Deborah Grabien, Cruel Sister

Cruel Sister

Deborah Grabien

Dunne, Nov 2006, $24.95

ISBN: 0312357575

In Somerset, period piece architectural expert Ringan Laine discusses with his girlfriend Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, the wedding they just attended when her cell phone rings. It is her brother Stephen, who vanished two decades ago in Asia but now lives in London married to someone named Tamsin; he cuts off his stunned sibling demanding to speak with Ringan. Stephen asks Ringan to evaluate their plans to restore a Tudor home just across the Thames from one of the historical palaces of Henry VIII.

Always excited to work on a restoration project and besides this is his squeeze's long lost brother, he agrees. However, on site, Ringan begins seeing unexplained happenings especially near the crater where a WWII bomb exploded killing a soldier. He observes a girl in a sixteenth century garb begging he assumes him for a haven from those with hounds chasing her while Penny is performing in Italy. If he fails to put the ghost that has assaulted his senses to rest in eternal peace, Ringan will be possessed.

This supernatural mystery switches the possible possession from Penny to Ringan as a five hundred year old ghost demands he obtain satisfaction for her or she will haunt him forever. Ringan has no earthly idea how to proceed which adds to the fun as he fumbles before seeking help at Oxford and from Penny. Though the fascinating historical references and Oxford ground the tale in the mortal realm, the ghost steals the show in Deborah Grabien's fine fourth "Haunted Ballad" paranormal whodunit (see The Famous Flower Of Serving Men and Matty Groves).

Harriet Klausner