Wanted: One Ghost is a fun, enjoyable, well-written fiction which is kind of goofy and filled with irony while mixing mystery, danger, angst, and the best of ghost stories and investigations. Growing up, I always loved a good ghost story. I remember quite a few nights staying up at night, afraid of the shadows in my closet after reading one of my many collections of ghost stories until a wee bit too late in the evening. To this day, I still collect ghost stories. In fact, collections of local legends and ghost stories are my equivalent of souvenirs on my travels. I can honestly say I've never read a ghost story quite like this one.
The story, though it is filled with danger and ghosts, frequently made me laugh. It sort of laughs at itself, never making too heavy on any subject, creating a perfect balance between amusement and tension. The book brings so many elements together. Anyone who's ever walked a ghost tour will love this book, I think. The author real brings the past to life in a way I think everyone who's ever gone on one of those tours wishes they could experience.
I, when I first read the blurb, thought James, as a loyalist, would be a hard character to relate to. Being a child raised on the righteousness of the Revolutionary War, I've always found it hard to imagine anyone decent as a loyalist. Still, I like how the author worded James's point of view. She used antiquated words and phrases while simultaneously allowing us to understand his meaning. And, what more, I actually found it funny how he related to patriots. She was somehow able to make light of his viewpoints while still getting across his stout beliefs as someone loyal to the Crown.
April and her family of loony female relatives were also well worth the read. All of them have special abilities, with each having varying levels of acceptance of said abilities. In the end, it leads to a realistic montage of personalities and quirks that work so well in the story, causing the embarrassments and conflicts apparent in any family. While they fight, argue, and tease, it is clear how much they care about each other.
Some twists I saw coming, others I did not. The final conflict at the end was both exhilarating and felt tragic at the time. Of course, that wasn't the end, now was it? After all, when you're dealing with the afterlife, what truly is? But, the book ended on a note I was satisfied with and all the conflicts were finalized to my edification. This author clearly knows her stuff with regard to writing but also to historical authenticity as there were quite a few things I looked up as I went, and everything fit with her usage of the terms. This is something I rarely seem to find. Reading on a tablet, I'm always fact-checking as it's only a couple of taps away, and it has become an obsession of mine, getting the details right.
I started the book some time this afternoon and finished it less than twelve hours later. Fast read. Very good book.
Book Format: PDF ARC
Source: Author