Heaven’s Ghosts, the inaugural installment in Anneke Barnard’s Heaven Maine Mysteries series, is a captivating blend of mystery and the paranormal, reminiscent of classic detective tales like The Hardy Boys, yet with a unique twist.
The story revolves around a group of middle to high school-aged youngsters—Sam, Vi, Jasper, and Cleo, dubbed the Heaven’s Ghost Crew—who find themselves entangled in the enigmatic death of Vi’s brother, Kip Green. What sets this narrative apart is Sam’s extraordinary ability; born deaf, he possesses the remarkable power to communicate with spirits. This extraordinary gift leads him to encounter Kip’s spirit, challenging the conclusion of an accidental drowning and urging the crew to delve deeper into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Kip’s demise.
Barnard’s narrative prowess shines through her character-driven approach. Sam, the linchpin of the tale, introduces readers to a world where the paranormal is not eerie but rather an avenue to forge alliances and seek justice. The author’s choice to portray the ghosts as allies and victims, rather than malevolent entities, adds depth and a fresh perspective to the conventional ghost story.
At its core, Heaven’s Ghosts is a coming-of-age tale, woven into a murder mystery. Barnard navigates themes of self-discovery and acceptance as Sam grapples with his unique ability, offering readers a compelling narrative that transcends the confines of a mere whodunit.
It’s evident that the author carefully crafted the plot and the camaraderie among the Heaven’s Ghost Crew. The infusion of the paranormal realm into a classic mystery setting adds an intriguing layer, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the truth alongside the protagonists. Heaven’s Ghosts is a delightful read for fans of mystery and the supernatural, offering a fresh take on the genre while delivering an engaging and heartfelt story of friendship, discovery, and the quest for truth. Anneke Barnard’s storytelling sets a promising foundation for an enthralling series that will undoubtedly leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installments.
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Heaven’s Ghosts
A young boy’s apparent accidental drowning, a mysterious drifter, the town recluse, a deaf boy who can hear the voices of spirits, and the mystery that connects them all.
Samson Roe comes from a family of fake psychics his mother being the most recent perpetrator of the con. However, Sam has a secret that he has not revealed to anyone, he can speak with ghosts. The only problem is that Sam is deaf. So, though he can hear the voices of the dead, the living are silent to him. When a boy named Kip Green drowns in the picturesque town of Heaven Maine nobody suspects anything sinister; that is until Kip makes a visit to Samson and reveals that he believes his death to be anything but an accident. Together they begin to investigate what really happened and in the process begin to unravel a thirty-seven year old mystery.
