Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly
Haunted Bookshop mystery series

Penelope Thornton-McClure has returned to Quindicott, Rhode Island, to become co-owner of "Buy the Book" bookstore owned by her Aunt Sadie. A recent widow, Penelope and her seven year old son Spencer want to start a new life as her husband Calvin recently killed himself.

To help increase business, Penelope sets up an author appearance by Timothy Brennan, renowned author of the Detective Jack Shield story. Shockingly during his talk, Brennan reveals that his Jack Shield character was built off of Jack Shepard and suddenly he chokes to death. But was it an accident or was he murdered? The next morning when Penelope wakes with a hangover, she figures his death will be the end of Buy the Book. Boy was she wrong. Apparently people can't get enough of a real death in the bookstore especially since there are ties to a real killing of P.I. Jack Shepard who had been shot in a bookstore 50 years before. Brennan's books are selling like hotcakes and people just keep coming and coming.

When the State Police determine he was killed and arrest Brennan's daughter, Diedre. Something just doesn't feel right. Plus when she wakes up she thinks she is going crazy as she is talking to a dead man - specifically Jack Shepard himself who has been haunting the location for 50 years. In order to not appear crazy Penelope starts conversing with Jack Shepard in her head. Most of the time she is trying to stop hearing him, but he is very persistent.

Most of the mystery is the 2 of them trying to figure out who really did kill Timothy Brennan. It makes for an interesting mystery series and since I know it is a series I wonder how it will be carried off in future books.