NINETOES VS GHOSTS OF SMOKE AND FLAME

Ninetoes was looking for something different, but did he ever find it in Richard Dansky’s GHOSTS OF SMOKE AND FLAME?

TITLE: Ghosts of Smoke and Flame

AUTHOR: Rich Dansky

GENRE: Dark Urban Fantasy

PAGES: 304

FORMAT: Ebook

PRICE: $3.99

Hey there, book lovers! It’s your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes Loves Books Headquarters. Today, I am looking at Rich Dansky’s Ghosts of Smoke and Flame. I have coffee in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

One night, the Oates family went to sleep and never woke up again. Their house caught fire, and the only survivor was their pet cat, Patches. The mother (Naomi) is on her way to heaven, and the father (Charlie) and daughter (Jessica) are left behind in their burned-out home, in a purgatory of their own making. While grasping their new reality as ghosts, Charlie and Jessica have to figure out what they did to keep them on Earth, while their mother is not with them, and in a hopeful, better place. All the while, the gate of Hell is starting to open in their basement, waiting to feast on their souls, and Hell is very hungry. Very hungry indeed.

Now, I could have said this novel was a horror novel. Anyone who believes in Heaven or Hell would definitely classify it as such. In my mind, it is a dark urban fantasy. The father/daughter ghost pair is not haunting their house. They are trying to figure out what to do next, and what it was in their lives that kept them on Earth. The father (and by rights mother) is perplexed as to why their 12-year-old daughter is not on her way to heaven. As they go along, they discover various abilities they have as ghosts and how to best use them.

The true magic in this book is that it asks questions of the reader without asking these questions outright…

What would keep you from heaven or hell?

Would you give up heaven to be with your family?

How far would you go to save your child?

Can you TRULY forgive yourself for a big mistake of your past?

This book really spoke to me, in that I am a Christian male. Believing in Heaven and Hell goes with the package. While I can give forgiveness, it is difficult for me to grant forgiveness to myself. Would that be enough to “ground” me? Would that be my unfinished business? Would it be enough to send me to hell?

The pacing of this novel is consistent the whole way through. It is not breakneck, but it is not a slog through molasses either. The mysteries the family faced propelled the book in a satisfying manner, and when they were revealed, it was not rushed or thrown at me.

The characters are very relatable. A mother who wants the best for her family and is very much the “saint” of the family. A father, who was at one time a major league baseball player (until he blew out his knee), and is now just another regular Joe, providing for his family. A daughter, on the cusp of becoming a teenager, who thinks she knows it all and is developing the dreaded teenage attitude. Being able to witness their growth was a real treat. They were not just thrown at me, and I really appreciated the effort the author put into their growth.

Did this book meet my expectations? Yes, and then some.

Would I recommend this book to my friends? Definitely.

This book is perfect for fans of ghost stories, haunted house stories, family drama, tales of Heaven and Hell, and great writing!

I give this book 5 bookmarks out of 5!

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.