Bitter Spirits

Twenty years after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, two survivors cross paths under macabre circumstances. Aida Palmer is working the Gris-Gris speakeasy as a stage medium, and Winter Magnusson, the "Viking Bootlegger," is being haunted by the ghost of a Chinese prostitute who was brutally murdered. It's easy enough for Aida to exorcise the ghost, but not so easy for her to forget Winter. Debut author Bennett's complex and smart romantic leads are refreshingly frank with one another, and they know how to enjoy what they've got. Both Aida and Winter are burdened with terrible secrets, and Winter's ghosts continue to rise between them%E2%80%94literally. Fans of ghost stories will love the pair's spooky, sexy voyage of discovery, which is erotic without being crass. The details of the Prohibition era are well researched but not intrusive, providing a solid and tangible backdrop for the developing romance and supernatural mystery. Most of all, the way Aida celebrates the "comfort and relief" that Winter provides really makes the story special. Expect historical romance authors and fans to eagerly hop on the Roaring '20s bandwagon, following Bennett's very able lead. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency. (Jan.)