Short Story Review – Home (Downside Ghosts, Book 3.6) by Stacia Kane (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 32 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: April 10th, 2010
ISBN-13: 9781466815179
Stand Alone or Series: 3.6 book in the Downside Ghosts series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 4/5 stars

“As a Debunker, Chess Putnam is used to investigating reports of suspected hauntings and sending ghosts back to the City of Eternity beneath the surface of the earth. What she isn’t used to is having suburban housewives refusing to acknowledge the presence of ghosts in their homes. There are lots of reasons why someone might harbor a spirit, and none of them are good.

At least Chess has Terrible on her side. But things are never as black and white as they seem, especially not when love is involved, and Chess finds herself making a decision she never thought she’d make.”

This is a short story that takes place between the 3rd and 4th Downside Ghosts books. I read this series through book 4 and stopped because the books were just so formulaic. However, I had gotten this short story on Kindle and just recently realized I hadn’t read it yet. It was a well done story and I enjoyed it.

This book really does a good job of showing how Chess is maturing emotionally (much better than the 4th book did). Basically Chess takes on a case to check on a supposed haunting. She is trying to balance her work with her relatively new relationship with Terrible. As the investigation continues Chess has to makes some decisions about what is technically right and what feels emotionally right. Chess has never been the best with moral decisions so it’s an interesting read.

Chess is just like in the books: popping her pills, swearing up a storm, and trying to be a functioning addict. However, this book adds a bit more to Chess as she tries to have a healthy relationship for once as well. It ended up being a strangely sweet and touching addition to the series. It actually made me want to go back and read the last few books in the series.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge