The Ghost and Mrs. Miller

Sandra
Tilley
Genre: 
Paranormal

Libby Miller has everything: a loving husband, a satisfying career and great children. However, on her nineteenth anniversary her world is shattered — she discovers that her husband Neil is having an affair, and then a car accident leaves her a widow. At first, she believes that she is in shock when she sees Neil’s ghost. It soon becomes apparent that Neil has no intention of moving on. Unable to grieve, her growing attraction to Eli, a man she has known from childhood, confuses her even further. 

“The Ghost and Mrs. Miller” is a tale of disappointment and regret. Neil does not haunt Libby out of love, but of a need to manipulate his wife and family that transcends death. He leaves Libby unable to move on with her life. This aspect of the story is under-explored in the novel and the author attempts to introduce a new romance for Libby. This stalls the story arc and as a result very little plot or character development can happen. Libby can’t get past Neil’s infidelity and Neil cannot move on  from the disappointment of his life. Neil prevents Libby from having a full relationship with Eli. It is very frustrating. This frustration is compounded by an unsatisfying ending, which alerts the reader to expect more from these characters. Ms. Tilley’s prose is very good, and she manages to infuse some great humor into the story. It would be great to read other stories from this talented author.

Gwenellen Tarbet