Chris Marie Green, author of the Vampire Babylon series, opens a new series with Only The Good Die Young featuring Jensen Murphy as the lead protagonist. Jensen was killed 30 years ago, and until psychic Amanda Lee Minter came along and released her, she was stuck in a never ending time loop where she continued to experience her own horrific death over and over again. She has absolutely no clue as to who killed her, but has some idea that it wasn't a pretty death. Jensen now has to learn a whole new way of living, which includes befriending some lively ghosts like Randy, Twyla, John, and Scott who enlightens her into what it means to actually being a ghost, including haunting a person, and how to recharge when they're drained.
Amanda Lee intentionally sought out Jensen in order to get her assistance in solving a 3 year old murder of her best friend Elizabeth Dalton. Dalton was romantically linked to billionaire Gavin Edgett at the time of her death and Amanda Lee absolutely believes that he is a murderer that needs to pay. Amanda Lee has also promised Jensen that she will do everything in her powers to search, and find a way to get to the bottom of Jensen's own murder if she's successful in her discovery of who killed Elizabeth.
I will say that I liked Jensen's characterization by Murphy. I liked that she was from the 80's and therefore needs to update herself on the current trends, and devices that humans take for granted these days. I liked that Jensen understands that in order to get to the bottom of her own death, she has to rely on herself as much as she does Amanda, Randy, John, and Scott who are apparently part of a new ghost squad to help Jensen when she gets into a jam. Jensen also knows that being a ghost comes with some perils as well since you never know when you might find yourself in another time loop permanently.
Only The Good Die Young is a paranormal story with a solid mystery of who really killed Elizabeth and why. I will say that there are more than a few questions that need to be answered since this is the first book in the series but that just means that I will be back for the sequel. Some questions are; Who is the mysterious Fake Dean, and why does he want Jensen so badly? Who is the dark spirit who came after both Amanda and Jensen and said "YOU WILL PAY?" How did Jensen end up with a BLACK WALL that blocks her memories of her own horrific death, and will we discover if it was planted there on purpose, or an after effect of being brutally murdered?
Thank YOU to author Chris Marie Green for sharing a copy of Only The Good Die Young with me. I absolutely appreciate your patience and your openness in providing me this copy when so many of us are like eager beavers searching the world for books to beg, borrow, and badger authors for!
*Recvd from Author* Expected publication: February 4th 2014 by Roc
Author - Chris Marie Green
Title - Only The Good Die Young
Series - Jensen Murphy, Ghost for Hire
Published by ROC
Releases: February 4, 2014
Genre - Urban Fantasy
Oooh nice review! Envious that you got a copy! I LOVED Chris's Vampire Babylon series and sooo excited for her next paranormal series! The wait is almost over at least! Great review!
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