The Spirit Girls

Thank you to #NetGalley and #SecondSky for the copy of this book! Rylan Flynn sees ghosts. Not a psychic, she just as the gift of seeing ghosts as they present themselves to her. When a ghost in the woods of her aunt Val's property lures her into the woods, Rylan stumbles upon the body of the ghost, stuck to a tree. Turns out the victim is Celeste Monroe of Toledo, and she came to Rylan for help. A murder investigation ensues, and Rylan can't seem to steer clear of law enforcement. When another young girl is found murdered in the same location, Rylan turns to her gift to steer her in the direction that the officers and detectives cannot see.

I rated this 3 stars based off of the quick pace, lack of plot development - this had the potential to really build over the course of the book and it missed the mark. It was a very quick read, most likely because the plot failed to develop to its full extent. The character development was lacking as well. I feel as though there was so much opportunity and it failed to execute. I also feel like there wasn't a thrilling plot. I was expecting more paranormal interaction, as well as more juicy details in the murder investigation. I also felt as though it was a predictable ending. The twist didn't WOW me as much as I had hoped.

In this great audiobook, narrator Stephanie Cannon brings Dawn Merriman's paranormal thriller to life.

Rylan Flynn, a psychic who can see (and help) spirits, stumbles on the ghost of a murdered girl near her aunt's cabin. While Rylan dives into her own investigation, considerate and handsome Detective Ford Pierce (love that name!) tells her to steer clear of the case. But when a second body pops up and it looks like it's linked to Rylan's family, she's hell-bent on getting to the bottom of it.

This is very much a clean contemporary mystery, Rylan doesn't even curse once. It is safe for new adult, possibly even mature YA readers. It's set in Indiana, her dad is a minister, and her unrealised love interest is a police officer, all very wholesome. Overall, it gives me Stephanie Plum series vibes, (but clean!) which I love. Be aware, that there are slightly graphic depictions of injuries leading to death, including suicide.

Stephanie Cannon's voice really captures Rylan Flynn's go-getter attitude and the vibe of the story. The audio narration makes the book's fast-paced, suspenseful plot even better. Cannon's lively delivery keeps you engaged, I listened to it non-stop and finished it in one day!

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for providing a review copy of this audiobook.