A Haunted Death by Susan Dorsey is the third book in the Jane Brooks Mystery Novels, but even though I haven't read the previous books it was easy to get into the book and make me want to get my hands on its predecessors. Jane and Rodney, the main characters, are likable characters that are on an adventure which will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. With a murderous ghost in tow, A Haunted Death, is a fantastic read for a lazy Sunday afternoon and what makes it better is that the book is well-written and has a real laid-back kind of feel to it.

I'm kicking myself for not reading the previous books though, but as I said, it was still very easy to get into the groove with A Haunted Death, which makes it an excellent introductory novel for new readers. However, the plot is fantastic, and although it sounds slightly more mystery than paranormal in the synopsis of the book, believe me there's a lot of supernatural elements in the book to keep ghost-lovers happy.

A Haunted Death can be compared to something between a Nicci French and Nora Roberts novel, the writing style is a bit more fluid but the plot line certainly leaves you wondering and turning the pages... in other words, it's a good read with a glass of Merlot. What's more is that you won't realize how quickly the time passed (or how the book played mind-games with you) until late at night when you think nothing can touch you. Sure, there wasn't anything exceptionally graphic in the book (this is a paranormal mystery after all, not a horror), but Dorsey definitely knows how to get your psyche to become your own worst enemy.

In short, I enjoyed A Haunted Death and I'd love to read the previous books (A Civil Death and A Discriminating Death), just to see where the whole story started, and to become more familiar with the main characters. Yes, this book was easy to get into and well-written, but I'll always urge readers to start with the first book in a series. Needless to say though, if this sounds like something you'd be interested in reading, get your copy. You won't be disappointed, especially if you like homicidal ghosts and other paranormal mayhem.

(review originally posted on www.tentaclebooks.com) ( )