The Unquiet Spirit
Spirited Encounters Series, Book #1
by Penny Hampson
She wasn’t home alone...
With her love life in tatters, Kate Wilson needs a fresh start, and where could be better than the old Cornish house that had belonged to her godmother?
There’s just one problem – it comes with a ghost as a sitting tenant.
Her grumpy new neighbour, the broodingly handsome Tom Carbis, is another fly in the ointment – he seems to turn up wherever Kate goes. His dog might be friendly, but he’s definitely not.
Then the discovery of a hidden diary points Kate to a romantic mystery with links to both Tom’s family and her house’s past – a mystery that might explain the reason for her spectral lodger.
The downside? Kate needs Tom’s help to solve it and has to convince him that she is not his foe.
But working with Tom to unravel long-buried secrets has unexpected consequences, and Kate discovers far more than she bargained for.
Praise for The Unquiet Spirit:
"I raced through this haunting novel, and I’m sure the next time I smell a sprig of rosemary I’ll get goosebumps. This is a brilliant 5 star read."
~ Charlie Tyler, author, Amazon 5* review
Kate yawned as she put the vacuum cleaner away in the cupboard under the stairs. She needed a coffee to perk her up. A cup of instant made, she slugged back two paracetamol – her head was banging now – and thought about what else needed doing. Tomorrow she’d bring a mask. She’d been sneezing all day. Who knew dusting would be so…dusty? And she’d bring food. No point in starving for hours. Outside, the sky was darkening; it was getting late. Time for one final check before leaving for the night.
The stairs creaked as she went up to what had been Win’s bedroom, part of the nineteenth-century addition to the eastern front of the house. Both its windows overlooked the main drive, and a swift glance told her they were secured. The rear bathroom windows were also locked. She went to the first of the two small front bedrooms, but strangely, the door handle wouldn’t budge, even though she’d been in the room earlier that day. Puzzled, she rattled the handle harder, mentally adding a can of WD-40 to her shopping list. She was no expert at DIY, but she’d heard her dad swear by it.
All her efforts must have had some effect because, without warning, the door sprang open, sending Kate tumbling into the very chilly room. She frowned at the flapping curtains. She’d shut all the bedroom windows the last time she’d been upstairs. How had it got open again? Kate went over and pushed down hard on the frame to close the sash, but like the door handle, it wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, and a little nervous – this was just a coincidence, right? – she wondered what to do. She couldn’t leave. An open window in an unoccupied house was an invitation to burglars.
Before she had more time to think about the problem, the sash moved by itself, slamming shut with a deafening crash.
‘What the…?’
Behind her, the door closed with an audible click. Kate spun round, convinced now that there was someone else in the house.
Trying not to panic, she stalked over to the door.
‘Who’s there?’ she yelled. There was no answer. She tried the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. She put her head to the door to listen. All was silent. An icy shiver ran down her spine. She was thoroughly rattled – unlike the door handle.
Stay calm. Deep breaths.
Goose bumps rose on Kate’s bare arms. The temperature had become positively arctic. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she knew that, even if there was no one else in the house, and it had only been a gust from the window that had slammed the door closed, she was still trapped. Her phone was downstairs on the kitchen table and she couldn’t call for help.
Kate’s nose twitched as an overpowering smell of rosemary filled the room. Win had mentioned something about rosemary. Was it now happening to her? Some sort of olfactory hallucination?
She made another grab for the door handle. This time it turned easily.
Gasping with relief, Kate ran out, pulling the door shut behind her. She paused on the landing to get her breath and scolded herself for letting her imagination run away with her. Taking tablets on an empty stomach had been a mistake. With a last nervous glance back at the bedroom door, she took the stairs two at a time, grabbed her phone and bag, locked up, and got in her car. It was several minutes before she felt safe enough to drive.
By the time she got back to her parents’ flat she’d convinced herself that it had all been the result of hunger and her overactive imagination. Doors and windows didn’t open and close on their own, and as for thinking that she’d smelt rosemary – well, that was surely triggered by the memory of what Win had told her. Yes, they were delusions. Nothing to worry about.
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.
Penny Hampson
Penny Hampson writes mysteries, and because she has a passion for history, you’ll find her stories also reflect that. A Gentleman’s Promise, a traditional Regency romance, was Penny’s debut novel, which was shortly followed by more in the same genre. Penny also enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with a hint of the paranormal, because where do ghosts come from but the past? The Unquiet Spirit, a spooky mystery/romance set in Cornwall, is the first in the Spirited Encounters Series. Look out for A Plethora of Phantoms coming soon.
Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).
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