Boo plays ;)
I got this book for free on Amazon, I picked it because the title looked interesting and I enjoyed it enough that I bought book 2 straight after finishing this one.
August 1, 2025
Cute & cozy little spooky murder mystery in a small town with a gothic manor 👻🌔 Loved and will continue on in the series.
September 24, 2025
Good fun, easy read and some interesting characters.
November 8, 2024
This was a rather painful read. Right off the bat I almost spit out my drink when the author said the main character is THIRTY-NINE. If they never said her age I’d guess she was 19 at the MOST because of her maturity. The characters were boring, the plot was not exciting, it was just cringey. I’m new to the cozy mystery genre and although I’m not expecting anything incredible I’d at least hope it’s something better than I could do myself. I feel like nothing even happened yet there was a whole murder and investigation. This was my face the whole time I endured this 😑
May 28, 2024
The characters are written in a way that they have strong moral compasses, but then choose to do the wrong thing (lie) for no reason at all only to pretend like it’s their moral duty and a hardship they must endure. The characters do things normal people wouldn’t. The reasons are flimsy.
There really wasn’t much to the story.
There really wasn’t much to the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2021
The ghostly grounds - Sophie Love
Good premise for a great story, just a bit too drawn out for me. This is the second Ebook by Sophie Love that I have listened to and I won’t be going out of my way to read any more.
Good premise for a great story, just a bit too drawn out for me. This is the second Ebook by Sophie Love that I have listened to and I won’t be going out of my way to read any more.
October 9, 2024
This is a very light cozy mystery. I’ll probably read the next book in the series.
August 29, 2021
A paranormal mystery that isn’t…or is it? What is Boo up to? I enjoyed this lighthearted paranormal cozy start to a series. It was a Hoopla Bonus Borrow or I might not have grabbed it. But now I plan to read the whole series.
September 30, 2024
It was a quick read and very cute! However, not realistic in the slightest 😂 not sure you can get a B&B up and running with a snap of the fingers but oh if you could…😍
October 31, 2020
I wanted to get one more Halloween-themed book in before October ended. I found this one free from an ebook email list and I thought it would be a fun one to wrap up all the spooky ones I read previously. Well...it was...hmmm...okay? I teetered between 1 and 2 stars because there are decent books I give 2 stars and I’m not sure I’d put this at decent...but it’s not awful. It is definitely not my cup of tea and, because it’s a series, I will not know what Boo the dog will be up to next.
[So many typos in this book. SO MANY. After one, you think an honest overlook. After two, you think, “wait a minute”. After three, you think “I’m going to start counting”. Seven typos later...plus three that I paid attention to. The book has 180 pages.]
[So many typos in this book. SO MANY. After one, you think an honest overlook. After two, you think, “wait a minute”. After three, you think “I’m going to start counting”. Seven typos later...plus three that I paid attention to. The book has 180 pages.]
November 21, 2023
I wanted to like this book, but it was mostly bland and unrealistic.
The main character is in her late 30s, but she's very immature. It's like the author originally wrote a younger character, then changed her age without changing anything else.
Some of the story was inconsistent, and the actions of some of the characters didn't make sense.
The mystery wasn't interesting or shown in an interesting way.
I listened to some of this book. The narrator was alright, but her cadence was sometimes off.
The main character is in her late 30s, but she's very immature. It's like the author originally wrote a younger character, then changed her age without changing anything else.
Some of the story was inconsistent, and the actions of some of the characters didn't make sense.
The mystery wasn't interesting or shown in an interesting way.
I listened to some of this book. The narrator was alright, but her cadence was sometimes off.
February 8, 2021
I love a great ghost story with a manor bequeathed to a great niece whose eccentric aunt not only leaves her the house, but something else, too! This book was delightful to read, very believable and throughout, I rooted for the heroine, Marie, to make a successful go of her Bed and Breakfast in Maine. Thank you to the author, Sophie Love, and to BookSirens for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews