The House on Hallowed Ground

By Nancy Cole Silverman

Rating: 4/5 Stairs

Misty Dawn is a psychic who’s been around Hollywood and it’s stars a long time, but currently a little down on her luck (and living in her van). Her client Denise steps in to help Misty out – Denise’s brother recently died and his house is sitting empty. Misty can move right on in, as long as she’s available any time Denise needs a reading. I thought Denise and her readings would be Misty’s biggest problem, but it turns out Denise’s (deceased) brother is.  Wilson is still puttering around the house, albeit in ghostly form.

While Misty is trying to help coach Wilson to move on, she gets involved in a bigger mystery involving a new client – murder. Zoey’s best friend has been killed and Zoey is the prime suspect. Misty and Wilson team up to solve the murder and prove Zoey’s innocence.

This is a really fun cozy, especially at this time of the year. I love the old Hollywood feel that Ms. Silverman evokes through her setting, from Wilson’s home and the historical pieces he’s acquired to Zoey’s Pink Mansion and it’s tragic past – not to mention Wilson’s 1954 Jaguar that they use for transportation. The characters all work well together in the story (Denise provides fun comic relief with her Hugh Jackson obsession), and I love the idea of a female sleuth having a ghost for her sidekick.

A great start to a new cozy series, and I hope Wilson doesn’t figure out how to “move on” for a while – I enjoy his partnership with Misty Dawn.