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Spirited Away
Pamela Labud
ISBN# 0821778676
Zebra, April 2005, 317 Pages
Historical Romance-Paranormal
$3.99 (US) $5.99 (CDN)
Reviewed By Laurel
April 2005
Captain William Markham is about to hanged for a crime he did not commit. Having watched his enemy board his ship under trickery he slaughtered his crew and murdered his young daughter Katherine by throwing her overboard, stuffed in a sack and to drown. Add insult to injury, William is his unknown half brother and perceived as a threat to all he wants to achieve and inherit. He frames William for treason towards the English crown and he is sentenced to die. Before he hangs he warns his enemy Richard Barrons that he will return and he will seek vengeance. Now a restless spirit he roams the shadow lands, not here on earth but not crossed over to the other side. He is hurt, angry and bitter, he finds himself in front of Lady Arianna Halverson a gifted psychic who he hopes will help him in his quest to seek vengeance but will she lose all she comes to hold dear once she helps him with his daring plan?
Lady Arianna Halverson has always been gifted with the ability to communicate with the dead, and help them mend their broken spirit before they crossed over to the other side. The appearance of William Markham startles her, he is unlike other ghosts, she feels a strong and binding connection to this man, that her jade amulet that she uses glows a bright green and he appears in solid form. She is only able to see him like all other ghosts that come to visit her. Because of her unique abilities she has never thought about marrying and prefers to seclude herself in her home and away from society. The ghosts provide all the comfort and conversation she needs. But when her brother Ethan is shot in a duel gone wrong. Arianna finds that her ghost’s enemy is about to become her own. Richard Barrons arranged for her brother to be shot. Pretending to be his saviour he brings him home and then demands that because of her brothers eventual vegetative state, he is to become her guardian and by that she must marry him or he will turn her brother over to the authorities for his illegal deeds he just manages to have the proof for. Now forced to marry the vile man, Arianna wonders just how to get herself out of this debacle, she has no choice but to put all her trust into a ghost and hopes his plan goes accordingly.
SPIRITED AWAY is a nationally published debut novel from author Pamela Labud. I just loved it; the story, the setting and the characters were perfect in just about every way you can imagine. They displayed humanity and sincerity, evil intent and genuine surprise. Arianna knew that when she faced William he was not your ordinary ghost, fighting him at any chance she slowly discovered that she was falling in love with him. How can that be she thought to herself in the novel, when flesh and blood men are before her she feels nothing, but this ghost he rattles her soul and would do anything so he can rest in peace even if it meant he would be lost to her forever. It was a moving and tragic novel at the beginning full of twists and surprises along the way and the most spectacular ending and demise of an evil character I have ever read before. She was able to convey her characters in such a way that they appear human, I felt every ounce of pain William had and found myself rushing through the novel to ensure he got his happy ever after, and to find out just how the author was going to pull it off. You will have to read the novel to find out too, but it’s simply astounding and original .