Merry Spooky Love Summary: Ghosts, Greed & Romance
TL;DR: A Christmas Ghost Story with a Department Store at Stake
Chapelwick is a drafty British town where the dead have unfinished business and the living run a ghostbusting agency out of a back room.
In Merry Spooky Love, Josie Silver returns to the Melody Bittersweet series with a festive premise: a 200-year-old family department store is about to be sold, and its resident spirits want it saved.
Melody Bittersweet, who comes from a long line of ghost-seeing women, takes the case. What follows mixes holiday chaos, family secrets, and two very different romantic standoffs.
- The setup: Lucy Libertine’s ghost recruits Melody to stop her living nephews from liquidating the family’s 200-year-old department store.
- The complication: The nephews hire Leo Dark, Melody’s flashy TV ghost-hunter ex, to clear the store’s spirits.
- The romance: Melody’s attraction to skeptical journalist Fletcher Gunn stalls over his refusal to accept her mediumship.
- The hunt: A hidden copper pipe, a hexagonal silver coin, and a rooftop mechanism point to a secret heir who could legally block the sale.
- The tone: Fast, funny, festive, with a save-our-town campaign and a Christmas Eve payoff.
The book is the third in the Melody Bittersweet series and works as a standalone holiday story about legacy, community, and being loved whole.
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Merry Spooky Love Summary: What Happens in the Story
Spoiler warning: This section covers the plot in full, including the ending.
The Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency is seven months old and still running out of a storage space behind Blithe Spirits, the mediumship shop owned by Melody’s mother Silvana and grandmother Dicey.
Melody works alongside her best friend Marina Malone and their gentle assistant Artie Elliott.
Dicey arrives one evening with the ghost of Lucy Libertine in tow. Lucy explains that her twin nephews, Francis and Thomas, plan to sell Libertines—the town’s landmark department store—to property developers.
They have also hired Leo Dark, Melody’s ex-boyfriend and professional rival, to clear the building’s ghosts.
Melody, Marina, and Artie drive their yellow vintage van, Babs, to Libertines and meet manager Fleur Libertine. Melody proves her gift using a private nickname only Lucy could know, and Fleur hires them to fight the sale.
Journalist Fletcher “Fletch” Gunn turns up at Fleur’s office chasing the same story. He and Melody share a charged history, but his skepticism about the supernatural keeps them apart.
A tense meeting follows at the store, with Francis and Thomas, Leo Dark and his twin assistants Nikki and Vikki, and Fletch all in one room. Lucy Libertine knocks a glass of water into Francis’s lap.
During Chapelwick’s Christmas light switch-on, Francis and Thomas sabotage the animatronic reindeer in Santa’s Grotto. Melody, Marina, Fletch, and a coerced Leo end up dressed as elves. Leo loses his temper, tears off his costume, and is arrested.
That night Melody is locked inside Libertines with Fletch. They share an intimate moment on a display bed, then argue about his refusal to accept her gift. Frustrated, Melody smashes the fire alarm to force a rescue.
Ernest Libertine’s ghost then pulls Melody aside and reveals that he fathered a child out of wedlock at nineteen. A birth certificate or living heir could legally challenge the twins’ right to sell.
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Fletch and Fleur launch the SLUT campaign—Save Our Local Unique Department Store—at a packed community meeting in The Dog pub. Melody and Fletch later spend a night together and confess their feelings, but nothing is resolved.
Searching the basement, Melody finds a copper pipe behind a concealed door. Artie extracts a heavy hexagonal silver coin, which no one can identify. Uncle Bill, the store’s Santa for 26 years, feels the shape triggers a distant memory.
In the park, Fletch flips the coin and teases out Melody’s feelings. She confronts him directly about her identity, and he cannot give her the answer she needs.
Melody enlists Artie’s mother, Mrs. Elliott, to trace Fletch’s unknown father. The trail leads to Jack Pemberton, a warm pub owner fifty miles away in a riverside village. Melody drives out with her pug Lestat and confirms the resemblance.
When she tells Fletch she found his father through mediumship leads, he reacts with fury, accusing her of crossing his boundaries. Melody steps back, devastated.
Uncle Bill finally remembers that the hexagonal coin fits a locking mechanism on the store’s rooftop flagpoles. Melody and Marina go up to the roof terrace, where a rusted balustrade gives way and Marina slips over the edge.
Leo Dark rushes onto the roof and pulls her to safety. The shock breaks the hostility between them, and Marina kisses him.
The opened mechanism reveals a hidden compartment containing Ernest’s secret child’s birth certificate, establishing legal protection for the store. Fletch’s community buyout campaign also hits its one-million-pound target.
Exhausted, Melody books a 13-day Mediterranean cruise and discovers it is an international Doctor Who cosplay convention. The odd holiday gives her space to heal.
She returns on Christmas Eve. The Libertine ghosts—Lucy, Ernest, Floss, and Violet—say goodbye and cross over. Fletch has read the letter she left him with Jack Pemberton’s address and asks her to come with him.
At the Riverside Inn, Jack welcomes Fletch into his life alongside his wife Amelia and daughter Cherry. Back in Chapelwick, Fletch apologizes fully, declares his love, and accepts Melody’s ghost-seeing life without conditions.
One year later, the group gathers for Artie and Bells’s Christmas Eve wedding. Big Art, Artie’s late father, appears briefly to bless the marriage before fading.
Marina and Leo attend as a couple, Fletch serves as best man, and he and Melody kiss in the falling snow.
Characters in This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Melody Bittersweet | Narrator and owner of the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency, able to see and speak to spirits. |
| Fletcher “Fletch” Gunn | Local investigative reporter and Melody’s skeptical romantic interest. |
| Marina Malone | Melody’s best friend and business partner, who falls for Leo Dark. |
| Artie Elliott | Gentle agency assistant who marries Bells at the end of the book. |
| Leo Dark | Melody’s ex-boyfriend and rival TV ghost hunter, later Marina’s partner. |
| Fleur Libertine | Manager of Libertines who fights to keep the family store. |
| Francis & Thomas Libertine | Fleur’s brothers, who plan to sell the store to developers. |
| Lucy Libertine | Ghost of Fleur’s aunt who recruits Melody to save the store. |
| Ernest, Floss & Violet Libertine | Deceased family members haunting the store and watching over Fleur. |
| Silvana Bittersweet | Melody’s mother, who runs the Blithe Spirits clairvoyant shop. |
| Dicey Bittersweet | Melody’s grandmother and a fellow medium who helps uncover secrets. |
| Glenda | Secretary shared between the shop and the agency. |
| Nikki & Vikki | Leo Dark’s color-coordinated twin assistants. |
| Uncle Bill | The store’s longtime Santa Claus who identifies the coin’s purpose. |
| Jack Pemberton | Pub owner in a riverside village and Fletch’s biological father. |
| Amelia & Cherry Pemberton | Jack’s wife and young daughter, Fletch’s stepmother and half-sister. |
| Bells | Artie’s girlfriend, later his wife. |
| Big Art | Artie’s deceased father, who appears at the wedding. |
| Lestat | Melody’s food-obsessed pug. |
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Summary by Chapter (Spoilers)
This section gives a brief summary of each chapter for readers who want to see what is inside. The book contains 34 sections: 33 numbered chapters and an epilogue titled “One Year Later.”
Chapter One — The agency celebrates seven months in business. Dicey brings the ghost of Lucy Libertine, who explains that her nephews plan to sell the store and have hired Leo Dark to clear its ghosts.
Chapter Two — Melody, Marina, and Artie drive Babs to Libertines to meet Fleur. Melody proves her mediumship with a private nickname from Lucy, and Fleur accepts their help.
Chapter Three — Fletch arrives at Fleur’s office, trading banter with Melody. That evening he visits her office and kisses her before Silvana interrupts.
Chapter Four — Fleur, her brothers, Leo Dark and his assistants, and Fletch meet at the store. Francis and Thomas state their intention to sell, and Lucy tips water into Francis’s lap.
Chapter Five — The team discusses Leo’s televised visit on his thirtieth birthday, and Marina leaves pastries at his door. On Bonfire Night, Fletch appears at Melody’s doorstep and kisses her.
Chapter Six — At the Christmas light switch-on, Fleur explains the grotto is short-staffed. Melody, Marina, Fletch, and Leo dress as elves to keep Santa’s Grotto running.
Chapter Seven — The animatronic reindeer broadcasts inappropriate messages engineered by Francis. Leo tears off his costume, is arrested after an altercation, and Ernest Libertine pulls Melody aside.
Chapter Eight — Ernest leads Melody to his former office and reveals he fathered a child at nineteen before marrying Floss. A living heir or record could block the sale.
Chapter Nine — Melody is locked in the store overnight and Fletch stays with her. After an intimate moment on a display bed, she sets off the fire alarm in frustration at his skepticism.
Chapter Ten — News of the fire-brigade rescue spreads. Leo sends Marina flowers for helping with his bail, and the team plans a systematic search of the store.
Chapter Eleven — Fletch and Fleur launch the SLUT campaign at a packed meeting in The Dog. Melody attends with Lestat as Women’s Institute members unveil campaign T-shirts.
Chapter Twelve — Fletch walks Melody home, then she goes up to his apartment. They spend the night together and confess their love, though nothing is settled.
Chapter Thirteen — Fleur supplies floor plans, and the team searches the basement storerooms. Behind a concealed wooden door, Melody finds an old copper pipe and a dead rat.
Chapter Fourteen — The pipe is taken back to the office. Melody asks Dicey to contact Phylis Gunn about Fletch’s father, and Gran agrees while warning her to protect her heart.
Chapter Fifteen — Artie extracts a hexagonal silver coin using a straightened coat hanger. Nobody recognizes it, though Uncle Bill feels it triggers a memory.
Chapter Sixteen — Fletch meets Melody in the park and flips the coin while probing her feelings. She confronts him about her gift, and Marina later teaches her to compartmentalize her emotions.
Chapter Seventeen — The team watches Leo’s live television spot from the furniture department. Re-energized, Melody organizes another search for the birth certificate.
Chapter Eighteen — A fruitless search is followed by another community meeting where Fletch gives a moving speech. Melody stays guarded and accepts a lift home from Leo.
Chapter Nineteen — Melody dines with her mother and grandmother. She then visits Mrs. Elliott, whose genealogy research begins identifying Fletch’s biological father.
Chapter Twenty — Mrs. Elliott confirms the father is Jack Pemberton, who runs the Riverside Inn with his wife Amelia. Melody takes the address and plans a covert trip.
Chapter Twenty-One — The office is decorated for Christmas and Glenda organizes a joint dinner at Merrigan’s. Melody prepares Babs for the drive to the village.
Chapter Twenty-Two — Melody observes Jack at the Riverside Inn and notes his resemblance to Fletch. Back home, Silvana criticizes her meddling, and Melody confesses Fletch may be the great love of her life.
Chapter Twenty-Three — While trying on a velvet jumpsuit, Melody sees one of Leo’s twins slash Marina’s hand. She tackles the twin, and Fletch breaks up the fight and carries her inside.
Chapter Twenty-Four — Silvana sends a decorated tree as a peace offering. Uncle Bill texts that he remembers the coin’s shape, and Melody studies the Riverside Inn website.
Chapter Twenty-Five — Uncle Bill reveals the coin fits a mechanism on the rooftop flagpoles. In a snowy park, Melody tells Fletch she found his father, and he reacts with anger at her overstepping.
Chapter Twenty-Six — With Mrs. Elliott injured, Melody and Marina inspect the roof alone. Fleur joins them to discuss the buyout deadline, and a rusted railing gives way as Marina poses near the edge.
Chapter Twenty-Seven — Leo pulls Marina to safety and she kisses him. Below, Melody finds the hexagonal mechanism has exposed a compartment holding Ernest’s child’s birth certificate.
Chapter Twenty-Eight — The teams gather at Merrigan’s for a Christmas party with Leo as Marina’s date. Fletch appears in the snow, and Melody turns away.
Chapter Twenty-Nine — Melody leaves envelopes with keys and notes for her team and Fletch, then takes a taxi to the airport for an immediate solo trip.
Chapter Thirty — The last-minute 13-day Mediterranean cruise turns out to be an international Doctor Who convention. Melody befriends cosplayers and recharges away from home.
Chapter Thirty-One — Melody returns on Christmas Eve to find the buyout has raised its one million pounds. Lucy, Ernest, Floss, and Violet say goodbye and cross over.
Chapter Thirty-Two — Fletch reveals he opened her letter with Jack’s details. He rides home with her family, then asks her to come with him to meet his father.
Chapter Thirty-Three — At the Riverside Inn, Fletch has an emotional reunion with Jack, Amelia, and Cherry. Back in Chapelwick he apologizes, declares his love, and accepts her gift fully.
Epilogue — “One Year Later” — The group gathers for Artie and Bells’s Christmas Eve wedding. Big Art appears to bless the marriage, Marina and Leo attend together, and Fletch kisses Melody in the snow at midnight.
Quotes from This Book
“I come from a long line of ghost-seeing women—it’s our thing.”
“Sabotaging Santa is just about as low as it gets.”
“Love is about compromise, and I just don’t think he has that gene.”
“You can’t just pick love up when you feel like it then leave it lying around for a few untended months.”
“I am who I am because of the ghosts, not in spite of them.”
“You’re the best woman in the entire fucking world.”
Books Like Merry Spooky Love
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston — A ghostwriting protagonist who can see and speak to spirits, with romance, banter, and themes of grief and acceptance.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling — A cozy small-town supernatural romance with quirky shops, winter vibes, and exes forced back together.
Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper — Small-town magical family legacy, rivalries turning romantic, and a strong female friendship core.
One Day in December by Josie Silver — The same author’s festive British winter setting and multi-year romantic arc.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen — Cozy paranormal elements, a workplace enemies-to-lovers dynamic, and stakes tied to the afterlife.
Book Details at a Glance
- Genre & Subgenre: Romantic Comedy / Contemporary Cozy Paranormal Romance
- Core Narrative Tropes: Rivals-to-Lovers; Skeptic vs. Believer; Secret Heir; Save-Our-Town Campaign
- Tone & Atmosphere: Warm, festive, witty, and cozy, with British humor and light supernatural elements
- Primary Conflict: Stopping the sale of Libertines Department Store while resolving romantic barriers and skepticism
- Pacing Style: Fast-paced and episodic, built around investigative steps, community rallies, and personal revelations
- ISBN: 978-0593983041
- Pages: 288
- Book Structure: 33 numbered chapters plus an epilogue, “One Year Later”
- Series: Book 3 of 3 in the Melody Bittersweet series
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