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C.J. Thomas wishes she had never heard of Budge Dirkwood. It's not the fact that she stumbled over his dead body when she went to meet him for the first time, and it's not the fact that the victim's obnoxious rich cousin seems intent on having her arrested for the murder. It's not even the fact that the victim was a somewhat flaky pawnbroker who dabbled in the I Ching and believed in all the paranormal phenomena that C.J.'s rational mind automatically rejects. No, the problem is that the ghost of the victim won't leave her alone. C.J. can't explain it, and isn't quite sure she believes it, but the ghost of Budge Dirkwood has popped into her life, and it seems the only way she can get rid of him is to help him solve his murder. With his help, she investigates all the possible suspects ranging from teen-aged gang members to the rich and powerful members of Highland Park society, checking out some wife beaters and Elvis impersonators in between. Will she find the killer and succeed in getting this ghost out of her life? Or will she be stuck with the ghost of a pawnbroker for the rest of her life?
Lorene Robbins is the pseudonym for a husband and wife writing team. They live the DFW Metroplex, with assorted animals. Their two adult daughters live nearby. Determined skeptics, they do not believe in ghosts, goblins or things that go bump in the night.
Lorene Robbin's Myspace page
"The Dead Detective is a touching, heartwarming, and ironically humorous mystery in which the deceased victim acts as his own detective. That must be a new spin in paranormal mysteries! This one reminds me with pleasure of the film noir and mystery noir of the 194O's and 1950's but without the despair that often hung over movies and books in that genre. Few readers will resist the appeal of The Dead Detective and this reviewer hopes it will only be the first of many from author Lorene Robbins. ~
"Just as "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" kept me on the edge of my seat, so does "The Dead Detective" by Lorene Robbins..."
- Lillian Caudwell (Full review here)
"What would you do if after stumbling on a gruesome murder, the victim's voice suddenly started popping into your head? Worse yet, what would you do if you were the only person that could hear this ghost? This begins the lighthearted tale of the girl and the ghost out to solve a mystery. CJ Thomas is a young and beautiful computer consultant, totally satisfied with her independent and hassle free lifestyle. Late one evening, on her way to solve a friend of a friend's computer problems they discover the slain body of Budge, a pawnshop owner that everyone seemed to love. Unfortunately for CJ, Budge's disembodied spirit has not left the crime scene and the ghost chooses CJ as the one person able to hear his voice. Worse yet for CJ, Budge threatens to haunt her until she helps him find the murderer so he can finally pass beyond. Well, haunt may be a bad choice of words to describe Budge as he turns out to be a harmless lost soul looking for a friend. CJ, at first, is a reluctant heroine. She is constantly annoyed by the invisible spirit who pops in at inconvenient times, like during a shower or romantic interludes with the police detective assigned to the case. The ghost grows on her, however, and together they follow the clues that lead from a local gang, to a disgruntled pawnshop customer and eventually to Budge's own family. Robbins deftly mixes a not too complex cast of suspects with witty and often humorous dialog between CJ and Budge. Told in first person from both protagonists point of views, the reader sometimes has to make some mental adjustments. But in the end, the transformation of CJ from unwilling participant to amateur detective works well. At less than 250 pages, THE DEAD DETECTIVE is a good and fast read without being too cerebral. If you like mysteries and don't want to get lost in a dozen plot twists, this could be a good way to spend a weekend."
-Gregg Haugland, Allbooks Reviews
"A fun and fast-paced mystery! Lorene Robbins delivers!" –USABookNews.com
"Computer consultant CJ Thomas goes with a friend to meet a new client, a nerdy pawn broker. When he doesn't answer their knock, they open his apartment door to find his shotgunned corpse on the floor. The investigating detective turns out to be someone CJ dated once in high school, and she finds herself falling for him. This relationship is complicated by a relative of the pawn broker accusing her of the murder and the fact only she can see and hear the ghost of the pawn broker, who is asking her to solve his murder. CJ finds, despite her initial repugnance and weirding out, that she is falling in like with the ghost. Will they find the real murderer and the motive? We rated this funny, “Ghost Whisperer”-like story five hearts." ~ Heartland Reviews |
