Review--No Ghouls Allowed by Victoria Laurie

On a trip to Georgia to see her father, M. J. Holliday finds herself trapped in a haunted mansion and discovers...

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN—FROM THE DEAD 

M.J. has had a distant relationship with her father since her mother died more than two decades ago. But when M.J., her boyfriend, Heath, and BFF, Gilley, take a break from their show, Ghoul Getters, and visit her family home in Valdosta, Georgia, they find Montgomery Holliday a changed man. The source of his happiness seems to be his new fiancée, the charming Christine Bigelow.

But despite the blush of new love, Montgomery and Christine are dealing with a big problem in the form of the antebellum mansion she is having renovated. After a series of strange accidents, the work crew is convinced the place is cursed, and the contractor has walked off the job. At Christine’s request, M.J. and her pals agree to find out if they’re really dealing with some spirited saboteurs and a possessed plantation home.

I finally picked up Victoria Laurie's No Ghouls Allowed and enjoyed yet another delightfully creepy mystery. Victoria's Ghost Hunter Mystery series is one of my most favorite paranormal mystery series ever! It's fun and spooky, and the mystery is always really well thought out as well!

In No Ghouls Allowed, M.J., Heath and Gilley all return to M.J.'s childhood home in Georgia to attend her father's wedding that will take place in a few days. M.J. hasn't had the best relationship with her father, ever since her mother died when she was young. But they try. And when she learns that his new soon-to-be wife has a ghost problem at a house she was trying to renovate, M.J. offers to take a look. And what she finds is a very hostile and dangerous spook. To make matters even more interesting, while taking a look around the house, M.J. and crew find a secret room and in it, a long ago dead body.

Then to make things even more intriguing, a man is murdered in the haunted house and now the local sheriff is asking for M.J.'s help in that as well, because even he can see that there is something unnatural going on in this house. And so M.J. and her friends agree to work the case. And what M.J. uncovers is something far more sinister than just an angry spook.

Once again I am blown away by the awesomeness that is Victoria Laurie! It makes me sad that I only have one more final adventure with M.J. and Gilley and Heath! This series has been a boatload of fun since I started it 10 years ago.

Victoria really knows how to write her creepy scenes, as there were quite a few moments in this one with our spook that was just downright scary! And I usually don't go for scary, but I'm always up for it when I know Victoria is at the helm. I was quite surprised with how M.J.'s deceased mother played a role in the story. Her spirit comes around every so often to M.J. but in this one, we really get an insider look at who her mother was and by those events I am left in awe at this woman's strength and yet, we've never got the chance to meet her. Other than being a spirit that is. 

So needless to say the mystery was good. I really enjoyed how the old murdered body is connected with the current one. It wasn't something I saw coming. Though, that being said, I felt like when the murderer is revealed, it was just too convenient. I mean one minute M.J. is speaking to the murderer for the first time, and then in the next chapter or two, bam! Revealed! 

Naturally, things aren't that simple though. And why I may not have enjoyed the reveal coming off as too easy, and not leaving enough room to speculate, it does still come with a few twists of its own. And the ending is still pretty jaw-dropping too, in a roundabout kind of way.

I've said it before, but it can never be said enough, Victoria Laurie is without a doubt one my most favorite paranormal mystery authors. She was in fact, my first author to read in this genre and open me up to it as well. Her mysteries are always entertaining and well-thought out. Plus, there's still lots of other good things coupled with her mystery, such as good humor and romance. M.J. and Heath have the occasional heated moment, when Gilley isn't being a pain and interrupting. Then there's Gilley himself who provides the much needed comic relief. Even if he does tend to interrupt said heated moments! Heehee! I will be sad to see this series end when I get to the next and final book, but like they say, all good things must come to an end!

Now if only M.J. could make another appearance in Abby's series. Like if Abby needs the help of a good ghostbuster with her latest mystery, then we'd be in business!


Overall Rating 4.95/5 stars--just a minor take down on the reveal of the murderer, I felt like it came too soon after M.J. talked with them for the first time. I had no time to speculate on whether or not they'd make a good suspect or not. But still, such a small minor thing in the grand scheme of it all!