Grave Reservations: A Novel

Description

"Delightful." -The New York Times Book Review A psychic travel agent and a Seattle PD detective solve a murder in this quirky mystery in the vein of Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files and Charlaine Harris's Aurora Teagarden series. Meet Leda Foley: devoted friend, struggling travel agent, and inconsistent psychic. When Leda, sole proprietor of Foley's Flights of Fancy, impulsively re-books Seattle PD detective Grady Merritt's flight, her life changes in ways she couldn't have predicted. After watching his original plane blow up from the safety of the airport, Grady realizes that Leda's special abilities could help him with a cold case he just can't crack. Despite her scattershot premonitions, she agrees for a secret reason: her fiance's murder remains unsolved. Leda's psychic abilities couldn't help the case several years before, but she's been honing her skills and drawing a crowd at her favorite bar's open-mic nights, where she performs Klairvoyant Karaoke-singing whatever song comes to mind when she holds people's personal effects. Now joined by a rag-tag group of bar patrons and pals alike, Leda and Grady set out to catch a killer-and learn how the two cases that haunt them have more in common than they ever suspected.

Cherie Priest is the author of two dozen books and novellas, including the horror novel The Toll, acclaimed gothic Maplecroft, and the award-winning Clockwork Century series, beginning with Boneshaker. She has been nominated for the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, and she won the Locus Award for best horror novel. Her books have been translated into nine languages in eleven countries. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and a menagerie of exceedingly photogenic pets.

"Delightful . . . . Priest layers the humor and camaraderie with unexpectedly moving scenes." -New York Times "Grave Reservations is an ebullient tap dance of a mystery with a splash of Seattle color and, well, psychic karaoke. Great fun!" -Christopher Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Lamb and A Dirty Job "[A] frothy blend of paranormal cozy and off-the-books police procedural... Readers will hope this is the start of a series." -Publishers Weekly "Grave Reservations is a smart mystery featuring funny, engaging characters to fall in love with, and a wild ride of an ending. Full of Priest's hallmark wit and whimsy, it's a joy to read!" -Kat Richardson, bestselling author of the Greywalker series "The half-psychics, female friendships, and mystery of a dead fiance make it fun, but it's the story of every woman's second act that makes Grave Reservations shine. It's exactly the witty escape read you need right now." -Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors "A caffeinated treat for fans of Northwest mysteries and oddball sleuths. A fun, propulsive read." -Nova Jacobs, author of The Last Equation of Isaac Severy "Grave Reservations is full of the little touches that take a book from good to great. Readers are in for an absolute treat, with a mystery as endearing as it is intriguing." -Mystery and Suspense Magazine "For mystery readers looking for an entertaining read with a character who is off the beaten path, Grave Reservations will be a pleasing entry." -New York Journal of Books "Cherie Priest's work never fails to delight. Grave Reservations is chock full of fun characters, action and sparky, spunky humor. Leda Foley and Niki Nelson are terrific creations who hopefully will appear again soon." -Authorlink "Light and irreverent, but with more serious themes including grief and responsibility, this is an excellent series starter for Priest's fans as well as new readers. Suggest to those who enjoyed Mia Manansala's Arsenic and Adobo." -Booklist "[Priest's] witty mystery has a likable amateur sleuth and a strong supporting cast. For fans of Wendall Thomas's offbeat travel agent Cyd Redondo." -Library Journal "It's the perfect book for a harrowing week/month/year because it only wants to entertain you." -Locus Magazine "Grave Reservations has everything I love in a quirky mystery-a psychic travel agent, a cold case she's helping to crack for the Seattle PD, and, of course, a body count. Sprinkle in a ragtag supporting cast and some karaoke, and you've got a fun detective romp with a supernatural twist, coming out just in time for Halloween!" -Off the Shelf "Grave Reservations has a quirky, winning quality that will win over mystery readers." -Crimereads "A perfectly charming paranormal mystery . . . . you'll be on the waitlist for the next book." -Book Reporter "A smart and sassy first cozy mystery. . . . polished prose, steady pacing and quirky characters." -Shelf Awareness