In Julia Ash’s mystery novel MYSTIFIED, teenage pageant girl Jules drowns under suspicious circumstances, leading to a police investigation that reveals myriad family secrets. After she dies, Jules continues to exist as a ghost, able to communicate by subtly manipulating her environment, though she does not remember the events that led up to her death. She follows along the investigation, just as invested in the truth as her loving detective father and her absurdly wealthy beauty pageant queen mother, whose overbearing behavior and bizarre rules for her daughter no doubt contributed to her death, even if not directly. As Jules attempts communication with her father, with the help of her friend and next door neighbor, Truitt, the drama escalates and secrets are revealed.

Because the book begins with Jules’s death in chapter one then moves to a week prior to show what led up to the event, the story is propelled by suspense and the mystery of unanswered questions, such as who may have killed Jules and why. When the narrative catches up to the present about a third of the way through the book, the drama escalates as characters’ secrets are revealed and more questions arise. Alibis rule out some suspects early, but red herrings and layered motives bolster intrigue. A supernatural twist alters the direction of the story about halfway through, adding another subplot that brings in more curiosity and complexity to the characters’ relationships. The buildup to the reveal at the end of the book is so strong that the eventual revelation of the truth is somewhat disappointing; however, the ending does bring satisfying catharsis for Jules (and therefore for the reader), which makes the near deus ex machina ending well worth it.

Truitt explains to Jules some of the physics of being a ghost in the story, which answers practical questions to help the storytelling unfold smoothly. The inclusion of ghosts in the book adds to the intrigue and is never cheesy, as the realities of the metaphysical realm are integrated seamlessly into the narrative, and mentions of Heaven, Hell, and God are thankfully never preachy. Both before and after her death, Jules is an empathetic protagonist whose journey is easy to invest in. The intensity of her mother’s presence forced Jules to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, but as a ghost, she feels more free, capable, and at peace with herself as a person. This interesting dichotomy shows the importance of standing up for yourself, even to someone as seemingly powerful as an abusive parent. The mother’s cartoonish evil, as well as that of her conniving assistant, at times feels unrealistic. No one is without flaws, including the complicated and dynamic character of Jules herself. Truitt and Jules’s father are both appealing secondary characters whose love for and belief in Jules makes for a sweet story to watch unfold.

Details of a spiritual plane are integrated seamlessly in Julia Ash’s MYSTIFIED, a twisty mystery novel with likable and empathetic characters, great world-building and an endearing message.

~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader