SKETCH ME IF YOU CAN by Sharon Pape

A PORTRAIT OF CRIME MYSTERY

RELEASE DATE AUGUST 3, 2010

BERKLEY PRIME CRIME

First in a Brand New Series

Rory McCain loved her Uncle Mac so much and is terribly shocked when he dies of an apparent heart attack.  He bequeaths to her everything he has, including a huge Victorian home and his private investigation company.  

Rory works as sketch artist and detective for the police department, and is not allowed to moonlight.  She starts to review her uncle's open cases and contacting the clients to refer them to another agency, but one of the clients begs her to continue with his case.  She agrees but cannot accept any payment so that technically she is not moonlighting.

As she gets settled into her uncle's home and begins going over  her uncle's notes for the case she has agreed to investigate, she finds she is not alone in the big, beautiful Victorian. The house is haunted by the ghost of a federal marshal from the 1870's, Ezekiel "Zeke" Drummond.  A letter from her uncle explains the apparition and tells her the ghost has been very helpful in some of his investigations.  Not quite sure what to believe, she finds the ghost continually sneaking up on her and finds him to be quite stubborn, crotchety,  and sexist.  She doesn't understand how he can help her, but as she gets further and further into the investigation she finds her own life at stake.  She decides she really needs a partner, even if he is ghost, it is better than trying to solve the mystery on her own.  

I am not really into the paranormal genre, but I truly enjoyed this book.  I found myself almost forgetting that Zeke was a ghost.  The story is well thought out and while the current mystery was solved it leaves another than can continue for the rest of the series.  According to the back cover this is the author's first mystery and that is hard to believe. She told the story with just the right element of suspense and intrigue that keeps you turning page after page.  There are bits of humor, how can there not be when living with a ghost?  I look forward to reading more of this spirited series for more delightful mysteries.

To learn more about this author visit her web page at http://www.sharonpape.com/

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Berkley Prime Crime, a division of Penguin Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”