Ghost Talker (Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries Book 1) by Byrd Nash – Review by Francis O’Sullivan
Ghost Talker by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ghost Talker is the first book in the Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries series. I actually started with book 2, Delicious Death, because I was drawn to a paranormal mystery that centres around dessert! Ghost Talker has less dessert (although there are some tasty treats!) but the characters, setting and intriguing plot mean it’s still an enjoyable book!
This is a Gaslamp Fantasy, set in a fictional world that’s based in part on the late Victorian/early Edwardian times. Elinor, Madame Chalamet, can communicate with ghosts and uses her skills to help people with a variety of situations including solving mysteries, coping with grief and addressing hauntings. While her work is appreciated by her clients, the proliferation of phony ghost talkers means that many are skeptical about what she does.
There are lots of mysteries to solve in Ghost Talker. Supernatural elements and court intrigue play a part, as well as normal human emotions and motivations. The darker elements are balanced by cheerful moments between friendly characters, such as Anne-Marie and Jacques, and descriptions of things like food and costume.
This book gets five stars from me! I’d recommend the series to fans of fantasy mysteries. If you haven’t read any gaslamp fantasy you should give it a try!
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!