Boy, Gabe and Jack sure killed the heck out of the baddie in the end. That was rather satisfying.

Liked the atmosphere and the main characters in this one. Looks like it might be the start of a series, and I would certainly pick up another book about Delia and co. The combination of ghost story and murder mystery was done well (maybe a little too well-one night when I was walking my dog in the dark, I was constantly on the lookout for ghosts and serial killers).

I do wish the author hadn't switched back and forth between first and third person, depending on if we were with Gabe or Delia. It would have worked fine all in third person or all in first person, still alternating between characters, and I would have liked it more. I don't know why she didn't consult me first.

I also felt like matters of disbelief were resolved rather quickly. On the one hand, it was refreshing not to have the story move in predictable patterns, in which the people in touch with the spirit world spend lots of time convincing the unbelievers. On the other, it didn't always ring true, especially Matt Ryan's quick turnaround from scoffer to believer.

Still a good read that got inside my head. ( )

This was charming and cozy, a gentle and detailed historical ghost-story serial-killer mystery with some lovely characters, all of many facets. Perhaps, for me, a little too cozy and gentle; I found myself urging things a little faster and sharper, and I remain sad that the major-arcana tarot posing of the discovered victims never seems to play a part in the story. But charming nonetheless. ( )

Delia Martin is from early twentieth-century San Francisco and she has come back to help care for the woman who took her in when her parents died in the San Francisco fire. She has always had ghosts as companions and originally she ran away to New York to escape their ever-presence, which disconcerted her. Now she's back and there are more around and they seem to be related to the case her foster-sister's fiance is involved with. A serial killer who left for a while and seems to be back to prey on the extra people from the Exhibition that's in San Francisco this year.

It's that pre-war era that is quite interesting for a lot of writers and I liked it. This is a cop drama with some supernatural elements that really appeals to me and keeps me reading. There were moments where the pacing seemed uneven but overall it was an interesting read with people who cared for and about each other throughout. I'm looking forward to more in this series. ( )

4.25 stars

Delia has been in New York for three years, but has returned to San Francisco, along with a ghost (her “shadow” of the title) who prodded her to return. But, Delia can’t figure out what exactly the ghost wants. Delia returns to her best friend, Sophie (who is almost like a sister, as Sophie and her mother took Delia in after her parents died (either in an earthquake or a fire, both are often referred to, but I can’t recall which killed her parents) in the early 20th century).

Sophie is engaged to police officer Jack, who works with Gabe. They are working on a serial killer case that seems to have links to a 30 year old case that Gabe’s father worked on when he was a police officer. Unfortunately, Gabe and Jack get the sense that their loved ones are also in danger…

I really liked this! There was some supernatural (the ghosts), some horror, some mystery, some romance, and all set in 1915, so a historical setting. What’s not to like!? As I was reading, I kept thinking – oh, I hope there a sequel, I’d love to read more about these characters, so I was happy to find out, when I finished, that there are currently two more books in the series. ( )

I really enjoyed this historical mystery with ghosts. Delia Martin is being haunted by one very persistent ghost. Delia returns to San Francisco and finds herself linked to a serial killer who has returned after a 30 year absence. The ghost is a link to the killing spree but Delia can't communicate with her until she visits Dora Bobet who is a medium.

Also pursuing the case of the serial killer is Police Lieutenant Gabe Ryan who is trying to solve the case his father couldn't solve 30 years earlier. Gabe and Delia meet because his Sargent Jack is engaged to her best friend and foster sister Sadie.

Delia has also returned home because Sadie's mother - the woman who became her guardian when her parents died in the San Francisco earthquake and fire - is dying and she wants to support her friend.

I loved the San Francisco setting. I thought the way the relationship grew between Delia and Gabe was nicely done. I thought the mystery was nicely intriguing. I found both the serial killer and the various ghosts nicely creepy.

This is the first book of a trilogy and I intend to read the rest. ( )