I was pleasantly surprised by this novel which I received for free from the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had assumed that it would be a good old fashioned ghost story but it is oh so much more. I really don't know what category fits "The Haunting of Melmerby Manor" at all. Yes, there are ghosts and a haunting but there is also a murder to be solved, stolen pirate video discs, and a caustic dry humor which I enjoyed very much. Judging from the reviews I read before I started reading this book it seems that this is one of those books you either love or hate. It just so happens that I am the former.
A paranormal investigator named Lady Concepta Rand-Epping otherwise known as Sceptre and her two friends, Pete and Kevin investigate a haunted manor house but a routine "lock-down" (think Ghost Adventures) turns out to be more than they expected when they find a dead body on the property. Aided by her ghostly butler Fishwick who died in WWI during the Battle of the Somme trying to protect and serve her great grandfather, Sceptre and her friends try to solve the mystery of Melmerby Manor.
I really enjoyed the banter between Sceptre who is a psychic and Pete who is definitely a skeptic. No matter what evidence she finds, Pete always finds a way to debunk her evidence. Kevin is hilarious as well with his bluffing and his weapon of choice when threatened. I also like how both sides of the paranormal question are addressed as well. I think it is a wonderful start to a new series and I am looking forward to book two very much.
Four out of Five Stars
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