Melanie first appeared in Dead and Breakfast and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Melanie.

What is your name?
My name is Melanie West, but I’m thinking of changing it. That was my married name, but I’m divorced now. My maiden name was Reynolds, and I’m considering taking it back.

How old are you?
I’m thirty-three, but sometimes feel fifty-three by the end of a busy day.

What is your profession?
Well, I used to be a financial analyst for an investment company, but now I run a bed and breakfast inn with my grandmother on the beautiful Oregon coast.

Do you have a significant other?
I don’t know how significant he is yet, but I am in a relationship.

What is his name and profession?
His name is Ben Carter, and he’s a police officer. Ben is the strong, silent type. Very dependable. He has a sad past, divorced and has no contact with his young son. He’s still hoping one day to see his son again.

Any children?
No. Sadly, I was involved in a car accident and I’m unable to have children. My husband was driving, distracted by his phone, as usual. Our marriage was in trouble before that, but that was the final straw. We got divorced soon after that.

Do you have any sibling(s)?
No, I’m an only child.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
Yes! Max is a sheepdog mix, and absolutely adorable. I rescued him from a shelter, and he’s been a faithful companion ever since.

What town do you live in?
I live in Sully’s Landing, a gorgeous small town on the Oregon coast. Unlike most coastal towns, it’s quaint and peaceful, where no commercial arcades, fast food restaurants or hotels are allowed.

House or building complex? Own or Rent?
An old mansion, turned into a bed and breakfast inn.

What is your favorite spot in your house?
The kitchen. It’s warm and inviting, and its windows overlook the ocean, the cliffs and the lovely stretch of beaches way into the distance.

Who is your best friend?
My grandmother, Liza Harris. She was born in London and lived there until she met and married my grandfather. She still has her English accent, and clings to some of her British customs, like drinking hot tea with milk and sugar every morning.

Amateur sleuth or professional?
Amateur. I rely on my wits to keep myself out of trouble.

Whom do you work with when sleuthing?
My grandmother, who is seventy-six and looks twenty years younger, our assistant, Cindi Martinez -a very mod young woman whose choice of outfits often shocks Liza – and, of course, Max! We couldn’t do it without him!

Favorite meal?
I’m not sure I have a favorite. I love to eat, which means I have to keep an eye on the scales, but I absolutely adore our breakfasts – especially Liza’s frittatas and her delicious ham and cheese strata.

Favorite dessert?
Tiramisu or crème brulee. My mouth is watering at the thought.

Favorite hobby?
Well, right now I’m conducting a search on the internet. My father died when I was six years old, and Liza sent my mother to England to stay with relatives, hoping that would help her grieving. My mother never arrived at her destination, and there has been no trace of her all these years. I’ve been trying to find out what happened to her for months, and I have a friend in England helping me. I’m hoping that the latest leads will help me find her.

Favorite vacation spot?
Hawaii. Is there anywhere else?

Favorite color?
Blue for casual, black for dress-up. Though I do like a splash of yellow now and then.

Favorite author?
I don’t have much time to read – Liza is the avid reader – but if I do pick up a book it’s usually from the queen of mystery – Agatha Christie. No one, in my opinion, writes a better mystery.

Favorite sports team?
I’m not big on sports – but I do enjoy watching a football game on TV. If I had to pick a team I’d go with the Philadelphia Eagles. They have such spirit and determination. I admire that in anyone.

Movies or Broadway?
I do love live theater, but it’s mostly movies for me. I love romantic comedies, and a good mystery.

Are you a morning or a night person?
Definitely a morning person. Which is just as well, since we have to get up at the crack of dawn to start preparing the breakfasts for our guests.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
I’m usually in the kitchen by seven, sitting in the nook with a cup of coffee and discussing with Liza the plans for the day. Cindi gets there around eight and by then we’ve already begun preparing the meals. By the time we have served everyone, eaten our own breakfast, and cleaned up afterward, the morning is pretty much gone. Meanwhile Cindi has taken care of the rooms and general cleaning, so the rest of the day is ours. Lately we’ve used our spare time chasing after villains. Life is certainly not dull in Sully’s Landing!

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a kindle copy of Be Our Ghost. The giveaway ends October 12, 2018. Good luck everyone!

You can read about Melanie in Be Our Ghost, the third book in the “Merry Ghost Inn” mystery series.

If bed-and-breakfast owners Melanie and Liza, along with their laughing ghost tenant, can’t find a real estate developer’s killer, their own estate will end up with their next of kin.

The Merry Ghost Inn is well and truly open for business. Melanie West, her grandmother, Liza, and their beloved sheepdog/wolfhound mix, Max, are rapidly getting the hang of running their charming bed-and-breakfast inn on the rocky Oregon coast. Not that business goes without a hitch―when your hostelry boasts its own laughing resident ghost, you’d better be expect the out-of-the-ordinary. But Melanie and Liza take it all in stride. . .until a hotshot real estate developer arrives in Sully’s Landing, touting his plans to build a tacky amusement arcade smack dab in the middle of the tasteful cliff-side town.

No one in Sully’s Landing can stand the gaudy developer, but it’s still a shock when he ends up murdered. It’s even more shocking when Liza’s friend, Doug, emerges as the chief suspect. Melanie and Liza put on their sleuthing caps yet again and set out to clear Doug’s name. They nearly check into accommodations six feet under when, en route to the crime scene, their brakes give out and they narrowly miss plunging over the cliffs to the beach below. Meanwhile, the merry ghost who haunts the inn tries to help by dropping clues for Melanie to find, but her mind is otherwise preoccupied when the killer kidnaps Liza and holds her prisoner.

Now, it’s up to Melanie to piece together the ghost’s clues, save her mother, exonerate her friend, keep her guests happy, and make sure Max gets his walkies in Kate Kingsbury’s third mirthful Merry Ghost Inn mystery, Be Our Ghost.

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About the author
Kate grew up in London, England, and began telling stories to her school friends while huddling in bomb shelters during the Blitz of WW II. Her “upstairs/downstairs” historical mysteries appeal to fans of Downton Abbey. Happily married, Kate now lives in Oregon with her husband, Bill and Bella, a chihuahua who rules the household. Kate ‘s new series, The Merry Ghost Inn Mysteries, is set in the present day and features the beautiful Oregon coast. You can find Kate’s website at katekingsbury.net.

All comments are welcomed.