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Ever since Erica Bloom returned to her hometown of Otter Lake, New Hampshire, she’s found herself involved in one murder investigation after another—whether she likes it or not. And in author Auralee Wallace’s sixth Otter Lake Mystery, Haunted Hayride with Murder, she gets caught up in a ghostly mystery.
The story catches up with Erica and the rest of Otter Lake Security as they take on a security job at a local apple orchard in the weeks before Halloween. When Erica uncovers a long-hidden body in the fields nearby, it comes with yet another mystery. Erica fears that starting another murder investigation could jeopardize her once-again-budding relationship with Sheriff Grady Forrester, but she can’t help but wonder about the body—and how it could relate to the story of the Apple Witch, who’s supposed to haunt the orchard.
Otter Lake may be small and quaint, but it certainly isn’t boring. There’s never a dull moment here—especially when Erica and her best friend, Freddie, are involved. Not only do they tend to stumble over trouble around every corner, but they’re also just a wildly entertaining duo. They’ve been the best of friends for years, so they tend to bicker like an old married couple—which, along with their natural attraction to trouble, adds plenty of laughs to each investigation.
Erica is well known around town for her shenanigans—and, as the daughter of the town’s lovable hippie, she’s been taught that it’s okay to be different. Still, her eccentricities and tendency toward harebrained ideas have caused problems in her relationship with Grady before—and as they slowly build that relationship back, she hesitates to get involved in the case, worried that it’ll destroy what they’ve built. But it doesn’t take long for her to realize that Grady needs to accept her for her craziness and misadventures—and that leads to another important turning point in their story.
Meanwhile, the latest mystery turns spooky, as Freddie gets caught up in local legends while Erica attempts to debunk them—and, along the way, all kinds of Otter Lake residents get tangled up in the drama and hijinks. And the humor and romance and mystery make for yet another fun-filled adventure.
With its charming New England fall setting and its silly, spooky mystery, Haunted Hayride with Murder is an entertaining Halloween read. And if you’re new to the Otter Lake Mysteries, you’ll most likely find yourself going back to pick up the others.
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