“I did not believe in ghosts. Of course I didn’t—no sane person believed in ghosts. I believed in Oxford, and cobblestoned squares, and old bricks thick with ivy, and rainy days curled up reading books.”
An Inquiry into Love in Death by Simone St. James is an unusual literary intersection of romance and paranormal. While I prefer to enjoy the two genres separately, I appreciate the author’s avant-garde approach. Our story takes place in 1920’s England where plot twists, mystery and intrigue abound!
When Oxford student Jillian Leigh learns that her uncle Toby has died, she travels to the seaside town of Rothewell to get his affairs in order. Upon meeting with the handsome Inspector Merriken, Jillian learns that Toby’s death might not have been an accident after all.
Rothewell might seem sleepy and quaint, but this town is teeming with secrets that someone is willing to kill for. And to raise the drama to threat level midnight, the residents are frequently visited by mischievous ghost, Walking Jack, who is on the prowl! Jillian must help Scotland Yard apprehend a murderer and bravely take up her uncle’s ghost hunting mantle.
Our heroine Jillian is very well-written- a definite bright spot. She’s clever, fiercely independent, strong and afraid to reveal her vulnerability. I enjoyed learning charming little details about her, such as her penchant for wearing men’s cardigans. Watching her blossom and evolve as the story went on was a delight.
St. James has written a cozy mystery with a sprinkling of spine-chilling elements. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself *ahem* temporarily afraid of the dark and sensitive to every little bump in the night. An Inquiry into Love and Death reminds me of vintage Nancy Drew, but with the fright factor amped up a few notches. It’s atmospheric, nostalgic, eerie and heartwarming all at once.
So why didn’t it earn a full 5 stars? While this book was good fun, it didn’t knock my socks off. The romance felt a little wooden and two dimensional. I wasn’t wholly enamored and swept away, frantically turning pages to find out what happens next. I felt my interest waning every so often and there wasn’t a well-rounded depth and breadth to the story.
In short, I wanted more of the good stuff. More ghost hunting! More tense and unsettling scenes featuring Anne! More exploration of the local ‘haunts’ in town! More character development across the board! In other words, I look forward to reading more from Simone St. James. I have a feeling she’s only just getting started.
If you enjoy reading books that feature…
a. the exploits of a plucky amateur sleuth
b. an eerie, (definitely haunted!) small town
c. will-they-won’t-they gothic romance
Then an Inquiry into Love and Death is the book for you! Click here to grab a copy from your local bookstore.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
