Southern Spirits by ANGIE FOX

"A lead character with a great sense of humor, a 1920s gangster ghost, and a pet skunk are the stars of this story. Add southern charm, a haunting mystery, and a whole lot of crazy antics, and you have this fabulously fun read. The author handles setting exceptionally well, giving us the feel of a small southern town where everyone tends to know a little too much about your business. Verity gives the townspeople lots of fodder for gossip, which she handles with a mix of indignant defiance and embarrassment. I immediately sympathized with her. I also immediately liked her. But, really, how can you not like a women who has a pet skunk and talks to ghosts .." "Verity Long jilted her fiance at the alter when he made a pass at her sister Melody on the wedding day. Then Verity lost a big judgement when she was sued for breach of promise and is on the verge of losing her home. A vase her intended gave her was dumped in her rose garden, but the contents turned out to be the ashes of the fellows great great uncle, and he returns as a ghost to express his unhappiness at being "grounded" under a rose bush. This highly unusual beginning turns into cold case murders being reopened and ghostly assistance on solving the cold cases as the murderer tries to commit new murders ..."

미국 남부가 중심 배경인 코지 미스테리 장르의 시리즈물이다. 연애소설, 유령이야기, 판타지 소설 등으로도 분류할 수 있는 책이다. 유령이야기에 흥미가 없는 사람들은 재미가 없을수도 있다. 개인적으로 약100페이지까지는 별 재미가 없었다. 'Verity' 라는 여자 주인공이 중심인물인데 갱스터 유령과 함께 이런 저런 사건을 해결한다는 것이 이 책의 중심 내용이다. 주인공의 대사가 유머러스하고 읽기에 무난하다.