"Listen. Would you like to know a secret? Did you know everyone heads off into the Afterlife once they die, regardless of whether they're good or bad? It's true. Just read "The Case Files of Thomas Carney".Tom Carney, a nondescript school-teacher before he died, awakes to find himself a supernatural investigator in Afterlife Investigations.
Ms Wolfe deserves an award for sheer imagination in this quirky novel. Don't expect it to be feel-good with angels on clouds and stardust. Tom now inhabits a place midway between life and his final destination, a place swirled in mist and utter, mind-bending, bureaucracy. His companions are gelled into their own eras. His secretary, for example, still uses a traditional typewriter and receives strict orders for his investigation missions from the Home Office.
Following Tom's somewhat bungling attempts to find his feet in his new job was hilarious and I couldn't put the book down as he's drawn into the case of releasing a ghost child from the clutches of an evil being that belongs neither on earth nor in the after-life.
The cast of characters are unique and fully-rounded - those in the bar next to Tom's agency are as varied and enjoyable as those in the TV series "Cheers". The pacing gallops along and I enjoyed this supernatural romp that will keep me thinking about it for a long time to come. With any luck Ms Wolfe will be considering a sequel because I surely haven't had enough of Tom Carney."
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