Book Review: Better Read Than Dead

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Better Read Than Dead     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Victoria Laurie
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Paranormal   Thriller   Cozy
Series: Psychic Eye Mysteries # 2
Signet, Jun 2005, $6.99, 304 pp.

Though he won the lottery and retired from the Royal Oak, Michigan police department, Milo Johnson works part-time helping the understaffed police with solving crimes. Currently, he is working on the case of a serial rapist. At the same time psychic Abby Cooper warns a client not to procrastinate when she shops; Cathy Shultz is disappointed in the reading until she delays her shopping that night and becomes the latest rape victim.

Abby’s friend Kendal calls in a favor so she is working with him at the Kapordelis wedding when she sees a hitman’s aura; the family of the bride is a mob family. Abby works with Milo to stop the rapist, but neither piece together her latest clue leading to a rape-homicide. Andros Kapordelis demands she help him choose which of his sons is best to carry on the business after he dies from cancer. Meanwhile her main squeeze Dutch Rivers is an FBI agent in training is embarrassed that his Abby is a psychic. All three of Abby’s situations come together in one final reading that could leave her joining her crew on the other side.

This reviewer foresees a long run for ABIGAIL COPPER, PSYCHIC EYE as her second tale BETTER READ THAN DEAD is a fabulous paranormal detective thriller with Abby yanked by both sides of the law as well as her disillusionment with Dutch. Abby keeps the plot focused whether she is jealous or fighting with Dutch, talking with the crew, helping Milo solve the case, or accepting an offer she can’t refuse. Victoria Laurie provides a lighthearted entertaining psychic amateur sleuth novel that will entertain the clairvoyant cozy crowd.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner