Friday, October 8, 2010

If Walls Could Talk-Juliet Blackwell

If Walls Could Talk
Juliet Blackwell
Obsidian, Dec 7 2010, $6.99
ISBN: 9780451231819

Since her mother died, Melanie Turner took over her depressed father’s San Francisco Bay construction business; specializing in restoration of historical homes as her dad could no longer run the firm. Matt Addax hires Mel to restore a run-down mansion so he and his partner can flip it for a nice profit. After an all night party, Mel enters the house to see Matt’s partner Kenneth dripping in blood.

He was shot with a nail gun and someone cut off his hand with a motor saw. There is blood all over him and he dies shortly after arriving at the hospital. He told the nurses before he died that Matt didn’t kill him, but he also said it was Matt’s fault. Matt goes to jail leaving Mel to complete the renovations. She sees the ghost of Kenneth and he informs her he doesn’t remember the time prior to his murder. Someone believes Mel found buried jewels and her house, car and storage room are ransacked. Someone is looking for them. To get rid of the ghost and to keep her family, friends and employees safe, Mel investigates only to be in the same perilous situation that Kenneth faced before he was killed.

This is the start of a new paranormal amateur sleuth series filled with ghosts, unknown villains, a great heroine, and a man who warned her not marry her ex husband. Mel has “insider” information from the other side. Mel does not trusting the cops who have focused on Matt only so she risks her life to investigate. With a nod to the Ghost Whisperer in a murder mystery setting, Juliet Blackwell provides a fun entertaining opening act.

Harriet Klausner

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