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Beach House Mystery #1

The Cottage on Ghost Lane

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Jedes Haus hat eine Geschichte. Jeder Mensch hat ein Geheimnis. Jede Wendung der Ereignisse birgt Gefahr.

Komm zurück zu mir.

Caroline, die Ehefrau von Cole Dalton, ließ die Worte für ihn in einen Anhänger gravieren. Jedes Mal, wenn er als militärischer Sprengstoffexperte in den Auslandseinsatz ging, nähte sie den Anhänger in seine Uniform ein. Cole kehrte unversehrt vom Schlachtfeld zurück . . . nur um nach einem tragischen Autounfall seine Frau zu Grabe zu tragen.

Nach Carolines Tod zieht Cole in ihr Strandhäuschen, um zu genesen und einen Abschluss zu finden. Doch gleich an seinem ersten Tag dort stößt er auf einen Eindringling, der nach etwas sucht und verzweifelt genug ist, um zu töten.

Geheimnisvolle Vorfälle halten an und lassen Cole sich Verbarg Caroline in den Monaten vor ihrem Tod etwas? Aber was? Und warum?

Während die Gefahr näher rückt und sich vor der Küste ein Sturm zusammenbraut, muss Cole Antworten finden. Doch die Geister der Vergangenheit halten ihn im Würgegriff. Sein Herz steht auf dem Spiel; er muss die Trauer überwinden, die ihn heimsucht . . . oder seine Geschichte wird Teil der tragischen Geschichte seines Strandhäuschens.

328 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2021

392 people are currently reading
536 people want to read

About the author

Christy Barritt

332 books1,660 followers
Christy Barritt is an author, freelance writer and speaker who lives in Virginia. She’s married to her Prince Charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious—but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado. She’s only won one contest in her life—and her prize was kissing a pig (okay, okay… actually she did win the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery also). Her current claim to fame is showing off her mother, who looks just like former First Lady Barbara Bush
When she’s not working or spending time with her family, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring small, unsuspecting towns where people have no idea how accident prone she is.

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5 stars
1,446 (61%)
4 stars
628 (26%)
3 stars
208 (8%)
2 stars
50 (2%)
1 star
19 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
Profile Image for Wade.
750 reviews26 followers
August 29, 2021
“The ghosts of their pasts had caught up with them. But those ghosts had finally been laid to rest.”

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

“Come back to me.”

This book started out so entertaining and had some nice twists in the first half. I really enjoyed Christy Barritt changing it up by having a male main character. I thought the writing was strong and it seemed like we might have some creepiness and maybe gothic elements throughout; however, it did quickly become a typical Christy Barritt book. Not necessarily a bad thing but she does recycle a lot from her books (the masked man dressed in all black is way too played out at this point). Once the book veered towards most Christy Barritt books, I was able to figure out most of what was going to happen. So all in all, it was a good book and very entertaining. But I thought she missed an opportunity to make a book different than her others.
Profile Image for Kelly Bridgewater.
1,206 reviews62 followers
Read
July 8, 2021
The Cottage on Ghost Lane by Christy Barritt features a summer cottage on an island with a mystery abounding. Like Barritt’s Lantern Beach series, this new series features summer homes with the sun and the surf. Of course, a storm makes the mystery a little more challenging and creepy. A good setting for a suspense novel. Barritt has used storms in a number of her other stories too. The plot seemed to fit in with her other writings and stories, so if you are a fan of her other writings then this might be the novel for you to pick up. There is romance, but I don’t want to give it away because it would spoil the story. The story does keep moving along as the storm progresses closer and bears down on the characters. Overall, The Cottage on Ghost Lane is a good introduction to another series by Christy Barritt. If you are a fan of any of her numerous other novels, then you will probably want to include this one too.

I received a complimentary copy of The Cottage on Ghost Lane by Christy Barritt from Christy Barritt, but the opinions stated are all my own.
Profile Image for Melanie.
2,215 reviews598 followers
September 13, 2023
The Cottage on Ghost Lane was a book that grabbed my attention pretty much right away. I listened to the audio version, which was read very well - a different speaker for the two main characters and I really enjoyed that. The mystery was good, although I did guess early on a few things. The cat was a cute character in the story, as well.

All in all, The Cottage on Ghost Lane was worth the listen and I recommend it to fans of romantic suspense.
Profile Image for Laura.
Author 39 books655 followers
Read
November 6, 2021
My thoughts: Christy Barritt is an off the wall romantic suspense writer where you can expect the unexpected. Her stories are fast-paced, engaging, and with plenty of unexpected twists. I wondered if this book would get to a happy ending. Cole has gone to bury his wife or rather scatter her ashes but instead he rescues a drowning woman which plunges him into an unexpected riptide. Add a hurricane, a nosy neighbor, and plenty of drama and you have a non formula romantic suspense that you won't be able to put down. I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Marylin.
1,306 reviews45 followers
July 8, 2021
As I started reading this new book by Christy Barritt I wondered what it was going to be about. I’m not really into ghosts, but I love anything this author writes, so I decided to pick it up. I wasn’t disappointed!
At the beginning of the book, there is a quote that really shapes the story.
“The cottage was like a ghost within itself, a skeleton of what it had once been and a scar that wouldn’t ever let Cole forget the pain he’d endured.”
Such a good quote. It really set the scene about how this character was dealing with a loss he had.
I’m sure there have been times in life where we can relate to the pain Cole was feeling.
In this story, the author has painted a dramatic picture of loss and what it can do. The questions, the emotions, the past. She also is true to her form of writing and leaves us with many twists and turns.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. Christy Barritt truly is a gifted author because her books are always so full of interesting adventures, that make it so hard to breathe. This book is so suspenseful I had no idea which person was the true bad guy. My heart was pounding and my mind was going fast trying to figure out how it was all going to end.
This story will keep you on the edge of your seat until you finish it. Be prepared to not put it down, even to eat or sleep! If you like twists and turns, “who done it” stories, then you need to buy this book!
I was given this book by the author which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Holly.
708 reviews21 followers
July 12, 2021
This was another excellent book by Christy Barritt. I really enjoyed the direction she took with it with the two points of view, Cole and Caroline.

The action was great and just an enjoyable read with some nice twist. It's just one of those nice weekend reads that makes you feel good throughout.

Disclaimer: I did receive a copy from the author, but am under no obligation to provide a review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Kevin.
802 reviews20 followers
July 4, 2021
Is it possible that ghosts do appear on the beach?

THE COTTAGE ON GHOST LANE is the first novel in a new series of thrillers by Christy Barritt. Once the action starts, it doesn't let up until the mystery is resolved.

Cole has returned to the beach house he and his late wife had been renovating with the intent to finish the project, spread his wife's ashes, and continue to move on with his life. Discovering that things at the cottage aren't as they should be spurs him into finding out why. And then he runs into the last person he expected and things get even more dangerous.

Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
2,354 reviews164 followers
September 9, 2025
3.5 stars
"This whole place was filled with memories."

Cole Dalton arrives at his Hatteras Island beach cottage hoping to spend some time processing the heavy weight of grief that has threatened to suffocate him since the tragic death of his wife. Instead, he finds an intruder. What could someone possibly want to steal from a half-renovated coastal retreat? And why would they try to kill him in the process?

More and more things don't add up. Cole gets the distinct feeling that someone is watching him. And then he finds something quite unexpected tucked away in his kitchen. His cottage on Ghost Lane already has a haunting history, will Cole be able to break the cycle or forced to write another chapter on his own?

"Only one of them could win right now. He waited to see whom it would be."

Loved this quick, intense, and ultimately cozy read!
Profile Image for Christy .
498 reviews
March 8, 2022
Where do I even start......

I'm not one to DNF a book, but I made it 67% in and just couldn't do it. I was wasting my time. This book was 37 chapters long. You could have summed up the book in 5 tops. If Cole wasn't wondering if he could trust Caroline, she was wondering if they still had a future, over and over and over and over and over and over. To say this book is repetitive is a huge understatement, it bordered on ridiculous along with the characters. A military trained hero and a heroine running for her life? Yeah......not in this book. One minute Cole was that man the next he was quite clueless.... and Caroline was no better. The actual "ghost story" seemed to be just thrown in there for good measure. If I had paid actual money for this I would have serious buyers remorse right now. If you're a picky reader this book is not for you, save your money.
Profile Image for H.S. Kylian.
Author 13 books30 followers
January 7, 2022
Quite a bit of telling and repetition; the suspense is the only reason I kept going. There's really not much else I can say, because it's your typical run-of-the-mill action story. Though I did like that the villains weren't too obvious.

I do wish there had been more on Loretta throughout the story, and one plot twist could have been held off a little bit longer...but alas.

It's a nice read for a rainy day, though I don't know if I'll ever re-read it.
Profile Image for Anne Wolters.
472 reviews24 followers
July 13, 2021
Come Back to Me was inscibed on a pendant that Caroline, Cole Dalton's wife sewed into his uniform each time he was deployed. As a bomb tech, his life was on the line everytime he went out on a mission. Each time he came home. Caroline, however, didn't survive a shopping trip where she tragically died in a car accident.

Cole has stayed away for a year from the cabin they'd bought on Rodanthe, a village located on an island in North Carolina, however, the time had come to finally go back, despite all the memories and clean it up, finish the repairs and make a decisio whether to sell or keep it. The house is on Ghost Lane, which adds intrigue as well as mystery to why anyone would would name a street Ghost Lane.

Upon arriving and going inside the house Cole unexpectedly encounters an intruder who tries to strangle him. After a rough and tumble fight, the man runs out the door. The intruder had clearly been searching for something since nothing was stolen and things were dumped out all over the floor - but what?

While Cole is trying to have enough courage to throw Caroline's ashes in the ocean, he is met with one intriguing and often dangerous situation after another. Once I began reading this captivating story, it was absolutel impossible to put down I read it straight through. I've read nearly all of Christy Barritt's book and this one is now right up there among my favorites. I'm looking forward to more books in The Beach House Mystery Series. Christy Barritt is a master storyteller, especially when it comes to suspense. Keeps me on the edge of my seat everytime.

Profile Image for Eva North.
114 reviews36 followers
June 4, 2025
I read this in a day and a half and, I love Christy Barritt books, but this one really made me keep reading till I was practically finishing this in the dark 😂 wondering what was going to happen next with Cole and Caroline/Anna. So glad they ended up back together and their story was believed and they could finally be normal. I too imagined being out in their cottage-just not during a hurricane. I’ll be starting the second book tomorrow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Joy Tiff.
463 reviews12 followers
January 8, 2022
I always enjoy Christy Barritt’s books. They’re quick easy listens with a mystery to keep me intrigued.
Profile Image for Mary Hake.
Author 4 books414 followers
July 7, 2021
Super suspense for the beginning! This first book in a new mystery series promises to be a mind-grabbing, tension-producing novel. Cole Dalton returns to the seaside cottage he and his wife own. Only, he’s alone since Caroline perished a year ago in an auto accident while he was deployed overseas. He wants to fix up the place and find healing, but intruders and danger plague him and he’s not sure what’s going on. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, but someone is trying to convince him that threats will come true. An exciting story that makes readers long for the next one to come soon. I received a copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Ashley.
1,175 reviews45 followers
July 10, 2021
4.5 stars

I really enjoyed The Cottage on Ghost Lane. It was a great start to this new series by Christy Barritt that features standalone mysteries with the common theme of beach houses. This one was set in Rodanthe.

It's fast-paced and hard to put down. I finished it in two days which is speedy for me lately, lol. Filled with boatloads of intrigue, great characters, a compelling mystery that kept me guessing, a gorgeous setting, and a fascinating conspiracy, it had exactly what I look for in a good mystery. It's the perfect summer read. I highly recommend it!
5 reviews
January 6, 2022
This story is a good read,suspense was built well,but the story felt flat to me.

After all the build up,the ending was mehh.whatever they did in the ending they could have easily done halfway through the story itself.i wish that the later half of the story was different.probably i expected more after reading all the reviews.

The story wasn't lagging though and is a pretty quick read.
Profile Image for Lori.
63 reviews5 followers
July 11, 2022
In typical Christy Barritt style, this book was fast paced, suspenseful and had an interesting twist that I wasn't expecting. She sums it up rather quickly in the end, which is why I can only give it 3 stars, but I do like her stories because they're always different and unique. A quick and enjoyable summer read!
Profile Image for Donna.
92 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2022
Started out promising…what a great title. But turned into Typical Romantic Suspense. Nothing in this book set It apart from all the other CF RS genre. Skipped a big chunk of the middle just to get it over with.
195 reviews4 followers
August 30, 2021
A year after Cole lost his wife in a tragic accident, he decided it was time to return to the cottage on Ghost Lane, on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks, that he and his wife were fixing up and where they had been very happy. As Cole prepares to scatter Caroline's ashes and make a decision about their cottage, a series of unexplained events make him question his sanity. An intruder at the cottage, a hidden device with a dead battery, a mysterious woman in the ocean, and the feeling of being watched bring questions to Cole's mind about what is going on and what Caroline was doing before she died. I enjoyed this suspenseful mystery by Christy Barritt, and look forward to the second book, coming out this fall.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,594 reviews24 followers
August 30, 2021
I really loved this book! It has many elements that I love in a mystery story: intrigue, drama, mystery, hidden rooms, and romance. Despite the name, there are really no ghosts. It's a book about a husband and wife who have been separated- by death- or so he thinks. As he returns to the cottage they were fixing up on Rodanth Island when Caroline died, still grief-stricken a year later, the words "Come back to me" have special meaning. Then he discovers that Caroline is not dead but her life is in very grave danger from political traitors who want to silence her forever. I love how Cole, and the reader, go through doubt as Caroline's story unfolds. A hurricane hitting the island just as the danger is really heating up is a nice touch. There was action from the beginning that kept me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely continue reading this series!
Profile Image for Diane Higgins.
652 reviews12 followers
July 22, 2021
"The Cottage on Ghost Lane" by Christy Barritt is a fantastic read! I was really excited to read this one by Christy Barritt as it sounded a little different than the other novels I've read by her. She didn't disappoint. I loved this story!

This story follows Cole Dalton. Cole goes back to the cottage that he and his wife, Caroline, owned. Caroline died in a car accident earlier. From the first day Cole returns home, there are mysterious events happening to him, including the details of his wife's accident.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys good, clean, mysterious novels.

I received this novel from the author for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Kenneth Cardinal.
39 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2021
Christy knocked another one out of the park! Good going. I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't figure out what was Cole doing when he could not decide if Corline was lying or not. I have to read this book again,I liked it that much. Can't wait for the next one you relies your next book!

Christy knocked another one out of the park! Good going. I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't figure out what was Cole doing when he could not decide if Corline was lying or not. I have to read this book again,I liked it that much. Can't wait for the next one you relies your next book!
180 reviews6 followers
August 1, 2021
Great Story

This is a well written clean romantic suspense story. Moving forward is hard for Cole Dalton after the death of his wife. Will returning to the home they had been renovating together help him let go of Caroline? As unexplained things begin to happen Cole has to seek truth. His faith will help him as unexpected twists begin to happen. Is it too soon for a new relationship? Cole will have to follow his heart to decide. I do recommend this book. Christy Barritt doesn't disappoint.
1,422 reviews10 followers
December 31, 2021
The Cottage on Ghost Lane: a romantic mystery thriller by Christy Barritt is book 1 in The Beach House Mystery Series. Cole returns to the cottage he once shared with his now deceased wife. But an intruder comes and nothing seems to be quite right. Cole simultaneously deals with his grief and tries to solve the mystery. This book is full of suspense and readers of this genre will not be disappointed. It is an amazing book. I received a digital copy of this book from the author with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
Profile Image for Linda Miller.
23 reviews
October 31, 2022
Cottage of ghost lane

This was an action packed book... Not dull... Not boring. I liked it but I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because there are parts of the story that are not realistic enough for me. I give it high points because it kept my interest in what would happen next... Also, I did like the twist of Carolyn not really being dead. All in all, it was a great book with feeling. Another positive, the two main characters I felt compassion for. I will look forward to the next book!
1,427 reviews12 followers
July 4, 2021
I had an BETA Copy of this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. A very interesting new book by Christy Barritt. Caroline who was thought to be dead, but isn’t and her husband Cole both meet at their beach house, but she is being followed. The plot includes trust issues, witness protection, and high government officials selling information to terror groups. I would highly recommend reading this book.
7,755 reviews49 followers
July 5, 2021
The first half was different than the Lantern Beach series which are more along the line of a damsel in dire trouble. and romance. This has to do with Cole he has been a widow for a year and four days, coming back to the cottage to fix up and sell or to keep. The quiet time and taking steps to move on, we’re short lived.
Secrets, masked men and meeting ones he thought he knew, and now who to trust and stay alive.Well done.
1,040 reviews11 followers
July 6, 2021
Crimesters & hurricanes

Christy Barritt's prolific pen (computer) has brought a new series, each a stand alone connected only by theme, i.e., beach cottages. This is the first of the series and is packed with action and suspense, international intrigue, and romance. A must read for Barritt fans, and a must read for those who haven't met her yet. I look forward to the next cottage story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews

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