How to Read the Ghost Hunter Mysteries in Order
For the best experience, the Ghost Hunter Mysteries series by Victoria Laurie should be read in order of publication. Because the characters' personal relationships, romantic subplots, and career trajectories evolve incrementally from one book to the next, jumping into the middle of the series can spoil key character developments.
The series centers on M.J. Holliday, a psychic medium with the unique ability to communicate with the deceased, and her business partner Gilley Gillespie. Together, they run a ghostbusting business and eventually film a cable television show called Ghoul Getters. As they travel to various haunted locations, they find themselves solving murder mysteries alongside supernatural hauntings. Reading sequentially allows you to watch M.J. grow as a medium, follow her slow-burn romance with Heath Whitefeather, and see their business expand.
Ghost Hunter Mysteries Publication Order
Here is the chronological publication list of the main novels in the series. Since the timeline of the books follows the order in which they were published, this is the recommended path for readers:
- What's a Ghoul to Do? (2007) – M.J. and Gilley are hired to clear out restless spirits from a cozy lodge in Boston, only to uncover a decade-old murder mystery. This book establishes their business and introduces their skeptical partner, Dr. Steven Sable.
- Demons Are a Ghoul's Best Friend (2008) – The team heads to a haunted boarding school where they must face a dangerous demonic entity rather than a typical ghost. M.J. also meets Heath Whitefeather, a character who becomes pivotal to the rest of the series.
- Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun (2009) – Set in a historic, haunted hotel in San Francisco, the crew attempts to shoot a television pilot for their new show, Ghoul Getters, while investigating the death of a wealthy heiress.
- Ghouls Gone Wild (2010) – The crew travels to the spooky woods of New Jersey to investigate the legend of the Jersey Devil and look into a local developer's mysterious death.
- Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls (2010) – Returning to M.J.'s hometown in custody of a haunted trunk, the team is forced to confront dark secrets from M.J.'s family past.
- Ghoul Interrupted (2011) – M.J. and Gilley are hired by a wealthy client to clear a haunted estate in the beautiful countryside of Wales, only to find themselves trapped in a deadly game.
- What a Ghoul Wants (2012) – The team boards a luxury yacht on the high seas to cleanse a haunted antique, but a sudden murder turns their paranormal investigation into a high-stakes whodunit.
- The Ghoul Next Door (2014) – M.J. and Gilley head to a historic, spooky mansion in Massachusetts to film their show, finding a spirits-plagued property with links to local crimes.
- No Ghouls Allowed (2015) – Set in a scenic valley in New Mexico, M.J. and Gilley attempt to help a local community deal with vengeful ghosts, drawing closer to Heath's native heritage.
- A Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder (2016) – Intended as the original conclusion to the series, this entry finds M.J. trying to plan her wedding to Heath while investigating a stolen ancient dagger and battling vengeful demons in New York.
- A Ghoul's Gotta Do (2024) – After an eight-year hiatus, Victoria Laurie revived the series. M.J. (now married to Heath) and Gilley find themselves under siege in their own home in Santa Fe when ancient tribal demons emerge from ancestral portraits.
The Victoria Laurie Crossover Universe
While M.J. Holliday's story is self-contained within these 11 books, Victoria Laurie has built a broader literary universe. Fans of the Ghost Hunter Mysteries should pay special attention to two other cozy mystery series by the author:
The Cat & Gilley Life Coach Mysteries
After the initial run of the Ghost Hunter Mysteries ended in 2016, Victoria Laurie introduced a new series starting with Coached to Death (2019). The co-protagonist of this series is none other than Gilley Gillespie, M.J. Holliday's tech-savvy sidekick! Gilley moves to the Hamptons and teams up with Cat Cooper, a newly minted life coach, to run a new business and solve local murders. If you miss Gilley's humorous antics and dramatic personality, the Life Coach Mysteries serve as an excellent companion series to read after finishing M.J.'s primary story arcs.
The Psychic Eye Mysteries
Victoria Laurie's longest-running series follows Abby Cooper, a professional psychic intuitive who collaborates with the FBI to solve crimes. Interestingly, Cat Cooper (from the Life Coach series) is Abby Cooper's sister. This creates a direct connection between all three series, linking the worlds of M.J. Holliday, Gilley, Cat, and Abby. Although M.J. and Abby do not directly cross paths or share a book, their shared acquaintance with Gilley and Cat establishes them in the same fictional universe.
Practical Reader Advice and Caveats
Before diving into the series, here are a few things to keep in mind to enhance your reading experience:
- Can the books be read as standalones? Yes, the core mystery of each book—who died and which ghost is causing trouble—is resolved by the final chapter. However, the overarching relationships, M.J.'s personal growth, and the recurring cast will make far more sense if you start from the beginning with What's a Ghoul to Do?.
- Watch the Tone: Unlike gritty urban fantasy, this is a cozy paranormal mystery series. Expect a high dose of humor, close-knit friendships, quirky side characters, and lighthearted banter alongside spooky settings and ghost lore.
- Author Background: Victoria Laurie was a professional psychic intuitive before becoming a full-time author. Her real-life experiences with the paranormal heavily influence M.J.'s psychic methodologies, giving the supernatural elements an intriguing sense of structure and internal logic.
- Avoid Series Confusion: Do not confuse this series with Angie Fox's Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries (which features protagonist Verity Long and began in 2015 with Southern Spirits). Both are highly popular cozy paranormal series, but they are written by different authors and are completely unrelated.