What do you think?
Rate this book
Relatively Dead #1
Relatively Dead
From New York Times bestselling author Sheila Connolly!
Abby Kimball has just moved to New England with her boyfriend and is trying to settle in, but the experience is proving to be quite unsettling, to say the least. While on a tour of local historic homes, Abby witnesses a family scene that leaves her gasping for breath—because the family has been dead for nearly a century. Another haunting episode follows, and another, until it seems to Abby that everything she touches is drawing her in, calling to her from the past.
Abby would doubt her sanity if it weren’t for Ned Newhall, the kind and knowledgeable guide on that disturbing house tour. Rather than telling her she’s hallucinating, Ned takes an interest in Abby’s strange encounters and encourages her to figure out what’s going on, starting with investigating the story of the family she saw . . . and exploring her own past.
But as Abby begins to piece together a history that’s as moving as it is shocking and unravels a long-ago mystery that nearly tore her family apart, she also begins to suspect that Ned’s got secrets of his own, and that his interest may be driven as much by a taste for romance as a love for history.
"This book kept me hooked until the very end, and even then I wanted more of it. The storyline . . . is original and fun." --Simply Bookish
About the Author:
Sheila Connolly began writing mysteries in 2001, and has since been nominated for an Agatha Award twice. Her most recent book is the nationally bestselling Buried in a Bog, the first book in the County Cork Mystery Series. Sheila is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Sour Apples (Orchard Mystery Series) and Fire Engine Dead (Museum Mystery Series). She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and three cats.
Abby Kimball has just moved to New England with her boyfriend and is trying to settle in, but the experience is proving to be quite unsettling, to say the least. While on a tour of local historic homes, Abby witnesses a family scene that leaves her gasping for breath—because the family has been dead for nearly a century. Another haunting episode follows, and another, until it seems to Abby that everything she touches is drawing her in, calling to her from the past.
Abby would doubt her sanity if it weren’t for Ned Newhall, the kind and knowledgeable guide on that disturbing house tour. Rather than telling her she’s hallucinating, Ned takes an interest in Abby’s strange encounters and encourages her to figure out what’s going on, starting with investigating the story of the family she saw . . . and exploring her own past.
But as Abby begins to piece together a history that’s as moving as it is shocking and unravels a long-ago mystery that nearly tore her family apart, she also begins to suspect that Ned’s got secrets of his own, and that his interest may be driven as much by a taste for romance as a love for history.
"This book kept me hooked until the very end, and even then I wanted more of it. The storyline . . . is original and fun." --Simply Bookish
About the Author:
Sheila Connolly began writing mysteries in 2001, and has since been nominated for an Agatha Award twice. Her most recent book is the nationally bestselling Buried in a Bog, the first book in the County Cork Mystery Series. Sheila is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Sour Apples (Orchard Mystery Series) and Fire Engine Dead (Museum Mystery Series). She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and three cats.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2013
303 people are currently reading
1327 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Connolly
65 books1,391 followersSheila Connolly taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several non-profit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company providing genealogical research services.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
She was a member of Sisters in Crime-New England (president 2011), the national Sisters in Crime, and the fabulous on-line SinC chapter, the Guppies. She also belonged to Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Sheila was Regent of her local DAR chapter, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. She was also the grandchild of Irish immigrants. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loved restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
January 6, 2026
More like Relatively Dreadful.
This one was So. Freaking. Boring.
Abby Kimball, enthusiastically unemployed, moved with her boyfriend, Brad, to New England for Brad's career.
Brad encourages her to explore her new town and get to know people in the area. So, reluctantly...Abby leaves the apartment.
But, at the last house she visits, something... strange happens.
"She didn't want to be here. But Brad had told her she ought to get out more, find some interests of her own..."
She has a vision of the past and, understandably, freaks out a little bit.
"She laid one hand on the doorjamb - and then something changed."
Luckily a kindly, sweetly charming and slightly dorky docent, Ned, finds her and helps her through the episode.
They begin a part-genealogy and part-ghost-hunting adventure to figure out the mystery of Abby's visions. Abby finds herself drawn to Ned, though she would never be tempted because of her relationship.
But when Brad becomes jealous, and the visions become frighteningly real, it's all on Abby's shoulders to make a decison - and pray that it's the right one.
So.
Soooooo.
Soooooooooooooooooooo.
Normally, this is where I say that the book has good bones despite its flaws...but honestly, I didn't get that vibe.
It was more of a lackluster romance and the predictble-ness vibe.
The Lackluster Romance - aka what a surprise...you're perfect for each other...
You can tell, immediately, that the hunky-and-brash Brad will be dumped for the sweet-and-sensitive Ned.
Take this scene:
It's just so over-the-top. and roll-my-eyes.
Ned reappeared with a silver-plated tray bearing a teapot in a tattered cozy, two cups, a sugar bowl, a milk pitcher, spoons, and a delicate flower china plate with some store-bought sugar cookies...
"Tea and sugar make most problems better, don't you think?"
Ned is the "Mr. Right", and he's so obviously Mr. Right that I immediately lost any and all interest in their relationship.
Unsurprisingly, the author tries to portray Brad as a douche canoe.
"She found herself comparing him to Brad, who always walked in public with a bit of swagger, as if he was announcing to the world "see how important I am." Apparently Ned didn't feel any need to do that."
Honestly, half the time I agreed with Brad. He made sense.
Brad moves to New England with Abby in order to further his career...and Abby says she doesn't mind spending all day and night setting up the apartment, cooking and cleaning.
And then suddenly, Abby gets wrapped up in a random genealogy project, neglects the housework, makes halfa**ed meals, etc.
So Brad, gently, asks her if she wants to diversify her interests, or if she's interested in a job.
Furious that her genealogy smarts are not appreciated, she goes off and gets a job...as a program specialist in a small museum, that pays less than peanuts.
It's the kind of job for rich people who have too many degrees and time on their hands.
Brad, a bit clumsily, explains that he did not mind supporting her as she looked for a job and he expected her to get a better paying job so they could afford to live in New England.
To which Abby goes all feminist-hear-me-roar.
She gets irrationally furious that Brad isn't interested in this genealogy project (which, honestly, I didn't care about either), and talks endlessly (endlessly) about how Brad didn't appreciate her.
Then Abby "realizes" that he's not the one because of his heathen ways, machismo and complete disregard for her hopes and dreams . The douche canoe!
To me, Brad was a bit ham-handed but he was being honest with Abby about his expectations and tried to bring her back to what they originally agreed to when they moved to New England.
Poor guy was better off without that selfish girl hanging on.
Predictable and Bland - aka yup...saw that coming... but thanks for explaining it anyway...
The whole book was horribly predictable and bland. I could see everything coming and the author over-explained it so thoroughly that I nearly died from boredom.
There was no mystery to the visions...and yet we spend the entire book picking apart the minute details of this randomly convoluted genealogy project.
And if that wasn't enough, the author LOVED detail. Not in a good way.
The author loved words like a child loves candy. More. More. MORE!
And the paragraph goes on and on
"Abby pulled out her timeline. "As near as I can tell, William was living in Waltham by 1890, but not in that house. He had moved there by 1895, according to the ity directories. By by 1903 he ws living at another address in town. He stayed there until he died, and his widow lived there until she died fifteen years later. The oldest daughter, Olivia, when she married, lived a few blocks away..."
So, in the off chance that you couldn't predict everything, the book made SURE you knew EXACTLY what was happening ALL the time.
...I honestly get Brad - I certainly didn't care about this (which according to Abby was the worst crime ever).
Maddening.
Overall
Ultimately, the pacing was just too off for this one, the romance was lackluster and I just couldn't get into it. Not for me.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
June 23, 2020
After finishing this audio book, I mulled this review over for an entire day before writing it. I wasn't quite sure what to say. I read a lot of books every year and review each one. It's a given that occasionally I'm going to run across a book or series that just isn't for me.
I did not enjoy this book. That doesn't mean it isn't a good book or that I feel nobody should read it. The story and the characters were just not what I enjoy. And I'm going to explain why.
The plot seemed muted. Abby Kimbrell moves to New England with her boyfriend....and starts seeing dead people. She has strange visions of long-dead families and feels their emotions about family tragedies. She isn't afraid of them....there is no interaction with the dead. She just sees them. The only emotion felt by Abby seems to be the recycling emotions of these long-deceased people. Instead of being suspenseful and exciting....the episodes got repetitive and even boring. The paranormal incidents followed by research at the library just never gelled into a compelling plot for me. I get that genealogy was meant to be the focus of the plot line, but it just had no umph to it. It dragged along for me with really no direction.
The main character spent most of the book whining about her obviously bad relationship. The boyfriend character was little more than a caricature of a self-centered jerk to move the plot towards Abby finding her strength to change her life. But really -- Abby showed no emotional investment in Brad. She showed no interest in meeting his friends. She showed little interest in doing anything with him -- never wanted to join in on his activities or relationships. She did a lot of whining about his lack of interest in her and what she enjoys -- while she showed little interest in him either. Toxic relationship for both of them. Brad is a flat, undeveloped male character.....whose only purpose is to antagonize the main character. Bleck.
The writing itself is not bad. The story just never developed into anything compelling or suspenseful. Emily Durante gave a great performance as narrator. Her skilled reading kept me listening to the entire book, even when the plot really wasn't totally engaging me.
This series is just not for me. Others might read it and enjoy the premise, the characters and the plot. But I'm stopping my reading of this series at book one. So many books....limited time. I'm sticking to things that work for me. I have three other series by this author on my to-read shelves....and I'm going to try her other books. I have heard great things about Sheila Connolly's Museum, Orchard and County Cork cozy mysteries. Moving on.....
I did not enjoy this book. That doesn't mean it isn't a good book or that I feel nobody should read it. The story and the characters were just not what I enjoy. And I'm going to explain why.
The plot seemed muted. Abby Kimbrell moves to New England with her boyfriend....and starts seeing dead people. She has strange visions of long-dead families and feels their emotions about family tragedies. She isn't afraid of them....there is no interaction with the dead. She just sees them. The only emotion felt by Abby seems to be the recycling emotions of these long-deceased people. Instead of being suspenseful and exciting....the episodes got repetitive and even boring. The paranormal incidents followed by research at the library just never gelled into a compelling plot for me. I get that genealogy was meant to be the focus of the plot line, but it just had no umph to it. It dragged along for me with really no direction.
The main character spent most of the book whining about her obviously bad relationship. The boyfriend character was little more than a caricature of a self-centered jerk to move the plot towards Abby finding her strength to change her life. But really -- Abby showed no emotional investment in Brad. She showed no interest in meeting his friends. She showed little interest in doing anything with him -- never wanted to join in on his activities or relationships. She did a lot of whining about his lack of interest in her and what she enjoys -- while she showed little interest in him either. Toxic relationship for both of them. Brad is a flat, undeveloped male character.....whose only purpose is to antagonize the main character. Bleck.
The writing itself is not bad. The story just never developed into anything compelling or suspenseful. Emily Durante gave a great performance as narrator. Her skilled reading kept me listening to the entire book, even when the plot really wasn't totally engaging me.
This series is just not for me. Others might read it and enjoy the premise, the characters and the plot. But I'm stopping my reading of this series at book one. So many books....limited time. I'm sticking to things that work for me. I have three other series by this author on my to-read shelves....and I'm going to try her other books. I have heard great things about Sheila Connolly's Museum, Orchard and County Cork cozy mysteries. Moving on.....
March 23, 2018
While this was a mystery it wasn't a normal mystery. Nothing came up missing, there were no murders, or any of the usual tropes in a cozy mystery these days. This one had a paranormal aspect and the main character was trying to figure out why she was suddenly able to see ghosts, after moving to a new town. Even though I had parts of it figured out before the big reveal, the differences in this mystery kept me engrossed and wanting to start the sequel as quickly as possible. I've tried 3 of Connolly's series and this is the second one that I've really enjoyed. I highly suggest this author for fans of the cozy mystery genre.
May 10, 2018
Shy Abby and her self-centered boyfriend Brad move to New England. He is overly busy at work and at leisure with his new co-workers. Abby, more or less on her own, decides to visit some historical homes, and thus begins a new chapter in her life. Now enters Ned, who rescues and calms her, after Abby witnesses her first vision of ghosts. Ned encourages her delving into her own past, and is in the wings, ready to come to her aid time and again. First in a series, this novel has interesting characters as well as an intriguing plot. But it is not a mystery in the tradition sense, and really, it is pretty easy to guess how the book will end. Still, it is a good beginning for what promises to be an entertaining series, if you like ghosts.
January 16, 2016
Abby Kimball moved to New England with her boyfriend when he accepted a new job. He made a good salary which gave her some time to settle in and decide whether to return to teaching or take some of her other experience and try something new. Boyfriend Brad spent a lot of time working or hanging out with his other coworkers that left Abby with a lot of alone time on her hands.
Abby decides to take a tour of historic homes in the area where she meets Ned. He was the docent for the last home on the tour. He also was a witness to a very strange experience she had in the house. As she entered one of the rooms she saw a family scene but it wasn’t a recreation using actors it was a haunting vision of a family who had lived in the house nearly a century ago. Having never had anything like that happen before she was positive something was very wrong with her. Thankfully Ned was helpful and encouraging and open to what she described to him. He even offered to help her investigate the vision and why she was seeing it in the first place. Abby leery at first eventually decides to spend her free time exploring and she finds out these visions may be connected to her own past.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
If you are familiar with Sheila Connolly or her books at all you know history is a major theme that runs trough her stories and that she is very interested in genealogy. That is what first drew me to this story but she is also a fantastic storyteller and that is what kept me reading.
I struggled a bit with Abby and Brad’s relationship at first but things started to click into place there for me rather quickly. As an avid mystery reader I kept waiting for Ned to show his ulterior motives and be the bad guy. Ned does have secrets but in a whole different direction than I originally thought.
What I really enjoyed was the process Abby followed to dig in to the local history and the visions she continued to have and the emotions she felt. People are investigating into exploring their family trees and history right now. With so much information being made available on the internet and the several websites created to help people connect the story is very current. Granted not everyone has visions like Abby but it is not beyond the realm of possibility. I have decided to keep an open mind on anything of that nature. My parents have both passed away and while I have never “seen” them or any of my other relatives there are times I just “feel” their presence. I think it would be cool to have way to really connect with them and learn more of my family history to pass on to my kids.
I thought this was a very original story tying a little paranormal activity into a different type of mystery with a bit of romance thrown in too. Connolly’s writing is very descriptive and I love it.
It was a nice, light, easy read and a perfect book for me to curl up with on a dark rainy evening.
Abby decides to take a tour of historic homes in the area where she meets Ned. He was the docent for the last home on the tour. He also was a witness to a very strange experience she had in the house. As she entered one of the rooms she saw a family scene but it wasn’t a recreation using actors it was a haunting vision of a family who had lived in the house nearly a century ago. Having never had anything like that happen before she was positive something was very wrong with her. Thankfully Ned was helpful and encouraging and open to what she described to him. He even offered to help her investigate the vision and why she was seeing it in the first place. Abby leery at first eventually decides to spend her free time exploring and she finds out these visions may be connected to her own past.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
If you are familiar with Sheila Connolly or her books at all you know history is a major theme that runs trough her stories and that she is very interested in genealogy. That is what first drew me to this story but she is also a fantastic storyteller and that is what kept me reading.
I struggled a bit with Abby and Brad’s relationship at first but things started to click into place there for me rather quickly. As an avid mystery reader I kept waiting for Ned to show his ulterior motives and be the bad guy. Ned does have secrets but in a whole different direction than I originally thought.
What I really enjoyed was the process Abby followed to dig in to the local history and the visions she continued to have and the emotions she felt. People are investigating into exploring their family trees and history right now. With so much information being made available on the internet and the several websites created to help people connect the story is very current. Granted not everyone has visions like Abby but it is not beyond the realm of possibility. I have decided to keep an open mind on anything of that nature. My parents have both passed away and while I have never “seen” them or any of my other relatives there are times I just “feel” their presence. I think it would be cool to have way to really connect with them and learn more of my family history to pass on to my kids.
I thought this was a very original story tying a little paranormal activity into a different type of mystery with a bit of romance thrown in too. Connolly’s writing is very descriptive and I love it.
It was a nice, light, easy read and a perfect book for me to curl up with on a dark rainy evening.
March 4, 2018
No murder. No running around trying to find a murderer. No baking, cooking, dogs, cats or any of the normal cozy traps. Just a girl who sees ghosts and then finds out just who those ghosts are.
There IS a really crappy boyfriend [WHAT was Abby thinking] but that happens. It gives you something to grumble about. ;-)
Lots of interesting history and the story was good [the narrator was also very good] - it made me want to go back to Boston and to go and visit all the spots I never got to go to when I was there. Maybe I should plan a vacation?? :-)
There IS a really crappy boyfriend [WHAT was Abby thinking] but that happens. It gives you something to grumble about. ;-)
Lots of interesting history and the story was good [the narrator was also very good] - it made me want to go back to Boston and to go and visit all the spots I never got to go to when I was there. Maybe I should plan a vacation?? :-)
November 28, 2018
I'm befuddled by this book and can't decide whether I really like it or not. I was expecting a cozy mystery as I have read this author's other series' and have quite liked them a lot. This was more romance with a side of seeing into the past/ghost sightings. I started out hating the main character and her perceived weakness of being with an oaf like Brad. That storyline just didn't work for me and made the main character quite unlikeable, but once she dumped the oaf and moved on to her own, she started being a character that you could like and possibly want to be friends with. I think for now, I'll give the book a medium rating and read the second in the series to make up my mind on the series. The story line needs to go somewhere and do something other than waffle over what the main character is going to do with her life in the future. I'm hoping this was just the "set the story lines up" type of experience and the books will improve in the future. We shall see. Do not judge this author by this book or you will be completely missing out on some great and entertaining reads!
October 21, 2025
the end was a little too much for me, but I enjoyed the rest of the book.
April 4, 2017
3.5 stars. This was good, although a bit too clean for me -- but I'm an angry potty mouth, so take that as you will. What I would've loved is if Abby, the main character, had the snark that is oozing out of Kate in Magic Bites. Now that would be entertaining!
I'll continue on with this series, for now. Yay for audiobooks!
I'll continue on with this series, for now. Yay for audiobooks!
June 28, 2013
This was an incredibly clever little mystery set in the Lexington / Concord area of Massachusetts. If you aren’t familiar with this little corner of New England, you really can’t spit without hitting something of historical import. Sheila Connolly cleverly integrates small history lessons, descriptive passages of the area surrounding Boston, and a genealogical search into the story, providing readers with an array of references and visualization options.
Abby is a recent transplant to this area of New England with her boyfriend, Brad, and rather at loose ends without a job, or familiarity with her location. After tiring of Brad’s incessant badgering, she decided to venture out on one of the many historic house tours to pass her afternoon. Her last stop resulted in a curious phenomenon; she was seeing highly charged emotional events that took place nearly 100 years earlier. When she looks for a way to solve this mysterious chain of events, Ned, the witness to her first ‘episode’ becomes advisor and tour guide, and soon trusted friend, providing her with ideas, suggestions and a sounding board for her concerns.
I liked Abby, although I was surprised at her lack of response, at least verbal, to Brad’s behavior. When she started to develop her own interests, and was hired at the museum, her self-esteem got a healthy boost, and she was able to see him for what he was, and walk away. I enjoyed the interplay with Ned, bordering on the flirtatious, and his openness to the paranormal experiences despite his need for some sort of proof.
The story unfolded in a logical way, taking time to outline the steps Abby took in her research, and the reader is able to unfold the clues as Abby does, giving a true sense of traveling the path with her. While the ending did seem to arrive quickly and leave some unanswered questions, fans of history and mystery will truly enjoy this story: and it provides a nice insight into the area and historical treasures to be found there.
I received an eBook from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Abby is a recent transplant to this area of New England with her boyfriend, Brad, and rather at loose ends without a job, or familiarity with her location. After tiring of Brad’s incessant badgering, she decided to venture out on one of the many historic house tours to pass her afternoon. Her last stop resulted in a curious phenomenon; she was seeing highly charged emotional events that took place nearly 100 years earlier. When she looks for a way to solve this mysterious chain of events, Ned, the witness to her first ‘episode’ becomes advisor and tour guide, and soon trusted friend, providing her with ideas, suggestions and a sounding board for her concerns.
I liked Abby, although I was surprised at her lack of response, at least verbal, to Brad’s behavior. When she started to develop her own interests, and was hired at the museum, her self-esteem got a healthy boost, and she was able to see him for what he was, and walk away. I enjoyed the interplay with Ned, bordering on the flirtatious, and his openness to the paranormal experiences despite his need for some sort of proof.
The story unfolded in a logical way, taking time to outline the steps Abby took in her research, and the reader is able to unfold the clues as Abby does, giving a true sense of traveling the path with her. While the ending did seem to arrive quickly and leave some unanswered questions, fans of history and mystery will truly enjoy this story: and it provides a nice insight into the area and historical treasures to be found there.
I received an eBook from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
August 28, 2013
OK, not normally a fan of paranormal, but a huge fan of Connolly. This book is great. Abby moves with her hunky boyfriend (picture captain of the college team)to Waltham MA when the bf gets a can't turn it down job. She isn't there long when she starts seeing vignettes - of dead people. Now, they don't talk to her and she can't speak with them, but she sees them and reads their emotions. At the same time the visions start, she meets Ned, a knight in shining armor who helps her cope with what these experiences and more. I don't want to say too much, I don't want to spoil anyone's read, except let me say that there is one scene in a cemetery that is so finely drawn that I can still close my eyes and see what Abby saw. Amazing. The book is satisfying, not at all Halloweenish (although, Halloween happens in the book) and provides a lovely tour of Massachusetts in the fall. A good read.
November 21, 2016
I loved it. A great series.
July 10, 2021
Family history research, museums, & murder, oh my! The first book in this series by Connolly has more of her personal interests on display. Abby comes to Massachusetts & starts seeing the impressions of people long dead & is launched on an exploration of her genealogy. She learns how to find records, research in archives, & trace her family tree, so that was fun to listen to as she works through her ancestors. The paranormal aspect is approached in a normal way, in that she's a normal girl trying to figure out what's going on. There's also some aspects I've come to expect from this author: the heroine is unsure of herself but ultimately learns she's stronger than she thought; she has a douchebag boyfriend/fiance who either ignores her or emotionally blackmails her that needs to be jettisoned ASAP in favor of the unlikely but ultimately sensitive & appropriate new man. The murder aspect comes very late, so this is more a classic mystery with a problem to solve. All in all, fun to listen to while walking & sewing.
January 31, 2021
I'm not sure what Genre this book is billed as. Having read other Connolly books, I was expecting a cozy mystery. It is cozy, but no mystery.
Shy Abigail moves with her Jock Business Boyfriend Brad to Massachusetts from Philly where she was a teacher. She finds it hard to go out and meet people after they move, all the more so because Brad's co-workers/friends make her uncomfortable.
She gets herself to go on a tour of old houses and has a weird psychic thing happen, where she sees something from the past. This causes disorientation and she makes friends with someone who encourages her to investigate the vision.
This is mostly what the book is about - and I have seen reviews complaining about her being a doormat with occasional feminist flashes... She sounds very young to me, and I remember dating someone (decades ago now) who didn't see me as an equal. And for some reason I put up with it for a long time. I see her as being young and foolish when it came to Brad.
It will be interesting to see what the next book in the series is about. I will report back.
But in general, I liked it in a low key sort of way.
Shy Abigail moves with her Jock Business Boyfriend Brad to Massachusetts from Philly where she was a teacher. She finds it hard to go out and meet people after they move, all the more so because Brad's co-workers/friends make her uncomfortable.
She gets herself to go on a tour of old houses and has a weird psychic thing happen, where she sees something from the past. This causes disorientation and she makes friends with someone who encourages her to investigate the vision.
This is mostly what the book is about - and I have seen reviews complaining about her being a doormat with occasional feminist flashes... She sounds very young to me, and I remember dating someone (decades ago now) who didn't see me as an equal. And for some reason I put up with it for a long time. I see her as being young and foolish when it came to Brad.
It will be interesting to see what the next book in the series is about. I will report back.
But in general, I liked it in a low key sort of way.
August 28, 2019
To start this was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a sort of cozy mystery, but that wasn't what I got. It was more about how to look up one's genealogy, with a few ghosts mixed in. Overall I found the book slightly dull. The storyline was different, which is why I finished the book, but the pacing seemed a little off. The main character also came off a bit annoying to me, which made reading hard. The "mystery" I thought would be in the book wasn't there for me. Sadly I cannot recommend this book.
July 31, 2022
I loved this first in the series. Abby moves to New England and while touring a Historic Home sees a scene of people that are long gone. With her new friend Ned they search for answers as to why this is happening.
This was a unique read. The thought of seeing flashes of the past was interesting and kept me curious as to where this would take me. The characters were likable and will definitely continue on with this series.
This was a unique read. The thought of seeing flashes of the past was interesting and kept me curious as to where this would take me. The characters were likable and will definitely continue on with this series.
Read
July 31, 2018I started reading on my August 2018 challenge a little bit early and this book I could not put it down.
Thank you Jennifer for recommending this series to me.
Starting on the next one in the series.
Thank you Jennifer for recommending this series to me.
Starting on the next one in the series.
October 27, 2018
Love it
March 26, 2019
Ok, this was really not what I was expecting. I thought this would be a cozy mystery but it really wasn't and the story was actually very slow moving.
November 25, 2023
Audible
May 19, 2023
3 1/2 stars. This story kept me engaged.
October 7, 2018
For the most part, I liked this one. There wasn't really a mystery, , it was more trying to find out how the main character was connected to the ghosts she is seeing. Not really a solid solution in the end. There is a cute romance that shows up late in the book. I was happy for that outcome, because Abby's first boyfriend was a major douche. I'll probably pick up the next one to see if there is more explanation.
June 7, 2013
Relatively Dead explores the phenomenon called “residual” haunting, imprint haunting, or a combo of the two with a bit of Psychometry thrown in.
Residual hauntings are
{…repeated playbacks of auditory, visual, olfactory, and other sensory phenomena that are attributed to a traumatic event, life-altering event, or a routine event of a person or place, like an echo or a replay of a videotape of past events.}
This would be vs an intelligent haunting where the spirit seems to be intelligently answering questions, maneuvering objects, etc.
I LOVE the paranormal, the supernatural, anything that has to do with spirits, being aware of what is around us that we can’t see, the stuff that science can’t prove. That means this book is right up my ally.
Relatively Dead takes that phenomenon and adds a twist. I enjoyed it. I agree with a couple of Amazon reviews that it really seemed to end quickly and there could have been more (especially when exploring the relationship between Abby and Ned), but it was good. There was quite a bit of time in the book where she was hunting down genealogy info and I found that interesting. I really want to finish our family tree, to know where we come from, but I get past my great-grandparents and I get overwhelmed. I loved it when she unwrapped another little nugget and pieces started flowing together, tying in this and that, and connecting this person with that person.
I also loved reading some more of the history of that area. I’m from the midwest but I have always been in love with New England. I don’t know why, I’ve never been there. I dream of going to Boston and Salem someday. I want to get out and explore and here those stories first hand.
I really didn’t see there being a huge mystery here. I’m assuming that the mystery was finding out what tore her family apart or maybe it was why this was happening to her.
All in all it was a good book that I read in one setting.
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of Relatively Dead for an honest review.
Residual hauntings are
{…repeated playbacks of auditory, visual, olfactory, and other sensory phenomena that are attributed to a traumatic event, life-altering event, or a routine event of a person or place, like an echo or a replay of a videotape of past events.}
This would be vs an intelligent haunting where the spirit seems to be intelligently answering questions, maneuvering objects, etc.
I LOVE the paranormal, the supernatural, anything that has to do with spirits, being aware of what is around us that we can’t see, the stuff that science can’t prove. That means this book is right up my ally.
Relatively Dead takes that phenomenon and adds a twist. I enjoyed it. I agree with a couple of Amazon reviews that it really seemed to end quickly and there could have been more (especially when exploring the relationship between Abby and Ned), but it was good. There was quite a bit of time in the book where she was hunting down genealogy info and I found that interesting. I really want to finish our family tree, to know where we come from, but I get past my great-grandparents and I get overwhelmed. I loved it when she unwrapped another little nugget and pieces started flowing together, tying in this and that, and connecting this person with that person.
I also loved reading some more of the history of that area. I’m from the midwest but I have always been in love with New England. I don’t know why, I’ve never been there. I dream of going to Boston and Salem someday. I want to get out and explore and here those stories first hand.
I really didn’t see there being a huge mystery here. I’m assuming that the mystery was finding out what tore her family apart or maybe it was why this was happening to her.
All in all it was a good book that I read in one setting.
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of Relatively Dead for an honest review.
February 23, 2014
RELATIVELY DEAD by Sheila Connolly
Abby and her boyfriend, Brad, recently moved to Waltham, Massachusettes. Interested in old Victorian houses, Abby takes several tours. She meets Ned, a docent at one of the houses, and he invites her to take a self-guided tour of the place. As she strolls into the front room, she sees a tableau playing before her. A man, a woman and two children are dressed in 1800 clothing and seem to be unaware of her presence. She is stunned – it all looks so real. When she tells Ned of her experience, he directs her to the library to look up the family that built the mansion.
Abby begins to dig for information and she and Ned are soon immersed in the history of the Flagg family. She continues to have visions and even asks her parents about her ancestors. Why are they contacting her? Are they trying to tell her something? As Abby and Brad’s relationship
disintegrates, she gets more and more involved in her job and her ancestors with Ned’s helping hand.
An interesting tale about a woman who stumbles onto her family history, RELATIVELY DEAD is a modern day story with some paranormal activity thrown into the mix. Much of the book is about her relationship with Brad. Early on, it was easy to see where that was going. Ms. Connolly has an easy writing style and good dialogue to keep readers interested. Ned is a mysterious person who doesn’t reveal much of himself until the latter part of the book.
Abby and her boyfriend, Brad, recently moved to Waltham, Massachusettes. Interested in old Victorian houses, Abby takes several tours. She meets Ned, a docent at one of the houses, and he invites her to take a self-guided tour of the place. As she strolls into the front room, she sees a tableau playing before her. A man, a woman and two children are dressed in 1800 clothing and seem to be unaware of her presence. She is stunned – it all looks so real. When she tells Ned of her experience, he directs her to the library to look up the family that built the mansion.
Abby begins to dig for information and she and Ned are soon immersed in the history of the Flagg family. She continues to have visions and even asks her parents about her ancestors. Why are they contacting her? Are they trying to tell her something? As Abby and Brad’s relationship
disintegrates, she gets more and more involved in her job and her ancestors with Ned’s helping hand.
An interesting tale about a woman who stumbles onto her family history, RELATIVELY DEAD is a modern day story with some paranormal activity thrown into the mix. Much of the book is about her relationship with Brad. Early on, it was easy to see where that was going. Ms. Connolly has an easy writing style and good dialogue to keep readers interested. Ned is a mysterious person who doesn’t reveal much of himself until the latter part of the book.
July 11, 2015
I gave this book three stars because it wasn't what I expected from the blurb or the author, and definitely not what I would categorize as a mystery. Unless you consider looking into genealogy a mystery.
The book would be more accurately labeled as paranormal fiction, as the main plot line is about Abby's visions of the past, and her subsequent genealogical research. The book also included some historical information about Massachusetts.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
The book would be more accurately labeled as paranormal fiction, as the main plot line is about Abby's visions of the past, and her subsequent genealogical research. The book also included some historical information about Massachusetts.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
February 5, 2017
This book is deemed as a cozy mystery and while there is a mystery of sorts involved, it’s not really what I see as a cozy because there is no murder or missing person to be found, etc. Not really sure what I really what genre to put it in but cozy.
Abby moves to New England with her boyfriend and some strange things start to happen. She went on a house tour and while she was in this one she started getting strange visions of the past. She about passed out and Ned the guide helps her out and gives her something to drink. She confides in him and he tells her maybe she should investigate her family tree.
Abby does just that and finds out that she is related to these weird visions, she is not sure what to call them because it’s not like there are ghost, more like watching a scene unfold in front of her. It happens at graveyards and each time there is a Reed buried there.
It was an interesting book about solving the mysteries of your past and trying to deal with this new weird thing that happens. I liked Abby and Ned, Abby’s boyfriend was not so cool. I am curious where this series will take me. It’s not really a mystery in the normal sense but not sure what else to call it.
Abby moves to New England with her boyfriend and some strange things start to happen. She went on a house tour and while she was in this one she started getting strange visions of the past. She about passed out and Ned the guide helps her out and gives her something to drink. She confides in him and he tells her maybe she should investigate her family tree.
Abby does just that and finds out that she is related to these weird visions, she is not sure what to call them because it’s not like there are ghost, more like watching a scene unfold in front of her. It happens at graveyards and each time there is a Reed buried there.
It was an interesting book about solving the mysteries of your past and trying to deal with this new weird thing that happens. I liked Abby and Ned, Abby’s boyfriend was not so cool. I am curious where this series will take me. It’s not really a mystery in the normal sense but not sure what else to call it.
August 6, 2013
Abby moved to history-rich Waltham, MA with her boyfriend Brad so he could take a new job. In an effort to get to know the area, Abby went on a tour of some of the historic homes and experienced a paranormal episode. She saw ghosts. She also met Ned who not only was the tour guide for the house, but became her personal guide of the history of the area.
The book is well paced. I enjoyed her characters and laughed out loud at several comments Brad made, especially since Brad wasn’t trying to be funny. The storyline of their relationship was very satisfying but I was disappointed at the mystery aspect. I didn’t feel the facts were there to support Abby’s leap in assuming the motives for the actions played out by the ghosts. In fact, when I realized I was at the end of the story I said, “Huh, that’s it?”
So, I’m not sure what to tell you. I don’t feel the need to warn you off the book, I did enjoy quite a bit of it but I’m also not motivated to holler, “Grab a copy!” I give this a weak 4.
The book is well paced. I enjoyed her characters and laughed out loud at several comments Brad made, especially since Brad wasn’t trying to be funny. The storyline of their relationship was very satisfying but I was disappointed at the mystery aspect. I didn’t feel the facts were there to support Abby’s leap in assuming the motives for the actions played out by the ghosts. In fact, when I realized I was at the end of the story I said, “Huh, that’s it?”
So, I’m not sure what to tell you. I don’t feel the need to warn you off the book, I did enjoy quite a bit of it but I’m also not motivated to holler, “Grab a copy!” I give this a weak 4.
June 10, 2013
Relatively Dead is about Abby who recently moved to Massachusetts where upon her visits to old homes and cemeteries, she finds herself haunted by residual hauntings of the past. Although she is not a psychic, Abby teams up with Ned, a local historian. The two of them work together to figure out why Abby is seeing these hauntings and find out she is relatived to most of the ghosts in some way or another.
Of all Shiela Connelly's novels, I have to say that this one has become a favorite. This book kept me hooked until the very end of the book and even then, I wanted more of it. The storyline was different from all of the other cozy mysteries I have read in the past. It was original and fun. Abby was an enjoyable heroine who found herself in the center of learning that these ghosts were relatives and trying to get her attention of that fact.
I really hope to see more of something like this from Miss Connelly again.
Of all Shiela Connelly's novels, I have to say that this one has become a favorite. This book kept me hooked until the very end of the book and even then, I wanted more of it. The storyline was different from all of the other cozy mysteries I have read in the past. It was original and fun. Abby was an enjoyable heroine who found herself in the center of learning that these ghosts were relatives and trying to get her attention of that fact.
I really hope to see more of something like this from Miss Connelly again.
June 25, 2014
Abby moved to history-rich Waltham, MA with her boyfriend Brad so he could take a new job. In an effort to get to know the area, Abby went on a tour of some of the historic homes and experienced a paranormal episode. She saw ghosts. She also met Ned who not only was the tour guide for the house, but became her personal guide of the history of the area.
The book is well paced. I enjoyed her characters and laughed out loud at several comments Brad made, especially since Brad wasn't trying to be funny. The storyline of their relationship was very satisfying but I was disappointed at the mystery aspect. I didn't feel the facts were there to support Abby's leap in assuming the motives for the actions played out by the ghosts. In fact, when I realized I was at the end of the story I said, "Huh, that's it?"
So, I'm not sure what to tell you. I don't feel the need to warn you off the book, I did enjoy quite a bit of it but I'm also not motivated to holler, "Grab a copy!"
The book is well paced. I enjoyed her characters and laughed out loud at several comments Brad made, especially since Brad wasn't trying to be funny. The storyline of their relationship was very satisfying but I was disappointed at the mystery aspect. I didn't feel the facts were there to support Abby's leap in assuming the motives for the actions played out by the ghosts. In fact, when I realized I was at the end of the story I said, "Huh, that's it?"
So, I'm not sure what to tell you. I don't feel the need to warn you off the book, I did enjoy quite a bit of it but I'm also not motivated to holler, "Grab a copy!"
January 23, 2016
I don't know quite what I expected from this book, but it wasn't what I expected. It was a cute book, and I enjoyed the mystery and the geneaology. But the rest of it was just long periods of WTF? followed by quick bursts of page turning.
Also didn't like the style. It all went like this: Event happens. MC Abby has to rehash everything in her entire life until this moment. Then she has to call Ned to rehash everything in her life up until that moment. Ned takes it all in calmly, tells her to do some insignificant task and then they meet up the next weekend, have another event and do that same damn thing. That was the whole book.
What evs. I finished it. Now going to go read something that doesn't require electric shocks to keep my attention.
Also didn't like the style. It all went like this: Event happens. MC Abby has to rehash everything in her entire life until this moment. Then she has to call Ned to rehash everything in her life up until that moment. Ned takes it all in calmly, tells her to do some insignificant task and then they meet up the next weekend, have another event and do that same damn thing. That was the whole book.
What evs. I finished it. Now going to go read something that doesn't require electric shocks to keep my attention.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews