Ghost of a Chance - Yasmine Galenorn

I wasn't sure what to expect of this one but it was marketed as a cozy and I love cozies so I just had to try it.

Emerald O'Brien is the owner of the Chintz 'n China Tea Room where guests are served the perfect blend of tea and tarot reading. She never set out to be a detective, but once word gets out that she can communicate with the dead, there's no turning back...

When the ghost of Susan Mitchell asks for Emerald's help in convicting her own murderer, Emerald can't refuse. Along with her friends-an ex-supermodel and a cop-and her new love interest, Emerald must search for clues to put the killer behind bars-and this tortured soul to rest.

I thought the story was interesting, the plot had some surprising twists and the characters were actually nice and friendly but... I thought the paranormal element was a bit overdone. I don't mind a bit of magic in the stories I read but séances, summoning spirits, evil spirits afoot, strange happenings that hurt characters... well that was all a bit too much psychic for me. It's not my reality and although I respect it I have a hard time buying it as the real thing.

I like my cosies to be set in small towns, to have a nice and tidy atmosphere and a clever detective adding up the clues. Here it's almost the ghost that gives every clues and that, in the end, catches the bad guy. And I thought that the Mr B&U subplot was totally unnecessary to the main story.

Although it didn't work for me I can see how it might work for others more interested in the paranormal elements so that's why I'm rating it within the B range.

Grade: B-