Having read Steven Ramirez's "Tell Me When I'm Dead" series, I knew he was an excellent writer with a real talent for horror stories. Though I'm not into the horror genre on a large scale, Stephen King is one of my favorite authors, and I would liken this author's writing ability, and his ability to tell and absorbing tale, to King's. He's that good, which is why I was pleased to learn that he had written the first book in a new series.
The premise of the book is not a new concept --Sarah Greene sees ghosts, and she is able to communicate with them. But the author puts a slant on how this plays out in ways I haven’t seen before.
Sarah and her ex-husband, Joe, are partners in a real estate and home-renovation business, and they maintain a closeness that belies the usual behavior of a divorced couple. It’s a believable scenario that enhances the story because Joe knows about Sarah's "gift" and supports her no matter how macabre or unbelievable her communication is with ghosts. The dynamics of their relationship keep the story moving as they work together to follow clues for answers to mysterious questions. Though she is strong and capable, Sarah at times experiences particularly gruesome or dangerous visits from ghosts. She is able to rely on Joe for commiseration and comfort (the kind that humorously keeps her confessing to her priest.)
They have purchased and are renovating what seems to be a haunted property. When Joe and Sarah discover a cloaked mirror in a sealed room, the tale takes a decidedly intriguing and chilling turn. When Sarah looks into the mirror, she sees the ghost of a teenage girl, who lets her know that the suspect in an old, unsolved murder--believed dead--is still alive. Because she is already working with the police on that unsolved murder, she is able to share information she receives so that the truth edges ever closer.
And what a startling revelation that truth is!
The writing is perfectly paced, so that I was engrossed in the story and kept turning the pages. Sarah Greene and Joe Greene are likeable protagonists, as are other supporting characters in their world, and the set-up for the next book in the series is perfect. No dangling, unsolved questions that compel you to buy the next book, only the expectation that another superb story is in the offing.