Spookie Town Murder Mystery

Series · 9 books · 2003-2024

By Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Books in series

Scraps of Paper

2003

Abigail Sutton’s beloved husband walks out one night, doesn’t return, and two years later is found dead, a victim of a long ago crime. It’s made her sympathetic to the missing and their families. Starting her new life, Abigail moves to small town and buys a fixer-upper house left empty when old Edna Summers died. Once it was also home to Edna’s younger sister, Emily, and her two children, Jenny and Christopher, who, people believe, drove away one night, thirty years ago, and just never came back. But in renovating the house Abigail finds scraps of paper hidden behind baseboards and tucked beneath the porch that hint the three could have been victims of foul play. Then she finds their graves hidden in the woods behind the house and with the help of eccentric townspeople and ex-homicide detective, Frank Lester, she discovers the three were murdered. Then she and Frank try to uncover who killed them and why…but in the process awaken the ire of the murderer. \\\*

All Things Slip Away

2005

Ten years ago Frank Lester, a Chicago homicide detective, thought he had rid himself forever of the Mud People Killer who’d kidnapped and murdered six people. Frank had shot him as he’d fled through a snowy night; had killed him, he believed, though a body was never found. But the killer wasn’t dead. He’d only been waiting to take his revenge on Frank and those he cares about now…ten years later. Frank retired early and is living back in his hometown of Spookie when the killer resurfaces to take up where he left off. Kidnapping more innocents and tormenting Frank and the people he cares about. Unless Frank and his artist girlfriend, Abigail Sutton, can find and stop him before he kills more people and perhaps both of them.

Ghosts Beneath Us

2015

Someone is terrorizing the elderly in a certain neighborhood in Spookie and vandalizing their homes. As usual, Abigail Sutton, a freelance artist, and her boyfriend Frank Lester, a retired homicide detective, are called in to help find out who’s doing these awful acts. The two seem to have an uncanny knack for unraveling mysteries and getting to the bottom of such strange happenings. Some of the old people think it’s ghosts in their basements, in their homes, doing these destructive deeds but Frank doesn’t believe in ghosts; while Abigail isn't so sure. Then the old folks begin to disappear one by one or to die suspiciously and Frank thinks there’s a sinister plan behind the crimes and is determined to uncover who or what is responsible. In the end, they, with a little help from their friend eccentric old Myrtle, must solve the mystery or more of the old ones in town might end up dead. Sequel to Scraps of Paper (Spookie Town Murder Mystery #1) and All Things Slip Away (Spookie Town Murder Mystery #2)

Witches Among Us

2017

Spookie is a quaint village often cloaked in fog and filled with mysteries. The usual eccentric characters are here for their fourth murder mystery and the case is one which really hits close to home this time for Myrtle, the town’s Perry Como singing and wagon-pulling bag lady. Her sister Evelyn, the local animal hoarder, is missing. Strange miniature figures fashioned of twigs are found hanging from one of Evelyn’s trees as warnings. Because of them Myrtle fears a coven of wanted-to-be witches she once knew, and escaped from, almost sixty years ago could be behind the kidnapping because she stole their ancient black grimoire–and they want it back. But Myrtle doesn’t want to let them have it because she believes the grimoire could be dangerously real. The book mustn’t fall into the wrong hands and the old coven’s hands are covered in blood. So Myrtle again seeks Frank and Abigail’s help in getting her sister back, alive, and in protecting the grimoire. What they don’t know is a fourth addition to their team of sleuths, a mysterious psychic and new addition to the town, will emerge and join the battle…but whose side will she be on? Is she merely a psychic or is she something more? And will they get Evelyn back alive or will the old witches find and possess the grimoire first? The fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery. \* If you'd like to read more about witches, take a look at my book Witches, its sequel Witches Apocalypse or the bonus book with both Witch novels in it. (Now there are nine Spookie Town Murder Mysteries.)

What Lies Beneath the Graves

2018

The 5th Spookie Town Murder Mystery is finally out. Who wouldn’t want to find a chest of buried treasure, ancient gold coins and exquisitely priceless jewelry, on their land? A treasure a sailor dead for over seventy years once found in the shallow waters of a distant island and later buried, hid, the remnants of at the end of his tragic life. The townspeople of Spookie have been searching, fighting and killing each other over it, for decades and no one has ever unearthed it. Abigail, Frank, Myrtle and her psychic grandniece, Glinda, are on the hunt for the treasure…and they might just find it with Glinda’s and the dead sailor’s help. For Frank, ex-Chicago homicide detective, there’s also a new and dangerous case that brings him temporarily out of retirement and back to Chicago because it threatens his adopted daughter Laura’s safety at the art college she is attending. There are three missing college students, young women, one a close friend of Laura’s, and the Chicago police force is feverishly searching for them before their abductors kill them. Can Frank, with a little help from Glinda’s visions, and his old partner Sam Cato, locate the abducted girls in time and save their lives? All the rest of the quirky characters are also back again to share in the adventures, the mysteries, and the small town life of foggy Spookie. Come join them. \*Now there are nine Spookie Town Murder Mysteries.

When the Fireflies Returned

2020

Where the sixth Spookie Town Murder Mystery was more Abby’s and Frank’s stories, their mysteries to deal with, solve and remain alive through; this seventh book is old Myrtle’s story. Two mysteries, one from her far distant past of over seventy-years ago; and one for the future, a dire prediction (only a prediction as I didn't want to venture into the actual time of the pandemic because we are living through it and that has been difficult enough) of a pandemic from her grandniece, Glinda, the psychic, that will affect not only Spookie and its inhabitants, but the whole world. Mysterious bones are unearthed in the ground behind Luke’s Hardware Store, and Frank and the sheriff are determined to find out whose bones they are, and how the victim died…even though whatever happened occurred over seventy years ago. This seventh novel also revisits some of Spookie’s best loved characters and catches the readers up on what they’ve been up to recently. Then again, the town and its people are still as eccentric and quirky as ever, and the fog is always witness to their shenanigans. There are now nine Spookie Town books.

Echoes of Other Times

2022

Frank and Abigail, and the town of Spookie, have survived the last horrific year and a half and are moving on with their lives. They’re sending their two children, Laura and Nick, off into the world to seek their futures. Abigail is preparing for another art gallery show, her theme this ghosts. Frank is preparing to fully retire, for the final time, from his part-time deputy’s job at the sheriff’s department…after he helps the sheriff solve one last case. A missing husband. A case that doesn’t end up anything like either of them expect, when it leads to vile murders. Then Myrtle, while scootering around in town, is befriended by a strange barefoot boy who seems to be homeless…and special in many unusual ways. Glinda, Myrtle’s grandniece, the psychic, has a secret. All the other quirky citizens of Spookie are here as well living their everyday lives amidst the fog and the mysteries. There are now nine Spookie Town Murder Mystery books.

Waiting Beyond The Veil

2023

The eccentric, and sometimes lovable, characters of Spookie have returned for another series of mysterious adventures. Frank Lester, ex-Chicago homicide detective and mystery author, after his and Abigail’s long-awaited vacation is over, and they’re home again, has once more come out of retirement this time to take the position of sheriff of Spookie, because of Sheriff Mearl’s murder. In this ninth Spookie Town Murder Mystery story Sheriff Lester has two town murders to solve. Harvey, the strange homeless boy that Myrtle befriended, has now been adopted by the psychic Glinda, and her husband, Doc Kyle Lester; the Lesters have also welcomed a baby girl called Amanda…and a mysterious phantom deep in the park’s woods beckons Harvey, seeking his help. Old Myrtle fears the ghost girl haunting Harvey isn’t what she seems. Is she a benevolent spirit or one of darkness? With his new family’s support and help, Harvey will find out which one. Book #9.

#10

Remember Those Once Loved

2024

We’re back in Spookie again for the tenth adventure. Sheriff Frank Lester is trying to solve two heinous murders, and, as usual, old lady Myrtle, who used to see ghosts all the time, but not so much lately, just has to get involved. By sheer determination and her usual stubbornness she forces the sheriff to let her help solve the crimes. Old Myrtle has other troubles, though. A strange ethereal white entity is stalking her, and she fears it’s the angel of death. Abigail is busy painting a mural for Vicki’s new chocolate shop, and Kate at The Delicious Circle has hired a homeless woman to help her and her husband, Norman, out at the bakery. Harvey has a new friend, a cute baby squirrel he rescues off the side of the road, and names Little Buddy; a ghost of his own who is desperately trying to warn him of something terrible coming. And Glinda, the psychic, also can foresee something cataclysmal heading for them, too. But neither know what the disaster approaching is. So come and revisit them and many more in the foggy, mysterious little town called Spookie. They’re all waiting for you.

Author

Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Author · 38 books

About Kathryn Meyer Griffith 2023 Since childhood I’ve been an artist, and have worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over fifty-one years ago now, and have had thirty-five (romantic horror, horror novels, romantic SF horror, romantic suspense, romantic time travel, historical romance, thrillers, one non-fiction short story collection, dinosaur books, and murder mysteries) previous novels and thirteen short stories published from various traditional publishers since 1984. But I’ve gone into self-publishing in a big way since 2012; and upon getting all my previous books’ full rights back for the first time in 36 years, have self-published all of them. My seven Dinosaur Lake novels and Spookie Town Murder Mysteries (Scraps of Paper, All Things Slip Away, Ghosts Beneath Us, Witches Among Us, What Lies Beneath the Graves, All Those Who Came Before, When the Fireflies Returned, and Echoes of Other Times) are my best-sellers. I was married to Russell for over forty-three years; have a son, two grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. I live in a small quaint town in Illinois. I have a quirky cat, Sasha, and we live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk/classic rock singer in my youth with my late brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes. 2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *Finalist* for her horror novel The Last Vampire ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS * Finalist * for her thriller novel Dinosaur Lake. *All Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s books can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/ld4jlow *All her Audible.com audio books here: http://tinyurl.com/oz7c4or Novels and short stories from Kathryn Meyer Griffith: Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forged, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (The Fifth Spookie Town Murder Mystery; sixth, All Who Came Before, When the Fireflies Returned (the seventh Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Echoes of Other Times (the eighth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Six Spooky Short Stories Collection, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS*Finalist* in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation and Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors, Dinosaur Lake VI: The Alien Connection, Dinosaur Lake VII: The Aliens Return, Memories of My Childhood, and Christmas Magic 1959. Her Websites: Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathrynG64 My Blog: https://kathrynmeyergriffith.wordpres... My Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/KathrynMeyer... Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kathryn-M... https://www.facebook.com/kathrynmeyer... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kathry... http://www.authorsden.com/kathrynmeye... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... http://en.gravatar.com/kathrynmeyergr... https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryn-m... https://www.pinterest.com/kathryn5139/ https://tinyurl.com/ycp5gqb2