Ghost Detective books. I’ve been living with these characters in my head for awhile, and a certain number of stories have come out of it. So many, in fact, that there are two parallel timelines.
A quick word to explain.
I started writing short stories about Robert and Clothilde. Had so much fun with them. And wondered what had happened to them when they died. They stayed so secretive! Then came the story Common Ground, and I got a definite link to Clothilde. And a way to get them out of the cemetery!
“Cool!” I thought, and started writing the next short story. Which wasn’t a short at all, but rather the beginning of a series of novels, the second of which you’re holding right now.
But I didn’t want to stop writing the shorts. So I’ve done both. In one timeline (this one), the ghosts get out of the cemetery and go looking for their own murderers, and in the other (the shorts), they’re still stuck in the cemetery and helping other ghosts find peace.
All of that to say you definitely do not need to read the short stories before starting the novels, and the shorts can be read in any order. The novels, however, are best read in order.
So if you haven’t read Beyond the Grave yet, you might want to try that one first—although the stories can stand alone!
And remember, you can get the very first Ghost Detective Short, Just Desserts, for free through my newlsetter!
R.W. Wallace