Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

Reviewed by Kristin

Just last month I reviewed Displeasure Island by Alice Bell, being totally unaware that it was the second in the series. I did enjoy it enough to go look to see what else Bell had written, and there it was: Grave Expectations, the book that introduced Claire, her ghostly BFF Sophie, and their new pals Alex and Basher. Well, they weren’t exactly friends at the beginning, but after many misunderstandings and suspicions of murder (going almost every direction) they finally get to the place where they might vacation together, such as taking a trip to Displeasure Island….

Claire has been invited to her college friend Figgy’s family estate to be dinner entertainment. Being a medium who can see ghosts (really!) isn’t always fun, but at least it’s a way to earn a living. Of course, a family member turns up dead.

No, not actually at the séance. (Whew!) But the newly deceased family member contacts Claire before they fully leave this plane of existence to give her a heads up that there is another relatively fresh ghost hovering around the library, and it appears that a member of the family had something to do with that death.

Basher was recently but is no longer a police detective, and uncle to the newly adult Alex, who is a total delight both in their charity shop outfits and the fresh outlook they have on the world. Alex and Basher live away from the ancestral home, to the disappointment of parents and siblings alike. Basher is a little more hesitant to believe that Sophie even exists and that Claire can see ghosts, but Alex is enthusiastically on board.

With this being the first in the series, Claire and Sophie’s characters are developed a little more fully, and I had a few “aha!” moments. In this debut novel, Claire’s formative ghostly experiences are explored more in depth, and her crime solving proclivities explained by her obsession with the television show Murder Profile. Overall, I really enjoyed both books in the series, and look forward to more from Alice Bell.

Displeasure Island by Alice Bell

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Sometimes Claire Hendricks would really just like a moment to herself, but unfortunately that rarely happens. Since her BFF died when they were seventeen, Claire always has Sophie tagging along. Ghost Sophie, that is. They are tethered together with some invisible force, and that can get a little weird when others see her talking to . . . air. And it’s not just Sophie who Claire can see, she can see other ghosts too, including long dead pirates and the like.

Claire and her friends Basher and Alex have a chance to vacation at a new resort on a remote island off the coast of Ireland. They were to be the only guests, but unfortunately the owner was unaware of their booking and brought out a group of her own friends for a reunion. At least Basher and Alex do know about Sophie, but not so the other guests. Everyone tries to get along though.

Until the first dead body drops.

This is a classic locked room murder mystery with all players being fair suspects, but with a wicked edge of modern humor. With possible romance(s) brewing and everyone questioning who they can trust, it’s a fun romp across the desolate shorelines racing to beat incoming tides. With bands of ghost pirates looking to control a secret buried treasure, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Or a limb. Or a life.

Laugh out loud funny (as long as you don’t take your mysteries too seriously) this was an enjoyable read. The cover has a bit of a Scooby Doo vibe for me, with four figures (including one partially transparent) staring across a cove at ghostly figures approaching a crumbling castle. Definitely fluff, but I’d give it four sparkling stars.