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Book Review of A Room for the Dead

A Room for the Dead
reviewed on + 242 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4


This book is part ghost story, part mystery. Frank OHara is the New Hampshire cop responsible for identifying Gary Ledbetter as the man who has killed several women in a horrifying manner. He gets extradicted to Florida for other murders and dies in the electric chair, protesting his innocence to the end. OHara is 4 months away from retirement when the same type of murders turn up in his area. The murders had a very negative effect on OHara so he's not thrilled when his Captain assigns him to investigate the murders. Then OHara starts seeing the ghost of Ledbetter who demands that OHara find the real killer whose crimes he was executed for. Throughout the book, OHara tries to figure out whether he's crazy or he's really seeing a ghost. There are many surprising twists and turns to this story that make it hard to put the book down. OHara is a sympathetic character. The minor characters who pop up are intriguing. The ending is somewhat disappointing but at the same time it's a very fitting one.