Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery Book 1

Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery #1

by Rita Moreau

Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty sixty-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into Heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life. Determined to dig up the dirt on the dead wheeler-dealer, Mabel and her phantom companion tackle the crime. But with two rich dudes from Dubai, a Willie Nelson lookalike mobster, and a widow nicknamed The Barracuda all on the suspect list, conjuring up the truth could take a real live miracle. Can Mabel catch the killer before she’s the next soul crashing the Pearly Gates? Wheeler-Dealer is the high-spirited first book in the hilarious Ghost & the Camper kooky mystery series. If you like golden-girl sleuths, zany characters, and sardonic humor, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s witty whodunit.

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Supernatural, Humor, Ebooks

328 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2021

About the author

About the Author

Rita Moreau is the author of the Mary Catherine Mahoney cozy mystery series and the Ghost & Camper kooky mystery series.

A workaholic by nature, upon retirement, Rita began work on her bucket list, writing a book. Traveling the national parks with her husband George in a vintage Bluebird motor home, (on George’s list), Rita completed her first novel Bribing Saint Anthony in the Mary Catherine Mahoney cozy mystery series. Back home she kept going and completed 5 more in the series.
During the year we entered the twilight zone Rita completed the first two books in the Ghost & Camper kooky mystery series and kept going and completed 2 more in the series.
Rita lives in wacky Florida where her dear husband George always had fun telling folks he's the author’s husband. Rita lost the love of her life after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer. She misses him every minute but promised him she would continue writing so he could tell everyone he meets in heaven that he's the author's husband.
When not writing she joins PatZi Gil on the Joy on Paper radio program with Book Buzz Mysteries or you can find her teaching Silver Sneakers fitness classes. She loves connecting with readers. Visit her at www.RitaMoreau.com or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RitaMoreauAuthor. She would love to hear from you.

Author Links
http://www.ritamoreau.com
https://www.facebook.com/RitaMoreauAu...
http://www.radio-joyonpaper.com/book-...
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B008NVMPPQ

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Cozy Mystery with some Magical Realism (Ghost), and this is the first book in the Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery series. I loved the Ghost character, and I also loved that there was older characters in this book. I felt the characters where so much fun and brought this story to life. I loved that the characters are traveling in RVs in this series, and that is so cool. I normally do not like books that have stuff dealing with the Mob in it, but I loved it in this book. I feel the Mob stuff brought this book to life, and it was done really well. If there was an animal in this book I think it would be the prefect Cozy mystery book for me.

[Sabine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this camping mystery. The murder doesn't happen until 50% into the book but enjoyed reading how Lily is getting ready to hit the road and meeting her friends and family.
The book could have done with a bit more editing. But if you don't mind a few things being repeated and I remember that Mabel and Lily gave a tuna casserole to a grieving widow and when they talked about that a couple chapters later it was a tuna salad then it is a very nice mystery.
I loved the ghost Irma that is haunting Mabel's camper and am looking forward to the next trouble they are getting themselves into.

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! Lots of funny moments! The ghost is quite a character! Mystery was a good one with lots of red herrings that kept me from guessing whodunnit. Looking forward the the next story.

[Karen M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cozy mystery with a twist which I will get to in a minute. This was my first read from this author and I just plain enjoyed her characters.

I like that the main characters are two retired ladies in their sixties. One is Mabel who is divorced and also packs a gun. Well, a woman living alone has to be careful and her ex-husband’s family had certain connections and her ex has, as a plastic surgeon, had a few very questionable customers. Our other protagonist is Lili who is married to Bob, retired military and police detective, which comes in handy at times.

These three are headed West eventually and traveling with their own campers. Bob helps Mabel purchase a used camper so he and Lili can introduce her to the on the road lifestyle. What neither of them knew was that Mabel’s camper came with a resident ghost, Irma, who is trying to earn her way to heaven.

Mabel and Lili get into trouble, of course, when there is a murder in the RV park but with Irma and Bob’s help they manage to escape any fatal harm and solve the mystery of who killed Oscar.

I loved the colorful characters that were quickly introduced into the storyline, from Mabels’ kids to Joe the country singer to Earl the bartender. Really enjoyable read.

I won this book in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to the author, Rita Moreau.

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A camper, a spunky retiree and a ghost!

When Mabel decides to buy a camper and travel across country with her friends Lili and Bob, little does she know that the camper already has an owner - a sassy ghost named Irma. To earn her way into heaven, Irma has to do good deeds and solving a murder with Mabel and Lili is the first step!

What a fun time! Mabel is a hoot and Irma, well she's sassy and feisty. Mabel, Lili and Irma make the perfect sleuthing team! The book has everything I like in a cozy - a great mystery, characters you love to root for, humor and just a touch of quirkiness! I'm ready for the next adventure!

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give up. I don't know why this book is getting such good reviews. The story doesn't seem to go anywhere. Repeats itself sometimes. And has way too many characters. Feel bad but not finishing this one.

[Mary Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

Solving a murder might raise her spirits. But will it spring her spectral friend from Purgatory?

Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty sixty-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into Heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life.

Determined to dig up the dirt on the dead wheeler-dealer, Mabel and her phantom companion tackle the crime. But with two rich dudes from Dubai, a Willie Nelson lookalike mobster, and a widow nicknamed The Barracuda all on the suspect list, conjuring up the truth could take a real live miracle.

Can Mabel catch the killer before she’s the next soul crashing the Pearly Gates?

Wheeler-Dealer is the high-spirited first book in the hilarious Ghost & the Camper kooky mystery series. If you like golden-girl sleuths, zany characters, and sardonic humor, then you’ll love Rita Moreau’s witty whodunit. (Amazon)

Review:

This was a very good debut to the series. It has quirky characters, a good mystery and a ghost,which I love.

Mabel has been traded in for a younger model by her husband. She has five children and a few grandchildren. She has seen a lot, but none of that has prepared her for her next adventure. She buys a vintage camper and decides to hit the road with her friend Lily and her husband. They are going to take the summer and see what the United States has to offer. They will not be alone on their journey, they will also have a ghost traveling with them. A ghost that only Mabel can see. And when someone gets killed, Mabel will need all the help she can get.

The characters are well developed and well rounded. They are a quirky group of people, and at times, they are very funny. Mabel and Lily are great friends and they have each other’s back. They will have to try and figure out what happened and who is responsible. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and these descriptions pulled me into the story from the very beginning. The mystery was well plotted and not easily solved, which is the way I like it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to seeing what the next adventure Mabel and Irma have.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book and provided my honest review.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheeler-Dealer has a very enjoyable plot and was a very fun read. I really liked the characters - especially Irma! I would definitely read more of this series.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

More talk than i like, but interesting. Good characters and story. The paranormal aspect was well done. It's worth reading.

[Mary]

great book, well-developed characters, loved the plot,
and can not wait for more

[Katreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHEELER-DEALER by Rita Moreau
The First Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery

Instead playing bingo in the old folks home her eldest daughter would like to be in, Mabel has started a new life without her cheating husband. Moving from Long Island to Florida Mabel is ready for another adventure, traveling across the country with a vintage camper complete with resident ghost. Mabel finds herself involved with wheeler dealers, a young musician, and the mob. Will she be able to solve a murder and help Irma earn her wings or will she be collecting her earthly rewards herself?

I absolutely love the concept of the Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery series. A woman of mature years, refusing to become a fuddy-duddy, embracing life and new adventures in the company of a ghost looking to redeem herself, is a fantastic combination. The story-line is also unique and enjoyable, traveling across the country camping and solving murders along the way. I love Mabel's attitude and ability to adapt.

WHEELER-DEALER starts slowly with a lot of exposition. Normally I enjoy exposition, but in this first Ghost and the Camper Kooky Mystery I found it convoluted and repetitive. The book also started as more of a travelogue than a mystery. While I truly enjoyed learning the facts about the places they visited and enjoyed reading about their day trips, those bits rarely progressed the story. The actual mystery didn't even start until halfway through the book. A good editor could have made a huge difference, vastly improving this mystery.

Interesting characters and amusing dialogue make WHEELER-DEALER a fun start to a new series.

FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me an e-copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empty nester Mabel Gold is ready for change. Her kids are grown and self sufficient.
Her plastic surgeon ex-husband has traded her in for a newer model, which is ironic because making old faces new seems to be his line of trade. But something Mabel got in the divorce has her ex very nervous.
Having tagged along with her good friends on a camping vacation, Mabel bites the bullet and splurges on a new truck and an old (vintage) camper. She is determined to learn to handle life on the road before her eldest daughter can cart her off to a retirement community and bingo hall.

Mabel gets more than she bargained for as her vintage camper comes with a ghost, one of her travel partners was one of her ex-husband's projects, er, patients, who doesn't live beyond the first stop.
This first book of the series is full of surprises as we begin to get to know all the characters.
We also learn a bit about Heaven, the other direction, and that gray area inbetween.

If you like your characters seasoned and your heroine feisty ( along with her bestie and her inherited ghost) you will enjoy this series. You may even learn some history along the way.
Mabel is not the only one who gets a new beginning.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wheeler-Dealer by Rita Moreau is such a fun read. Mabel Gold has made the move to Florida after her divorce from Ex-Mob plastic surgeon. Mabel, with BFF Lili and her husband Bob, decides to get a camper and travel around the US. The adorable retro camper has only one drawback for Mabel, it comes with a ghost named Irma who is attached to the camper and can't move on until she does enough good deeds to earn her way to heaven. Only Mabel and see and talk to Irma and has been instructed to help Irma in order to make up for her own past.

When a murder happens at the campground where the group is staying, Mabel, Lili and Bob get drawn in to helping the wrongly accused.

Mabel is such a funny character. The reason I took off stars is because there was so many characters that made it hard to follow the story at times. At times I felt like the story rambled.
Overall, a fun, light read.
I received my copy from a Goodreads giveaway.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. I really enjoy the authors writing style, pulls you into the book from the very beginning and you don't want to put the book down. It kept me on the edge of my seat reading from cover to cover. All the characters are very well portrayed though out. When you are finished you wish you weren't. A most wonderful read and I highly recommend this book

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irma the ghost is so hilarious and she makes a great crime solving team with Mabel and Lili. Love all the characters and how they interact. Betsy the camper is the perfect vehicle (pun intended) for this mystery series because this group will be traveling all over the United States and it’s so much fun learning about all the places they visit. It will also give the series an opening to many more heroes and villains. Am really looking forward to meeting more of Mabel’s kids. What a great first book and can’t wait for the next adventure.

[Barbara Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Unique Camping Experience
Wheeler-Dealer is a motivating personal(to the author) camping excursion to various locations heading west from Florida. The reader learns many interesting facts about the locations and campsites. And to top it off, we are drawn into a murder at one of the campgrounds! I love getting to know the main characters, Mabel and Irma the ghost. I can’t wait to read more about their adventures. And thank you, Rita, for motivating me to take a trip to Savannah!

[Celest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinda of a slow starter for me

It took a few chapters to get into the swing of this story, but I kept with it until I was hooked. Mabel and Lili are such fun characters and that Irma's a riot. It was a great adventure that was a lot of fun with a few surprises sprinkled in, like murder. I don't know if I'm going to get the next book in the series, depends on funds. I still have a thousand others to read right now.

[Karen Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mabel buys a trailer and is ready for her travel adventure with friends Bob and Lili. Irma appears, and the adventure takes a turn. Ghosts, murder, and a whole cast of campground characters! What did Mabel get herself involved in? I really enjoyed this delightful book, as Mabel and her friends try to figure out Whodunit.

[Karen Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mabel buys a trailer and is ready to go on a travel adventure with her friends Bob and Lili. Irma shows up, and the travel adventure takes a turn. Ghosts, murder, and a whole cast of campground folks. What has Mabel got herself involved in? I really enjoyed reading along, as Mabel and her friends work to find out Whodunit. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[Deb Thomas]

Fun times!

This is a fun new series opener. Despite the need for some proofreading and editing, it was a pleasurable read. Mabel has a tag-along ghost, Irma, who has to resolve being in purgatory so she can enter Heaven. Enter some ne'er do-wells, a couple murders and Mabel and her RV traveling companions are in for a wild ride.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story

I enjoyed this story about Mabel, Lilli and Irma and the trouble they got into but the writing at times was very choppy, particularly at the beginning, which made it hard to get into the story.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't "my cup of tea" but I will say I did enjoy most of it, had a few laughs, and liked the storyline. The plot overall was interesting and different, but not enough to hold my attention throughout.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Great characters, especially Irma. What a quirky fun ghost.

The story has you guessing until the very end which makes for a great whodunnit. Highly recommend.

Can’t want to read book 2.

[Norma Meeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Book!

I really enjoy reading about camping, older people, and a good mystery,and when I find a book with all three,well it just makes my day.I liked all the character’s and the storyline.The book was well written and can hardly wait to read the next book.

[Brenda Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

This book was so much fun! I love the camping caravan, and had no problem imagining all the locations. Irma is a character who is helping Mable and Lili step out of their comfort zones in spite of Bob. I can't wait to see what they're up to next.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ghosts and Murders and Cocktails OH MY

This book is all of that and then some! It was funny, it was entertaining, it was a "who done it "at its best! I can't wait to read the next one in this series. Hang on Irma and Mabel.. Next stop Nashville 😁

[Sue Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series to check out.

I love camping, in books that is. This story has campers, killers, FBI men, and of course ghosts. Its written a way the makes it a quick and easy read. Ill be getting deeper into the series soon.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun easy read

A fun book. And I love rv camping so this looks like a good series. Not terribly deep. And the bad guys are the usual suspects. But a fun escapist read.

[Annie Boston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Innovative

Nice cozy mystery featuring likable characters and new twists on ghosts. Good character development with issues you can connect and relate to.