Midlife Spirits Series
Book One: Afraid Of The Dark
Do you believe in love after death? I didn’t, until now…
Looking for a fresh start, I just became the proud owner of a piece of New Orleans history: an Antebellum-era two-story house in the Garden District.
It’s going to take time and a fat wallet to restore the fixer-upper to its former glory, but after my recent divorce, I could use the distraction. And a stiff drink, but that’s another story…
It’s not long before I discover I’ve moved into the haunted house of the flirtatious and very much dead, Drake Montague. Now I’m receiving kisses from unseen lips and caresses from ghostly hands.
Soon I even begin to have vivid dreams, bringing me face-to-face with the incomparably handsome ghost of a 20th century French policeman.
Meanwhile, I’m also growing closer to my general contractor, Ryan Kelly—who is as charming as he is alive.
The chill in the air could only suggest Drake’s jealousy from beyond the grave... men, right?
Book Two: A Ghost Of A Chance
Living in a haunted house is going to be the death of me…
Potentially literally.
In an attempt to cleanse whatever entity Trina and I let into my house after our bout with a Ouija board, things have only gotten worse.
When the entity begins to sap Drake’s strength, I realize I have to do something and that something needs to be done now…
While Drake does definitely drive me crazy with his pretentious airs, his womanizing ways and his jealousy, the idea of coming home to an empty house leaves me feeling… well, empty. Yes, it’s true—I’m pretty fond of my ghostly Casanova.
Meanwhile, whatever this entity is, it’s getting stronger and more aggressive. It appears to be mimicking the attacks of the Axeman, a murderer who terrorized New Orleans over one hundred years earlier.
And there’s only so much Ryan can do to help me, considering he’s corporeal.
When forced to make a decision to protect Drake, I’ll face a consequence that could put my blossoming relationship with Ryan on a forever hold.
Book Three: Mischief Brewing
Two is better than one, unless the second is hitching a ride in your body…
Then one is definitely better than two.
After agreeing to let the spirit of Drake Montague inhabit my body (probably not one of my better ideas…), I soon discover the twentieth-century French policeman may be dead, but his lothario longings sure aren’t.
Now I have to find a way to explain to my sweet, sexy and very alive boyfriend, Ryan Kelly, that a spirit has taken up residence in my head, whispering French words of affection day and night. And, ahem, French is a pretty… sexy language.
While I’m torn between my love for a living man and my growing affection for one deceased, supernatural activity in New Orleans is at an all-time high. Something wicked this way is definitely coming.
With the help of my friends (and a little voodoo), I learn that the demonic spirit of the Axeman may still be dwelling in my house. Thanks a lot, realtor.com!
Book Four: Bump In The Night
Abandon hope, all ye who enter here...
With the ghost of Drake Montague possessing my body, I’ve broken the barrier between this plane and the next.
Now, in order to stop the ghost of the murderous axeman from attacking New Orleans again, I’ll have to visit the most infamous building in the city—the LaLaurie Mansion.
In the 1800s, the LaLaurie Mansion was the location of unspeakable atrocities and now I’m going to venture into the depths of this awful place, where I’ll experience first-hand what happened all those years ago.
The LaLaurie Mansion will lead me back to my least favorite of all places—Guarda’s shack of voodoo, where I’ll have to succumb to Guarda’s magic, yet again.
To stop bloody history from repeating itself, I’ll have to travel back in time to confront the Axeman at his roots, with the help of a certain handsome—and suddenly flesh and blood—police officer with a killer accent.
Book Five: Bone Voyage (Novella)
Please Note: Bone Voyage is a novella, thus the length is shorter than the other books in the Midlife Spirits Series.
What a tangled web we weave when first we practice… to be possessed…
It’s my first Christmas in New Orleans, so you’d think I’d be in festive spirits…
Well, I might have been if not for the appearance of Peter MacGregor. Peter, having heard of my
success in stopping the axeman by going back to 1919, now wants me to solve the murder of his wife, by going back to 1959.
And, you got it, going back in time means first going back to… Guarda’s. If I never step foot on that woman’s property again, it will be too soon.
Never say never…
Book Six: Deadly Intentions
There’s no business like ghost business…
The last thing I want to do is visit the evil voodoo witch, Guarda, again.
But once I promise two elderly and kind ladies that I’ll solve the missing-person case of their long dead relative, I realize there’s no way around it.
With the help of Guarda’s magic, I will find myself in 1910 New York with none other than Drake Montague, the twentieth century policeman, who used to haunt my house but now haunts my body… and, ahem, my heart.
Book Seven: Ghostly Gathering
A murder most foul in the Big Apple…
I’m still stuck in 1910 New York, trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Dorothy Arnold and her baby.
Meanwhile the only person I have to rely on is my ghostly housemate, Drake, who is now as flesh and blood as I am, at least in this plane of existence.
I find myself not only diving more deeply into the mystery of Dorothy’s disappearance, but also into the background of my French policeman when we meet his brother, Lucien. It’s then I learn more about the love of Drake’s life, a subject which only leaves me cold.
Book Eight: Magic In The Night
Witches, possessed dolls, and teenagers?
I need a vacation from my life…
I moved to New Orleans with two thoughts in mind--to escape a bad marriage and to fix up the huge mansion my great aunt left me.
While my bad marriage is now a thing of the past, my ownership of the house on Prytania Street is threatened. By whom? None other than a relative of Drake's, the ghost who’s haunting my house.
Luke Montague is the embodiment of Drake in everything but disposition and he's proving to be a big pain in my a#$!
To make matters worse, my health and my sanity is suffering by some unseen force. Visions of ghosts dance in my head, warping my understanding of what's real and what isn't.
Furthermore, these visions prove to be a warning of a larger threat that's impacting the city--antiques are going missing, stolen by the ghosts of children.
I get involved, like I inevitably always do, I’ll face more than I bargained for--including witches, possessed dolls, and (drumroll) my teenage niece.
Book Nine: Making Spirits Bright
If ‘hot mess’ was a zip code, I’d own every property in it…
While my relationship with my boyfriend, Ryan, seems to be falling apart at the seams, there’s not much I can do about it because my entire life is pretty much heading the same way.
As if dealing with my temperamental and difficult niece wasn’t hard enough (especially when she won’t stop arguing with my ghostly roommate), I suddenly find myself the owner of a… dog?
Daschel randomly shows up on my doorstep one day which means I’ve inherited another responsibility I can’t afford.
But Daschel is no ordinary dog… he’s intelligent beyond reason, but I’m not sure how or why.
My life is about to get a whole lot weirder when I find myself at The Old Absinthe House where I’m meant to meet with legendary New Orleans pirate, Captain Jean Lafitte. I’ve come to learn all I can about the deceased children who keep stealing paranormal items and the witch in the French Quarter who’s been throwing snakes into bars.
But when Ryan goes missing after my visit to the Absinthe House and I wake up with no memory of the night before, I have a feeling something bad has happened. Something really bad…
Book Ten: Hauntingly Happy
Zombie curses, licorice witches and ghost children, oh, my!
When Luke Montague was hit by a truck, courtesy of Angharad’s witch magic, I was in shock. But, when he opened his eyes and looked up at me, saying “ma minette,” I knew my life would never be the same again.
And I was right.
But, even with Drake alive again, everything isn’t daisies and roses. No, far from it.
I’m still playing puppet on a string to Guarda (ahem, zombie puppet on a string) and important artifacts are still going missing throughout New Orleans, stolen at the hands of ghostly children.
As if that weren’t enough, there’s a witch terrorizing the city with wands of licorice that turn into deadly snakes.
And my sudden onslaught of dreams of the Colonial 17th century are somehow related, I’m sure. In my dreams, I’m in a garrison under attack from ghostly invaders and they’re searching for someone—someone who, in turn, is searching for me.
Yep, just another day in the life of Peyton Clark, spiritualist, medium and perpetual mess up.
Book Eleven: Spell Binding
I’ve just learned firsthand that the grass definitely isn’t greener on the other side…
Waking up as the infamous voodoo queen, Guarda? Well, let’s just say this is easily the worst day of my life.
I have no idea how old Guarda actually is but with the way her body aches all over, the fact that I can barely walk, and there’s something that keeps clicking in her hips? I’d guess she’s around 2,000.
All of that aside, I need to figure out how to undo Guarda’s spell like yesterday so I can get back into my own body (which Guarda’s spirit is currently occupying) and then try to devise a plan to stop her for good.
Only problem? Well, actually, there are a few problems:
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Everyone believes I’m Guarda (hey, seeing is believing, I guess)
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Ryan is also possessed by some entity with glowing eyes
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Whoever is inside Ryan is also Guarda’s partner in crime
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Did I mention my hips keep clicking?
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I have like three days to stop Guarda from keeping my body forever
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My only ally is the untrustworthy witch, Angharad, who happens to be stuck inside a polaroid photo…
I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried…