Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls

Ghost Hunter Mystery #5

by Victoria Laurie

When M.J. Holliday and the crew of her cable TV show, Ghoul Getters, venture to the haunted ruins of Dunlow Castle in Ireland, drawn by the legend of hidden treasure, they hope the road will rise up to meet them, that the wind will always be at their backs-and that the resident phantom won't push them off a cliff. If they treasure their lives, M.J. and her ghost busters need to get the drop on the menacing phantom...

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Ghosts, Paranormal Mystery, Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction

344 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 28, 2010

About the author

Victoria Laurie is the New York Times bestselling author of 32 books and counting. Over the past 16 years Victoria has created several series and a few stand-alone novels. Her mystery series include: The Psychic Eye Mysteries, The Life Coach Mysteries, and The Ghost Hunter Mysteries. She's also the author of two YA books, When and Forever Again, as well as a middle-grade series called The Oracles of Delphi Keep.

Currently, Victoria is working on the 17th book in both the Psychic Eye Mysteries and the 3rd book in the Life Coach Mysteries, along with also working to produce a brand NEW series called Spellbound set for release winter/spring 2020.

Victoria loves to connect with her fans, and you can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Victo...

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series and recommend it all the time as a library assistant. However, I don't think this installment was as strong as Laurie's other books. A strange consistency error in Gilley's physique (in one chapter, he's so out of shape he can barely make it up the stairs; a few pages later, M.J. calls upon his championship cross country skills for a rescue; then he's back to over eating and out of shape) kept me flipping around to make sense of the story. The premise is great; I love the castle and Laurie does a great job describing it. But Gilley's whining dominated the pages and the pages just don't sizzle with M.J. and Heath. Still, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Sallee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in the Ghost Hunter series and is in the middle of the series. It stands alone well and was a great fast-paced read. I found the character of Gilley somewhat annoying, probably planned by the author to give us something to groan over. That said, I enjoyed the story that had many frightening moments and a satisfying conclusion. I plan to check our the others in this series and in fact am starting the one that follows this. Very entertaining for those who enjoy reading paranormal books.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite so far, I believe. For some reason I found the story boring and a little too Scooby Doo heavy at the ending. Ironic since I love Ireland and was curious, but ...

You get some mention of Stephen but it was off-page, which was a disappointment. Loved the character but thinking we may not see him back. The spirit guide thing is a bit out there for me but that does continue. Gilley continues to be humorous but this one feels a little off and disjointed. The crew mainly stays separated unlike other books and we get some changes at the end with the network and show. Not much else to say about this one really.

[Doris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series revolves around the premise that the main characters can see ghosts and other phantasms, interact with them, and either banish them or send them on to the light (which I have always read as a euphemism for going to Heaven). MJ (Mary Jane) and her cast, who I hesitate to label her friends, are on site in Ireland to film a television spot for a US network. The people of the village refuse to help, although they are free with their advice, information, and warnings, as the crew tries to go to the castle on the rock to do their show.

I have read others in this series, although not in sequence, which is fine because a strong point of this ghost hunter series is that they do not need to be read in order. Even when there are references to other trips the group has made, there is enough information given to ensure the plotline continues without making it redundant to those who have read other books, but possibly enough to encourage those who have not. That is actually why I picked this up – it was referenced obliquely in another story set a little later.

However, this book is lacking the smooth transitions among the team that characterizes some of the other books, making it a weaker storyline. As a transition it works great – having read earlier and later books in the same series, I can recommend this one as a "turning point" type story.

There is one flaw which I consider major. The character of MJ's friend Gilley is a selfish pig, eating everything in sight, gaining weight and out of shape. He has to be prodded, cajoled, and bullied into going up a long flight of stairs, and barely makes it, yet a short while later he is able to use his championship cross country running ability to race across a rocky slope to assist in a rescue. Since this book takes place over a short period of a few days, that is not realistic, especially as within a few pages we again see him stuffing his face and selfishly making off with food treats. Unfortunately Gilley never gets better in later stories. I am not sure why he remains in the books.

I did enjoy the spooks, of which there are many, although I thought that the hints given to MJ on where to look for an item were so obvious that I wondered how she could miss them. A quick thinker she is not. However, this was an entertaining story with all sorts of ghosts in a haunted castle in a remote location, even if some of the mysteries presented were never explained, leaving me perplexed. The culvert leading to the castle is sealed off with a padlock, but we never get an explanation as to why. There are guesses made by the team, but no explanation. In Scooby Doo, Thelma would have known why, or the villain would have told us why, not leaving us to wonder.

If this was the first book in the series I had read, I would not pick up another. There was not enough character building, and the glimpses we do get of the characters are not good. Gopher is a controlling freak, Gilley is a whining careless idiot (except when he is being a computer genius), Heath drools over anything in a skirt, MJ is clueless, and we barely get glimpses of the other characters' motivations and history.

[All Things Urban Fantasy]

A grown-up mix of Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew, GHOULS, GHOULS, GHOULS was a light, quick read that blends a realistic present day with a dash of the spirit world. An entertaining ghost story to fill a few hours, the characters of GHOULS, GHOULS, GHOULS didn’t leave enough of an impression for me to hurry out and pick up the rest of the series.

The ghostly aspects of the story were my favorite parts of the book, dusting a classic mystery procedural with ectoplasm. Victoria Laurie definitely wrote this installment in the Ghost Hunter Mysteries to work as a stand alone, providing a good amount of back story and world building from the outset. Unfortunately, as I felt that the world and the plot received a lot more attention than the characters. M. J. and her ghost-hunting cronies never deepened beyond bickering and flirting (not enough of the flirtation for my taste), and these shallow interactions weren’t enough to interest me in their well being.

For any reader who isn’t as character obsessed as I am, GHOULS, GHOULS, GHOULS is worth a look (especially mystery buffs who read a little fantasy on the side). For those who crave more drama, depth, and development, this series is probably worth a pass.

Sexual Content: Flirtation, references to sex.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

First posted on Barnes & Noble on June 9, 2012.

I absolutely love Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter (M.J.) Series but seriously something was up with this book. First off, am I the only one who thought that the first and second books happened within months of eachother and that the third one followed pretty closely? Maybe it's just me but when M.J. stated that she and Steven had dated for nearly two years I was a little thrown off. Anyway, my gosh! Were the characters in this book incredibly annoying (especially M.J. and Gilley) they were not themselves at all. Of course, one of my new favorite characters, Gopher, had to go get kidnapped and stuff, so he couldn't even save this story. Seriously, I loved the plot of this story (haunted castle, if you don't leave by a certain time you're pretty much screwed) it was a great idea it just wasn't executed well. I would rather have read about Meg, Kim, and John fighting the demon/ ghost thing because they probably would have handled it a lot better than M.J. did. She became such a baby in this book, everything was too scary or too hard for her it got old really fast. And then she had the nerve to yell at Gilley for whining like a baby.... umm hello? I felt incredibly bad for Heath in this book having to deal with both M.J.'s and Gilley's whining and then having his back skewered by spikes because M.J. had to have a panic attack, similar to a scene in Ghouls Gone Wild when she almost re-breaks his arm (doing the thing she does on a regular basis) Yeah, poor Heath. I, however, did enjoy the end of the book when Alex, the psychic treasure hunter girl, joined M.J. and the gang, and kicked some serious demon butt. And. of course, when they saved Gopher. Overall, a mediocre book in a great series, hopefully, the next one will have our heroes back to their usual awesome selves.

Later Days.

[Heather Adkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still nicely written and a fun read. I still love Laurie and both of her series, but there was something about this book that didn't sit right with me. The setting was lovely, the research thorough to make it believable, but parts felt very repetitious, and ultimately the thing that bothered me the most was the vibe I got from MJ. She was very immature and didn't seem to grow at all in this book. I don't remember this problem in any of the others. I just couldn't get past that. I've started reading the next one and that vibe is no longer hitting me, so I think it was just this one.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love these books for a quick, interesting read! No matter how many times I read one of this series it seems to grab me on page one and doesn't let go until the very last page. I adore Gillie and how he interacts with everyone and of course M.J. is one of my very BFFs. A wonderful way to fill in an evening that is rainy, cold and otherwise boring.
Hugs to Gillie, M.J., Victoria and all the Ghost Hunter gang!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series by Victoria Laurie. But this one left me high and dry. The plot seemed to go around in endless circles. Back and forth. Back and forth. To the haunted castle with the big bad phantom. I'm not quite sure what was missing in this installment but something was. Where was the humor? And the fun? So much sturm und drang. Perhaps the next one might be a tad more fun.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same crew, same kind of mystery, ghost-busting etc. I usually love Gilley, but he was so annoying in this book. Some scenes were so childish I was shaking my head. I miss Steven being in the book too - he added something good.

[Yesenia Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good ending.a lot of ghostly action.

[Melissa Danker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stellar installment from my very favorite series — Victoria Laurie continues to amaze me with the pacing and intrigue of her writing.
10/10!!

[Kaelee Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to see another book had come out in both of Victoria Laurie's paranormal mystery series while my back was turned. I opted to read this one first because I find M. J. Holliday and her best friend Gilley Gillespie (that's Gil for short) to be quirkier and more amusing much of the time. Ghosts and demons get up to more wacky hi-jinx than your average medium apparently!

This outing finds the crew of M. J.'s show Ghoul Getters in Ireland investigating a castle that has everything, though the moat is truly horrendous. Instead of the nice normal drawbridge to the castle the original builder built his home on a small island that is only accessible by a causeway that is open for a few hours each day at low tide. Practically impregnable. And also haunted. By lots of things that go bump in the night including one very pissed off phantom. A murderous phantom to be exact. At least two people have gone over the edge of the cliffs, one has been driven insane, and another left crippled after dealing with this ectoplasmic monstrosity.

The phantom is where all the trouble begins because it has apparently phantom-napped the show's producer. The gang generally finds him truly annoying but they also like him and in order to get him back they're going to have to go up against the phantom.

Taking a ride with M. J., Gil, Heath, Gopher and the rest of the crew is always worth doing. I think the first couple of books had more humor in them than the more recent novels though. I remember laughing out loud at a few parts of Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend but this book only elicited a few chuckles, no out and out guffaws. It had its good points of course; the chase across the lawn of the castle is a great scene. But it wasn't because it was amusing necessarily.

I'm also wonder about the intensity level of the paranormal phenomenon that M. J. finds and has to deal with. I worry that Laurie is going the way some of my other favorite authors have. Eventually the books become unbelievable (yes, I see the humor in that statement!) and the reader just can't believe that our heroine and her wacky sidekicks can defeat whatever nasty has appeared because the nasty is just too nasty! If you keep upping the ante eventually you go all in and I'm not sure how much longer Laurie can write novels before it appears Holliday is all in. Which I would find incredibly sad. I've put down too many series lately because they have stretched my un-reality limit too far. Here's hoping the next book in the series proves me wrong!

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the next episode in their cable TV show "Ghoul Getters", M.J. Holliday and crew travel to Ireland to visit Dunlow, a haunted Irish castle. M.J. knows the shoot will be difficult as the castle is on an island and cannot be reached at times. But even she, who has had plenty of experience with ghosts, is knocked off her feet - literally - by a powerful phantom, who is guarding some hidden gold. Some people who have encountered this phantom have died, and M.J. isn't willing to risk her life and would be happy to leave. There is only one problem - her producer, Peter "Gopher" Gophner is missing, and MJ is afraid the Phantom has taken him. It will take all M.J. and her partner Heath have to stop the phantom and rescue Gopher - but will it be enough?

For the most part, "Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls" is another nice paranormal mystery in Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunters paranormal mystery series. I love the ghost hunting aspects of the whole series and the haunted castle idea is a real winner. This may be M.J.'s toughest case yet and there are some very scary moments involving the phantom who is a truly scary ghost. Mixed in with the Phantom are several helpful ghosts (Laurie is at her best when ghosts visit M.J. while she is dreaming) that add much to the atmosphere of the book. There are also some sadder moments involving ghosts who won't crossover and relive their deaths over and over again. Neatly mixed in with all of this is the mystery of Gopher's disappearance (although I did figure out pretty easily where he was). Unfortunately, what almost ruins this book is the over-the-top actions of Gilley. When the series first started he was a lovable amusing character - M.J.'s best friend who worked with her even though he is afraid of ghosts. Now he's simply annoying - screeching all the time that he is hungry, (we got it the first 25 times he said it) and is afraid of talking animals in movies (?). His histrionics ruined much equipment, and about had it when he and M.J. had what was essentially a food fight (seriously). I had to wonder why the others put up with his antics and why in the world M.J. is friends with them. Too bad, because he is a fun character - hopefully his character will turn around in the next book in the series.

It may be flawed, but "Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls" is still a fun paranormal mystery.

[Lynda Tatad · Rating 4 out of 5]

After taking on a haunted underground passage in Scotland for their new show Ghoul Getters, MJ Holiday and crew's next assignment takes them to the haunted Dunlow Castle in Ireland. Hoping for some Irish luck, after crossing the causeway, which is only accessible at low tide, they hear a voice calling out for Alex. Many have come looking for treasure, but only to lose thir lives or sanity to a menacing phantom the likes MJ and company have never encountered before!

Dreams from the original lord of the castle give MJ cryptic and confusing clues to follow. Their first full venture into the castle makes them lose a member of their party, and the Phantom is too much for them to be able to try and find Gopher! Repeated attempts to return to find him are thwarted each time, and the biggest clue is to find the mysterious Alex.

What I liked about this book was that this was two mysteries in one. How to deal with the phantom, and how it got their in the first place, as well as figuring out what happened to their friend Gopher... MJ is also dealing with her feelings for fellow medium Heath after breaking up with her boyfriend Steven in the previous novel. Gillie, MJ's best friend since childhood, deals with the stress of the situation by stuffing food in his mouth, and he is the least mature of the group, which can get annoying sometimes. But, his research skills come through just in the nick of time! And though he can't handle climbing the steep stairs to the castle, he sure can put on a burst of speed running on a level surface when it comes to saving a friend!


Overall, a good ghost story, with the flavor of the charm of Ireland! Very likeable characters, and interesting storyline!

[Julie Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a regular reader of this series, so I must like it well enough. And, odd considering my following complaints, this was a 3-star for me (I think because it did creep me out a little. But what doesn't??) That said, there are some things that annoy the crud out of me that I have to get off my chest. a) MJ calling everyone "buddy". It just doesn't ring true for some reason. It also reminds me of an extremely annoying girl that I went to high school with. MJ, in general, isn't as likable as a heroine should be. She's too logical and straight-minded to be a psychic ghost hunter. b) Gilley's such a stereotypical, cookie-cutter, flamboyant gay man! Only boring. c) The lack of Doc in the last few books. MJ's african grey is my favorite character (probably because I have a grey of my own). d) Lastly, I hate how MJ always figures out the mystery without any clues put out for the reader. She just comes up with it out of the blue, forms a "plan" we're not privy to, then we're filled in on the random details. It's annoying.
Also, was I the only one who didn't give a crap whether they saved their producer or not?
These are complaints I've had for several books now- so why, do you ask, have I continued reading each book as they come out? I have no clue.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I read this one cause after the last one I was almost done with this series. However I believe that after reading this one my faith has been renewed in the series. I love the way she incorporates humor into her mysteries.

While I still miss Dr. Steven Sable though, and while I like Heath I don't care for him and M J together. Gopher who usually annoys me was blessedly missing from most of the book as he got kidnapped. Also Gilly who I usually love was grumpy and stuffing his face for most of the book, I could have done with out that.

Its pretty much a basic story line M J and her crew got to a haunted castle to get rid of a phantom only they must first figure out how it got to be there in the first place. Much confusion ensues as Gopher goes missing, Gilly overeats to compensate for the stress, and everyone seems to get hurt at one point but like true troopers they keep on trucking until they get there job done.

[☺Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls by Victoria Laurie is a humorous, quick read (I read quite a bit of it while in my doctor's waiting room - she just so happened to be running a little late today, it's all good). The story contained a few chills, one or two thrills, and a decent mystery. Gilley, M. J.'s friend and part of the cable TV show Ghoul Getter's crew, is irritatingly careless, stubborn, and extremely accident prone (he dropped his backpack, breaking all of their meters and also lost an important journal when he tripped, fell, and dropped it into the ocean - it was probably chock full of invaluable clues). He's also high-strung/high maintenance - Gil didn't check the weather because he overslept so a huge thunderstorm stranded the entire team on the island with the murderous phantom. It's a wonder these ghost busters actually survive their exploration of Dunlow Castle, let alone solve the decades old mystery.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and didn't in some places. M.J. is usually a strong character ready to take on what comes but in this book I got the opposite feeling. Yes, I know that it's a big mean phantom and she knows nothing about it, but to me she should have either researched it or walked away and let someone who knows how to deal with it handle it. Gilly as usual I cannot stand, he acts more like a petulant 5 year old than a man. I really like Kim, John and Meg and I think that I would have liked to have seem more of them. To me there seemed to be more running back and forth to the castle with no set plan except to run, but low and behold when they decided to do some research they got some answers. The whole storyline in itself was good and the setting interesting, but I'm not keen on how M.J. has been turning sort of wimpy. I will continue on with this series and hope that the real M.J. returns.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just as weak as the previous one.

Some parts were really inconsistent. One minute Gilley is so out of shape that he can barely make it up a flight of stairs, later he's the faster runner they have and manages to save Heath's life. Plus, he's still annoying as fuck and brings very little value to the team.

I'm also starting to think that M.J. is stupid. Some of the clues are so ridiculously obvious, yet she'll still spend ages trying to figure them out.

The romance still feels forced. M.J. seems incapable of understanding that other people's feelings need to be taken into consideration with any of her relationships, whether they be romantic or platonic. Really starting to miss Steven.

Overall, the mystery was entertaining & the phantom was certainly interesting to read about. However, this series is getting less enjoyable to read as it continues on.

[Irena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thoroughly sick of Gilly by this book. Can anyone be more whiny and needy and selfish? Please, please part ways with him by the next book or ask him to grow up! The monsters get more complicated and scarier, but the rest of book seems to flow about the same as the rest. The relationships do not get more complicated or simple, but it seems MJ has to spend more of her time on location with the ghost and more time actually finding out what is going on. Which, of course, she would have to given that the monsters are getting worse.
With, the exception of Gilly, this was a good book and I will keep it with the rest of the series, but if the books continue with Gilly being this childish I think I will ditch the series. I just can't stand him in this book.

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I enjoyed the other two books that I read better (What's a Ghoul to Do? and Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend). In the other books M.J. tells more people things of themselves and things about love ones that died. This connection with other characters made the series much more enjoyable for me as I guess I am "nosey" and M.J.'s talking with the ghosts satisfied this "itch"!

Otherwise the story moved along. I didn't really connect to the terror of this phantom, but did like the ending of the story and felt that it was well wrapped up. All in all this was a 3.75 read for me

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gilly's behavior would not be tolerated in a 2 year old, why would it be acceptable in a grown man. I don't remember him being this bad in the early books. He was a drama queen but he also had skills and contributed making him quirky. All contributions seem to be gone and he has devolved into a 2 year old having a constant tantrum. I liked the premiss for the story but MJ's common sense skills seem to have gone way down hill. Unfortunately, I think this will be the last book I read in this series, mostly because I can't deal with more Gilly

[Barbara ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply adore this series. MJ and Gilley have such a sweet relationship (friends only but the tolerance is amazing). MJ tolerates Gilley's quirks and faults and Gilley tolerates her bossiness. So sweet. And I really like the relationship that is building between MJ and Heath and I'm looking forward to seeing that develop fully.

This adventure was one of the most dangerous yet. I just love how they stick together no matter the danger. Ms. Laurie really portrays true friendship well.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad. The main problem is that, in what I guess is pursuit of comic relief, one of the three main characters has become a whiny little girl. Bit of a shame, as he's a bloke, and I'm finding him immensely irritating. But the scenes he isn't in are still fun.

[Amanda (The Literary Hoarders) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again as I said in review for 3rd book, story was good but the fact is that I don't feel the chemistry between M.J. and Heath, yes they are great on a PROFESSIONAL level but not a romantic one. That sudden switch killed this series and I'm not interested in the next book.

[Ashley Nichols · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't read the book over the whines of the stereotypical gay man. The only thing more insulting than the writer's insensitivity is that she believes in ghost bombs and demons that can't be overcome.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the setting of an isolated castle in Ireland. Lots of ghosts in this one, including an evil phantom. There is a mystery of who released the phantom, and is there a treasure hidden in the castle. Gilley was pretty annoying. MJ and Heath advanced there relationship.

[Siobhan (tigress5cubs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that this was in Ireland. But Gilly really annoys me. He really needs to get a grip and stop ruining things with his idiocy - like the journal. Sometimes his whiny, overly drama queened antics just irk me.

[Carole Hardinge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this series has gotten away from what made it so good at first. This book had a curse and an evil phantom with some ghosts scattered in the plot. It was a good Halloween read but I think I will be giving this series a rest.