The Cruel Chef

The Haunting of Hexen House: Book 2

Advance Reader Copy

Genres

Haunted House, Paranormal Women's Fiction, Amateur Sleuths, Women Sleuths, Cozy Fantasy, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, and Novels

Trigger Warnings

None

Type of Ending

AI Usage^Beta

Series

The Haunting of Hexen House — Book 2

Series Read Order

Reading prior books is recommended, but not required

Author Prefers A Review On

Goodreads, Amazon, or BookBub

Reader Spots Remaining

Number of days to read

Publication Date

Oct 15, 2026

Page Length

272 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

The Cruel Chef

The Haunting of Hexen House: Book 2

Advance Reader Copy

Blurb

A Haunted House. A Grumpy Ghost Chef. A Mystery That Could Leave Her Cooked.

Moving into a haunted house was supposed to solve middle-school teacher Gwen Flewellyn’s problems, not add new ones. Widowed, broke, and determined to keep her son safe, Gwen thought she could handle Hexen House’s resident spirits until a furious ghost chef starts throwing knives. The poltergeist critiques her cooking, mocks her groceries, and is more concerned with cuisine than helping Gwen catch his murderer.

When her son ends up in the ER, she realizes the only way to make her kitchen safe again is to find the killer. As she dives into old grudges over failed restaurants and small town schemes, Gwen risks losing her teaching license, custody of her son, and worse.

With a pinch of humor, a dash of danger, and a ghost full of opinions, Gwen must untangle the cold case before the ghost’s kitchen tantrums ruin her life. Because in Hexen House, the dead don’t rest until the truth is served.

Details

Genres

Haunted House, Paranormal Women's Fiction, Amateur Sleuths, Women Sleuths, Cozy Fantasy, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, and Novels

Trigger Warnings

None

Type of Ending

AI Usage^Beta

Series

The Haunting of Hexen House — Book 2

Series Read Order

Reading prior books is recommended, but not required

Author Prefers A Review On

Goodreads, Amazon, or BookBub

Reader Spots Remaining

Number of days to read

Publication Date

Oct 15, 2026

Page Length

272 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

Author

Rachel Graves is an author of paranormal cozy mysteries, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy novels. Her work features strong, resilient heroines confronting their fears and navigating dangerous magical worlds. Her books explore themes of found family, deep friendships, and morally complex choices, often delving into the gray areas between right and wrong.

She maintains two long-running urban fantasy series: Death Witch: Supernatural Investigative Unit, set in Baton Rouge, and Elisabeth Hicks, Witch Detective, featuring film noir-style Hollywood mysteries, as well as a paranormal cozy mystery series, The Haunting of Hexen House. Known for blending suspenseful mysteries with supernatural elements and romance, Rachel is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.