Ghost of a Chance

Nightshade #2

by Kerry Blair

Mystery

Genres: Lds Fiction, Mystery, Lds, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Audiobook

285 pages

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Kerry Blair is a successful mystery author who weaves infectious humor throughout her work.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish this book. I wanted so badly to finish it, but I got 30 pages in and wanted to burn it each time I picked it up, so I decided it wasn’t worth my time and gave up on it. Here is my review of the first 30+ pages of this book. I have no feelings about the actual plot or storyline, as I couldn’t get past the bad writing to get that far into the book.

My problem with this book started with the first page when I realized she’s using second person point of view (meaning the main character/narrator is speaking directly to me, the reader). I found this incredibly detracting from the story. “Breaking the fourth wall” can be funny sometimes, but when the narrator speaks to me on every page I just start to feel like an awkward observer, instead of being immersed in the story and the mind of the narrator.

My second and more pressing issue is the blatant overuse of parentheses. In these first few chapters, there were at least 1-2 on EVERY PAGE. I will refer to an article from the MLA website which validated my frustration:

“As strong punctuation marks, parentheses tend to slow down the experience of reading prose. They also momentarily take the reader outside the main point and grammatical coherence of the sentence. For these reasons, a text that relies heavily on parentheses can feel like a path filled with distractions that shift the reader off course.”

I did indeed find myself extremely distracted while reading this. Most of the parenthetical notes could either become their own sentence, or be omitted entirely. I need the author to have a little more trust in my reading skills, instead of spoon feeding me extra tidbits that I’ve already inferred.

I hate giving bad reviews, I hate not finishing books, but I also hate forcing myself to read a book that makes me progressively more angry with each paragraph. I apologize to the author, but I guess it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

HALLELUJAH! A Mormon-written book that didn't require multiple bottles of aspirin to finish!

Truly, there is cause to rejoice.

Ghost of a Chance is not great literature. It is fun literature. Predictably quirky heroine, predictably perfect hero, but a surprisingly scary climax and genuinely unique details. (why the little brother wears a Darth Vader suit, for example.) The ditzy manhunting gorgeous cousin was satisfying, too, since in most Mormon books she'd have been the star, not the comic relief.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the only LDS mystery/romance novel I will ever admit to enjoying (except the sequel - and why hasn't she written more already)! The characters are quirky, and funny. The plot is fun, the allusions to so many things that a geek girl like me loves kept me happy as I enjoyed this adventure.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kerry Blair is an author whose creations are a joy to read! This book made me laugh out loud more than once. It is a fast paced read and hard to put down. This is the second book in a series titled "A Nightshade Mystery". Nightshade is the name of a detective agency located in Phoenix, AZ. Samantha Shade is a powdered donut-addicted rookie detective for her uncle's private investigation service. Sam is called into investigate the possibility that a ghost is haunting the crumbling San Rafael Mission. Soon she gets side-tracked by a series of murders occurring within the boundaries of the mission. This brings her into contact with a Rhodes scholar educated police detective, who, in addition to being extremely intelligent, is also extremely attractive. As Sam endeavors to discover the real meaning of events at the mission she finds herself encountering an ex-boyfriend who, for a time, appears to have some suspicious ties to the events at the mission. This is LDS fiction and both Samantha and many of her cohorts are LDS. Therefore, there are references made to events and circumstances that are unique to the LDS culture. Really did enjoy this one.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! I love her sense of style! Kept me laughing!

[Ryviera Shayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh!! I can't say enough good about this book! I LOVE Kerry's style and her humor keeps me in stitches! Cliché, I know, but true none-the-less! This is my new favorite book and I can't wait to read the prequel AND the sequel! Kerry's book just have it all! Fun, romance, murder, mystery, love, wit, and SO MUCH MORE! Well? What are you waiting for? Get off your duff and go get it! NOW!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty silly story, but the mystery was clever. The main character was so clueless most of the time, and the other characters not much better much of the time. But at least it was a quick audiobook, and not really that terrible.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery itself was good and that is what kept me going, but the side notes from the main character were annoying. And I have yet to have a good LDS story involve the religion and the story that was cheesy and better without the specifics.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this author another chance - same MO - ditzy - airhead - non-confident girl character that makes you shake your head. The story was interesting but again, 3/4 of the way through I finally felt engaged in the story and the mystery and made it worth finishing.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun sequel to her first nightshade mystery. I needed a little more closure in this book, or a third one.

[Hanni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author took to long to get to the main part if the book. When she finally did it was over in 3 chapters, but took 31 to get to get there. The side notes were a bit much as well.

[Kendalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite all the cheese, I read the first book when I was twelve and fell in love with the characters so it was nice to return to them.

[Happy Reading Watching]

It was okay, not favorite, but it passed the time at work :)

[Nathalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tend to avoid reading LDS fiction because I don't like it. Why? I ask myself--I should like it but it's often mixed with dumb romance which I don't like as a genre. Plus the ones that I've tried to read were just not very good. So I picked Kerry Blair's "Ghost of a chance" without realizing it was the dreaded LDS fiction EXCEPT that it was actually in the mystery category. Although a few of the characters are LDS, they don't keep throwing it at you. It does mention the singles' ward or Young Women but it doesn't overdo it. Also this is not set up in Utah but in Arizona. Samantha (Sam) Shade works at the Nightshade Detective Agency and is trying to figure out what is going on at the San Rafael Mission, home of Father Rodriguez's impoverished hispanic flock. I liked Sam's self-deprecating style---she loves to eat, is quite funny and looking for Mr. Right, which of course turns out to be the hunky police detective (who happens to be LDS of course). Her airhead cousin, Kaya, who was also pretty funny, is trying to improve her vocabulary but doesn't quite know how to use those big words, leading to some funny misunderstanding. The m.o. of the murders were a bit stomach churning, which surprised me coming from this book. I must admit skipping ahead on the 3rd of 4 cds to get to the end. It got bogged down in the middle but I still wanted to know what happened in the end. I also enjoyed the reader who was Joanne Frechette who is married to Steven Kapp Perry. I will listen to another if I can't find anything else.

[Cydni Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up the audiobook version at the public library for a car trip, and to be honest, if I had looked at it carefully enough to know it was LDS fiction, I would have put it back. I'm still unfairly biased by the genre, but the truth it that this story was exactly what I was looking for when I checked it out -- a silly romp that's meant to be funny rather than hard-hitting, because I like crime fiction but my husband prefers comedies. I'm a little torn about it. I liked the fact that the main character was more of a real person than a Bones-like supergenius, but I felt exasperated when she fainted at the sight of a dead body. The situation she gets into by the end of the book is truly frightening, but the resolution smacks of Deus ex Machina. And despite my years of training from watching Scooby Doo, I felt bitterly disappointed that there wasn't actually a ghost. But in the end I realized that this book isn't meant to be great literature, it's only supposed to be entertaining. It did, in fact, entertain both me and my husband during a long car ride, and so it has fulfilled the measure of its creation. I give it four stars for being entertaining, and I took one star off for being a ghost story with no ghost.

[Sariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute mystery. LDS fiction. I borrowed it to read on vacation, and it made for a good vacation read. I found the main character funny and engaging. The book wrapped up a little too neatly, but I still liked it. I liked the references to Arizona (it is set in Phoenix) and to Dia de los Muertes. I've always found that to be a fascinating celebration! One cool side note... it mentioned that Thomas Edison was interested in paranormal communication, and at first I thought it was one of those things the author stuck in there to go with the story. But 2 nights ago I saw something on "History Detectives" on PBS that addressed Edison's interest in the paranormal and that he was very interested in finding a scientific way of communicating with spirits. That teaches me to assume things!! :)

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 had 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.

[Jordan McCollum · Rating 4 out of 5]

The protagonist, Samantha Shade, is absolutely hilarious--she's witty, funny and as devoted to parentheticals as I am. The book would not have been the same without it. When it comes down to it, whether you relate to that voice will determine whether you like the book.

This book also gets genuinely creepy, yet it's still very funny and very light. A lot of it is over the top, but it's played for humor and it works. A very fun read!

My full review: http://jordanmccollum.com/2009/05/gho...

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Shade has always wanted to be a Super Hero. Her job as interim head of Nightshade Investigation is as close as she'll probably get to reaching that dream, if she can just solve her current case and avoid being the next Marigold Murderer victim.

Kerry Blair's story is hilarious and suspenseful. There is mystery and romance. At least, Samantha is really hoping for a romance with Thom-her interior dialogue about that situation is so funny.

I'm sad that this is the last book written in the series. I would love to read more Nightshade Mysteries.

[Sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed something to listen to while driving to Colorado with my family. My young teenage children really enjoyed the story. I thought it was fine. I laughed a few times and enjoyed the humor. To be honest, I feel asleep a few time while listening. (my husband was driving. :) What I enjoyed the most was the person reading the book. She was fantastic. I wouldn't mind reading another book by Kerry Blair, but I'm not sure I'll be searching for more of her books. However my daughters probably will. It was cute and fun.

[Thebarrys10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kerry Blair has so much personality in her writing that I really enjoyed this book. I am going to find more by her. The book has a little of everything-romance, mystery, humor and it's a page turner! If you are looking for a no-brainer-just an escape then you might consider this one. Besides there is nothing to offend here. Let me know if you figure out then ending before you get there. It was a surprise to me!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

great suspence book that keeps you guessing till the end. Sam is a PI who is still learning the ropes and has gotten herself into hard spots just because she acts first and then thinks later. Her uncle is out of town and she is in charge of the Nightshade PI company. There is a serial killer " the marigold killer" on the loose and now there is a missing corpse too. she is working with a police detective named Thom and she has more interest in him than just his knowledge of the case.

[Danni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost don't know what this book was about. The main character was always spouting one liners. Most of the time to herself. I was so very funny. I was laughing so hard. I loved the book though. It was a perfect Halloween book and a good relief to a very stressful week. I will be reading more from this author.

[Buffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Shade is at it again. She has to solve the mystery of a haunted old church. This was slow at times as well as the first book, but the humor held me when the story line couldn't. I like the characters.

[Marilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows "Mummy's the word," though you don't necessarily have to read them in that order to enjoy them. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the the first Samantha Shade mystery, but it was still fun and very difficult to put down.

[Rebecca Talley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the humor in this book. Samantha Shade is such a loveable character and her attitude is so funny. I laughed throughout the book.

I also enjoyed the mystery and didn't expect the outcome.

Definitely a fun read.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clean escapism. I found this story line more compelling than the first one. But sometimes the author get a little too casual and cheesy with the main character's voice.

This book had a lot more references to LDS themes than the first one did.

[Connie Dickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kerry Blair books..very entertaining,, a lot of word play, and a great mystery. If it is a "Nightshade Mystery", they all have the same characters in each book. My husband likes to read these after I get finished.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun Kerry Blair tale. I liked this one the best. The first was funnier but this was more suspenseful. They are not the best books I've read but they are definately fun. They ARE the best of the LDS books. Try it, you'll like it.