Title: York Street: A Ghost and a Cop Series
Author: Jan Walters
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781491743026
Pages: 288
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Reviewed by: Anita Lock
Buy on Amazon
Pacific Book Review
Jan Walters spins “a little fact and a lot of fiction” in her latest read. Walters’ inspiration for writing the first book in a new series comes from two wonderful sources. The first is her family’s legacy: four generations of men—dating back to the 1890s—who had served on the Des Moines Police Department (DMPD). The other from stories, as Walters states, “I grew up listening to my grandmother telling me wonderful stories of the DMPD and the crazy cases they would occasionally encounter.”
Walters’ plot is replete with a colorful cast, a combination of foils and a tight handful of antagonists—all designed for the purpose of developing her main character, Brett O’Shea. Unique to Walters’ third person narrative is the way she weaves in comedy and a bit of romance in the midst of a dark plot. Brett’s firm belief that the paranormal simply does not exist is severely tested when Al confronts him. But the specter does not fit the stereotypical A-Christmas-Carol persona. Al is downright pesky. Fascinated with all the 21st Century gadgets that Brett has, Al acts more like a curious kid than an adult. Walters does a stellar job of balancing heavier plot elements with plenty of light bantering and hilarious scenes.
Another light balance to Walters’ narrative is a bit of romance when reporter Lisa Winslow enters Brett’s life, even though their relationship starts on the wrong footing. Walters incorporates bantering again in Brett and Lisa’s dialogue, but it is edgy. Using the above-mentioned literary schemes, Walters adds to her fluid storyline by alternating a nice mix of clichéd and unexpected scenes punctuated with good-versus-evil spiritual themes. There is so much more going on in Walters’ narrative, but additional information will only make for spoilers. Bottom line: York Street is an entertaining atypical paranormal read—one that appeals to a wide audience. With so many creative interleaves of themes, situations and complex characters, one can easily become a fan of Walters’ style. I look forward to the continuing adventures of Des Moines Officer Brett O’Shea in the next novel in A Ghost and a Cop series.