Reviews

Ghosts, Lore & a House by the Shore by Nellie H. Steele

marilanoire's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

4.75

I knew who murdered Susan halfway through the book, but the story is so nicely written, that I enjoyed every single page of it. I like the characters and of course the cat. 

typewriters87's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

flreeves's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

4.0

Ghosts, Lore and a House by the Shore by Nellie H. Steele is the debut of Lily & Cassie By the Sea Mysteries. I enjoyed reading this engaging cozy mystery. I like the author’s writing style (casual). I was immediately drawn into the story. We meet Lily and Cassie who are mother and daughter. They have just lost their husbands in a plane crash. They decide a fresh start is in order. They buy a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian called Whispering Manor in Hideaway Bay which they soon learn has a reputation for being haunted. It is a good thing that neither lady believes in ghosts. While cleaning the house, they find the diary of the original mistress of the home, Henrietta Blanchard. Lily begins reading the book to learn more about the original owner. Cassie learns that a tragedy occurred in Whispering Manor almost thirty years ago. She wants to know more about the tragedy and begins digging for information. Someone is not happy to learn about their inquiries and attempts to warn them off. There are also some strange events happening at the house. Cassie and Lily are determined to uncover the truth. Are there ghosts in Whispering Manor or is someone trying to run the ladies out of their new home? I liked getting to know Lily and Cassie. They are lovely ladies who suffered a terrible tragedy. They have a close relationship which I liked. They drew strength from each other. I loved the descriptions of Whispering Manor (I want this house). I can understand why Lily and Cassie were drawn to the home and the town. Hideaway Bay is a friendly town (with one or two exceptions). People go out of their way to welcome the ladies to the town. Of course, they are all curious to see inside the house and hear about any unusual activity. The mystery was fun. I enjoyed following it. I could not wait to see how it would all turn out. I gathered clues and waited to see if my hunch was correct. I liked learning about the history of the house and the inclusion of the diary entries. I loved Willy, the one-eyed tuxedo cat that the ladies (mostly Cassie) acquired. He is a cute and clever kitty. I like the cozy moments in the story between mother and daughter. I enjoyed the humor in the story as well. I was sorry to reach the end of Ghosts, Lore and a House by the Shore. I am looking forward to Cassie and Lily’s next adventure. Ghosts, Lore and a House by the Shore is a delightful tale with a haunted house, a clever cat, a seaside souvenir shop, frightening threats, whispering winds, and a startling surprise.

thecarolinaash's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

knf3824's review against another edition

5.0

I enjoyed this book. The ending was a little iffy once they introduced the “villain” it became predictable. I will get the 2nd book

andimontgomery's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

Sadly, I found this book to be quite bland.  

katreader's review

4.0

GHOSTS, LORE & A HOUSE BY THE SHORE by Nellie H. Steele
The First Lily & Callie By the Sea Mystery

A tragic accident left both Lily Bennett and Cassandra Bennett-McGuire widows. Mother and daughter, unable to face homes filled with memories, decide to make a fresh start. Choosing the small town of Hideaway Bay, the pair buy an estate on the edge of town, and rent a storefront in town for their dream gift shop-Buy the Sea. They soon discover that their home has a tragic history and is supposedly haunted by more than one ghost. A ship captain lost at sea, his grieving widow jumped to her death from the widow's walk and centuries later a young girl disappears and her parents die in an apparent murder/suicide. No wonder townsfolk shudder at the mention of the house. Lily and Cassie are captivated when they find the widow's journal and discover the missing girl was researching the captain's alleged treasure. Soon odd sounds and vandalism start plaguing the pair. Someone isn't happy that they're looking into the past. But is it a ghost? Or a more worldly tormentor?

GHOSTS, LORE & A HOUSE BY THE SHORE is a unique mystery in that it has two protagonists, a mother and daughter. Written in the third person the book switches points of view, which the author handles deftly. Instead of being confusing, wondering who was thinking what, it was always clear if it is the slightly more cynical Lily versus her daughter Cassie. Both are competent women who I would like to call friends. I absolutely adore Whispering Manor and detailed descriptions make me want to live there. The multiple mysteries were ingenious, although I did figure out the modern day villain before our intrepid mother/daughter team. I figured out a few key things before they did, but, though I yelled at them, it didn't stop my enjoyment of the story. I was enthralled by Henrietta's tale and can't believe Lily stopped reading the journal at those climactic bits.

A glorious manor with mysteries spread across the ages GHOSTS, LORE & A HOUSE BY THE SHORE is a wonderful start to a new series.

lakecake's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

aubreysmith9412's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Anyone who knows me knows that my mother and I aren't strangers to reading books together. So when I came across this series, I thought I'd give it a go, and see if my mom and I would enjoy reading it together, especially considering it features a mother-daughter protagonist pair. 

As with most of these types of cozies, we're in a small town with a very quirky cast of characters. I grew up in a town like this (granted, mine was in the middle of the forest and not by the sea), and I know how they can be. But the first thing I noticed was just how fast gossip ran around this town. I'm well aware that privacy in a town like this is practically non-existent (my own grandmother is my hometown's most notorious gossip), but this was a little above and beyond the norm. And a little unsettling. 

Despite that, Lily and her daughter Cassie make a valiant effort to adjust, and become part of the town, and the community - despite living in a notoriously haunted house. 

The more they learn about the house, and the history of it, the more they become entrenched in the town's lore. And honestly, it's a very fascinating history! I couldn't help but find myself invested in pirate lore of the town, and especially of Whispering Manor - Lily & Cassie's new home. I'm very new to the pirate fascination, but I have to say I understand the appeal. 

The deeper Lily and Cassie dig, the more danger they find themselves in. And yet, that doesn't seem to stop the inquisitive women from wanting to find answers. 

As the mystery unravelled, I was gratified in knowing that I'd pieced together a handful of things that ended up being correct. Though there were a few glaring plot holes that made me roll my eyes, and speed-read to the reveal. 

Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery featuring a mother-daughter pair who have faced tragedy, and wanting a fresh start. And let me tell you, between the haunted house, pirate lore, and life-threatening danger, that is one hell of a fresh start indeed.