As I stated in my last review of Beyond the Grave (#3), the things that hadn’t irritated me in the first 2 novels, were starting to wear me down and send up red flags by the third book in the series. And, I think once those issues became glaring, I haven’t been able to forget them or turn them off during my time reading Grave Expectations (#4). The inconsistencies in this series are becoming too much. Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core' Janice Hallett

Teaming up with the least unbearable members of the Wellington-Forge family - depressive ex-cop Basher and teenage radical Alex - Claire and Sophie determine to figure out not just whodunnit, but who they killed, why and when. Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut. . . . The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor. Fans . . . will be eager for more adventures from Claire and Sophie.” I love Claire and Sophie, Basher and Alex, and how their little Scooby gang develops as the story progresses from faceless mystery ghosts to a possible murder investigation within a rich and deeply dysfunctional family. And as an added bonus, Claire has a secret past of her own that she doesn’t want her new friends to uncover, and the biggest event in Sophie’s teen life remains a mystery to her and Claire, which remains outstanding even after the book’s dramatic reveal.

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I loved Claire, she is just trying to make the best of her gift, there has been an incident in the past where she has used her gifts and it ended badly for her, so Claire is a little battered and bruised metaphorically but still plodding on.. I really want good things to happen to Claire. That is what fascinates me. Londoners. I am sure you can't find such a vast array of personalities anywhere else." Despite this traumatic past, Claire and Sophie are still unprepared for what they encounter when they arrive at the manor: a ghost, tragic and unrecognizable, and clearly the spirit of someone killed in a rage at the previous year's party. Given her obsession with crime shows—not to mentionSophie's ability to walk through walls—Claire decides they're the best people to solve the case. And with the help of the only obviously not-guilty members of their host family—sexy ex-policeman Sebastian and far-too-cool non-binary teen Alex—they launch an investigation into which of last year's guests never escaped the manor's grounds.

You've never read a country house whodunit quite like Grave Expectations. Nor is there a generation gap quite as wide as the one between Claire and Sophie. Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core. Alice Bell writes with real verve and crafts a preposterous premise into a sharp, well written and lively story that's at once out of this world and yet reassuringly real. As reader, you're along for the ride, and it's a runaway ghost train of a ride at that! Bell is one to watch.' - Janice Hallett Grave Expectations is the debut crime novel from author Alice Bell, following washed-up Claire and her best friend Sophie, who must solve a cold case at a stately home in the British countryside, home to the secretive Wellington-Forge clan. So far, so pat – except for the bit where Claire is a disgraced medium and Sophie is dead, having died mysteriously at seventeen and now tethered to Claire as both a spectre and a keen assistant to Claire’s amateur sleuthing. That old story indeed. A really unique concept paired with whip-smart writing and lots of heart -- Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do to Our Friends Witty, addictive, and breathes some much needed (undead) life into the cosy crime murder mystery genre,' - Adam Simcox

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Speaking of inconsistencies, let’s talk about Mrs. Webb for a moment. Are you honestly going to try to convince me that an insignificantly average woman ON HER OWN could lift not only Charlie by herself but Gus as well?? You’re kidding, right? I’ve personally tried to lift someone who was a complete dead-weight (and probably weighed 90 pounds soaking wet) with the help of another woman and it was ridiculously hard (and PS, I’m not a weak person). So yeah, no. I don’t think I can believe that. I really liked all the characters, especially Claire, Sophie and Alex. They all felt completely realistic even with their various eccentricities and there were some parts that made me genuinely laugh out loud. Although the story is primarily a mystery, it is very character driven and we spend a lot of time with the characters as their relationships develop. This slowed the pace down a bit, but also added an extra dimension and helped me to be more invested in the outcome. She grew up in Southwest England, and after spending several years in London now lives in Cork, Ireland.