Emma is surprised to get a lunch invitation from Joanna Reid. The two had never been close and hadn't spoken since her husband died a few years before. Joanna is convinced that her late husband, Max, is haunting her and wants Emma to make him go away.
A few hours later, Emma learns that Joanna's daughter Lainey is in a mental health facility after three attempts to commit suicide. Lainey and Emma's own daughter are good friends, so Emma pays the young woman a visit. After the talk, Emma thinks that a ghost might be involved in Lainey's attempts on her own life. But is it Max or someone else? Can Emma figure out the cause in time to keep Lainey safe?
I've enjoyed the previous two books in this series, and this was the strongest yet. The characters, both living and ghostly, are vivid and pull you into the story. There were times some of the characters were doing some stupid things, but even then I usually felt sorry for them.
The plot moves forward on two levels involving the present and the past. Both mysteries are compelling, although I usually found myself more involved in the modern mystery. Yet the historic mystery packed a real emotional punch in the end.
There was a sub-plot I didn't like because Emma was being stupid and complicating her life. I'll be looking forward to seeing how that gets resolved in future books.
This is a compelling read with great characters that will keep you turning pages until you reach the end.