Ropa supports her family by talking to ghosts. She carries their messages to the loved ones left behind, in exchange for a bit of money to help pay the rent and get her Gram’s medicine. One night, a ghost named Nicola Stuart insists she needs Ropa’s help to locate her missing son, Ollie. Nicola doesn’t have any family to help with Ropa’s fee, and Ropa intends to ignore her wishes. After all, Ropa has bills of her own to pay. However, Ropa isn’t heartless, and she soon finds herself embroiled in the mystery. Meanwhile, she’s also learning about THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD through her friend, Jomo. Ropa, Jomo, and her new friend, Priya will risk their lives if they hope to solve this mystery… but will they all survive when the truth is uncovered?

What a great start to the series! LIBRARY OF THE DEAD is the first book in the Edinburgh Nights series, wow, I’m already looking forward to the next entry in the series!  Ropa is a spunky character, and she’s both adventurous as well as practical which makes for an interesting combination in a world where ghosts are commonplace. T. L. Huchu crafts some marvelous personalities with each character we meet. I love them all- whether it’s Jomo, Priya, Grandma, or Ropa herself, I want to spend more time getting to know them and seeing future adventures with all of them.

The world building in LIBRARY OF THE DEAD is complex and multi-layered. T.L. Huchu breathes fresh air into the genre as the uniqueness of the story line draws the reader in as we await the twists and turns coming at us. The haunting atmosphere makes each and every scene, no matter how paranormally outlandish, seem realistic. T.L. Huchu also crafts some scenes that still haunt me for both the eeriness and the overall horror factor. I love a well-drawn spooky scene that doesn’t require tons of gore to achieve that air, and T.L. Huchu excels at this!

LIBRARY OF THE DEAD is the perfect book for all fans of horror, urban fantasy, or paranormal fiction who love a unique and exciting read. LIBRARY OF THE DEAD is fast paced, intriguing, and darned right spooky! I love the way T.L. Huchu integrates things, such as the Zimbabwean music, into the storyline to provide a fascinating and exciting start to this new series. I can’t wait for the second book!