Tuesday, September 27, 2011

THE GHOST OF GREENWICH VILLAGE By Lorna Graham

Publisher: Ballantine
Date Published: 2011
ISBN: 978-0-345-52621-2
Contemporary Fiction
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Lynne
Obtained via publisher.


Eventual “Eve” Weldon is intent on living her own life and getting away from the life her father feels she should have. Following her dreams, she moves to Greenwich Village in New York. Hoping to discover clues to the life her mother had once enjoyed there, Eve finds a reasonably-priced apartment among the community of artists and writers living there, much to her delight.

What Eve hasn’t counted on though is having to share her home with a resident ghost named Donald Bellows. Donald, having died before he could finish his greatest literary work, impresses his desire upon Eve, who is reluctant to help him.

When she procures a writing job with a morning news program, Smell the Coffee, she struggles to balance its demands with those of Donald, who desperately wants to complete his life’s work.

Her job soon leads her to an unexpected friendship with a famous fashion designer, Matthias Klieg, who takes a liking to her. As their friendship grows, Eve soon learns that Klieg knew Donald, her ghostly roommate, when he was alive. Intrigued by her discovery, she soon makes it her mission to learn all she can about Donald and, in the interim, discovers the heart of her mother’s past.

Despite the twists and turns of Eve’s hectic life, she soon learns the value of friendship and community and realizes that no matter what happens, life is what you make of it, albeit in many surprising ways.

THE GHOST OF GREENWICH VILLAGE by Lorna Graham is a fabulous book. It is one of those memorable books that you have trouble putting down and letting go of at the end. It is a book you don’t want to end because you become so involved with the characters of the story. Easily, this book could have a sequel.

THE GHOST OF GREENWICH VILLAGE is Ms. Graham’s debut novel and is beautifully written. Considering Ms. Graham’s track record, her writing experience, this is not surprising. She is extremely talented and skilled at what she does.

It was fascinating to learn of the behind-the-scenes activity that goes into an early morning news show. The reader quickly becomes endeared to Eve as she struggles to fit in with her new job and adapt to her new life in Greenwich Village. Considering the romantic history of Greenwich Village, it is no wonder that Eve refuses to leave, despite the hopeless direction her life sometimes takes. Ms. Graham’s skill at sharing the magic of Greenwich Village is heartwarming and makes one wish that they, too, lived there.

Eve’s friendship with the famous fashion designer, Matthias Klieg, was a pleasure to share as she unexpectedly finds herself in his life. When the reader discovers the part Klieg plays in her life overall, you find yourself feeling great satisfaction as everything Eve is seeking falls into place for her.

The unique twists and turns woven into this delightful story are magical as they pull the reader back into the story time and time again. Ms. Graham’s skill at plotting, weaving suspense and tension into her writing, is enviable, to say the least.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading THE GHOST OF GREENWICH VILLAGE. It is extremely well-written, witty, and just plain fun to read. It is a great escapist book, for those wanting a bit of the paranormal as well as real life problems and dreams interwoven as skillfully as Ms. Graham has done. I give it a high-five for spectacular.

THE GHOST OF GREENWICH VILLAGE is a story for everyone who wishes they had the nerve to take risks in order to achieve their dreams by living a different sort of life.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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