Body and Soul by Susan Krinard is set, like most of her other novels, in a small village near the mountains.  However, unlike her other novels where werewolves can be found prowling the woods, these particular woods have a tormented ghost in residence.

David Ventris, Lord Ashthorpe, died in battle at Waterloo.  His ghost has remained in Limbo ever since, eternally tormented by the same guilt that led to his death.  The guilt that his young wife's death was his fault and now he is helpless to do anything but mourn her loss and torture himself with what might have been.  That is until he is called back to Earth by Jesse Copeland.

Jesse Copeland left the small mountain village of Manzanita as a young girl.  After the mysterious death of her mother she moved from hospitals to foster home and then into the Peace Corps.  Now she feels ready to face all her old fears and has returned to her childhood home in an attempt to banish the past forever.

But returning with her to Manzanita is her mother's lover, a man she fears and hates.  Deep down she knows he is responsible for her mother's death.  But there is no way to prove it and Gary Emerson can do no wrong in the eyes of the local populace.

Tormented by her past in mental hospitals Jesse fears she is going insane when the handsome ghost of David Ventris calls her in dreams and appears in her room.  But he is no dream or delusion, and he is determined that Jesse, the reincarnation of his deceased wife, forgives him for the wrong he did her so long ago, for only then can he be released from the bonds of Limbo.

But neither of them realise just how much danger Jesse is in, and how close David is to losing his last chance at freedom.  For Jesse is not the only person from the past to be reborn in the present day, and David must help her to defeat their enemy if they are to ever have a life together.

I found this novel to be very similar to Ms Krinard's other novels.  The ghost of David is as elusive as the werewolves, and the heroinne of the novel is similarly tormented by her past as many of the other heroinnes.

That being said this is still a very good novel and gives us yet another dimesion to the possibility of ghosts.  I thought that the workings of Limbo and David's ties to both Jesse and Limbo were very well thought out and excellently portrayed.

The mystery element of the story was also well thought out and helped to carry the novel that could otherwise have dragged on rather badly if it were only a romance novel.

I did feel that there were a few loose ends that could have been tied up at the end, and I would love to know why the heroinne on the front cover is wearing a ring on her wedding finger.  Anyone know why this was?

Other than those little points I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it as an excellent read.

RATING : 

(if you need an explanation of the hearts ratings see my homepage)

Also by Susan Krinard:   Twice a Hero,  Saving Sirena,  Prince of Shadows, Prince of Wolves, Prince of Dreams, Touch of the Wolf, Once a Wolf, Secret of the Wolf and Star-Crossed.

Read an Interview with Susan Krinard.

Links to  Online Stores

Visit Susan Krinard's website