Review: The Dead Room

Review: The Dead Room

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The Dead Room by Heather Graham

Publisher: Mira, 379 pages
Format: hardcover
Source: Pleasanton library

What it’s about:

An explosion in the historic Hastings House of Manhattan has robbed Leslie MacIntyre of the love of her life, Matt Connolly. Leslie and Matt were attending a gala when the fire bomb erupted. As Leslie recovers from her injuries, she discovers her near death experience has left her with the ability to see dead people.

This ability comes in handy in Leslie’s job as urban archaeologist assigned to scour sites under renovation for historic artifacts. Since the explosion, ghosts appear to Leslie as she works, and she, in turn, ensures that their bones are properly interred. Of all the ghosts she sees “in the flesh” so to speak, Leslie yearns most to see her beloved Matt. Although he cannot materialize in daylight, he visits Leslie during her dreams. Soon, Leslie, once again at Hastings House, begins to hear crying ghosts and one whose cries may belong to a living person.   

Matt’s lookalike cousin, a private investigator named Joe, comes to New York to find a missing social worker heiress involved in helping the city’s prostitutes find alternative employment. Joe is troubled to learn a number of prostitutes have gone missing as well as the woman he’s been hired to find.

Is there a connection between the ghostly cries Leslie hears and the missing women?

Soon, the two plots merge as Joe’s investigations lead him to Leslie and the warren of underground tunnels beneath historic Hastings House. Leslie is torn between her love for the dead fiance who touches her in her dreams and her feelings for Joe who wants to spend his life with her.

What I thought:

For me, the whole “I see dead people” thread worked well. I give the author much credit for her subtle handling of that age-old motif.

The stories of the souls needing help that Leslie encounters are interesting, most of them from colonial times. I found myself eagerly awaiting the next spirit to enter Leslie’s life and request her assistance. As well, the techniques and intricacies of archaeological research were fascinating to learn about.

The intertwining of the two mysteries worked wellLeslie’s crying ghosts and Matt’s investigation into the missing heiress and prostitutes. Both stories were equally compelling.

And while it’s not unusual for romances to feature love triangles, The Dead Room is unusual in that one of the would-be lovers is dead. The nightly dreams when Leslie’s fiance comes to her were tender and erotic. I don’t think I’ve encountered anything quite like it since Patrick Swayze demonstrated his great love for Demi Moore in the movie Ghost.

This is an intelligent romance that I enjoyed very much and recommend to lovers of ghost love stories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author

41 thoughts on “Review: The Dead Room

  1. I agree, I have really enjoyed some of Heather Graham’s books, and others seem like the exact same plot. She mixes paranormal with romance, sometimes more successfully then others.

    1. Totally. Her writing tends to be uneven–some good, some not so much. I’ve wondered more than once if she uses a ghost writer for some of her novels.

  2. This sounds like a unique and different suspense book for Heather. I love the idea and your review makes me want to read the book!

    1. Yes, this is one of my favorites of her books. I also liked Haunted quite well. Haunted is the first of the Harrison Investigation books.

    1. Wow. Thank you so much, Delia! I’ve never heard of this one, so I’m totally jazzed. Excuse me while I go polish my tiara…

    1. I shy away from most of the horror ghost novels–definitely the gory ones. The Dead Room is not scary, just a bit suspenseful, so that’s fine with me.

    1. This is one of my favorite of Graham’s books. I also liked Haunted quite well (the first Harrison Investigation novel). What is your favorite of her books?

  3. Well-said! I hate when I find a book that I think I want to read only to find that it is beyond frustratingly stupid or nonsensical!

    1. Ha ha! And there sure are enough of those to frustrate unsuspecting readers. Maybe they should come with warning labels: Read only if you like nonsense.

    1. Hi Elizabeth,I think most parents would not want their middle schoolers to read this. The Dead Room contains sex scenes when Leslie’s fiance comes to her in her dreams. I know many middle schoolers read The Fault in Our Stars, which contains one sex scene, so it depends on the parents.

  4. Now this is a refreshing plot line. I can relate. For whatever reason, I can sense the presence of pets that passed on, even some that were not mine. It’s rather flattering to know they trust me.

    1. You are lucky, Cindy. I’ve never experienced that. There’s a sweet movie called To Dance with a White Dog. Have you seen it?

  5. I need to check out books by Heather Graham!! This one sounds VERY interesting and I could use some new books on my TBR list! =)

  6. This book sounds soooooo good! I really need to pick it up! Are there any other books similar to this genre that you could recommend?

    1. Hi Tiffany. Definitely! I love to recommend books. In this particular genre, romantic suspense with a ghost, I suggest: Haunted by Heather Graham, Black Rose by Nora Roberts, Tribute by Nora Roberts, Long Time Coming by Edie Claire, Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles, Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. There are plenty more, but I think this is a good start. Please check back with me to let me know how you like these and if you would like more suggestions. Happy Reading!

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