August in a Haunted House
by
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"Just what do you expect me to do?" Sheriff Timble growled as he stood with hands on hips in the middle of a parlor. "I can''t arrest a ghost even if I find it."
August (Augie) Hans Kruger wrapped his right arm around the waist of his wife, Ruthie, a bit tighter. "It''s in here somewhere, sheriff," Augie said. Ruthie nodded her head in agreement.
Timble beckoned to Deputy Harris. "Go check the upstairs," the sheriff ordered, "and make it snappy. We haven''t got all night to waste on crank calls. This isn''t even in my jurisdiction."
Harris took two steps at a time to reach the second floor of the house on
Timble made notes in his little black notebook and returned the notebook to the inside pocket of his uniform jacket. "Kruger, lad, I like you, but would you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Sheriff Timble," Augie replied. "Just name it. We''ve been friends for a good many years. Yer the best sheriff in all of
"Move, Kruger, move."
"Move?"
"Yeah, move to
Augie shook his head and looked at Ruthie for moral support. She didn''t disappoint her husband. She pointed a finger in Timble''s face.
"Augie''s heard the ghost. I''ve heard the ghost. Our daughter, Amelia, has heard the ghost. Even our dog, Alex, has heard the ghost. What more proof do you need, Sheriff Timble?"
"Heard it, huh? What''d it say? Call Sheriff Timble and make him miss his supper at the Mayfair Grill?"
"It don''t talk to us," Ruthie tried to explain. "It''s other things. Strange noises ... strange smells ... strange movements of items in this house from one place to another. Know what I mean, sheriff?"
"Yeah, real strange." Timble gave a skeptical look at Augie. "This here husband of yours is stranger than any ghost. He''s always getting himself into some kind of wacky trouble. I thought things had been too quiet lately in Jackson Junction."
"Sheriff, this ain''t no joke," Augie protested. "We''re tellin'' ya the truth. Cross my heart and hope to die, if we ain''t."
"I heard that before, too," Timble grunted. "Harris! Harris! Get down here! I want to get me some supper before it''s time to eat breakfast. Harris! Get the lead out!"
Deputy Harris didn''t come down the stairs nearly as fast as he had gone up them. He moved slowly, very slowly, one step at a time while his right fist gripped the mahoganey handrail.
"What the heck is wrong with you, Harris?" Timble grumbled. "You act like you''ve seen a ghost yourself."
Harris stopped at the bottom of the staircase. "Didn''t see one, sheriff, but I sure did
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About the Book
"August in a Haunted House" is not your usual type of ghost story. Far from it, in fact. This is a story more about the living than the dead, although a ghost certainly does enter into the tale on more than one occasion ... such as breathing down the back necks of visitors to the house, blowing up Augie''s favorite radio, turning his new radio onto weird stations and playing strange music, and even helping to decorate the family''s Christmas tree for 1950.
So, what is it like to live in a haunted house? What is it like to be told your house has a treasure buried somewhere in the basement?
Those two questions provide a multitude of mysterious adventures for Augie Kruger, his wife, Ruthie, and their daughter, Amelia, as well as for the rest of the Kruger clan, whom readers of the series of August novels have grown to know.
Of course, Augie and his older cousin, Willie, have to find that buried treasure in the basement of Augie''s home. Willie already has his heart set on buying himself a new Cadillac with his share of the treasure.
But, there are complications. A neighbor of Augie''s, by the name of Archie Crane, also has his eyes on the house and its treasure and will do anything to get possession of the house, including taking Augie and his ghost to court.
A ghost in court? That''s a case Augie and his attorney, sly, old Lucas Spivey, must win in order for Augie to keep his home and continue digging for the buried treasure.
When Sheriff Timble delivers the summons for Augie to appear in court, he tells Augie to make sure his ghost wears a clean, white sheet because Judge Strong is a stickler for neatness. You''ll always find humor in Frey''s novels.
It proves to be the most unusual lawsuit ever to be heard by a jury in Jackson Junction. A case that has several twists and turns before coming to a surprise ending.
But, the court case''s surprise ending can''t compare to the surprise ending when Augie and Willie finally do dig up the buried treasure. And, if that isn''t mysterious enough, there''s also a most unexpected event at the Kruger family''s Christmas dinner.
An event which prompts Hans Kruger, Augie''s father, to remark, "Mister Ghost, I don''t know who you are, but please don''t ever leave this family."
About the Author
ROBERT A. FREY is no stranger to the world of writing. He has been penning stories of one kind or another for most of the past 50 years.
Frey began his journallsm career as a co-sports editor of his
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His professional writing career began at the age of 17 when he was hired as a part-time sportswriter for his hometown daily newspaper, the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Upon graduation from MSU in 1955, Frey began a full-time newspaper career at the Citizen Patriot until he retired from there in 1988. Frey spent the last 30 years of his newspaper career in the sports department as a writer, columnist and copy editor.
After reitirement, Frey began to try his hand at writing mystery novels, with historical backgrounds centered around the railroad industry, which has always been a prominent part of his hometown.
Frey has written four previous novels (all published by Authorhouse and its predecessor 1stBooks).
The August series began with "August in
Frey''s newest novel, "August in a Haunted House", is a return to the August series, which has become popular with those who enjoy reading about mystery, adventure, family life and history all wrapped up in one interesting and exciting package.
Are there more August novels to come? Frey says that there is another August novel completely written in notebook form. And, he says he has already started writing yet another novel with a different Jackson Junction family and with a much different look at the history of railroading and its effects on