Title: The Stubborn Dead
Author: Natasha Hoar
Publisher: Carina Press
Category: Urban fantasy
The Stubborn Dead is an enjoyable short novella about Rachel Miller, a ghost buster who wouldn’t like me to call her that. Her correct title is a Rescue Medium. She’s good at her job, which entails releasing trapped spirits from the earthly realm, but in The Stubborn Dead, she meets a challenge – a dangerous wraith who doesn’t act like he should.
Sylvia Elkeles, the client who engaged Rachel’s services is obviously hiding something and it may be something that could tip the scales between life and death for Rachel.
From the blurb
The Order [of Rescue Mediums] considers the wraith an extreme threat and Rachel may be forced to use a barbaric ritual to free him-a ritual that comes with a heavy personal price. If she fails to humanely release the wraith, she’ll have her supernatural abilities bound.
Add a local supernatural mob boss with a romantic interest in the heroine to the mix and things get more complicated. Rachel eventually uncovers the disturbing truth about Sylvia and her relation to the wraith who may not realize he’s supposed to be dead.
This is a well constructed mystery with interesting, well rounded characters. Rachel is easy to like, but my favourite character at the end is actually the wraith. Although clues are left like a trail of breadcrumbs, I never picked the full truth until it was revealed because I’d never come across anything quite like it before. That’s no mean feat in today’s market bulging with urban fantasy.
The romance is very low key, so the book is suitable for young adults as well as adults and makes a great read for those times when you don’t want to get embroiled in a longer work. I give it 4 1/2 stars and recommend it for all urban and paranormal fantasy fans.
