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The Vampire and the Case of the Perilous Poltergeist by Heather G. Harris, Jilleen Dolbeare Narrator: Alyse Gibbs
Series: The Portlock Paranormal Detective #5
Published by Hellhound Press Limited on January 31, 2025
Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Length: 6 hours and 19 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Purchase Links: Amazon*Libro*Kobo*Chirp*B&N
Goodreads
This academy’s secrets could get you killed–if the poltergeist doesn’t get you first....
I thought going back to school would be fun. After all, we’re adults now–no angst-ridden teen dramas here–and we’re all law-enforcement recruits training to become State Troopers. Surely we’ll work together like professionals, right? Wrong.
One of my fellow recruits has it in for me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I’d peed in his cereal or corrected his grammar in public, but I swear I’ve done nothing to deserve the daggers he’s throwing my way.
The problem is that he’s not the only one giving me grief.
The academy has a unique resident, a poltergeist who loves nothing more than causing havoc. What starts as harmless pranks quickly turns sinister, and I’m left wondering just how far the spirit will go.
The deeper I dig, the more I realise this academy isn’t just haunted—it’s hiding something far worse than ghosts and ghouls. And if I don’t uncover the truth soon, I might not make it to graduation…
Dive into this fast-paced urban fantasy series if you love mystery, humour, found family, and a slow-burn romance.
Also in this series: The Vampire and the Case of Her Dastardly Death, The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf, The Vampire and the Case of the Secretive Siren, The Vampire and the Case of the Baleful Banshee, The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine
The Vampire and the Case of the Perilous Poltergeist is book five in The Portlock Paranormal Detective series by Heather G. Harris & Jilleen Dolbeare and narrated by Alyse Gibbs.
As Bunny trains to become a detective, it’s refreshing to see her leave Portlock behind to solve a mystery in a human setting rather than her usual supernatural hometown. This time, her journey takes her and Sidnee to the academy for formal training. However, all is not well at the institution; whispered rumors of past disappearances, a restless poltergeist, and lurking secrets suggest something is deeply rotten.
While I appreciate the ongoing continuity of the series, the growing number of unresolved plot threads is starting to feel overwhelming. There are simply too many loose ends left dangling from previous cases. On a positive note, I absolutely loved seeing Bunny and Sydnee’s friendship take center stage in this installment.
Overall, The Vampire and the Case of the Perilous Poltergeist is another enjoyable installment in the series. Despite a few lingering plot threads, the change of scenery and the fantastic focus on Bunny and Sydnee’s dynamic made this a highly enjoyable read. If you love urban fantasy with great character growth and a solid mystery, this series remains a must-read.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Was this review helpful? If so, please consider liking it on Goodreads (Angela)!
About Heather G. Harris
Heather is an urban fantasy writer and mum. She was born and raised near Windsor, which gave her the misguided impression that she was close to royalty in some way. She is not, though she once got a letter from the Queen’s lady-in-waiting.
Heather went to university in Liverpool, where she took up skydiving and met her future husband. When she’s not running around after her children, she’s plotting her next book and daydreaming about vampires, dragons and kick-ass heroines.
Heather loves to travel and once spent a month in Thailand. Thai food remains a firm family favourite. It goes without saying that Heather is a book lover. She grew up reading the likes of Brian Jacques and Anne McCaffrey.
About Jilleen Dolbeare
Jilleen Dolbeare is the author of the Shadow Winged Chronicles, an urban fantasy series about a shape-shifting bush pilot in Alaska.
She loves riding horses, warm ocean beaches, and long walks in the mountains, none of which she can do in the Arctic, so she writes.
Her activities are riding her four-wheeler on cold ocean beaches (often frozen or covered with ice), and long walks to and from work when it’s 40 below—in the dark. She does keep her stakes sharp for those vamps that show up during the 67 days of night.
Jilleen lives with her husband and two hungry cats in Barrow, Alaska where she also discovered her love and admiration of the Inupiaq people and their folklore.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2026 Audiobook Challenge
- 2026 Beat the Backlist Challenge
- 2026 COYER Out To Lunch Again
- 2026 Library Love Challenge
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You calling it fantastic, but only 3.5 stars? Lol, that makes me think it wasn’t too good? But I’m glad you ended up enjoying it that much and will want to go on, even with the reservations you have. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/06/02/review-the-magic-of-us-by-beth-merlin-and-danielle-modafferi/
Thanks for catching that, Lisa! Lol, I definitely meant “enjoyable” rather than “fantastic”—total mix-up on my word choice there. It really was a good read though, and I definitely plan to finish the series. Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my review!