cover image The Last Ghost

The Last Ghost

Jamie Blake. 50/50, $12.99 trade paper (270p) ISBN 978-1-947048-17-1

Blake’s crowded paranormal debut follows two concurrent, loosely entwined narratives: the sudden death of 22-year-old Christian Orland and the grief of the loved ones he leaves behind, and a revolution in the realm of the 16 Fatalities, the sentient embodiments of death among humankind. Christian’s brother, Noah; his first love, Ellery; and his girlfriend, Melissa, are haunted by memories of the troubled young man and the unresolved questions surrounding his death. Woe, the 16th Fatality, responsible for Sudden, Expected Death and charged with bringing about Christian’s end, questions whether he should have died by her hand at all. Amid personal, romantic, and supernatural upheaval, all four characters pursue the answer to one question: was Christian murdered? Though boasting its fair share of inventive concepts, the story is bogged down by a glut of static tertiary characters and underdeveloped subplots, resulting in a plodding pace and minimal development. Blake’s debut is far from perfect, but it shows potential that will hopefully be fulfilled in future projects. (Oct.)