Only the Good Die Young

Freed after 30 years of reliving the moment of her murder, Jensen Murphy is both unable and unwilling to move on to the afterlife. She wants to figure out her killer's identity but has few clues to go on. Driven by a displaced need for redress and prompted by psychic benefactor Amanda Lee Minter, Jensen decides to use her spectral abilities to win justice for Elizabeth Dalton, who was stabbed and dismembered by a person who still hasn't been punished. Jensen becomes an unseen spectator flitting amongst Elizabeth's friends, her inexperience balanced by a vengeful determination. Her supernatural powers, while useful, are not as important to the resolution of the plot as her insight into human nature. The novel is firmly planted within the urban fantasy genre, but it recalls the more vibrant world of cozy mysteries. Green's amusing diversion serves as a charming introduction to what with luck will become a long-running series. (Feb.)