Haunting Jordan

Port Chatham Mystery #1

by P.J. Alderman

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author P. J. Alderman weaves present-day supernatural sleuthery with nineteenth-century intrigue in the first book of an enchanting new mystery series set in picturesque Port Chatham, Washington.

Jordan Marsh left L.A. for the quaint Pacific Northwest town of Port Chatham in pursuit of some much-needed R & R. As the prime suspect in her cheating husband's murder, she had been hoping to immerse herself in the restoration of the charming Victorian she'd just bought--and put all talk of homicide investigations behind her. But as she soon discovers, the coldest of cases cry out to be solved, too.

For this old house comes fully furnished--with two garrulous ghosts who have a century-old murder of their own they'd like her to look into. Now, if Jordan can keep the L.A. police at bay, and sort through a suspect list of shady characters circa 1890, she might just clear a wrongly accused man's name--and her own.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Ghosts, Cozy, Historical Fiction, Fiction

421 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author P. J. Alderman has spent more than two decades in the Pacific Northwest port towns that inspire her romantic thrillers and mysteries. Her contemporary Columbia River thriller, A Killing Tide, was a RITA finalist and recently climbed the charts to stay on the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists for eight weeks.

Alderman's Port Chatham cozy mysteries are based on the history of one of the Pacific Northwest's most notorious port towns. Also bestsellers, these books take readers on a journey back in time to a lawless nineteenth century waterfront, blending history, murder, and present-day supernatural sleuthery.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cosy mystery. Lively characterisation, lovely descriptive writing plus I loved the sense of place that the author managed to convey.

I know that some other reviewers have muttered crossly about the plot (not the book's strongest point, but not terrible either) & about the jumps between time. I feel that the time jumps were important in helping to heighten the sense of drama in the novel -- by seeing through Hattie's eyes we are doubly motivated to solve the mystery of her murder. The author writes beautifully of Jordan's appreciation & awareness of the history of the town -- again, the jumps enable us to experience the vibrancy of the town as it once was -- Jordan's house renovation is not just a way to excise her own ghosts (so to speak) & a symbol of her new beginning but a connection to a meaningful past & an affirmation of her value. While she (& the house) have come through turbulent times, they will not only survive but flourish.

4 stars, maybe 4.5.

[Bookish_predator · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I really, really enjoyed this. Murder mysteries set in both present day and in the 1890's, ghosts, a little violence, humour, jazz, small town, the sort of pub I'd be at home in and a huge dog. Who could ask for more!

I will definitely be reading the rest of this series and more by this author. Wonderful book.

[Lisa Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★½

[C. (Comment, never msg). · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short statement is that I like “Haunting Jordan” and hope P.J. Alderman releases her delayed third novel. I haven’t found enough adult ghost stories since the 1980s. It is a beef of mine that the few authors indulging the subject, ruin it by over-modernizing the atmosphere. Jokes are cracked about being haunted and this ‘Jordan Marsh’ character in particular is the worst for sarcasm, eye-rolling, and her reaction to a paranormal experience is nonsense.

It’s cliché that characters immediately find a dog, although I treasure animals. When “owner” was incessantly employed, a word that shouldn’t describe a life; I nearly stopped there. Jordan feeling odd about talking with a dog was an outrage; before reacting stupidly to an irrefutable ghostly confrontation. Do ponder your sanity pertaining to something you’re unsure you saw or heard. To persist in disbelief after a two-way conversation with identifiable spirits who move objects for you, dragged down my ability to become enthralled with this novel. It was also sappy to immediately introduce a guy Jordan is obviously going to fall for.

What raises this to 4 stars is, even handled poorly, it involves mysticism. The logistics and appearance of PJ’s spirits are impressively original. The idea that there are things to do and learn in the afterlife is surprisingly astute. It approximates theories held today. Starkly contrasting the pessimistic 2009 protagonist, ‘Hattie’s’ language and pace are exciting. The modern half, even with a criminal case, lacks urgency. Hattie as the heroine is taut with suspense that ghosts should generate. There are errors too. Why hunt for their diaries when Hattie & Charlotte easily described their contents? Also, based on the old police chief’s death date, he couldn’t have had heirs. However this novel has a fascinating background. I might enjoy “Ghost Ship” even better.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being accused of murdering her ex-husband, psychologist Jordan Marsh leaves L.A. and goes to the Pacific Northwest to the small town of Port Chatham. Still the center of a major murder investigation, she buys an old house in Port Chatham with the intention of restoring the historical home. Along the way she meets up with a crazy dog who decides to stick by her side as well as a couple of ghosts who seek her help in solving their own murders dating back to the 19th century.

As the murder of her ex-husband heats up, Jordan delves into old diaries from the 19th century, courtesy of her new ghost friends. She gets closer and closer to solving the murder mystery, but no closer to the one she is facing in the present day. In fact, things are looking more and more dire for Jordan as the police are convinced she’s the killer and they aren’t looking any further.

Jordan befriends a local cop, as well as the owner of the local bar, who happens to be a former criminal attorney. Jase takes Jordan’s case and together they conduct their own investigation of both murders.

PJ Alderman weaves together two murder mysteries. I actually found the mystery from the 19th century to be more intriguing than the current murder. My one problem is what is the likelihood that Jordan would be allowed to leave Los Angeles during a major murder investigation, especially since she is the prime suspect? But, I was able to put that aside (honestly, my only knowledge on things like this come from TV shows) and really enjoy this book.

This is the first in a series of “Port Chatham Mysteries” and I think it’s off to a pretty good start. The characters are all very interesting and quirky. I love quirky characters :) It is fast-paced and I’m looking forward to the next one which is already downloaded to my Nook.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first in a series, about a therapist who moves to the Pacific Northwest, following the death of her husband. Realizing that the detective who is investigating her husband's murder is focused only on her as a suspect, Jordan realizes that she is going to have to find her husband's killer herself. At the same time, Jordan is asked by two of the ghosts who inhabit her new home to help solve the century old murder of one of them, a woman who lived in this same house when it was first built. I liked the characters, and the story. It was a fast, easy read.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haunting Jordan by P.J. Alderman is a paranormal mystery set in a Victorian era town in the Pacific Northwest. Jordan Marsh has left Los Angeles for this sleepy town in Washington to avoid the media buzz over the ex-husband's murder. She's bought an old Victorian house and just wants to get settled except that the ghosts who haunt the place want her to solve their murders so they can find closure.

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[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but had a hard time really getting into it at the beginning. I kept putting it down and picking it up. It did start to pick up a bit about 1/3 of the way in for me.

I liked the back and forth between the past and the present and how it tied the two stories together. The characters were well written and interesting.

[Anna Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this series and always hoped for more.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting concept to this series -- Haunting Jordan is the first novel and I look forward to more with Jordan and her friends.

I admit to feeling it was a bit slow-going at first; that's the reason for 3 stars instead of 4. Being the first book there are all the characters to introduce and "flesh out", plus a couple of very...ummm..."active" ghosts tossed into the mix. The author also alternates between present time and the 1800's but you soon get used to that as P. J. Alderman weaves her tale and soon you're drawn in wanting to know what happens next!

Jordan Marsh leaves LA under a cloud of suspicion after her soon-to-be ex-husband's murder. She buys a "quaint Victorian" in Port Chatham, WA which she soon realizes needs a bit more work than she thought. Along with the house comes a dog and to Jordan's surprise...two ghosts! As a psychologist, at first she's convinced she's having a psychotic break, while her new friends in town are jealous that SHE'S the lucky one who gets to see them.

Soon Jordan's not only trying to find her husband's killer and clear her name, but is asked by one of the ghosts to solve HER murder. As the story built, it pulled me in and I ended up reading the entire book (and it's relatively thick for this genre) in one sitting. Now to find book 2!

[Jennifer Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

First and worst problem for a mystery book- It was completely transparent. I knew who the murderers were from the very beginning. I hate that. Mysteries should be mysterious. And in case I couldn't pick up on all the subtle clues (I'm not sure there were any), we got whoppers like making sure that we knew the phone Jordan was using to talk about sensitive information was a business phone of the type that has multiple extensions, therefore allowing the murderer who is in the building to listen in on the call. Ugh.
Second problem (well, more of an annoyance)- I get that Jordan and the whole town are into organic foods and health stuff. Please stop telling me that Jordan went to the store to get some organic apples, and fed the dog organic dog food, and the restaurant only served organic, locally grown produce, etc. I won't think the character is any less healthy and natural minded if you don't mention every time she does, says, or eats anything.
This is one series I don't have to keep reading.

On a positive note, the book was fairly clean for being modern. The "romance" was just starting, and they were friends. Really. No sex. And any mention of sex was more alluded to instead of giving us all the graphic details. The language wasn't too bad either. There were a couple of unnecessary F words, but I don't remember anything else.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - I read it in a single day and simply didn't want to put it down.

When Jordan Marsh leaves L.A. for the small Pacific Northwest town of Port Chatham, she hopes for a quieter life. She's purchased an historic Victorian home that she plans to restore and just wants some peace, which she could use, since she's the prime suspect in the murder of her cheating "almost-ex" husband, with a bulldog of a detective convince she did it and determined to lock her up.

When Jordan arrives at her new home, she quickly realizes that not only is fixing up an old house a LOT more of a challenge than she anticipated, she also discovers that the house comes with its very own ghosts - ghosts that expect Jordan to solve the century-old murder of one of them, both of whom previously lived in her house and never left due to the murder being ascribed to someone the ghosts don't believe was guilty.

The book is well-written, with great pacing and the stories of the two time-periods alternating and connected in a very appropriate and interesting way. The characters are fun and engaging and there's plenty of humour, since Jordan, as a psychologist is reluctant to admit that she's seeing and talking to ghosts.

The way both murders get solved is a good story, and comes together well. I liked this a lot and would recommend it as a great light and fast read.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAUNTING JORDAN could be a paranormal amateur sleuth, but there is a grit to it that moves it to paranormal suspense. Jordan has been accused of the murder of her soon-to-be ex and there's a cop on her who won't believe she's innocent. All she wants is peace and quiet and thinks that life will be different and, hopefully, better, in Port Chatham.


That's not about to happen with ghosts in the house, the chief of police who already knows too much about her, a handyman/pub owner too charming for Jordan's own good, and a dog who has invited himself to be hers.


It took me a bit to get used to the way the story was told in long flashbacks, but getting the backstory of the two ghosts 'living' with Jordan made the enjoyment of the book that much better. I hope to see development of the demenor of the two sisters in future books in the series. They seemed completely different when they were alive than they do as spirits.


I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series. Glad I have GHOST SHIP on standby.




Five spirits from the past sparkly diamonds.....

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sounded better than it turned out to be. Two murder mysteries, one in the past, one in the present. The heroine, Jordan, suspected in her estranged husband's death become involved in trying to solve the murder of the woman who once lived in the house she has just purchased. She an see this woman's ghost and talk to her, but for reasons I really don't understand, the ghost does not have any idea of who killed her.

I really didn't care for the story hopping from the present to the past and back again. Jordan is supposedly reading diaries to unravel the mystery, but when she is "reading" you actually jump into the past and are reliving the past again. I can't believe there is that much detail in a journal.

While the actual murderer in the present is fairly easy to figure out, the one in the past was less obvious, at least to me. I still liked the book.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is not your typical mystery or ghost story. And damn does the author keep you turning those pages. Jordan Marsh relocates after her husband is murdered to a small coastal town in Washington. Jordan buys a run down Queen Anne home to renovate while she takes time to reassess her life. Jordan becomes involved with the past owner of the home, Hattie Longren and her sister, Charlotte. Who killed Hattie and why, not only can Jordan see them but she can communicate with them as well. As Jordan uncovers the diaries and journals of the past, she is also forced to deal with the truth of her marriage and her patient. Interesting characters, you think you figured it out and then you doubt it when you turn the page.

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book! I was instantly drawn to the characters and Port Chatham, where the story takes place. The ghosts were likeable and the plot was great! I'm going to give it 4 stars only because the flashbacks were hard to read - I dreaded reading about the events that led up to the ghost's death. But in spite of that I seriously enjoyed this book and I've just pre-ordered the follow up, GHOST SHIP.

[Alise HARRIS · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book sounded interesting from the blurb. It sounded like a creepy murder mystery with ghosts. It was more like a half-assed romance story with ghosts. It starts out in the year 1890 with a damsel in distress. Yech, could you BE more cliche? It just gets worse from there. Don’t continue to read if you like female characters who are able to think past how hot their new neighbor is. 🙄

[Edel Waugh Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for those who enjoy a cosy mystery. You will not be disapointed in this gem. Haunting Jordan is the first book in this series and what a great start. I cannot wait to read the next books.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cozy mystery about a psychologist who flees the LA paparazzi after her almost ex-husband's death and finds that the small Washington town she hopes to settle in has its own sort of voyeurism in the form of ghosts.

I loved this story...it was a fun read.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice cozy mystery that takes place in a fictional town in the Northwest. Its an easy read with fun characters and a decent plot, maybe a little easy to figure out but sometimes that's ok. Sometimes books are meant to be pure entertainment.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book, it was an almost perfect mix of suspense, cosiness, ghosts, mystery and history. I am so upset that to buy the 2nd book, Ghost Ship, in Australia it’s going to cost me over $35 to have it shipped from America as its not available over here, so frustrating.

Jordan Marsh is the prime suspect in her cheating husband’s murder; needing some much-needed R & R, she thrusts herself into renovating a charming Victorian house in the quaint town of Port Chatham. As she tries to put all talk of homicide behind, she finds out the house she bought comes with two lively and talkative ghosts, who need her help to solve a century-old murder and clear the name of the man who hung for it. With the police breathing down her neck, Jordan must now investigate two murders before her time runs out.

In this book we almost get two stories in one as it jumps from the 1890’s, where we follow Hattie Longren as she goes down a perilous yet righteous path that eventually leads to her murder, to present day, where we watch as Jordan tries to decipher the clues to the past with the help of her two residents ghosts. The idea was great and, though it was sometimes slow and a bit predictable, I felt immersed in the story almost from the very start. I had to know what happened to poor Hattie, even though I guessed the murderer correctly in the first half of the book, there were enough suspects that I was always second guessing my choice. The time splits were a little jarring at first, but I quickly became used to it, when reading Hattie’s story all I wanted was to know what Jordan was up to, while reading Jordan’s all I wanted was to know what Hattie was doing. I loved Alderman’s version of ghosts too, it was so fun to read a ghost story where the ghosts are not actually there to scare you and you don’t just hear ominous noises etc..

Something I really liked was the setting, I could easily imagine the present-day cosy town of Port Chatham and the 1890’s somewhat more disturbing version of the town. I really felt like it leaped off the page, I mean, yes, the setting is just a simple town but there was just something so genuine and beautiful about Port Chatham that definitely rivalled some books I’ve read that have more complex worldbuilding.

Where this book really stands out for me were the Characters, everyone was distinct and most of them had a likeable quality that made the book hard to put down. Hattie & her sister Charlotte were just wonderful, their unique and lively personalities were incredible. Our 1890’s suspects were all very well drawn up and had distinct motives, which each characters true personality slowly revealing itself throughout the book. In our present-day story, we also had a number of brilliant characters, including the towns police chief Darcy and our amazing furry sidekick who doesn’t have a name until the second half of the book. Our protagonist though was a bit blah, she is a defined character and doesn’t come across like a copy, she was just somewhat boring. The other, more eccentric, characters more than make up for this though.

I don’t know what, exactly, it was about this book that made me love it so much. Tt just felt so warm but also exciting and suspenseful, I just couldn’t put it down. I will be passing this along to anyone and everyone who wants to read it!

4 STARS

[Denise Zendel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jordan Marsh moves to Port Chatham, Washington, to escape a miserable high profile divorce and the subsequent suspicious death of her cheating ex. The detective investigating the death has it in for Jordan and is shaping his case to find her guilty rather than trying to find the truth. On a whim, Jordan buys a historical Victorian house that comes with two chatty ghosts who think she can help them solve a murder gone cold. Between trying to remodel the house, keep an angry detective off her back and clear her own name, solve a 100-year-old murder, and make inroads in a small town, Jordan has her hands full.

I liked the premise of this book – therapist with a focus on rational therapy moves to a small town filled with ghosts and has to clear her own name while trying to help a couple of haunts find peace on the other side, and still maintain her sanity. I struggled a little bit because the chapters involving Jordan are interspersed with chapters from the 1890s involving the two ghosts. In fact, the book starts out with a chapter detailing the 1890 story and I thought, what have I gotten myself into, I’m so not interested in this book. So I flipped ahead and found Jordan and a cast of present-day interesting characters and a pretty good story. I confess I bypassed every chapter from the old story; while it might have made the current story even better, I just couldn’t. It bored me. Perfectly fine writing and storytelling, mind you, but I just couldn’t sustain interest.

But the characters in the present day story were entertaining and likeable. I enjoyed watching Jordan trying to fit in to small-town life and keep everyone from thinking her crazy because she sees ghosts. Turns out most of the townspeople are receptive to ghosts and find it kind of cool that she can actually see them. Also, the story regarding her trying to clear her name held my interest, and the actual killer was a surprise.

It looks like this was only a two-book series. I might not have followed it long-term, but I will probably read the second book, just to see what happens.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book's alternating story lines, one focusing on present day Jordan Marsh having recently bought a historic Victorian house in need of much repair in the charming small town of Port Chatham, Washington, and the second story line focusing on the weeks leading up to the murder of the house's former owner, Hattie Longren, in 1890. As a matter of fact, it doesn't take long for Hattie and her sister Charlotte to make their presence known to Jordan, and request her help in discovering who actually murdered Hattie all those years ago. This comes as quite a shock to Jordan, who doesn't even believe in the supernatural, although her new neighbors seem to think this is all perfectly normal, and even congratulate her on her new found ability to see and talk with ghosts. Jordan is also being hounded by an LA detective, who has set his sights on Jordan as the main suspect in her estranged husband's murder a year ago.

I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series. I enjoyed getting to know the people of quirky Port Chatham along with Jordan, as well as her new dog, who was apparently just waiting for her to show up...very sweet. I also LOVE this book cover!

[Judy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the middle of a tabloid scandal, Jordan Marsh's soon to be ex-husband was murdered. After months of speculation and suspense, Jordan has uprooted her life and moved to Port Chatham. She plans to restore a beautiful old Painted Lady. What she doesn't plan to do is solve an old mystery - the death of the first owner of her classic house. She also doesn't plan on being on a first name basis with the ghosts that haunt her house, but she is. She's finding a lot of surprises here in Port Chatham, not all of them welcome.

This is two stories in one. We see Jordan's contemporary life and we also see the last day's of Hattie's life in the past. Getting caught up in the mystery of Hattie's death helps keep Jordan's mind off her own problems now. I found both killers a little obvious to me, but I enjoyed the ride to get there a lot.

[Sandra Holladay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real haunted house mystery with two ghosts who plague poor Jordan, who doesn’t believe in ghosts and thinks she’s hallucinating. Love Charlotte, the younger ghost, who overreacts to things. Jordan’s relationship and interactions with the dog who ‘came with the house’ are great.

Jordan’s neighbors gave her a ton of ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ food, yet she is constantly eating out. I haven’t seen one instance where she actually ate any of the meals given to her.

I really enjoyed the story, both murder resolutions (past and present), and the contributions of the ghosts. This was well written and a fun read.

[Rrshively · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did think this book was okay. It's a mystery about a woman accused of killing her husband getting away from it all by buying an old Victorian house in Port Chatham to restore. Soon enough she finds it's haunted by two sister ghosts who want Jordan to find out who killed one of them in 1890. I thought the solution to the murder Jordan is accused of was satisfactory, but the way women and "lower class" people were treated in Port Chatham in 1890 made me MAD, so mad that I would quit reading the book for several days before resuming it. This is rated okay because despite the unique involvement of ghosts, this is a run of the mill mystery story in most ways.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars - While I was very engaged while reading, after some reflection, I'm finding points to nitpick. In particular, the character of Jordan is odd - she's a pretty incompetent psychologist, having no clue about the people around her (dead or alive), and miraculously sees ghosts now when she has never before. That being said, I mostly liked the secondary characters (particularly the dog), though Hattie and Charlotte also behaved quite stupidly. The dual mystery storyline, while occasionally jarring with the time switches, amped up the suspense and wrapped up tidily if not surprisingly.

[Roberta Biallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. The author put in enough twists and turns to mask the ending. Also having two murder investigations going at the same time, centuries apart was ingenious. I've already ordered the second book in the series. I highly recommend this book for any lovers of the cozy mystery genre.

[Linda Osiolek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different plot with Jordan marsh moving to Pacific Northwest and bought old Victorian house to restore. She was prime suspect in her cheating husbands murder but she didn’t do it. She sees ghosts in her house. Hattie asks her to solve her murder in 1890. Good plot, also nice guy who owns local pub but has retired from lawyer. Could be another story.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed. Very hard to put this one down. Laughter, a little love angle for the heroine as well as her friendly ghosts, twists & turns. Will be reading this author 's next in series as well as her
Columbia River series of which I have read & enjoyed the first one as well. Wish there were more of her stories available.