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Postcards from the Dead
by Ericka Scott
Publisher: Cobblestone Press
ISBN: 978-1-60088-175-6
$3.99
Cassandra Moore is the personal property supervisor at the coroner’s office in charge of giving the decedents’ possessions back to the grieving families. She’s often also able to give them other information. For she receives postcards sent by dead residents of the morgue.
Drew Brinkman is a journalist for The Chronicle. Given the assignment of reporting the historical facts of the ghosts of San Josue for the Halloween edition, Drew decides to give the old story a new twist. He’s going to lay those ghosts to rest once and for all, starting with the ones sending postcards from the morgue.
Excerpt:
“I got a postcard from Rick.” Cassandra Moore started to hand the card across the table to her sister, Rosalie Hopkins. When a sudden breeze whipped a napkin off the small table they occupied outside her favorite lunch café, she tightened her hold on the card.
“Maybe we should sit inside for a change.” Rosalie pulled a hair band off her wrist and, with practiced ease, twisted it into her long red hair.
For once, Cassie was glad of her short mop of hair. No matter how hard the wind blew, it always looked the same. Curly. And no, she didn’t want to go inside. She liked sitting outside watching people stream by so busy and full of life.
Rosalie snatched the card out of Cassie’s fingers and read it with distaste. “This is a joke, right?”
“I don’t think so. It’s like all the others.” Cassie squirmed and couldn’t quite meet Rosalie’s gaze. Of course this postcard was just like the others. Why wouldn’t it be? But, was it really? The other postcards were all from decedents residing at the Coroner’s office where she worked as the personal property supervisor, whereas her husband, Rick, had been dead two years this coming Halloween.
“There’s only an address on it. Does it look like Rick’s handwriting?” Rosalie handed the card back across the table.
Cassie hedged. “I haven’t compared it yet.” Of course she had, she’d run straight to her nightstand, and pulled out several of Rick’s love letters from when they were dating. The script had been close but it lacked something. The writing didn’t seem as aggressive or forceful as Rick’s had been. But then, he was dead now, wasn’t he? That must have had some affect on his handwriting.
“Did you go to the address?” Rosalie persisted.
“Not yet. I was hoping you would come with me.” Cassie took one last look at the postcard. Granted, the basket of kittens on the front of the postcard was not Rick’s style. While tucking it away in her purse, she noticed Rosalie shaking her head.
Rosalie wrinkled her nose, and shrugged. “I promised Kyle I wouldn’t get involved with any of this. I’m sorry.”
“What? You told Kyle?” Cassie felt cold all over. Her sister had promised never to tell anyone. What if other people found out? “How could you?”
“Well, since we’re getting married in July, I couldn’t keep it a secret from him. Besides, he thought it was kind of cool.”
Cool? She wasn’t sure she’d use that description. Downright creepy was the feeling she’d gotten two years ago when it started. Oh, sure, there were television shows galore portraying mediums who talked to the dead. But did any of them get postcards? No, not a one.
Cassie leaned across the table. “You told him not to tell anyone else, didn’t you?”
“Oh, of course he knows it’s a secret,” Rosalie said. But from the expression on her sister’s face, Cassie wasn’t so sure.
“I got a postcard from Rick.” Cassandra Moore started to hand the card across the table to her sister, Rosalie Hopkins. When a sudden breeze whipped a napkin off the small table they occupied outside her favorite lunch café, she tightened her hold on the card.
“Maybe we should sit inside for a change.” Rosalie pulled a hair band off her wrist and, with practiced ease, twisted it into her long red hair.
For once, Cassie was glad of her short mop of hair. No matter how hard the wind blew, it always looked the same. Curly. And no, she didn’t want to go inside. She liked sitting outside watching people stream by so busy and full of life.
Rosalie snatched the card out of Cassie’s fingers and read it with distaste. “This is a joke, right?”
“I don’t think so. It’s like all the others.” Cassie squirmed and couldn’t quite meet Rosalie’s gaze. Of course this postcard was just like the others. Why wouldn’t it be? But, was it really? The other postcards were all from decedents residing at the Coroner’s office where she worked as the personal property supervisor, whereas her husband, Rick, had been dead two years this coming Halloween.
“There’s only an address on it. Does it look like Rick’s handwriting?” Rosalie handed the card back across the table.
Cassie hedged. “I haven’t compared it yet.” Of course she had, she’d run straight to her nightstand, and pulled out several of Rick’s love letters from when they were dating. The script had been close but it lacked something. The writing didn’t seem as aggressive or forceful as Rick’s had been. But then, he was dead now, wasn’t he? That must have had some affect on his handwriting.
“Did you go to the address?” Rosalie persisted.
“Not yet. I was hoping you would come with me.” Cassie took one last look at the postcard. Granted, the basket of kittens on the front of the postcard was not Rick’s style. While tucking it away in her purse, she noticed Rosalie shaking her head.
Rosalie wrinkled her nose, and shrugged. “I promised Kyle I wouldn’t get involved with any of this. I’m sorry.”
“What? You told Kyle?” Cassie felt cold all over. Her sister had promised never to tell anyone. What if other people found out? “How could you?”
“Well, since we’re getting married in July, I couldn’t keep it a secret from him. Besides, he thought it was kind of cool.”
Cool? She wasn’t sure she’d use that description. Downright creepy was the feeling she’d gotten two years ago when it started. Oh, sure, there were television shows galore portraying mediums who talked to the dead. But did any of them get postcards? No, not a one.
Cassie leaned across the table. “You told him not to tell anyone else, didn’t you?”
“Oh, of course he knows it’s a secret,” Rosalie said. But from the expression on her sister’s face, Cassie wasn’t so sure.
Karen Haas at Just Erotic Romance Reviews:
Postcards from the Dead is a fun paranormal read, perfect for Halloween... Don't miss this delightfully spooky read!
Making Mischief with Ericka Scott
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