4 stars for Return to Tradd Street (Tradd Street book 4) by Karen White.
I realise I have spent the bulk of December reading the Tradd Street series one after another in succession. It is actually a very pleasant and enjoyable experience since there is no need to acquaint myself with new characters that come with reading a standalone novel or start of a brand new series.
In this book 4, the author brings readers back to square one, aye to the house on 55 Tradd Street and its unfinished business yet again. The lifting of this historic house from its foundation for major repair works due to a crack in book 3 is the reason for this uncalled-for revisit as one thing leads to another and ultimately to the skeleton hidden in the closet. As is the norm, the ball is once again in our heroine, Melanie’s court, waiting for her to investigate, to right old wrongs and put to rest eternally the resentful presence of a grievously wronged soul.
In return to Tradd Street, the author focuses a lot on the emotional aspect of Melanie and her practically non-existent man woman relationship. Growing up with her father’s aversion to all things unexplainable has led to Melanie taking up the path to self-denial where she justifies herself that out of sight equates out of mind. However, she soon learns the hard way that where matters of the heart are concerned, it is no simple feat in comparison to feigning not seeing and having to deal with the haunt of an angry and vengeful spectre. Though I can understand where the author is coming from for putting Melanie in her existing predicament, I find it hard to stomach at times on the fix that Melanie entwines herself in when it is actually very simple and straightforward. Regardless of this behavioural shortfall, the story is still an enjoyable read on the whole.
A new character, detective Riley is introduced in this book. I can almost see the wheels turning in the author’s mind the moment Riley first makes his appearance and proclaim with certainty as I read on that this likeable personality is definitely someone who is here to stay, and highly possibly to steer the direction of subsequent instalments and influence how they will pan out in due course. The only indeterminate point is when book 5 will be available since it has taken a span of seven years for the series to come about, from inception of book 1 in 2008 to book 4 in 2014.
Publisher: NAL
Publication date: 7 Jan 2014
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Facing her future as a single mother, psychic Realtor Melanie Middleton is determined to be strong and leave her past with writer Jack Trenholm behind her. But history has a tendency of catching up with Melanie, whether she likes it or not.…
Melanie is only going through the motions of living since refusing Jack’s marriage proposal. She misses him desperately, but her broken heart is the least of her problems. Despite an insistence that she can raise their child alone, Melanie is completely unprepared for motherhood, and she struggles to complete renovations on her house on Tradd Street before the baby arrives.
When Melanie is roused one night by the sound of a ghostly infant crying, she chooses to ignore it. She simply does not have the energy to deal with one more crisis. That is, until the remains of a newborn buried in an old christening gown are found hidden in the foundation of her house.
As the hauntings on Tradd Street slowly become more violent, Melanie decides to find out what caused the baby’s untimely death, uncovering the love, loss, and betrayal that color the house’s history—and threaten her claim of ownership. But can she seek Jack’s help without risking her heart? For in revealing the secrets of the past, Melanie also awakens the malevolent presence that has tried to keep the truth hidden for decades.…
*Blurb from author's website*
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