Angie FoxRecensioni

Loved it! A clean, entertaining mystery with a tiny bit of romance and some ghosts thrown in. Unbelievable perhaps, but an absolute delight to read. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

Death at the Drive-In by Angie Fox takes us back to Sugarland, Tennessee where Verity and Frankie need to solve a cold case so they can save someone close to them. The story was entertaining from beginning to end. I laughed, giggled, and smiled. Lucy, Verity’s pet skunk, is a sweetheart (she is a scene stealer). I thought it was cute that Verity was teaching Lucy a scaled down version of a dog agility course. Lucy is one clever little skunk. Frankie is up to his normal mischief. Verity’s backyard will soon be very cluttered (well, the ghost version will be). The author brought the drive-in to life with her vivid descriptions. It reminded me of my childhood visits to the drive-in with my family. We got to meet some interesting ghosts with my favorite being Verity’s old Sunday school teacher. Verity and Frankie had a clock on this mystery. Things were kept lively (life is never dull with Frankie around) thanks to Frankie and the gangsters. Someone unexpected joins Verity & assisted her with this spooky case. I was delighted (you will have to read the book to find out who) and enjoyed seeing a different side of this person’s personality. Frankie was a hoot (I loved his reaction when Verity requested his help on a clandestine mission). We did not get to see much of Ellis this time around. The one thing I did not like was the repetitive details (I got it the first time). The ending was sweet and nicely wrapped up the story. While Death at the Drive-In is the thirteenth book in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries, it can be read as a standalone. Death at the Drive-In is an entertaining tale with a girlfriend dilemma, a shaky still, a cold case, gang grudges, a serious Sunday school teacher, a surprising sidekick, and a killer conclusion.

The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries is one of my favorite series to read. The characters are so much fun and because the town is so old, the ghosts that Verity meets are from all different eras. Verity and Frankie are out to save Frankie's girlfriend Molly in this story after she's possessed by another ghost. If they don't save Molly, Verity could lose Frankie also. I loved the setting for this story at the Drive-In and the Irish bar and old motel. You get to see the good side of Frankie showing his love for Molly. Help solving this case comes from someone you wouldn't expect. A lot of the characters that you've come to know from previous books are in this book. I highly recommend it. This story was one of my favorites!

Death at the Drive-In by Angie Fox
Southern Ghost Hunter mystery series #13. Paranormal cozy mystery. Best read as part of the series in order, but can be read as a standalone.
Verity Long is officially in the ghost hunter business and everyone in Sugarland, both alive and dead is aware of her unique abilities. When Molly is inhabited by another ghost, Frankie and Verity must work quickly to figure out who, why and how to fix it before both Molly and Frankie disappear permanently.
In 1956, Kitty Cunningham disappeared on the way to the Starlite Drive-in. So that’s where Verity and Frankie start. On the same land there is also a mob club house and the no-tell motel, all of which have ghosts and stories to tell. Watch out for the gangsters. They are all carrying at least one gun and probably more.

A fun gangster and ghost hunting mystery series. This one isn’t quite as scary as one or two of the past ones have been, but then I can’t imagine the dangers that Verity actually sees superimposed from two different times. For which I’m grateful! I love revisiting with all the regulars including the pet skunk. We actually get to know Veronica better in this story. She is Ellis’s Moher and the one who took everything from Verity in the first place. Not necessarily someone we wanted to know better, but she certainly proved useful in this ghost hunter story.

Exciting adventure and mystery. Who knew those old, established, southern towns had so many ghosts! And so many secrets!

a fun cozy, with interesting and enterprising characters

pet-skunk, situational-humor, verbal-humor, paranormal, urban-fantasy, ghosts, ghost-hunting, series, friendship, gangsters, law-enforcement, time-travel, cozy-mystery, cold-case, small-town, 1950s, contemporary, secrets, Tennessee, relationships, atmospheric, amateur-sleuth, suspense, unputdownable, theft, smuggling, action*****

Verity (contemporary) and Frankie the ghostly gangster (from the 1950s) who shares her garden and more are back. Frankie's girlfriend Molly gets possessed by the ghost of a teen killed at the drive in. (Who knew ghosts could be possessed by other ghosts!?) The action and suspense comes when the Irish Mob and others get into things because there is smuggling and theft involved. The plot is positively serpentine with surprises galore.
Not an unbiased review because I absolutely love the real star of this series--Lucille Desiree Long AKA Lucy, Verity's pet skunk! How can you not love her working the Purina dog agility course!
I'm not sure about stand-alone quality since I am addicted to this series, but I think that it should do.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Author Collective 20, Moose Island Books Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Now I just have to wait to get the audio!
Available 19 Mar 2024 #SouthernGhostHunterMysteriesBk13 #AddictiveSeries

I discovered this book by browsing Bookbub. It was listed as mystery and it was free, so I saw no harm in downloading it. I was very iffy about whether or not I would like it, but I'm so glad I took the chance on this book because no, I didn't like it, I LOVED it! I didn't want to stop reading, despite how reading it on the phone gave me a headache and also despite the fact that I prefer a real book in my hands.

I honestly loved this book so much. Frankie is the coolest ghost ever, and Verity didn't annoy me in the least, which is quite rare for me - I've never been fond of female characters. While reading, I got some serious Supernatural TV show vibes, like this was a filler episode and the Winchesters would pop out at any moment. Having Verity and Frankie help them with a case... oh my god, that would be the best collab ever made. I knew this book was about a mystery but I never would have guessed that Verity would get a ghostly partner to help her solve the mystery. To be fair, I didn't think there would be a murder, either, but I was pleasantly surprised by both. This is such a unique twist on ghost stories/ghost mysteries and I love it!

I really connected with Verity. I felt so bad about the way the town treated her. It really angered me, to be honest, but I'm proud of her for standing her ground and not giving up. I admire her strength and will. I was hoping there would be no romance since I hate that genre, but the romance wasn't typically what you see in books these days. It was subtle and sweet, and it had me smiling rather than cringing, as I typically do. I was also surprised there wasn't a clash between Verity and her ex, but maybe that will come in at a later book.

There was something really special to me about when Verity was helping to shoulder Ellis when he got hurt. It made me smile, because it's usually the other way around or, if the woman is helping, she's too weak to help carry the male or the male protests. Ellis didn't fight her - he was hurt and grateful for the help and, even though she wasn't strong enough to physically carry him, she did her best to help steady him, and that was quite heartwarming.

Did I mention how much I love Frankie? I totally pictured him using an Italian accent with a southern twang to it and I loved it. Not gonna lie, I did think at first that maybe they fell in love. I'm not above love beyond dimensions, don't judge me.

Now as for the ending... ooohhh my goooodddd. I won't spoil it, I promise, but HOLY SHIT, I did NOT see that coming! I've never been good at figuring out who is actually guilty, but I can usually at least suspect the real criminal. But this time? Nada. Zilch. Nothing. I didn't suspect him ONE BIT and it made my jaw job when he revealed himself.

All in all, I'm so glad I got this book for free because I doubt I would have purchased it, and I'm so glad that I got to read this. I even stopped playing my game to get through this book because I wanted to know what happened next.

10/10 - Highly recommend!

This series is so very silly. I enjoy it and recommended it to my mother who wants now more than ever to go be a biker witch. Yes, she wanted to be a biker witch prior to this series.

When I first came into the first book, The Accidental Demon Slayer, I was convinced (for some reason) that this would be like Buffy but with an older protagonist. In some ways it is--its humorous, with a female lead who is flying by the seat of her pants and has a support circle that helps to save her often, but in others its not.

In Book 2 Lizzie seems to have things a little more under control and has accepted (if not happily) her genetic birthright. Unfortunately life has a way of messing things up and even though she accepts her birthright it doesn't automatically make it legal to use her birthright. I wondered, while reading the hoops Lizzie had to go through to get her license, if the Magic community had somehow influenced the DMV's testing practices as well. Not to mention she has to worry over her boyfriend being seduced by the target (Succubi).

I would argue though that her former job as a preschool teacher should have at least granted her the patience to handle demons. As a former daycare teacher myself I can honestly say that some kids are worse then demons when they set their mind to mischief (and not as easily dealt with either). I could relate also with the fact that she felt frustrated by everyone just assuming she knows everything and expecting her to get things done. The Council members for instance. Did they have to make such a big deal that she didn't have a license yet? Don't they do background checks? Can't they see she's new to it all?

I do enjoy these books quite a bit--who wouldn't want to be a demon slayer?--and they are certainly a fun ride while you're reading, but I think that my original belief that I was reading Buffy but older biased me against fully enjoying the books.

So I don't know why I've never thought this before or maybe this book just highlighted it more but Verity is a very, very, very bad investigator. She's just so trusting and naive, Come on Verity you're investigating a murder, you need to be a little suspicious! Also, I didn't like Verity as much as I usually do, typically I love her but she was being a little rude to Frankie. She wants his power but is very judgemental and mean towards him sometimes. I do like that she was called out for it at the end.

I really liked the story in this one despite not enjoying Verity as much. I knew who did it, but I don't read these for the mystery aspect of the book, I enjoy them because they are quick, entertaining and easy reads. Ellis, of course, was amazing and supportive, we also meet some new characters who I hope we see more of and there were actually some moments that I liked Virginia. I know that last one is a bit of a shocker.

Overall, I can't wait to see where Fox takes this series and if Verity wises up to become a strong investigator.

This was a pretty fun Novella to read. It takes place between the first book Southern Comforts and the second book The Skeleton in the closet. This read doesn't center on a murder like all the other books, rather, this time Verity and Frankie are investigating a haunting at an antique shop. The story was a really quick read that took me less than an hour. While the story was fun, I believe the way it was solved seemed way too much of a coincidence. Maybe this was done to keep the length short but I can get over how everything just fell into place.

So I really like this series. I've read the other three books and I love them, this one was no different. This one was interesting because now everyone knows that Verity can see ghosts. Trying to set up a business around this she seems to be failing until she gets a call to visit the Rock Fall mansion. Things start off a bit intense for Verity and I like that she is still scared despite doing this a couple of times now, she isn't all gung-ho about it. We still see a lot of our favorites like Frankie, who is finally coming into his own as a character and I really like the friendship between him and Verity. Lucy is still around and being cute and cuddly (about as cute as one can be given that she is a skunk). We then have Ellis, who is still sexy and understanding and caring and kind and okay... He is pretty much perfect.

I do like Ellis and Verity's relationship, he is supportive of her choices and doesn't try to control her life (but just wants her to be safe, which is understandable). I am really glad that it doesn't take center stage in the story but is there as a comfort. This new mystery was interesting, even if I did solve it right away. That's okay because while this is a mystery, it doesn't have to be complicated which is why I go back to this series every time. It's interesting to see what is going to happen after the developments in this book and if her business will start taking off. I hope it does, that means more books.

I've decided to do a 31 days of October, in doing so I will be showcasing my love for Supernatural, Horror, Mystery & suspense/thriller. Not sure if I want to keep it limited to books or branch out to other media like Television, Movies and Music. If you want to join in go ahead. The More the Merrier! (or would it be scarier?). Starting off my October 1st is my review for Book 3 of the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries.

The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries is my go to books for when I am feeling the need for some easy and entertaining reading. While I do still love Verity, Frankie and the gang this book seemed just a tiny bit blah. It follows almost the exact same format and almost the same story. Verity is still broke, Frankie still hasn't been able to move on & her evil almost mother in law is well... Still evil.

There were a couple of things that did sort of made this one stand out. Verity and Ellis finally decided to make things official and try despite everything seemingly being against them. Verity's secret is also now out of the bag which makes me really interested in reading the next book.

I really liked this book, and it didn't surprise me. Verity is very likable, due to certain events that happened to her before the start of the book you root for her since the very beginning. She's in a bad situation that just progressively seems to get worse. The first ghost you meet is Frankie, Verity accidentally dumps his ashes into her rose bush, trapping him to her house, she discovers however that some ashes are still in his urn so he can go wherever the urn goes. He and Verity soon form a alliance and with Frankie's help Verity is able to see into the spirit world.

Verity soon finds work helping get rid of a poltergeist for Ellis the Deputy Sheriff, things become complicated when she starts to feel attracted to Ellis. Ellis as it turns out is Verity's Ex-fiances brother. Secrets are soon revealed about the Poltergeist and Verity's life is soon on the line. There's a bit of mystery attached to the book that I have to admit I didn't predict.

I really liked Fox's writing, she has a way of carrying the story so that you don't get bored. Fox also doesn't thrust the entire backstory at you in a way that makes it hard to digest. She incorporates it into the story really well.

Why does it always have to be an effin prophecy?
Prophecies are one of the worst plot devices or even story motivations in 99% of cases.
The rest of the book is fine really. The romance takes over the book a little too much and is too fluffy considering the circumstances.
Beyond that, there are quite a few very well-done parts.
But the whole prophecy thing makes zero sense and is just paradoxical.
To any somewhat experienced reader, it is incredibly obvious how the whole thing will work out which also makes it a really bad tool for tension.
At 80% of the book, I was really only waiting for all the stuff I already knew would happen to play out. It's just not interesting which makes it a bad ending.
:(

There is a bit of plotholery going around especially regarding the ghosts and their involvement in the plot but if you just want to pass the time with a Cozy Mystery™ this is one of the better choices you have.
This is well suited as light-hearted entertainment to pass a bit of time.

I didn't exactly expect a fully consistent magic system out of something laid back like that but there are limits.
This one went completely bonkers with the rules and just made stuff up on the spot for cheap action kicks which is just that. cheap.
I'm out.

This may be the best of the Verity Long short stories which supplement Angie Fox's Southern Ghost Hunter series. It begins in Sugarland, Tennessee with Verity attempting to train her pet skunk, Lucy — and yes, I do know how frivolous and ridiculous that sounds — without much assistance from live-in ghost, Frankie, the lovable former prohibition-era gangster who lends her his energy so she can see ghosts, and — not often enough for Frankie — turn a buck.

Bree, who works at the Sugarland Animal Sanctuary, stops by to enlist Verity’s help in discovering why ghosts have been setting the animals loose at night, endangering both the animals and possibly people. Frankie isn’t keen on the pro bono work, but suspiciously changes his tune when he discovers the animal shelter is near the river. What Verity discovers, while Frankie is using the situation for a little side job, makes for an excellent short story.

I’m reticent to give too many details, but this one is actually quite tender and moving for something in this light sub-genre. It’s funny, atmospheric, and will have anyone who loves dogs and children complaining they’ve got something in their eye before the final page is turned. You get the impression at the outset of this one that it's going to be a little sillier than the other two supplemental short stories, but it ends up being warm and tender, even a tad memorable. I loved this one and highly recommend it.

This Verity Long novelette is set as the holidays approach. Ghost of a Chance nicely straddles that line between fun fluff and too-silly-to-care, easily managing to keep both feet firmly planted on the delicious treat side while sprinkling a bit of festive warmth on the confection. Unlike most readers, I hadn’t yet read any full-length entries in the Southern Ghost Hunter mystery series, but had no trouble getting a feel for its tone from this shorter story. I didn’t run across anything that seemed like a spoiler to the other entries, nor did I find anything that made me roll my eyes, as this genre all-too-often has a tendency to do. This is fluff done right.

Verity is making sugar cookies with deceased gangster Frankie hanging around when a Union soldier — deceased, of course — named Matthew shows up on her doorstep in need of help. He wants to marry but needs a necklace to present to his bride-to-be that only Verity can get for him, because he was forbidden to enter his old home when he joined the Union Army. Since she’ll need to use Frankie’s power to go there and see the dead, which saps Frankie, she has to use Southern Belles as an enticement. As good fortune would have it, Verity’s friend Lauralee is catering so there is some fun stuff going on as she mingles with the corporeal and the non-corporeal.

It doesn’t take long for Verity to realize mending a family relationship is just as important as obtaining that necklace for Matthew. Ghost of a Chance has just the right dash of fun — Frankie’s urn gets used as a serving tray ornament — and enough warmth and holiday spirit — no pun intended — to make this a short and enjoyable read. It’s fluff, but fluff with enough warmth and whimsy that you don’t feel too ridiculous for having read and enjoyed it. A nice treat.

A Ghostly Gift is another short story in the Verity Long Southern Ghost Hunter series from Angie Fox. Like the other short stories I've read which augment the series, it’s fun and charming and well written. It’s part of that sub-genre more fluff than actual mystery, of course, but it’s very well done and has some likable and engaging characters.

Verity is having trouble furnishing her new Victorian home in this one. She is also trying to get used to having a ghost knocking around the place. Frankie is a dead gangster trapped with her after an unfortunate mishap with his ashes. Rather than scary, he is quite endearing. The device of having him help Verity see the dead — and use her ability to make some much needed cash — works well.

Verity’s sister, Melody, wants her to help her friend Julie get rid of a ghost who has been bothering the collectibles case in her resale shop, New For You. Though Julie isn’t in a much better position than Verity and can’t offer money, a new set of kitchenware to the struggling Verity sounds just as good. It soon becomes complicated, however, when Verity and Frankie pay a visit at night, and discover the resale shop is a bar from another time. A soldier from the war worried about the great love he left behind, and whom he needs to find before she passes, is at the heart of this short and surprisingly warm story.

A tradition featuring bottle caps and a girl who seems to have dropped off the map in ’42, when the young soldier died, turn this into a warm and sentimental short story, respectful of the sacrifice made by so many in WWII. The author obviously appreciates these things and it comes across, giving this fun fluff also a bit of warmth and tenderness. A light and nice read between bigger and more substantive books that makes me want to begin reading the series when I’m in the mood for something lighter.

2.75-This story could have been so much more, but it just never quite got there for me. It almost felt like a second draft. Where the characters and dialog weren't quite fleshed out all the way. Although, I will admit my view might be skewed due to what authors are on the top of my must read" list (Karen Marie Moning)

pet, skunk, situational-humor, urban-fantasy, paranormal, series, friendship, gangsters, verbal-humor, law-enforcement, vacation, family, ghosts, cozy-mystery, ghost-hunting, competition, treasure-hunt, treasure*****

Not an unbiased review because I absolutely love the real star of this series--Lucille Desiree Long AKA Lucy, Verity's pet skunk!
It's Verity's sister Melody's birthday and Melody’s boyfriend (the offensive) Deputy Duranja has made arrangements for Verity, her boyfriend Ellis (Duranja's boss), Melody and himself participate in a weekend treasure hunt on an island haunted by pirates. Duranja doesn't believe in ghosts or Verity's ability to see and converse with ghosts, but he does believe that their group can win the competition and the money to buy Melody an engagement ring. There are a lot of scary parts to even out all the hilarity that makes this another entertaining fun read!
I'm not sure about stand-alone quality since I am addicted to this series, but I think that it should do.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Moose Island Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Now I just have to wait to get the audio!

Dread and Buried by Angie Fox is an amusing paranormal mystery. I laughed often while reading about Verity and Frankie’s latest adventure. I felt for Verity. Verity loves her sister, Melody. Melody’s birthday wish, though, was hard one for Verity to agree to. Verity and Ellis were invited (like she could refuse) on a weekend double date to a remote island (Phantom Island) with Melody and her boyfriend (Verity’s nemesis), Alec Duranja. The weekend gets off to a rough start when Verity runs late after forgetting Lucy’s favorite toy. Melody waits until they are on Phantom Island to inform them the weekend is a treasure hunt, and they are competing against three other teams. One team is particularly ruthless. The foursome soon discovers that someone is searching for more than the games prize. Verity believes the island’s legend about buried treasure could be true. She will need to keep her wits about her to stay ahead of the bad guys as well as Frankie and his new pirate chums. I quickly devoured Dread and Buried. Verity Long is a great character and so is Frankie. I did miss Lucy in this book. She is staying with a friend while Verity is away. Frankie was not as present in this story. He popped up now and then when Verity called for him. I missed his witty repartee. Alec Duranja is a character that grows on you. Melody sees a different side of Duranja (who knew the man owned a dog), and she wants Verity to get to know him. I thought the books she gifted Verity and Duranja were hilarious. The mystery is fun. While I found it easy to solve, my mother only solved part of it before the reveal (my mother could not wait to get her hands on this book). I did find it odd that Melody would date someone who shows such antagonism towards Verity especially considering how accepting and supportive Melody is of Verity’s gift. Dread and Buried is the twelfth book in A Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading this delightful series in order. It will allow you to get to know the characters and Verity’s journey (her struggles and triumphs). One of my favorite lines from Dread and Buried is when Frankie says, “Is that a pirate ship in the distance? he demanded, giddy as a goat in clover.” Another is when Verity says, “There was something about a mystery that always puts a spring in my step.” Dread and Buried is an entertaining tale with an isolated island, an infuriating nemesis, a thrilling treasure hunt, sweet skunk earrings, troublesome twin contenders, bothersome books, an unforeseen find, a frustrating Frankie, a precious parrot, and a vexed Verity.

Dread and Buried by Angie Fox
Southern Ghost Hunter mystery series #12. Paranormal. Can be read as a stand-alone but better if at least the first few in the series are read for character background.
Verity and Ellis agree to a treasure hunt weekend adventure for Melody’s birthday. Melody’s boyfriend, Alec Duranja, will team up with Melody, which makes it a bit like a couples weekend. Verity has promised herself and Melody that she will be nice and respect his position as a team member, though it goes against everything she feels about the man. But for Melody, Verity will learn to hold her tongue. Verity has also brought along her resident ghost, Frank. He may bring an advantage to the treasure hunting on the little island that’s said to be haunted by pirates.

What do you get when you mix a ghost from the gangster era with pirates? A taxidermy parrot that clips to the shoulder, swashbuckling chatter, drinking and probably a duel or two. And a mystery killer that doesn’t want someone else to find the treasure.
While this specific book doesn’t take place in Sugarland, Verity takes her charm and southern wit along for the ride and she will need all the patience she can manage trying to get along with Duranja.
Another fun ghost adventure. It’s amusing, and a bit scary, when the ghosts acknowledge the living.

Great story.

Unexpected outcome. Nice resolve. The romance part was a little weird. Intrigued to see how the next one moves the story forward.