The Remains of the Dead - Wendy Roberts

The Remains of the Dead
A Ghost Dusters Mystery
Wendy Roberts
Obsidian

Mystery/Paranormal

Sadie Novak used to be your average second-grade teacher. Five years ago, her beloved brother committed suicide and Sadie was left to clean up the scene, in order to spare her parents the horror of doing it. At that point, she decided to start her own cleaning service so that the other families would be spared the same experience. Her company, run with the aid of Zack Bowman, a former cop, cleans up scenes of crimes and other unattended deaths. And through this work, Sadie discovered that she has a unique talent. She can see and communicate with ghosts.

Often the ghosts are those of the recently deceased. Sometimes, they’re just confused about what’s happened and need a little encouragement to move on; sometimes they need a task completed for them. When Sadie enters the home of Grant and Trudy Toth, the site of a murder-suicide, she’s prepared for carnage and ghosts. She’s not prepared to encounter a live person. Kent Lasko had no business being in the house, but Sadie is momentarily sidetracked by the ghost of Trudy, who refuses to speak, but urgently indicates that the police’s theory of the case is wrong. She goes so far as to write “not Grant” on the wall. Obviously, Trudy needs Sadie’s help.

This is the first in a very promising series. Her strange talent aside, Sadie comes across as absolutely genuine. The cruel irony of her talent is that she cannot connect with suicides, and, thus, with her lost brother. Urged on by Trudy’s ghost, it makes sense that Sadie would want to discover the truth about what happened in the Toth house. Zack’s reactions to Sadie’s talent and her investigation, ring completely true. The author skillfully blends forensic details of a crime scene (and its aftermath) with mystery and the paranormal, making this a series that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Rating: 8
December 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22268-8 (paperback)