Friday, November 7, 2014

Ghost Wanted

Title: Ghost Wanted
Author: Carolyn Hart
Published: Published October 7th 2014 by Berkley Hardcover
Format: ebook, Hardcover, 304 pages
Genre: Mystery
Series: Bailey Ruth #5

I know, for a person that complains as much as I do about this series I should not be continuing, but yet I do. I think it is the underlying ghost thing that keeps me coming back.

One of my pet peeves this go around is that I just wish that Carolyn Hart would either use her thesaurus more or less. Still up in the air on that one. One chapter she is using SAT level words and the next she is duplicating the same words in a single paragraph. My favorite was when she used the work “intruder” three times in one paragraph that consisted of five sentences. It is enough to make you wonder if multiple personalities are writing the same book. That might be a little harsh, but there is a lack of consistency in the writing.

There is an immaturity to the Baily Ruth character. Being a Heavenly emissary, too obsessed with her appearance, on earth to help Michelle Hoyt overcome a theft charge and to get to the bottom of roses being placed around a college campus that was once the doing of a local spirit but now there seems to be far more going on. Or at least there should have been since that part of the story was kind of left dangling.

If you did not know that Baily Ruth is a redhead, do not worry, she will tell you several more times that she is. She will describe in detail her wardrobe and fingernail polish. The plot will be rehashed every other chapter and if you missed it, she will repeatedly explain who each character is.

As the investigation continues on in regards to Susannah Fairlee being found dead in her back yard and Ben, the custodian, being shot when he came upon a black clad assailant, Bailey Ruth with the help of Lorraine Marlow (Goddard Library’s resident ghost and original rose lady) set out to exonerate Michelle Hoyt before the Police Chief comes back to town and declares Susannah’s death an accident and charges Michelle with the library break in and theft.

Slight mention is given to previous books, but it is not necessary to have read them prior to this volume. Each, though associated, is an independent book that rehashes repeatedly who and what Bailey Ruth and Wiggins are.

Overly descriptive and not in a good way, half of this book could be redlined and the story would not lose any of the main substance. It is not until 2/3’s of the way through the book before the real meat of the story takes place. Unfortunately, this is too little too late.

There is a whole lot of silliness in this book and I am truly wondering why I finished, but when I came across one of Carolyn Hart’s characters saying “I fail to see how this material is helpful”, I knew that I was not alone in thinking that this book had gone off the rails.

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