What a Ghoul Wants

“VICTORIA LAURIE IS THE QUEEN OF PARANORMAL MYSTERIES.”

—BookReview.com

Praise for the
New York Times
Bestselling Ghost Hunter Mystery Series

“A bewitching book blessed with many blithe spirits. Will leave you breathless.”

—Nancy Martin, author of the Blackbird Sisters Mysteries

“Laurie’s new paranormal series lights up the night.”

—Elaine Viets, Anthony and Agatha award–winning author of
Murder Is a Piece of Cake

“Reminiscent of
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
’s bunch, Laurie’s enthusiastic, punchy ghost busters make this paranormal series
one teens can also enjoy.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“Filled with laugh-out-loud moments and nail-biting, hair-raising tension, this fast-paced,
action-packed ghost story will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Well-written and engaging. . . a pleasure to read.”

—Gumshoe

“[A] fun, suspenseful, fast-paced paranormal mystery. All the elements combine to
make this entry in the Ghost Hunter series a winner.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

“A lighthearted, humorous haunted-hotel horror thriller kept focused by ‘graveyard’
serious M. J.”

—Genre Go Round Reviews

“Ms. Laurie has penned a fabulous read and packed it with ghost-hunting action at
its best. With a chilling mystery, a danger-filled investigation, a bit of romance,
and a wonderful dose of humor, there’s little chance that readers will be able to
set this book down.”

—Darque Reviews

“Victoria Laurie continues to excite and entertain with her ideas and characters and
also inform John Q. Public in matters metaphysical. Cannot wait for the next from
Ms. Laurie!”

—AuthorsDen.com

“Perhaps what makes this story and this series so good is that Victoria Laurie is
actually a professional medium. She knows what she’s talking about, and she sure can
write a good story.”

—A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf

“A great, fast-paced, addicting read.”

—Enchanting Reviews

“A great story.”

—MyShelf.com

“Entertaining. . . . With witty dialogue, adventurous mystery, and laugh-out-loud
humor, this is a novel that you can curl up with [and] get lost in.”

—Nocturne Romance Reads

“This highly entertaining book has humor and wit to spare.”

—
Romantic Times

Praise for the

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye Mysteries

“Victoria Laurie has crafted a fantastic tale in this latest Psychic Eye Mystery.
There are few things in life that upset Abby Cooper, but ghosts and her parents feature
high on her list. . . giving the reader a few real frights and a lot of laughs.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Fabulous. . . . Fans will highly praise this fine ghostly murder mystery.”

—The Best Reviews

“A great new series. . . plenty of action.”

—
Midwest Book Review

“An invigorating entry into the cozy mystery realm. . . I cannot wait for the next
book.”

—Roundtable Reviews

“A fresh, exciting addition to the amateur sleuth genre.”

—J. A. Konrath, author of
Cherry Bomb

“Worth reading over and over again.”

—BookReview.com

ALSO BY VICTORIA LAURIE

The Ghost Hunter Mystery Series

What’s a Ghoul to Do?

Demons Are a Ghoul’s Best Friend

Ghouls Just Haunt to Have Fun

Ghouls Gone Wild

Ghouls, Ghouls, Ghouls

Ghoul Interrupted

The Psychic Eye Mystery Series

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye

Better Read Than Dead

A Vision of Murder

Killer Insight

Crime Seen

Death Perception

Doom with a View

A Glimpse of Evil

Vision Impossible

Lethal Outlook

WHAT A GHOUL WANTS

A GHOST HUNTER MYSTERY

Victoria Laurie

OBSIDIAN

Published by New American Library, a division of

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80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,

a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Copyright © Victoria Laurie, 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed
in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in
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Purchase only authorized editions.

OBSIDIAN and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility
for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen
property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the
author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

For Katie Coppedge

Who keeps me sweetly ensconced in a pink bubble of kindness and care and showers me
with friendship and love. A better BFF a girl never had.

Acknowledgments

Most people don’t know this about me, but I’m an introvert. For reals. I may appear
to be an outgoing, high-energy, let’s-go-party-like-it’s-1999 kind of gal, but the
real
truth is that I like my world small and peaceful, with just a few close friends,
not a lot of drama, quiet mornings, quiet afternoons, quiet evenings. . . . You get
the picture. Too much social interaction tends to exhaust me, and it took me a long
time (forty-five years to be exact) to figure this out and explain it to others so
that they could understand why I sometimes just “vant to be alone.” Along the way
I’ve sadly lost a few friends who didn’t understand that in those long stretches of
silence, I wasn’t withholding from them—I was simply regenerating all the energy I’d
just given away to other people—but I’ve actually come out ahead because all the people
still left in my inner circle are the
most
wonderful group of family and friends any lucky schmuck like me could ever hope to
have.

Coincidentally (or perhaps not), this list of wonderful people includes those amazingly
talented folks who assist me professionally too. I’m crazy blessed, I tell you!

So, without further ado, I’d like to share a few words of thanks to them for all they
do and let them know that I am deeply grateful they remain faithfully devoted to me
and the cause.

First, my editor, Mrs. Sandra Harding-Hull. Few people in this world surprise me,
but Sandy does it on a regular basis with her keen insight, kind words, amazing advice,
and all-around
goodness
! I would go to the ends of the earth for this woman, and what a lucky, lucky thing
to have her editing my series. In short. . . she’s da bomb!

My agent, Mr. Jim McCarthy, whom I truly think of as my brother. The benefit is that
we don’t have all that sibling rivalry, mom-likes-you-better baggage between us. He’s
simply my bro, and I adore him, and with every new book I delight in the opportunity
to let him know how grateful I am to have him as my agent, muse, friend, and an honorary
part of my family. Love you, sweetie.

Also, HUGE thanks go to my Obsidian team, Elizabeth Bistrow, Sharon Gamboa, Michele
Alpern, and Claire Zion. I wish every book lover could understand how selfless and
dedicated you publishing folks are. I wish more people could know your names and sing
your praises, because, to a person, you are
remarkable
, and I’m very, very grateful for all you do for me and the books.

Katie Coppedge, to whom this book is dedicated, gets a giant shout-out for being just
the most wonderfully kind, caring, amazing, and awesome BFF a girl could ever, ever
have! Honey, there just aren’t words to describe all you mean to me, or how grateful
I am for all you do to support victorialaurie.com. What kismet to have met you and
ultimately realize what a very special lady you are!

Sandy Upham—my sistah! Love you so much, honey. Thank you for being there and for
sharing my past, present, and future with me. I couldn’t have asked for a better person
to go from cradle to grave with.

Team Lo also gets a special mention here too, because if not for the miles and the
races they’ve been making me run lately, I would’ve succumbed to the overbearing weight
brought on by the bags and bags of potato chips that each book requires. Also, they’re
a pretty spectacular group of ladies as ladies go—each of them a personal hero of
mine. K-Lo (Karen Ditmars), Lee-Lo (Leanne Tierney), and Kat-Lo (Katie Coppedge),
I lurves ya, and here’s to that next half marathon!

One more very special shout-out goes to my writing/conference buddies who’ve taken
me into their group and delighted me with their loveliness, wit, sincerity, and charm!
Juliet Blackwell, Sophie Littlefield, and Nicole Peeler, whenever I’m around you three,
I feel like we could (should!) rule the world!

Finally, the rest of that inner circle must be mentioned! Jackie Barrett, Will Barrett,
and Jo Angelli—my family away from family. No words to express how much you three
mean to me, so I’ma just say thank you from my whole heart for all your love and support
and send you three some GIGANTIC mental hugs and loves here, m’kay?

More of those mental hugs and loves should go to the Brosseaus! Nora, Bob, Liz, Kate,
Mike, and Nick. You guys rule! And while I’m sending hugs, loves, and thank-yous,
more should go to my supersmart, supercool nephews, Matt and Mike Morrill (so proud
of you two!); Steve McGrory (McGlorious!); Shannon and John Anderson (waving at you!);
my beeeeautiful cousin Hilary Laurie (more waving and blowing kisses!); Thomas Robinson;
Silas Hudson; Suzanne Parsons; Drue Rowean; Betty and Pippa Stocking; John Kwiatkowski
and Matt McDougall (heart you both HUGE!); Juan Tamayo and Rick Michael; Nicole Grey;
Molly Boyle; and Martha Bushko.

I love each and every one of you. Forevs.