The Ghost of Gracie Flynn is written from the perspective of Gracie Flynn, a university student who died 18 years earlier, and weaves between Gracie’s past and the present. The book opens with the death of her friend Sam, whose body is found in mysterious circumstances. To uncover the mystery surrounding both their deaths, Gracie takes us back to the days leading up to Sam’s death.
At the beginning of the novel, Gracie introduces the readers to her old friends and, in turn, details around her death are teased out. At university, Gracie, Sam, Robyn and Cohen were inseparable. Their days were spent drinking, studying, and holidaying together. But Gracie’s death left the three friends emotionally adrift, and they parted ways.
It’s 18 years later – Cohen is in an unfulfilled marriage and job, and Robyn is burying herself in her work. Both of them are still haunted by thoughts of Gracie. Sam, on the other hand, has gone on to have a happy marriage, family and career. When the three friends are brought together again by chance, old secrets and lies are exposed.
While it’s slightly unconventional to have a mystery novel unfold from the voice of someone dead, don’t let this deter you. In fact, I found this narrative choice incredibly gripping, and I enjoyed getting Gracie’s personal insights and reflections on her friends.
Reviewed by Akina Hansen
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