You have to love a woman who shares her home with a 1920s gangster ghost and a pet skunk!

A Ghost of Christmas Past is a modern spin on Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in the form of a southern cozy mystery. The story is fun and, yes, a little sappy, but it's Christmas and sappy is expected.

This is a short read, at only about 150 pages, and yet a lot is packed into those pages. Verity is tasked with rescuing some animals from a scary situation, while also dealing with troublesome ghosts and difficult living family members. The mystery aspect is light, but the story is engaging and totally enjoyable.

The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries is one of my go-to series when I need a light, feel-good story. Verity is a great character, and I absolutely love Frankie the ghost. While this book is part of the ongoing series, I think it works well as a stand-alone.

*I received a review copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.* ( )

Verity was looking forward to a great evening with Ellis at his Uncles estate for Christmas Eve that is if she can let her pride go, and just enjoy the night. Virginia is still up to her toxic tricks. She literally delivers the last straw that finally breaks Verity, and has her vowing not to darken the same Christmas Eve party as Elli's Mother Virginia..... Can the help from some ghosts including Franky, and some cute baby bear in need help Verity realize her mistakes. This was a cute quick reminder that Christmas is about more than just presents and soooo much better when celebrated with family. Even if that family includes people who don't always support us! Sometimes we may want to cut the difficult family out of our lives but those are the ones who need our love all the more! I really enjoyed this quick short Christmas story. It was nice to have Verity focusing on her relationships and the ghosts stories not taking the prominent focus. Here's to Verity drowning Virginia with the kindness she needs in future stories!

I received this book for review purposes but this in no way effects my review. ( )

A modernized portrayal of the Dickens’ classic gone sideways. This novella details the importance of Verity to the wellbeing of Ellis and his family through a series of ghostly visions. A fine balance exists between the happiness of individuals and the group. Verity gains knowledge thru her interactions with the ghosts. Frankie provides a much needed balance of character to the novella as the reader sees a more mature development with the addition of a steady girlfriend ghost. This Christmas novella depicts past, present, and future scenes linked to Verity and her character. The lightness of the writing style and vibrancy of the characters make the scenes jump off the page as the reader rushes to see how the plot twists resolve. This is definitely a novella to read while relaxing when wanting a break from the everyday. I received an ARC for review. I would highly recommend this novella. ( )

The Ghost of Christmas Past is a wonderful addition to the series. Verity and Ellis are planning to spend Christmas Eve with the Wydells. While things don't go as planned we get to learn more about Lucy and how she came to live with Verity. Frankie and Verity also have quite an adventure trying to save a family of bears. I loved Frankie's interaction with the cubs. We also get to see how the Wydell family celebrate Christmas. It is a good rewrite of A Christmas Carol. I would love to see the location this story takes place in be restored in a future story. The only issue I really had with this story was Ellis. I really wish Ellis would have done a better job standing up for Verity to his mother. That portion of the story disappointed me. Overall the book is a great addition to the series and I think anyone would find this an enjoyable read. ( )

I really enjoyed this story.
It was a lovely holiday story with a Christmas Carol Vibe to it.
Showing that peace & goodwill to all - even the horrible people who may not deserve it, can reap the best results. ( )