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A Ghostly Demise
Ghostly Southern Mystery #3
Tonya Kappes

Witness Mystery/Harper Collins
August 25, 2015 / ISBN 978-0062374912
Cozy/Paranormal Mystery

Reviewed by Linda Morelli

 

Emma Lee Raines is an undertaker with a special gift: she's a "Betweener" who sees dead spirits who need her to help to reach the other side. Cephus Hardy supposedly disappeared five years before on a drunken spree, but suddenly appears to Emma Lee, claiming he was murdered. Unfortunately, he has no idea where his body is buried, let alone who killed him, so finding his murderer and body will be a challenge. Emma Lee has a hard time calming down the results of her red-haired, scooter-riding grandmother racing through the streets, running for mayor. Then there's Emma Lee's boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, who has his hands full keeping peace, especially when the carnival arrives in town. Then a second ghost appears to ask for Emma Lee's help and all heck breaks loose.

A Ghostly Demise was one of the most enjoyable paranormal cozy mysteries I've read this year. It's full of charming, interesting characters and laughs galore, with a solid mystery that kept me reading - and laughing - to the very last page. I really adored the relationship between Emma Lee and Jack Henry, and look forward to the next release in the series to see how their bond deepens. Emma Lee's grandmother is really a stitch, flying down the streets on her scooter and handing out buttons as she asks people to vote for her.

The novel itself has a refreshing "back home" feel to it, aided by some country slang and loveable characters that bring to mind places like Gary, Indiana, from The Music Man or Andy Griffith's Mayberry NC TV show. Though this is the third release in Tonya Kappes' series, A Ghostly Demise stands alone as an enjoyable, charming read with just the right amount of humor to make me want more. I loved it!

Reviewer Linda Morelli is the award winning author of three published romance novels.
Reviewed 2015
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