The Lady in Blue: A Grunge Gods and Graveyards Mystery by Kimberly G. Giarratano

The Lady in Blue: A Grunge Gods and Graveyards Mystery by Kimberly G. Giarratano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lady in Blue stole a car and fled Ash.
Out on Devlin Road she emerged from a crash.
She wandered the woods with her head dripping blood.
Then drowned in the river in water and mud.

All her life criminology student Liz Bloom has heard this rhyme, meant to scare young campers. When she’s about to take on her first cold case, Liz learns the eerie song is about her great aunt Lana. Liz isn’t big on studying, but she does have one advantage most criminologists don’t -- she can speak to the dead.
In 1955, Lana Bloom was an eighteen-year-old beauty with Hollywood dreams who fell in love with a stranger. When Lana died in a bloody car crash, all signs pointed to the mysterious man who was never seen again.
As Lana unravels the details surrounding her last week of life, the tale she weaves for Liz is one of desire, betrayal, and murder. But if Lana can’t identify her killer, not only will a murderer escape punishment, but her ghostly form will cease to exist. And Liz will have failed the most important assignment of all – family.


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If you've read Grunge Gods and Graveyards, you're already aware that a mysterious new lover was blamed for Lana's murder... though the mystery surrounding her death can't be that straightforward, right?

I came to adore Lana so by the end of the story I was absolutely gutted about her being denied the life she deserved. She had ambition and dreams and it's sad that the realities of being a woman in the 1950's (plus her witch of a mother) made realizing them almost impossible for her. Yes, the Fifties are a fun era to visit but I've never been more thankful for being an 80's kid.

As for her killer, you'll be kept guessing right up until the big reveal. I'm usually good at picking these things but I honestly didn't have a clue this time. Well done, Ms. Giarratano!

If it's complex characters, intrigue, and a touch of romance you're after, you're going to love this novella.



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