The Remains of the Dead: A Ghost Dusters Mystery

What a pleasant surprise this book was! One thing that was refreshing is that it's narrated in the third person. Each of the characters seemed fairly well developed for a new series, with more than enough intriguing glimpses into them to make me impatient for the next installment. The death-scene clean-up work, although graphically told, was still fascinating to me. In short, this seemed like a very "genuine" story, for lack of a better description. And the very last twist, oh my, I did not see that coming! Good stuff. :)

This book was recommended to me by a book store when I was there signing my own books. I bought it, stuck in my tote bag, and forgot about it until I found myself on the plane back to Los Angeles. The Remains of the Dead hooked me on page 1 and before I knew it the plane was landing in LA. Sadie is a wonderfully complex and real character. I found the description of her work fascinating with just enough detail to be informative without being too graphic. I'll definitely pick up the next one.

Wow...this book exceeded my expectations. I began reading because the story is set in Seattle, Washington, although the setting isn't shoved down our throats with details of landmarks. But I found myself really caring about the complex heroine, who's mourning her brother while maintaining a rather gruesome business. She reminds me a little of Sharon McCone, but with a few twists. The supernatural details are handled well -not overdone, not in our faces, but surprisingly plausible. Heroine Sadie gives a realistic "yuk" when she inadvertently touches the dead and she's gotten pretty irreverent about telling it like it is. In some ways, I was briefly reminded of the TV series, Dead Like Me, which I loved. And at the very end (do not peek!) you get a wonderful surprise. It's rare to get a book that combines qualities of The Sixth Sense movie, the Sharon McCone mystery series (early volumes) and more. The plot and pacing are flawless - twists ad turns in just the right places. In a few places, the writing seems a bit awkward, as though the author still learns to move her characters around. But I soon stopped paying attention because the plot held me. And I must say I was surprised at Sadie's choice for a pet - rabbit named Hairy. Gimme a break. Even a cat would be better. But the *worst* part is we have to wait a whole year for the next volume.

I could not put this book down. I was hooked from the first page. Thirty-two year old Sadie Novak, is the owner of Scene-2-Clean, a crime scene cleanup company in Seattle, Washington. I immediately like Sadie. She is smart, has common sense and at times has a great sense of humor. She also shows great compassion when dealing with the grieving next of kin. And then there's this little thing of being able to see and talk to ghosts. Sadie and her lone employee, Zack Bowman, get a call to clean up a crime scene where a murder-suicide of a husband and wife took place. The ghost of Trudy, the wife, appears and insists that her husband did not kill her. Sadie is reluctant to get involved, but soon gets caught up in trying to find out who did kill Trudy and her husband. I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters. Sadie, Zack and Sadie's best friend, Pam, compliment each other well. Sadie and Zack have great chemistry. There is definite potential there. Pam brings a lighter side. She is spunky and upbeat, but not to the point of being annoying. There is also a Medium named Maeva. I laughed out loud at the bickering between her and Sadie. I really hope Maeva shows up in future issues. I wasn't sure what to expect with the talking ghosts, so I was pleased when the author pulled it off very nicely. There was nothing cheesy or cheap about it. The author does an excellent job with detail, so if you have a weak stomach and like to snack while reading, like I do, leave the snacks for another time! There was nothing really surprising about the mystery itself. I pretty much had it figured out by the middle of the book. However, it was an entertaining read getting to the conclusion. There was a surprising twist at the end. Looking back, the author did drop clues about it, but I failed to put two and two together. I am not going to say anything else about it, as I don't want to give anything away. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that I have to wait a whole year for the next book in the series. For those that it matters, this book is written in third person.

Reviewed by Rachael Dimond The Remains of the Dead is the first book in a new mystery series. The story features Sadie Novak, the owner of Scene-2-Clean, a crime scene clean-up company. Sadie runs her small business with the help of an ex cop named Zack. Together they clean up after the deceased so the family doesn't have to deal with such a horrendous task. Sadie has a secret. She can see and talk to the ghosts in the houses she cleans. Usually they have a last wish to be granted or something that needs to be handled. But a lot of the time they just need some answers and to be told that they can let go and move on now. Sadie and Zack's latest case is a murder-suicide of a husband and wife named Grant and Trudy Toth. While cleaning up the crime scene, Sadie meets a man named Kent, who she mistakes for a ghost, wandering around the Toth's house. After realizing Kent is a live person, Sadie wonders who this man is and why he was in the home of the Toth's. Something doesn't seem right to Sadie so she waits for the ghosts to appear and tell her what happened. When Trudy Toth's ghost appears, Sadie assumes she will just tell her who killed her, if not her husband, and then that will be it. But Trudy's ghost can't talk for some reason and just gestures manically for Sadie to understand her. How will Sadie solve this case if she's having trouble communicating with Trudy's ghost? Did Trudy's husband Grant kill her and then himself or is this an elaborate cover up for murder by an outside perpetrator? The Remains of the Dead is an exciting and fun mystery that deserves to be read all in one sitting. Sadie is a loveable character with a dark past and I look forward to learning more about her in the next book in the series. The mystery is tightly plotted and not even the most experienced mystery readers will be able to uncover the answer to this puzzle. Armchair Interview says: This IS a 5-star mystery--and fun, too.