Of Grave Concern

Ophelia Wylde Paranormal Mystery #1

by Max McCoy

"McCoy is a master of his craft." --Ralph Cotton, USA Today bestselling author

In the Old West, legends die hard--and so do witnesses. But that won't stop psychic-turned-detective Ophelia Wylde from finding fresh graves, digging up clues, and catching wanted criminals--with a little help from the dead. . .

Dead Men Tell No Lies

The Civil War is over, and many a young widow has turned to spiritualism to contact their husbands on "the other side." But Ophelia Wylde won't be fooled twice. After wasting her money on a phoney psychic, she decides if she can't beat 'em, join 'em. She leaves New Orleans and heads West, selling her services as a spiritual medium who speaks to the dead. By the time she reaches Dodge City, business is booming. Except for a handsome but skeptical bounty hunter named Jack Calder, no one suspects Ophelia of running a con game--until an unfortunate "reading" of a girl who's still living exposes her to a townfull of angry customers. As punishment, the mob drags Ophelia to Boot Hill and buries her alive in a fresh grave overnight. That's when the dead start speaking. To her. For real. And for dead people, they've got lots to say. . .

"An entertaining romp with quirky characters that would make Mark Twain proud. McCoy has a gift for capturing the Old West in all its colorful and outrageous glory. I couldn't put this imaginative page-turner down." --Margaret Coel, author of Buffalo Bill's Dead Now

"Tightly drawn characters, a vile villain. . .satisfying. . .a compelling read." --Publisher's Weekly on The Moon Pool

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Historical, Historical Fiction, Cozy

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Max McCoy is an award-winning journalist and author. He’s won awards for his reporting on unsolved murders, serial killers, and hate groups. In addition to his daily newspaper work, Max has written for publications as diverse as American Photographer, True West, and The New Territory. He’s the author of four original Indiana Jones adventures for Lucasfilm/Bantam and the novelization of the epic TNT miniseries, Into the West. His novels, including Damnation Road, have won three Spur awards from the Western Writers of America. His novels, Hellfire Canyon and Of Grave Concern, have also been named Kansas Notable Books by the state library. He's a tenured professor of journalism at Emporia State University, in east central Kansas, where he specializes in investigative reporting and nonfiction narrative. He's also director of the university’s Center for Great Plains Studies. His most recent book is Elevations: A Personal Exploration of the Arkansas River, from the University Press of Kansas.

Reviews

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't initially fond of this book - I felt the beginning dragged and for awhile I didn't really care about the characters or what was going on. THAT all changed with someone being buried alive [funny how that changes things up] and the book just flew from that point and I am looking forward to reading the next two books.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best cozies Ive ever read. Fantastic. The author is very talented in story telling. It hooked me from page one, all the way through. A lot of times in a cozy, I will get a bit bored and might skim a bit, but I couldnt get enough of this one! I love that its unique. A historical cozy. A pet Raven, a strange medium..I totally look forward to more!

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this pretty much by accident, but it was actually pretty decent. More Western procedural than cozy, although it has cozy elements, including a talking crow. It took me a little while to warm to Ophelia but the setting was well drawn and I liked the supporting cast. I've added the other two in the series to my TBR.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining paranormal mystery set in the Old West.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really did not enjoy this book. I thought I would like reading a western for a change, but this was not for me.

Ophelia Wilde is a paranormal who says she talks to spirits. Well, I cannot enjoy reading these paranormal books anymore.

Ophelia also sees dead people, which I cannot understand!

It just was not a book for me, I am sorry.

[Amy Lignor · Rating 4 out of 5]

For any reader who misses those real, rootin-tootin westerns, you will be truly fascinated with this work. The author, who has penned a variety of “Indiana Jones” tales and is an award-winning writer of the western genre, takes this cowboy plot in a brand new direction.

Ophelia Wylde has many gifts; one of which is her ability to talk to the dead. She has been left a widow because of the angry battles in the Civil War, and is now attempting to leave the past behind by heading west.

Leaving New Orleans, Ophelia’s final destination is Colorado, where she has an appointment to give a lecture/demonstration of spiritualism. However, her new life gets put on hold when Ophelia finds herself in Dodge City, arrested and charged with murder.

The arresting officer claims that Ophelia’s real name is Kate Bender, a woman who really is guilty of murder, and throws Ophelia in jail. Managing to find a lawyer, she’s turned loose until she can go before the judge and somehow prove that the officer got it wrong. She needs to clear her name in order to escape the hangman’s noose.

Jack Calder is a bounty hunter and more than a bit skeptical about not only Ophelia’s situation, but also about her supposed psychic gifts. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, he stands by as Ophelia gives a few spiritual shows, provides readings to people who need them, and tries to talk to the dead. The townspeople soon think she might be running a small scam. Becoming an angry mob, they take Ophelia to “Boot Hill” and bury her alive. Only then do the real dead begin to speak…and they have a whole heck of a lot to say.

This is a fun read with characters that fit perfectly in that western genre. But this plot is far more thrilling when the Old West meets the paranormal realm head-on for an unforgettable ride.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The protagonist was prickly in a way that seemed to be meant to be charming but I found unappealing. There were a lot of bits of what looked like foreshadowing that were never resolved or even addressed again. The big showdown with an apparently invincible foe was resolved with a kind of coincidental last minute (during the confrontation) discovery that was never hinted at prior. There were strange decisions about plot points (e.g. Ophelia Wylde loses a piece of herself that apparently causes her to change--which is a strange thing to try to do with a character very early on in her first appearance). All in all, a mildly enjoyable read but any reflection on it just ends up coming back to weird, confusing, or apparently sloppy writing decisions.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this mystery, especially the feisty protagonist, who reminds me of Fremont Jones in the Dianne Day books or Harper Connelly in the Harris series. I liked the mystery part of the plot about the murders as well, although I thought it sort of jumped into the paranormal stuff a little too abruptly at the end. I will probably read the sequels.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Kansas Notable book and a lot of fun! Ophelia Wylde is a great character with a pet raven and she sees ghosts. A nice cozy mystery set in Kansas in the late 1800s. It was neat seeing the mention of Russian Mennonites near Newton. Looking forward to the next book.

[Candi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pretty much only read women authors and never western themes. But I love ghost stories so i gave this a try and I very much enjoyed it

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action in this book goes at a nice steady pace to a spectacular finish! Can't wait for the next instalment! Thank you Max for giving us Ophelia Wylde!

[Karissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in a series by Max McCoy, I found the story both intriguing and disturbing. A most unusual book...would have been four stars but for the rather odd mystical portion that happened in La Ciudad Perdida.

Widow Ophelia Wylde is a spiritualist who speaks with the dead (both literally and in grand performances), dresses in men's clothing, and is fiercely independent. After the death of her husband in Spottsylvania, she threw herself into learning how to commune with spirits and has since been performing "feats of psychic phenomena" for people she feels deserve to be swindled. After a close call in Ohio, she heads west to Dodge City: the edge of the world. As the train rolls into the station, she sees a dead girl on the meridian marker. Not knowing if the dead girl is actually there or she is witnessing a ghost, she gets off the train to find out and is arrested for being the murderess Kate Bender. Now jailed, presumed a killer, and without funds Ophelia must use every trick and talent to get out of her predicament. Finding a lawyer who is willing to get her released on her own recognizance, she holds a performance at the local opera house to gain funding and is plunged into the story of the murdered girl on the marker, helping locals reconnect with loved ones, and tangling with the local bounty hunter Jack Caulder. As she edges ever closer to her court date, and solving the murder of the girl on the meridian marker, things take a wild and supernatural turn.

A historical cozy murder mystery with a paranormal bend, this is ultimately the journey of a woman finding herself and her purpose. I can tell it was the author's first novel as some things were pure set up for future stories, but the twists and turns of the girl on the meridian marker's murder and our lead having to defend her identity that she is not Kate Bender made for captivating reading. Being set in the mid to late 1800's in the wild west of newly settled America added a layer of interest plus I learned information about a period with which I was only vaguely acquainted. I am curious as to where Mr. McCoy will take Ophelia next.

[Jeanette C. Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to give this a 4-star but decided that wasn't fair because it would only be because I don't particularly like westerns. Not the author's fault I didn't pay attention when borrowing the book! It's set in Dodge City, the Wild West after the Civil War. Ophelia Wylde, after being widowed by the war, is making her way in life in any way she can. And that way is mainly as performing as a medium, holding seances and speaking to the dead. What attendees don't know is that Ophelia does see and speak to the dead. An action filled story including a tension filled scene at Boot Hill. Amusing even though not my usual kind of read.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ophelia Wylde arrives in Dodge City. She is
arrested and thrown in jail. She is mistaken
for the mass murderer, Kate Bender.
Ophelia is a widow. Her husband was killed
during the Civil War. She has become a
spiritualist. She is going to Colorado as she
flees an unhappy client. Now she has to
prove her innocence and her identity.
A myriad of Wild West characters that will
keep the reader entertained while she
forges ahead to freedom.
Come alone with a Wild West Woman
Spiritualist in her adventurous quest for
independence.

[Margene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book club I belong to has been reading books written by Kansas authors. Max McCoy was born in Kansas and received his education from both Pittsburg and Emporia State. He has written several western books and this one, the first in paranormal mystery series.
The heroine is a tough-talking, cigar-smoking woman who wears men's clothing in the Wild West town of Dodge City during the 1870's, and travels with a talking raven. It was a fun read. Recommended for those who enjoy supernatural fare and/or a western setting.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written, easy read that doesn't suffer from the wordiness of other historical novels. I warmed up to the characters by the middle of the book, and I found the portrayal of spiritualism especially interesting. I think my only complaint is that the ending was a bit too un-subtle for me - I prefer for ghosts to only be hinted at, I think it makes them spookier - but I'm still looking forward to the sequel.

[Chris Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max McCoy has a wonderful writing style. The characters are inventive and interesting in the whole Ophelia Wylde series, so I've enjoyed every one of them. They are sprinkled with some wonderful historical facts about the gold rush area and Western United States expansion. Word of caution though -- the paranormal aspect gets very and dark and strange at times.

[Catie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am having a hard time trying to articulate why I didn't finish this book. At moments I was drawn into the story but then the story would veer off into what felt like rambling. I am currently at Chapter 12 about 30% through the book and I still don't completely understand where the book is headed and am not willing to devote more time to finding out.

[Heather Learie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This goes well beyond a cozy read for me. This book surprised me a lot and I’m so sad to discover that there’s only three book in the series!!!!! 🥲
I will agree with some other reviews that the beginning did drag a little but there was a lot to set up for so it makes sense. Can’t wait to read the rest!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dodge city setting is really compelling, and the mystery unusual -- for once, no one is looking into the murder of anyone they know, and in fact, the murder that does present itself in the beginning of the book isn't actually the central storyline. Very unusual cozy!

[Debby Stassek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the combination of cozy paranormal western with an added dash of "food for thought" and couple of great little plot twists. It's a quick read, written in the first person but nicely sets up the series.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting First in a Series

Ophelia Wilde is an unusual protagonist who has the ability to speak with the dead. She is also a con artist set in the time that the Wild West was truly wild. Her powers allow her to help solve murders, defy demons and solve mysteries. A fun read.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This started a little slow, but quickly oicked up. Interesting characters and good writing. Looking forward to more.

[Georgie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read

[DJ Arthur]

This was a fun old west supernatural tale. I munched through it in no time! I must look for more by this author.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. Nothing really great about it.

[Russ Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I'm going to have to get the rest of the series.

[HappyGay Bakunzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely awful!!! Not a cozy at all.

[Kimberlee · Rating 1 out of 5]

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