When Marabella Vinegar finds her psychotherapist’s bloody corpse, she becomes the NYPD’s perp of choice. Her recently deceased mother—the bane of her existence in life—comes back as a ghost to help get her out of trouble and find the real killer. Things get even worse when, thanks to Marabella and her mother’s sleuthing, someone tries to kill her. Then another body is found and Marabella is … thrown in jail, awaiting trial for two murders. Can she and her mother-the-ghost-detective find the killer before Marabella becomes corpse number three?
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“Dead Shrinks Don’t Talk” earns 5/5 Ghost Moms…Engaging and Clever!
Originally titled “Mother, Murder, and Me,” “Dead Shrinks Don’t Talk” is the first book in Sandra Gardner’s Mother and Me Mystery series. A well-written story with a compelling plot, wonderful characters, and an engaging style has made me an eager fan for more! Marabella Vinegar works in the PR department of Chelsea College, and due to a life time of challenges, has been in therapy for eight years. The usual issues, but after this morning, she’ll have some real issues to discuss. Her mother has arrived. For some of us that might be an inconvenience and dredging up mother/daughter conflicts are better left in the past, however, Marabella’s mother passed away a week ago. Yet, here she is dressed in the satin and lace dress in which she was buried looking a bit transparent, but sounding, acting, and passing critiques just like normal and answering the “Why are you here?” question with “Very shortly, you’re going to need me, sweetheart.” The premise has quite a unique paranormal twist that adds its own kind of drama many daughters or sons can identify…an interfering mother, and bittersweet to think a thirty-nine-year-old would need their mother’s help, but having a mother/ghost eavesdropping, reading minds, and wafting through barriers just might come in handy. Really handy, especially when Marabella discovers her therapist murdered, and because she found the body, she might be closely scrutinized by local detectives. Yes, she’s going to need her mother! The murder investigation with all of its engaging twists and turns, more victims, and some serious personal peril for Marabella is not the only plot line. The side stories that weave through deal with ins and outs with her job at the college, personal relationships with BFF Toniann and residents in her apartment building, and exploring a realistic, positive romantic entanglement that challenges her phobia of large animals. This is a great place to start the Mother and Me Mystery series.
Marabella Vinegar is late for her therapist appointment—thanks to her mother. Normally, this pain in the tookus would be par for the course. After all, most of Marabella’s sessions are spent addressing her relationship with said relative except, Mama Vinegar died. A week ago.
After tucking her not-so-dead mother in for a nap on the couch, apparently ghost travel is taxing, Marabella rushes to Dr. Ditstein’s office anxious for answers. None are forthcoming because she finds her supportive shrink murdered. Any guess who is the prime suspect?
Marabella’s ambivalent relationship with her mother is captured perfectly by the author. Mom drives her nuts. But she loves her. But she drives her NUTS. The balance is perfect. I “get” both characters and am sympathetic
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I’m a big mystery series fan, but one of my complaints is that, in some cases, the main character doesn’t grow. I can’t say this for Marabella in Dead Shrinks Don’t Talk. Happily, Marabella is adaptive and determine. She is a flawed character that you can’t help but root for because, aren’t we all flawed? And, fyi, she solves the mystery. Let’s hear it for Team Marabella! A wonderful read and I can’t wait for more from this author.