I received this ARC from Publisher, Purchased for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore Published by Random House Children's Books on May 14th, 2013
Pages: 387
Source: ARC from Publisher, Purchased
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
Daisy Goodnight can speak to the dead. It’s not the result of a head injury or some near-death experience. She was just born that way. And she’s really good at it. Good enough to help the police solve the occasional homicide.
But helping the local authorities clear cold cases is one thing. Being whisked out of chemistry class by the FBI and flown to the scene of a murder/kidnapping in Minnesota? That’s the real deal.
Before the promotion can go to Daisy’s head, she’s up to her neck in trouble. The spirits are talking, and they’re terrified. There’s a real living girl in danger. And when Daisy is kidnapped by a crime boss with no scruples about using magic—and Daisy—to get what he wants, it looks like hers is the next soul on the line.
My Thoughts:
This book is a companion to Texas Gothic (which I LOVED!) I was excited to get back into the world of the Goodnight family. Daisy, the main character in Spirit and Dust is cousins Amy from Texas Gothic. Daisy’s Goodnight gift is a bit different… she can speak to the dead. Add that to her “job” working with the FBI and I was sold!
I know I said it in my review of Texas Gothic but I just love the way Rosemary Clement-Moore blends humor in with the high stakes paranormal elements. Yes, Daisy can speak to the dead and is working with the FBI to track down a murderer/kidnapper… but she’s also sassy and witty and all kinds of smart! It’s a really intense and suspenseful read yet I found myself laughing and smiling throughout. I loved it.
Another aspect that I really loved was the crime syndicate aspect. The kidnapped girl is the daughter of a crime boss. He doesn’t want to play by the cops rules to find his daughter so Daisy finds herself mixed up with some very unsavory characters! But of course, all is not as it seems… I won’t say anymore about that!
Finally, I have to note how much I loved two more things! First, the historical aspect. As Daisy learns more and more about the case she finds connections to a secret society and ancient powers. Plus, she gets to learn more about her Goodnight ancestry. Which brings me to the second aspect, the Goodnight family in general. This is a fierce group of talented women. I loved their connection and all their quirks!
Basically, if you’re looking for great storytelling and an engaging read you need to check out Rosemary Clement-Moore’s books.
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