Ghost Busting Mystery (Shady Hoosier Detective Agency #1) by Daisy Pettles

When Dode Schneider, rattle-brained Indiana farmer, insists the abandoned Wyatt mansion is haunted by ghosts with big butts who dance in the apple orchard, Pawpaw County Sheriff Boots Gibson happily off-loads the crazy complaint to Ruby Jane Waskom and Veenie Goens, senior sleuths in training with the Shady Hoosier Detective Agency. Ruby Jane and Veenie, lifelong gal pals, aren’t afraid of the haunted Wyatt mansion, built by a con artist banker who rowed out of town on the flood waters of 1919, taking the town’s assets with him. The senior crime-cracking duo set out in their smoke-belching 1960 Impala to uncover the truth behind the century-old haunting legend only to find surprise evidence of long ago murder and mayhem. Along the way, Veenie and Ruby Jane chase down a missing drunk wiener dog, earn a lifetime supply of mystery meat sandwiches from Pokey’s Tavern, recover a stolen Harley, and uncover the startling truth about a long cursed buried treasure. The investigation, which involves con artists, bank robbers, and hillbilly hoodlums, doesn’t go smoothly, but Ruby Jane and Veenie, fueled by senior grit and a can-do attitude, engage in crime-cracking hijinks that will leave the reader rolling in laughter in this classic comic crime novel.  (Summary via Goodreads)


Ghost Busting Mystery by Daisy Pettles is so much FUN to read !!!  I loved it !!!  As this is the first book in the Shady Hoosier Detective Agency series, it sets the stage beautifully for future books !!  

You will fall in love with Ruby Jane Waskom and Veenie Goens, the main characters, instantly.  How can you not ?  They are pie eating, go-kart driving, crazy dressing senior citizens and they are "detectives".

In Ghost Busting Mystery when Dode Schneider contacts the agency regarding dancing ghosts in the apple orchard across the street at an old abandoned mansion, the girls rush out to see what is going on.  This takes them back years and years to an old town legendary story concerning a bank robbery, stolen gold, a young married couple and a con artist disappearing with the gold during the flood.  The ladies are introduced to a few shady characters who liven things up for a bit but they soon learn the truth about everything .....  and you do not want to miss out on any of it !!!  

While the ladies are working at solving a murder of a skeleton found in the abandoned mansion and uncover the truth regarding the stolen gold, they will have you not only on the edge of your seat but also holding your gut from laughing !!  This is one book you will thoroughly enjoy and Knobby Waters is a place you will want to visit if only it existed.  I know I would visit just for a piece of pie and a mystery meat sandwich......


Review by Missi S.