The Grave Artist

by Paula Lynn Johnson

[Angie]

The Grave Artist was a pretty great Paranormal Mystery! Clare has been drawing winged skulls constantly and she doesn't know why. In fact, most of the time she doesn't even remember drawing. According to her therapist, it must be her way of dealing with her parents' recent divorce. Clare thinks there's more to it, especially when she starts having strange dreams and sees her skull on a headstone of a young woman who died over 200 years ago.

I really liked The Grave Artist. Clare is being haunted and possibly possessed. Her mother is worried about her, as is her new friend Neil, who helps her so she doesn't get herself killed. I liked how the ghost was reaching her through art rather than other scary ways (I'm a wimp!), although there are a few moments where the ghost goes a bit too far in her communications.

I did solve the mystery really early. As soon as Clare gets the mysterious locket opened and the contents are identified, I had an AH HA moment! And I was right! It's quite scandalous! Well, scandalous for that time period. I do wish it hadn't been so obvious, even if I did enjoy this. Also, at the end, I really could not understand one character's reaction to the truth. They really make no sense given that all of these events they're worried about happened over 200 years ago. I started thinking that maybe they were harboring another related secret, but nope. It was just strange.

In the end, I liked The Grave Artist a lot. It's a quick, historical murder mystery with a paranormal twist. It kept me hooked from the beginning until the very end. There are a few parts that I wish had been elaborated on more, because as they stand, they seem like just random bits, but overall this was an enjoyable read.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.