Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris

Grave Sight
Charlaine Harris
Berkley Prime Crime

Paranormal Mystery

You might naturally assume that getting hit by a bolt of lightning would change your life. What you might not assume is that the bolt would leave you with a unique ability. Harper Connelly, 24, the recipient of that life-changing bolt, can sense dead bodies. She can also get a general sense of the manner of death and how long they’ve been dead. Sometimes, she can even get a partial name to go with the remains. You’d be surprised how many are just lying around, everywhere, patiently waiting to be found.

That ability brings her and her stepbrother/manager, Tolliver, to the small Ozark town of Sarne. A young couple briefly disappeared. The boy was soon found, the victim of an apparent suicide. The girl has not been found, leaving the dead boy as the obvious suspect. It doesn’t take long for Harper to locate the girl’s body. And she’s hardly surprised when the people who hired her to do this very thing are less than thrilled that she succeeded. What she doesn’t expect is threats on her life, and the arrest of Tolliver before they’re able to blow town. It’s clear that something much more sinister is going on in the little town.

This is the first in a new paranormal series by the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Harper is an interesting character with a talent that’s both fascinating and semi-repellant. Her stepbrother, Tolliver, makes an interesting ‘normal’ foil for her paranormal ability. The little town of Sarne is pretty creepy all on its own. As with many very small towns, there are the power players, some more benevolent than others; and hidden secrets, some better hidden than others. I’m anxious to see how this series progresses.

Rating: 7
September 2006
ISBN# 0-425-21289-0 (paperback)