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Wraith (Zoe Martinique Investigation, Bk 1)
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Wraith (Zoe Martinique Investigation, Bk 1)
Author: Phaedra Weldon

Book Information
Publisher: Ace Trade
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 8
Rating:

ISBN-13: 9780441014972 - ISBN-10: 0441014976
Publication Date: 6/5/2007
Pages: 378

Book Description:
Have powers, will travel. Zoe Martinique was just your average, single female, past 25, looking for love and/or exciting job opportunities. Until life handed her the dubious ability to travel outside of her body at will -- which she turned into a career, hiring herself out as a literal spook. Industrial espionage, domestic surveillance, you name it -- when she's traveling she can see but can't be seen...

Then one night things get out of hand while she is out-of-body: Zoe witnesses a murder. What's worse, the killer is also a Traveler -- and he most definitely not only sees her, but tries to pursue her. To save herself, Zoe must somehow guide the very handsome detective assigned to the case to the truth without revealing herself. And with the help of her semi-psychic mom, a pair of gay ghosts, and her best friend (a Goth techno witch), she also has to figure out exactly who -- and what -- the murderer is, before he finds her and puts an end to her traveling -- permanently.

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Top Member Book Reviews

Anonymous wrote on 12/7/2007...

8 member(s) found this review helpful.

An urban fantasy about a heroine who is an astral traveler and private investigator/spy for hire. First book in a series that has potential. Due to a run in with a character that can eat souls, the heroine, Zoe, finds that her powers of astral projection have been changed and in some cases increased. Dealing with that as well as trying to solve a mystery that at first glance seems merely a case of corporate espionage makes for an entertaining read. It is almost a cliche of urban fantasy that the heroine is either an orphan or estranged from her family, so it is also nice to see a heroine in this genre who has a close relationship with her mother as well as several friends she can rely on, two of whom are ghosts. And I appreciate that the heroine is not the only major female character in the novel.

However, the big problem with this book is the voice of the main character. Told in the first person, Zoe cannot relate her story without CONSTANTLY commenting on what she is telling the reader. First the character will make a statement, then she makes a mental comment on what she just said and then she qualifies the mental comment with another snarky aside. What is supposed to come across as witty banter instead comes across as unnecessary distractions. It hurts the narrative. This happens not only throughout the book, it also happen several times a page. Her numerous asides and tangents bog the book down so it becomes more about how Zoe feels about how she is feeling instead of telling a story. I got to the point where I started skimming through Zoe's inner monologues so I could get to the plot.

The novel's premise is a good one but the execution leaves something to be desired. However, if Weldon does continue to grow as a writer that may change. I am unsure if I will continue with this series as I am undecided on whether it's promising elements outweigh the irritations.


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Lesa C. (4fabfelines) wrote on 11/4/2009...


this was a pretty good book. Zoe gets into all kinds of trouble being a traveler, and meets up with a fellow traveler who kills someone in front of her.
He also makes a grab for her, and marks her hand with a weird brand.
Zoe comes back to herself but knows something is differant, what did the other traveler do to her?
When she has a client that asks her to investigate something shady Zoe senses there is more than meets the eye to this whole deal.
With the watchful eye of the sey detective she gets in up over her head... and more.


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