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Midnight Jones
Coffee and witches and ghosts, oh my!
Being haunted at home is one thing. But when the ghost who steals spoons from Todd’s kitchen tries the same shenanigans at his coffee shop, it crosses the line. Todd won’t tolerate spirits messing with his business. Out of his depth, he turns to Ben and Frieda from Presence Unknown, Paranormal Investigators for help.
The increase in spectral activity as Halloween approaches means more work for ghost hunters. Ben appreciates the business, while Frieda revels in the supernatural chaos. The month starts to look more promising to both of them when their new client, Todd, offers the possibility of multiple hauntings—not to mention the perfect latte.
When Todd’s hauntings suddenly go from inconvenient to malevolent, stolen spoons take a backseat to finding out who has it in for him. If Ben and Frieda can’t identify and dispel the evil spirit, their newest client could become their next ghost.
Being haunted at home is one thing. But when the ghost who steals spoons from Todd’s kitchen tries the same shenanigans at his coffee shop, it crosses the line. Todd won’t tolerate spirits messing with his business. Out of his depth, he turns to Ben and Frieda from Presence Unknown, Paranormal Investigators for help.
The increase in spectral activity as Halloween approaches means more work for ghost hunters. Ben appreciates the business, while Frieda revels in the supernatural chaos. The month starts to look more promising to both of them when their new client, Todd, offers the possibility of multiple hauntings—not to mention the perfect latte.
When Todd’s hauntings suddenly go from inconvenient to malevolent, stolen spoons take a backseat to finding out who has it in for him. If Ben and Frieda can’t identify and dispel the evil spirit, their newest client could become their next ghost.
299 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2021
About the author
Maia Strong
19 books17 followersWriting, acting, bellydancing, and teaching people to talk in funny voices. Who knew you could make a living doing stuff like that? I didn't, and in fact I can't. Those are the things I do to feed my soul rather than my stomach.
I've always written, but I never expected to write romance. I have documented evidence of a seafaring play I wrote in the second grade. Something involving a giant duck, if memory serves; I'm too scared to dig it out of the binder and find out for sure. Since that rather inauspicious beginning, I've turned my hand to fantasy, science fiction, action adventure (with dinosaurs, oo!), and now steamy romance--with fantasy in it because that is my first genre love. It's inescapable when the first time you read The Lord of the Rings is in the fourth grade. (I read Asimov's Foundation trilogy the next year, but I didn't really understand it. I have yet to try reading it again lo these many years later.)
Off the page, I work in a number of positions with local theatres, I bellydance, and I train and perform aerial. I enjoy traveling, eating good food, drinking good coffee, and hanging out with my husband and our kitties.
I've always written, but I never expected to write romance. I have documented evidence of a seafaring play I wrote in the second grade. Something involving a giant duck, if memory serves; I'm too scared to dig it out of the binder and find out for sure. Since that rather inauspicious beginning, I've turned my hand to fantasy, science fiction, action adventure (with dinosaurs, oo!), and now steamy romance--with fantasy in it because that is my first genre love. It's inescapable when the first time you read The Lord of the Rings is in the fourth grade. (I read Asimov's Foundation trilogy the next year, but I didn't really understand it. I have yet to try reading it again lo these many years later.)
Off the page, I work in a number of positions with local theatres, I bellydance, and I train and perform aerial. I enjoy traveling, eating good food, drinking good coffee, and hanging out with my husband and our kitties.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 3, 2022
Todd’s familiar with ghosts. He already has one in his vintage VW Beetle, and another in his house that steals his spoons. When the spoons in his coffee shop also disappear, Todd is convinced to call Ben and Frieda from Presence Unknown, Paranormal Investigators. He’s not sure what he hopes they’ll find, and even feels a little silly about hiring them…until he meets Ben and is immediately smitten. Once the whole investigation is done, Todd plans to ask Ben out on a date. But when the ghostly encounters in Todd’s home turn malevolent and leave him quivering on the floor, his priorities shift from first-date possibilities to personal survival. Ben and Frieda have a plan that might work, but Todd will have to face his biggest fear and overcome his doubts if they are to have any chance at all of success.
Midnight Jones is a cozy paranormal mystery with totally likable and relatable main characters. Early chapters demonstrate the long-term friendships between Ben and Frieda, and between Todd and Mona. Comfortable banter between them felt authentic. I could easily believe in the strength and solidity of their connections. I get the distinct impression that the author is a baseball lover, since Frieda, Mona, and Todd are all big-time Mariner’s fans; while it isn’t a major plot point, one story detail that ties the various parts of the tale together is that the Mariner’s have—for the first time in years—made it into the playoffs and the characters’ joy was contagious. Even though I’m not a sports fan myself, I could feel their excitement in those scenes.
There is an undercurrent through most of the book of a romantic connection between Todd and Benn, which is thwarted by their professional relationship. Being able to see through both Todd’s and Ben’s points of view made it fun to read how they both stewed beneath the surface, wanting to reach out, but holding back anyway. That uncertainty, the self-doubt of tiptoeing around a potential new romantic interest is almost universal and made both characters even more endearing.
Mona and Frieda also won places in my heart – Mona for her intense sense of protection where her childhood friend Todd was concerned, and Frieda for her outspoken and witchy proclivities. While I feel like Todd and Ben were the main focus characters, both Frieda and Mona filled in any gaps and fleshed out the story quite nicely. Scenery and settings added to the already rich tapestry as well. The story takes place in Seattle, Washington, a place I’ve always wanted to visit, and now want to do so even more. No doubt the author’s love of her home city lent depth and sparkle to every scene.
But while the characters and scenery were awesome, it was the story itself that tied it all together. Who doesn’t love a great ghost story? Add to that the mystery of the multiple hauntings, the sudden turn from missing spoons to ghostly attacks in the middle of the night, and I found myself putting other tasks aside to make time for Midnight Jones. There’s no explicit violence or sex on the page, just a delightful mystery that left me feeling both warm and satisfied, while at the same time disappointed when the adventure was over.
Midnight Jones is book one in an ongoing series, each of which stands alone but all of which involve Ben and Frieda, and all of which are based on paranormal mysteries. The second book, The Fifth Door, is also out, and on my list of must-reads. Maia Strong has a winning combination here. If you love curling up with a great ghost story and a cup of tea or coffee – or maybe a beer – this book is for you.
Midnight Jones is a cozy paranormal mystery with totally likable and relatable main characters. Early chapters demonstrate the long-term friendships between Ben and Frieda, and between Todd and Mona. Comfortable banter between them felt authentic. I could easily believe in the strength and solidity of their connections. I get the distinct impression that the author is a baseball lover, since Frieda, Mona, and Todd are all big-time Mariner’s fans; while it isn’t a major plot point, one story detail that ties the various parts of the tale together is that the Mariner’s have—for the first time in years—made it into the playoffs and the characters’ joy was contagious. Even though I’m not a sports fan myself, I could feel their excitement in those scenes.
There is an undercurrent through most of the book of a romantic connection between Todd and Benn, which is thwarted by their professional relationship. Being able to see through both Todd’s and Ben’s points of view made it fun to read how they both stewed beneath the surface, wanting to reach out, but holding back anyway. That uncertainty, the self-doubt of tiptoeing around a potential new romantic interest is almost universal and made both characters even more endearing.
Mona and Frieda also won places in my heart – Mona for her intense sense of protection where her childhood friend Todd was concerned, and Frieda for her outspoken and witchy proclivities. While I feel like Todd and Ben were the main focus characters, both Frieda and Mona filled in any gaps and fleshed out the story quite nicely. Scenery and settings added to the already rich tapestry as well. The story takes place in Seattle, Washington, a place I’ve always wanted to visit, and now want to do so even more. No doubt the author’s love of her home city lent depth and sparkle to every scene.
But while the characters and scenery were awesome, it was the story itself that tied it all together. Who doesn’t love a great ghost story? Add to that the mystery of the multiple hauntings, the sudden turn from missing spoons to ghostly attacks in the middle of the night, and I found myself putting other tasks aside to make time for Midnight Jones. There’s no explicit violence or sex on the page, just a delightful mystery that left me feeling both warm and satisfied, while at the same time disappointed when the adventure was over.
Midnight Jones is book one in an ongoing series, each of which stands alone but all of which involve Ben and Frieda, and all of which are based on paranormal mysteries. The second book, The Fifth Door, is also out, and on my list of must-reads. Maia Strong has a winning combination here. If you love curling up with a great ghost story and a cup of tea or coffee – or maybe a beer – this book is for you.
July 16, 2022
What a fun, pleasurable read. Maia Strong said that she wrote this book as a love letter to Seattle... and it shows.
She's since released a second book in the series, and I can't wait to read it too.
She's since released a second book in the series, and I can't wait to read it too.
January 12, 2023
Came for the Ghost Hunters, stayed for the adorably sweet relationships.
August 31, 2025
The perfect read for the upcoming spooky season! I loved the Seattle setting, which highlighted the cozy Halloween vibe. A fun mix of suspense and slow-burn romance, I absolutely plan on returning to the Midnight Jones coffee shop in this sweet but spooky paranormal mystery series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews