In The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Cleo Coyle, Penelope Thornton-McClure, recently widowed when her husband jumped from their building, has returned to her hometown of Quindecot, Rhode Island to help her Aunt Sadie try to save the family bookstore, which they rename Buy the Book. Pen, as she is known, is thrilled to get famous author Timothy Brennan to come to their bookstore on his tour to promote his newest book, Shield of Justice, featuring Detective Jack Shield, based upon 1940s detective Jack Shepard, who disappeared 50 years earlier. As the abrasive, selfish author wreaks havoc in the store getting things set up in his own style, Pen starts to hear a voice heckle Brennan. But no one else hears the voice. This is because she is hearing Jack Shepherd, long- dead and last seen at the family bookstore.
Then during the author reading, Brennan takes a drink of water handed in a bottle to him by Pen. But upon drinking the water, Brennan starts to choke and soon dies. After being served hard liquor by her aunt to help her deal with the shock, Pen ends up drunk and having a shocking conversation with the dead Jack Shepherd, who can hear her thoughts and transmit his own thoughts to her, for the first time ever. However, he cannot leave the property where he was murdered, so as the case progresses and it becomes evident that the police suspect Pen of what they have come to realize was a murder, Jack gives her advice to do her own investigation. Together, they combine their gifts to solve the murder.
I have to confess that I started The Ghost and Mrs. McClure with only medium- level expectations, not having been deeply impressed by another book by the same author and not always liking paranormal mysteries. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how much I enjoyed this one. The plot had some creative points, and I liked the angle that Pen knows details about the case that she has learned from Jack, meaning that she can’t tell anyone about these clues. Thus, she has to find other ways to learn the same information.
I found myself connecting with the characters in this book, though Jack’s constant slang from the 40s eventually gets annoying, especially since he tends to repeat the same terms the whole time. I also appreciated the way mystery novels changed Pen’s grieving and sullen son, Spencer into a boy more eager about learning and his mother’s business at the bookstore.
Caroline Shaffer performs the chapters narrated by Pen, while Traber Burns performs the chapters written in 3rd person about the experiences of Jack. It feels a little strange and disjointed to use the two different narrators, whose voices don’t mesh well together. Individually, each does a good job, but I thought they didn’t fir well together.
I had a good time listening to The Ghost and Mrs. McClure. I appreciated the fun details found throughout this book and which kept me listening avidly. I definitely intend to listen to the next book in the series. I give this book five stars.
To purchase this book for yourself, click here on Amazon.
