The second spirited mystery in the  New York Times  bestselling Paws & Claws series. Wagtail, Virginia, the top pet-friendly getaway in the United States, is gearing up for a howling good Halloween—until a spooky murder shakes the town to its core.. Holly Miller doesn’t believe in spirits, but the Sugar Maple Inn is filled with guests who do. The TV series in development,  Apparition Apprehenders , has descended on Wagtail’s annual Halloween festivities to investigate supernatural local legends, and Holly has her hands full showing the ghost hunters a scary-fun time. But the frights turn real when Holly’s Jack Russell, Trixie, and kitten, Twinkletoes, find a young woman drowned in the Wagtail Springs Hotel’s bathhouse—the spot of the town’s most infamous haunting. The crime scene is eerily similar to the creepy legend, convincing Holly that the death wasn’t just accidental. Now she’ll have to race to catch a flesh-and-blood killer—before someone else in town gives up the ghost... Delicious recipes for owners and pets included!  Praise for the New York Times Bestselling Paws & Claws Mysteries “Wagtail Mountain will appeal to animal lovers and mystery lovers, alike.”—Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries “Davis has created another charming series.”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Cats Mysteries “Davis has created a town that any pet would love—as much as their owners do. And they won’t let a little thing like murder spoil their enjoyment.”—Sheila Connolly, New York Times bestselling author of the County Cork, Museum, and Orchard Mysteries “Murder, mystery, a bit of romance and seriously PETS!! Who could ask for anything more?”—Open Book Society Krista Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of the Paws & Claws Mysteries and the Domestic Diva Mysteries. Several of her books have been nominated for the Agatha Award. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with a brood of cats and dogs, including a snoopy Jack Russell terrier and a nosy calico cat. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices that they keep coming back for more. Acknowledgments People often ask if I do any research for my books. I learned a lot about ghosts for this book. It was fascinating to hear about ghosts that people have encountered. Thanks to all of the lovely people who shared their ghost stories with me. It was equally interesting to learn how some people have manipulated situations to make us believe in ghosts. The Apparition Apprehenders took me into the believers’ side of the paranormal, and Eva’s position led me to examine the scientific position. I have learned a great deal, mostly that there is no grand conclusion. Special thanks to Shawny Darby for answering my questions about ghost hunting. And also to Kathleen Joyce, who suggested the name Apparition Apprehenders. As always, I couldn’t do this without my editor, Sandra Harding, and my agent, Jessica Faust. I thank Susan and PJ Erba for taste-testing the recipes for me. And my dear friends Betsy Strickland and Amy Wheeler for always being so supportive. I can’t forget my mother, my first reader and biggest fan. As always, any errors are my own.   APPARITION APPREHENDER GHOST TEAM Felix Fischbein and Casper (Weimaraner) Brian Anderson Mr. Luciano and Gina (bulldog) Eva Chevalier and Mrs. Mewer (Siamese cat) Grayson Gatewood Mark Belinski Mallory Gooley OTHER SUGAR MAPLE INN GUESTS Lillian Elsner Parker Colby SUGAR MAPLE INN STAFF Liesel Miller Holly Miller Zelda York Casey Collins Shelley Dixon Mr. Huckle Marisol Rodrigues Gingersnap—canine ambassador (golden retriever) Trixie (Jack Russell) Twinkletoes—feline ambassador (calico kitten) RESIDENTS OF WAGTAIL Doc Kilgore and Siggie (black Labrador) Officer Dave Quinlan Clementine Wiggins Rose Richardson Holmes Richardson Aunt Birdie Dupuy Val Kowalchuk GHOSTS Elmer Dupuy Dr. Ira Wraith Becca Wraith Dr. Hiram Montacue Obadiah Bagley One “There is no such thing as a ghost.” Eva Chevalier turned her pointy nose up in the air and chortled. “It’s preposterous. Nonsense, folderol, fiddle-faddle.” No sooner had she spoken than the automatic sliding glass doors to the parking lot whooshed open. A gust of wind blew in, bringing dried leaves with it. A grey Weimaraner with startling blue eyes stepped away from the doors and growled. Gingersnap, the Sugar Maple Inn’s canine ambassador, simply wagged her tail. In typical golden retriever fashion, she continued kissing the guests gathered in the reception area. The doors closed again as if a person had passed through. I felt the chill of a late October wind pass by. “I bet there’s a ghost in here now,” Casey Collins whispered, gazing up at the ceiling and shoving his glasses to the bridge of his nose with his index finger. Casey worked at the inn as a desk clerk but seemed more like a little brother than an employee. At twenty, he st