Bad Beginnings: Shady Spirits Book 1

Bad Beginnings: Shady Spirits Book 1

by Jen Bair

4.6 (1,782)

4.6 stars from 1,782 reviews. Top 82% of Mystery Thriller books we track.


$0.99KU80% off peak

Last checked: Jun 4, 2026

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Amanda Bouchet
  • Annette Marie
  • Patricia Briggs

Fans of these books will like this...

  • Sorcery of Thorns
  • Grave Mercy
  • The Invisible Library

Perfect for you if...

  • You enjoy urban fantasy with genuine mystery at its core, where the supernatural serves the plot rather than overshadowing it.
  • You appreciate slow-burn romance that builds tension alongside the actual danger, not as a distraction from it.
  • You like protagonists who are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances and forced to figure things out as they go.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You prefer standalone novels or complete series, as this is book one of a multi-book arc.
  • You want romance to be the primary focus; the mystery and action here take equal billing.
  • You're looking for a cosy mystery with light stakes. This involves corruption, cartels, and real danger.

About this book

Enid Walsh moves to Atlanta hoping to start fresh and avoid the dead—a difficult goal given that she can see ghosts. When a mystical dog arrives and a blue-eyed man named Ollie discovers her secret, Enid is forced to help solve his lover's murder. As a waitress with no detective experience, Enid initially resists. However, when a conspiracy theorist reveals that the police are corrupt, she has nowhere else to turn. She and Ollie must work together to track down a sadistic killer while navigating a massive cartel moving into the city, widespread police corruption, and a deadly creature. The dog's role in these events remains unclear. Bad Beginnings is the first book in an urban fantasy series featuring conspiracy, mystery, action, slow-burn romance, and a Belgian Malinois.

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Price History

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Free$2.50$4.99Apr '25Jun '25Aug '25Jan '26Jun '26
Free$4.99

Currently on sale at $0.99 — 80% off peak. Price has dropped 8 times over the last 13 months. Goes on sale roughly every 52 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#83#727,167#1,454,250May '25Nov '25Jan '26Jun '26

Currently #6,457 in the Kindle store — a top-10K bestseller.

Rating & Reviews

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4.0★4.5★5.0★Aug '25Dec '25Feb '26May '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.6★ from 1,782 reviews

Gaining approximately 161 new reviews per month. Reader interest is accelerating. Rating has remained stable at 4.5 over the tracking period.

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Free$2.50$4.99Apr '25Jun '25Aug '25Jan '26Jun '26PredictedJun '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $0.99. It typically returns to around $4.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Jen Bair

1 book on Vagrant Press

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