In 1907 the Larchmont, a steamer ship, collided with a schooner off the coast of Block Island, near Providence, RI. Nearly all of the 150 passengers went down with the ship or froze to death. The small island became the hub of the search and rescue mission.
Present day-Anza is a book binder & single mother. She’s not your typical mom, either. From the time Anza was a young girl, she’s had the ability to see ghosts, earthbound spirits. All her life she’s helped these spirits cross-over into the light.
When Anza receives a call from the island’s Historical Society, she’s overjoyed! Book binding doesn’t pay much and she could certainly use the extra money. She’s asked to create a collection of historical papers from the century-old tragedy. She packs up her five-year-old son, Henry, and the head off to spend their spring vacation on the island.
When she arrives, she can’t help but notice the high level of ghost activity on the island. Many of those who died at sea have made the island their resting place. The spirits aren’t happy either; plans to create a wind-farm on the island would disturb their final resting place. Anza must work with the residents of the island, both living & dead, to help maintain the history of the island.
The Ice Cradle: A Novel from the Ghost Files is the second book in Winkowski & Foley’s Ghost Files series; the first is The Book of Illumination. I didn’t have the opportunity to read the first book and I don’t think I lost anything; the authors did a pretty decent job of providing back story.
For those of you who aren’t familiar, Mary Ann Winkowski is the consultant and inspiration behind Ghost Whisperers. In addition, she has also worked with federal agencies as a paranormal investigator.
While overall, I enjoyed this book, I believe there could have been a bit more depth in the characters. Anza learns that her son shares her powers; I wish the authors would have touched on this a bit more. In addition, the spirits Anza meets clearly have some history; I think a great deal could have been added to the story if we learned more about them and their past.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this book. It’s a short, quick read. Not too scary at all, perfect for someone wanting to test out the horror/paranormal waters. There is also a touch of romance, so fans of paranormal romance might enjoy this as well.
