I don't usually read paranormal books. I like Sci-Fi sometimes, but for some reason I can't get beyond the suspension of disbelief necessary to enjoy paranormal stories. There are a few authors
that I read anyway. With some, the development of characters and the way they write about ghosts or psi powers is straightforward , so I don't spend my time saying, "Oh, come ON!"
Two authors I like are Nora Roberts and Kay Hooper. And now, Karen Robards. I have been reading her novels for years and she is an excellent author. She writes mysteries with a bit of romance. I like romance novels, but the characters have to be doing something other than falling in love. Throw in a dead body or some hostage rescuing and I'm in.
The Last Kiss Goodbye is the second in a series. The protagonist is Charlotte Stone. As a child she was in the home of a friend when the whole family was murdered. She hid and was spared, but survivor's guilt has driven her to become a psychologist and study the criminal minds of serial killers.
On top of this, she sees dead people. I know, I KNOW. I started to put the book down about ten times and said, "I'll give it a few more pages."
In the first book, The Last Victim, she meets a living FBI agent to whom she is attracted. One of the serial killers she is studying gets killed and now his ghost follows her around. The two men vie over her affections, although the living guy has no clue about the dead guy. She wants to want a relationship with the live guy, but the dead guy following her around interferes with that. She finds herself falling for the dead guy/serial murderer. Of course he is built and handsome. A BIG suspension of disbelief.
On the good side, you and I both know that the evil ghost following her is really innocent and it will be proven in subsequent books. He can communicate with the recently dead that she sees, particularly ones just murdered by the most recent killer they are chasing, so he helps her in her official capacity as an consultant to the FBI/living guy.
IF you can get past the part where she turns down a living guy to have a flirtatious/romantic relationship with a dead serial killer, who can SOMETIMES pop into a flesh and blood person, you will find the mystery fast paced. Even with all the plot points I had issues with, I still liked the book. It kept me reading, when I wanted to stop and I may even read the next one.
Does he stay a ghost forever, is this the modern Ghost and Mrs. Muir? Or can he pop into life and stay there? Why are there so many serial murderers and what attracts us to these horrible unknowable questions? Why did we like Dexter and want him to get away with murder?
Heck. Don't ask me. Haven't a clue. I liked the book, though.
I read Vanished and Ghost Moon by Robard. I can't remember either of the books, though, just from the title.
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