An Inquiry into Love and Death
A young woman searches for the truth behind her uncle’s mysterious death in a town haunted by a restless ghost in this gripping novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases.
Oxford student Jillian Leigh works day and night to keep up with her studies—so to leave at the beginning of the term is next to impossible. But after her uncle Toby, a renowned ghost hunter, is killed in a fall off a cliff, she must drive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings.
Almost immediately, unsettling incidents—a book left in a cold stove, a gate swinging open on its own—escalate into terrifying events that convince Jillian an angry spirit is trying to enter the house. Is it Walking John, the two-hundred-year-old ghost who haunts Blood Moon Bay? And who beside the ghost is roaming the local woods at night? If Toby uncovered something sinister, was his death no accident?
The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken, a former RAF pilot with mysteries of his own, leaves Jillian with more questions than answers—and with the added complication of a powerful, mutual attraction. Even as she suspects someone will do anything to hide the truth, she begins to discover spine-chilling secrets that lie deep within Rothewell…and at the very heart of who she is.
Oxford student Jillian Leigh works day and night to keep up with her studies—so to leave at the beginning of the term is next to impossible. But after her uncle Toby, a renowned ghost hunter, is killed in a fall off a cliff, she must drive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings.
Almost immediately, unsettling incidents—a book left in a cold stove, a gate swinging open on its own—escalate into terrifying events that convince Jillian an angry spirit is trying to enter the house. Is it Walking John, the two-hundred-year-old ghost who haunts Blood Moon Bay? And who beside the ghost is roaming the local woods at night? If Toby uncovered something sinister, was his death no accident?
The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken, a former RAF pilot with mysteries of his own, leaves Jillian with more questions than answers—and with the added complication of a powerful, mutual attraction. Even as she suspects someone will do anything to hide the truth, she begins to discover spine-chilling secrets that lie deep within Rothewell…and at the very heart of who she is.
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Community Reviews
This book is exactly what you would expect from Simone St. James. Her books always delve into the past, with mysterious and strange occurrences. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the well-developed lead character that I could easily relate to.
After her uncle Toby dies, Jillian goes to his seaside village to pack up his belongings. She soon realizes a ghost is trying to enter the house. With the help of Inspector Drew Merriken, she uncovers sinister secrets and a mutual attraction.
Overall, this was a captivating and secluded story that I highly recommend. The twists and turns kept me engaged, and the unexpected ending left me pleasantly surprised.
This was another quick read by Simone St. James, but I found I didn't like it quite as much as some of her others. It was quite a bit more predictable than I was hoping for. Plus I don't like books where the hero or heroine is described as being incredibly good looking. This book felt like a young adult romance where the girl feels that she is ugly, but suddenly the best looking boy in school notices her, and her life will never be the same. Where is the character development, the depth of feeling and emotion here? It was noticeably absent.
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