THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET by Karen White
Karen White is one of America’s most popular novelists. A huge part of this success is due to her beloved TRADD STREET series. Her latest novel is THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET and it is the sixth book in the series. Once again the author returns to the beautiful and gracious city of Charleston, South Carolina and to the house on Tradd Street occupied by Jack and Melanie Trenholm.
Jack Trenholm is a novelist and his wife Melanie is in the real estate business. On the side she sees ghosts. This is not a fact she advertises but it is a part of her daily routine. She sees them in her house and she sees them on the street. She especially sees them in her side yard where a years old cistern is being excavated. All of the spirits are all trying to communicate with her but she doesn’t quite understand the message.
Even while being a “ghost whisperer” of sorts, she is also a wonderful wife and mother. She and Jack have young twins named JJ and Sarah. Her sister Jayne is nanny to the twins while Melanie pursues her career in real estate. Keeping up an old house on Tradd Street is expensive and the world of a novelist is touch and go. Melanie tries to trim corners where she can but if Jack’s latest novel is not a hit, things might become a little more tense on Tradd Street.
The joy of reading any Karen White book, and especially those in this series, is how exuberant she is in the writing. The reader feels her enthusiasm permeating each and every aspect of Melanie’s adventures. It is also apparent that Melanie Trenholm is a combination of Margaret Mitchell’s two heroines, Melanie Hamilton and Scarlett O’Hara. She has the loving spirit of Melanie and the feisty spirit of Scarlett. It is when she is letting Scarlett’s feistiness gain control of her personality that she gets into trouble.
There is a lot of reading enjoyment pouring out of this novel. Even with her faults Melanie Trenholm is so lovable you have to pull for her to be successful in all areas of her life. There was, however, an abruptness to some changes in her situations that didn’t ring quite true. Although readers can accept the ghosts she sees, they must have validity in the every day occurrences surrounding her.
It will delight readers to know White has announced there will be one more Tradd Street book. When it will arrive in stores has not been announced. White fans will wait patiently and expectantly for after all tomorrow is another day.
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET is published by Berkley. It contains 384 pages and sells for $26.00.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
