My name is Mike Ross. I’m a Ferryman. I help people with ghost problems, or ghosts with people problems. Funny thing, no one ever helps me with my problems. Civil War ghosts bent on killing me, Skinwalkers who just want my body, and a vindictive spirit linked both to my bloodline and my destiny… It turns out the dead still hold a good deal of influence over the world, and they don’t want to … give it up. I’m in way over my head. Fortunately, I’m too stubborn to quit.
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Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman by: Jim Bernheimer and narrated by Jeffrey Kafer is an entertaining paranormal listen. Definitely recommend, especially if you enjoy sarcastic humor with a little historical elements thrown into the mix.
What’s it about? Mike is able to see ghosts due to a transplant he received after being injured during war (turns out there’s more to it but due to spoilers leaving it this). Throughout the book he faces the challenges of his new gift, makes a couple ghost friends and non-ghost friends, finds a love interest or two, and discovers more about his family than he bargained for. There’s twists and turns, action, interesting minor characters (mobsters, civil war soldiers), betrayal, skinwalkers, and more. The main character is someone you can easily picture yourself being friends with. I liked the author gave Mike a sense of realness to him with emotions (it’s nothing you’re going to cry over) and he’s certainly not a perfect person (uses a ghost to help him pick the winning lotto tickets). The story is told as different episodes and progresses forward with time gaps, which made the story that much better in my opinion. The end is left open to move on to the next book.
Episode 1: Origins
Episode 2: Retreat from Gettysburg
Episode 3: Looking for Death in all the Wrong Places
Episode 4: Battling with Bitches
Episode 5: The Big Score
Episode 6: The Grinch who Stole Karla
Episode 7: Blood, Sweat, and Fear
Episode 8: No Reason To Panic
Episode 9: Location, Location, Location
Episode 10: Hitting the Fan
Episode 11: A Judicious Use of Force
Episode 12: The Battle of Baltimore
Episode 13: Rolling with the Change
“I never thought I’d be walking a blind preacher around my house and yard on a chilly November Saturday while he does a ‘proper’ blessing of the house, but I’ve learned to be flexible.”
“When it comes to the ‘milk of human kindness’, I must be lactose intolerant.”
“Actually, in my life the fecal matter usually bypassed the fan and went straight to my face- less splatter that way.”
“It’s like the Gospel. You can sit in church and listen. You can read the words from the books, but it won’t truly mean something unless you’re willing to believe it and do something about it.”
The narrator, Jeffrey Kafer, did a wonderful job. I had to double check it was Kafer as I’ve gotten use to a specific voice he uses with a couple other books I’ve recently listened to and this one threw me off (but it’s a good thing).
*Note one review states the chapters have a recap at the beginning of each- this is not true in the version I listened to.
Overall I recommend, it’s a nicely written and sure to keep you interested throughout.
Parental guidance/trigger warnings (small spoilers, kind of…): swearing, war talk (Iraq) and injuries from war, religious element (MC mom thinks he’s going crazy and asks him to meet with the pastor, who introduces him to another person with the “gift” and they go on several adventures together), drugging, death, husband abusive towards wife, Chandra Levy mention, dog fighting, and other stuff I’m no doubt forgetting (it’s easy to get engrossed in the book and forget about other obligations such as writing down spoilers).
“I was given this book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.”
Give me two pennies, because I want to take another trip with the Ferryman.