Book Review: Ghost of a Chance

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Ghost of a Chance     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Yasmine Galenorn
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fantasy   Paranormal
Series: Chintz 'n China # 1
Berkley, August 2003, $5.99, 272 pp.

After her husband left her for a young bimbo, Emerald O’Brien and her two children left Seattle and moved to Chiqetaw where she opened up the Chintz ‘n China Tea Room, a store that sells fine china and other objects pertaining to tea. To bring in additional income she reads the tarot cards and is known to the townsfolk as the resident witch. Emerald knew from an early age that she had the Gift, seeing spirits and casting spells.

One night she is woken up to see a ghost hovering over her bed. Using automatic writing, the spirit says she is Susan Mitchell and that her husband killed her. The next day Em sees a picture of Susan in the paper stating she died in an accident and her spouse has an airtight alibi and doesn’t inherit a dime of her considerable wealth so he has no motive. Em risks her life to fighting an evil spirit that followed Susan into the material plane and finding her killer so the woman can travel to the next plane.

This paranormal mystery has enough romance in it to keep readers of three genres very happy. The spirits are the kind portrayed in the movie "The Sixth Sense", the good, the good and the evil, all who have to pass on to the next plane of existence with the heroine’s help. The audience will adore Emerald, a bright, shining and caring soul who wants to do right by everybody and use her powers to make the world a better place. Yasmine Galenorn is a bright new star in the mystery horizon.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner