Samhain Publishing, $3.50, ISBN 978-1-60504-391-3
Paranormal Romance, 2009
Ha, ha, ha, ha. The Ghost Shrink, The Accidental Gigolo & The Poltergeist Accountant is a gimmicky title and it’s not entirely accurate, at least in that there is no gigolo in this story. But this is a hilarious caper, nonetheless, reminding me considerably of the first Ghostbusters movie when it comes to zany humor that makes me laugh.
We have Lucy Cartwright, a medium who unfortunately gets visitations by ghosts who die in a state of sexual frustration. You know, ghosts of people who died with regrets about not having wild sexual adventures when they were alive. Like the Larrinator, the paunchy dead guy who shows up in Lucy’s bedroom doing a striptease act that she would rather not look at. The plot heats up when her employer realizes that the ghost of a recently murdered accountant of a local mob boss will pay Lucy a visit. She sends her brother, the PI Jake Cox, to Lucy so that Jake can interrogate the ghost with Lucy’s help and locate some incriminating documents that will put away the mob boss for good. Eliot, the ghost accountant in question, however, is no ordinary ghost and… well, let’s just say that he will play a pretty big role in this story and learn a few lessons along the way.
I really like Eliot, he’s such a sweet little fellow, especially when he sheds his shy and timid nature and starts showing people who the boss is. I’m sorry to see him leave the picture by the end of the story so that Lucy and Jake can have their happy ending without having to babysit ghosts 24/7. Can he come back? He’s so cute. Lucy is a pretty good heroine – she’s feisty in a good way and she’s a little bit kooky without being completely braindead in the process. Poor Jake is alright as a character, but he is quite dull compared to the hot stud Larrinator and dear Eliot.
The story is over the top ridiculous at times and the main characters have their share of buffoon-like behavior – just look at Jake and Eliot’s first encounter – but because I don’t take this story too seriously, I am okay with the exaggerated comedy. Besides, I find everything funny here and I can be so much more forgiving when I’m laughing so hard. Yes, I’m so easy that way, sigh.
So, take it from me. If you’re blue over the way things turn out in life – like the latest American Idol results or something – just take a look at this one. Go on. If you don’t like it, you can send me hate mails, but I think you will have a good laugh over this one, just like I did.
| 
