The Recommended Reading Order for Haunted Guest House Mysteries
Written by E.J. Copperman (the pen name of author Jeff Cohen), the Haunted Guest House Mysteries is a lighthearted, paranormal cozy series set in the fictional shore town of Harbor Haven, New Jersey. The series features Alison Kerby, a divorced single mother who buys a historic Victorian fixer-upper to run as a guesthouse, only to discover it comes occupied by two opinionated, resident ghosts: Maxie Malone and Paul Harrison.
To fully enjoy the development of Alison's ghost-sleuthing abilities, the shifting dynamics of her guesthouse staff, and the long-term character arcs of her daughter Melissa and mother Loretta, it is highly recommended to read the books in chronological order. Fortunately, the chronological path aligns almost perfectly with the publication order, with the two series novellas slotted neatly in between the main novels.
1. Night of the Living Deed (2010)
The series begins as Alison Kerby moves back to the Jersey Shore to renovate an old Victorian home into a guesthouse. After a blow to the head, she gains the ability to see and speak to two ghosts: Maxie, the former owner, and Paul, a private eye. Both were murdered on the property and convince Alison to help solve their cold cases.
2. An Uninvited Ghost (2011)
As the guesthouse finally opens its doors, a reality television crew moves in to film a home renovation show. When a producer is murdered, Alison has to deal with cameras, prime-time drama, and her resident ghosts to clear the guesthouse's reputation.
3. Old Haunts (2012)
The case gets personal when the ghost of Maxie's ex-husband shows up. As the prime suspect in his death is Maxie herself (or rather, her memory), Alison is dragged into a mystery that digs deep into Maxie's past before she became a spirit.
3.5. A Wild Ghost Chase (Novella, 2012)
In this quick-paced novella, Alison is approached by a spirit who isn't one of her regular housemates. She is hired to locate a missing person, proving that word of her supernatural investigative skills has spread through the local afterlife.
4. Chance of a Ghost (2013)
Alison's daughter Melissa starts showing signs of inheriting the family gift when she meets a ghost of her own. Alison must step in to solve the spirit's murder before her daughter gets too deeply involved in the dangerous side of detective work.
4.5. An Open Spook (Novella, 2013)
A stormy night on the Jersey Shore brings a new challenge when Alison’s mother Loretta steps into the spotlight. Together, they assist the spirit of a Vietnam War veteran who is searching for a lost POW bracelet.
5. The Thrill of the Haunt (2013)
Looking to expand her business, Alison takes on a renovation job at a nearby property, only to find a body bricked up inside a wall. The newly minted ghost of the victim insists that Alison find the killer.
6. Inspector Specter (2014)
An unexpected ghostly visitor arrives: a deceased detective who thinks he's still on the force. He starts investigating the guesthouse's residents, forcing Alison to solve a new case to restore peace to her home.
7. Ghost in the Wind (2015)
The stakes rise when Alison's own paper-trail points to her father being accused of murder. The victim is a former bandmate from his youth, and Alison must dig through decades of musical history and old grudges with the help of Maxie and Paul.
8. Spouse on Haunted Hill (2016)
Alison’s ex-husband, Steven, makes a surprise return to Harbor Haven with plans to buy the guesthouse. But when Steven’s new wife is found dead on the property, Steven becomes the prime suspect, and Alison is forced to clear his name for the sake of their daughter.
9. The Hostess with the Ghostess (2018)
Alison agrees to host a local charity event at the guesthouse to drum up publicity. The event goes horribly wrong when one of the guests is murdered, and the supernatural sleuthing team must narrow down a list of very alive suspects.
10. Bones Behind the Wheel (2019)
The final novel in the series begins with a literal blast from the past. A classic car is excavated from the guesthouse's backyard, containing a decades-old skeleton. Alison, Maxie, and Paul must solve one last history-spanning mystery to put the ghosts of Harbor Haven to rest.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
Because the overarching story flows sequentially, there is no major conflict between reading by publication date or chronological order. The only detail readers need to note is the placement of the two novellas: A Wild Ghost Chase and An Open Spook. Reading them in their chronological slots (as Books 3.5 and 4.5) ensures you do not miss subtle references to character growth, family dynamics, and the evolving supernatural abilities of the Kerby family.
Meet the Spirits: The Main Characters and Setting
What sets the Haunted Guest House Mysteries apart from typical cozy series is its unique cast of characters and the atmospheric setting of Harbor Haven, a fictional coastal town on the Jersey Shore. Rather than focusing solely on spooky scares, the narrative centers on the warm, humorous, and sometimes exasperating relationships between the living and the dead.
- Alison Kerby: A determined single mother, entrepreneur, and reluctant medium. She has no interest in being a paranormal investigator but is repeatedly bribed, cajoled, or forced into the role by her demanding spectral houseguests.
- Maxie Malone: The former owner of the Victorian house. Sassy, opinionated, and fiercely fashionable, Maxie refuses to accept that she is dead and frequently acts as Alison’s self-appointed style consultant and social critic.
- Paul Harrison: A former private investigator who was murdered alongside Maxie. Earnest, logical, and traditional, Paul provides the investigative structure and detective know-how that Alison lacks.
- Melissa Kerby: Alison's daughter, whose growing sensitivity to the paranormal introduces a fresh layer of family tension and mystery as the series progresses.
- Loretta: Alison’s dramatic, supportive, and often eccentric mother, who gets her own taste of ghostly assistance in the novella An Open Spook.
What to Know Before You Start
Before checking into the guesthouse, readers should know that this series is a pure cozy mystery. The ghosts do not rattle chains or haunt to terrify; they are treated as eccentric, permanent roommates who can't leave the house. The mysteries are lighthearted whodunits with an emphasis on humor, dialogue, and New Jersey flavor. The books are designed to be accessible, but they benefit greatly from being read in order because the characters' personal lives—particularly Alison’s business ventures, her relationship with her ex-husband, and Melissa's upbringing—develop significantly across the ten novels.
It is also worth noting that the series is officially complete. E.J. Copperman concluded the main story arc in 2019 with Bones Behind the Wheel. While the author has expressed that the decision to end the series was driven by publishing circumstances rather than a lack of ideas, the final book provides a satisfying wrap-up to the central mysteries of the guesthouse.
What to Read Next: Other Series by E.J. Copperman
If you finish the Haunted Guest House Mysteries and want more of Jeff Cohen's trademark humor and clever mystery plotting, he has written several other popular series under the E.J. Copperman name:
- Asperger’s Mysteries (Samuel Hoenig Series): Starting with The Question of the Missing Head, this series follows Samuel Hoenig, a neuroatypical protagonist who runs a business called "Questions Answered" and solves mysteries using pure logic.
- Jersey Girl Legal Mysteries: Beginning with Inherit the Shoes, this series features Sandy Moss, a New Jersey lawyer who moves to Los Angeles and finds herself embroiled in high-profile, humorous court cases.
- Agent to the Paws Mysteries: Starring Kay Powell, a theatrical agent representing non-human performers (like dogs and birds) who constantly stumbles into murder investigations. The series starts with Dog Dish of Doom.
- Mysterious Detective Series: Featuring Rachel Goldman, a mystery writer whose fictional detective, Duffy Madison, suddenly appears in real life to help her solve cases, beginning with Edited Out.