The Ghost Detective Review

Stay Thirsty Media, Inc, June 11, 2010
Kindle, approximately 340 pages
Ordering Information:
Amazon.com

In the closing months of the 20th century, James McParland arrives in Boston to seek redemption. One hundred years earlier, he had joined The Pinkerton Agency and had quickly become its top detective—a man so feared by his opponents that they often committed suicide rather than fall into his hands.

Although dead for more than eighty years, McParland’s reputation as “The Great Detective” preceded him as he reappears determined to earn eternal peace by helping the souls of those he tormented in life whose ghosts still walk among the living.

Thomas Lowenstein took his passion for turning a wrong in to a right and translated it into his debut novel, The Ghost Detective. I see a lot of promise in this writer. The novel skips around between POVs and time periods, but not so much the reader gets confused or lost. The characters were drawn out. The premise is rather interesting. A long dead detective uses his investigative skills to help lost souls finish their unfinished business so they can move on from purgatory. The novel itself is rather well written.

However, the descriptions tended to drown the story in certain places. On occasion, the dialogue was a bit stiff. Tags were used when not needed. No breaks to indicate POV shifts in mid-chapter. Character's thoughts don't stand out among other sentences. I think each has a way of taking away from the story, but I believe this author has a good career ahead of him.

I would recommend this book, even more so since 50 cents from the sale of every digital copy of The Ghost Detective, payable by the author and the publisher, goes to the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the release of those wrongly imprisoned for a crime they did not commit.

Comments

Jessica Penot said…
First of all, I love that you review books from smaller presses! That is so wonderful. Second, this book sounds interesting so thanks for the recommendation. I'll put it on my Amazon list.
1:34 PM
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