DISLAIMER: some spoilers and quotes! Tropes: Gothic Historical fiction thriller, gaslamp fantasy (potions/magic), hate to love, slow burn romance
Ft. Feminist from the old times, who knows how to put people in their place and dishes back exactly what’s she’s been served with her sharp mouth (ie my favorite), Almost all the characters were sarcastic crusty Bishes and I am here for it! I was hooked from the first sentence “Dead bodies interrupted my dessert course.”
Beautiful writing style and great world-building, I am HOOKED and would love to get more books from this series on NetGalley and I have subscribed to the newsletter!!
Moving on to the romance 😏😏Sarcastic 👏🏽witty 🤌🏾banter👏🏽 , she met her match in Tristan and I loveee. <spoiler> I Love the scene when the ghost first possessed him😏And I believe Tristan when he said he was in control with the ghost , especially after the kiss, when his remark was “why did you slap me” and when he complimented her after her friend did “as the ghost”
Some favorite quotes:
“Do you wish to look down my throat, your Grace, and make sure I haven’t stuffed it full of cotton?”

“He gave me a long puzzled look, asking abruptly, “why do you wear black? It doesn’t suit your pale coloring. When I first saw you, I took you for much older.”
“Too kind, sir! And what color do you recommend for a trip to the morgue?” I asked sarcastically.
“A dark satin blue, with perhaps a black velvet jacket. That would go well with your sandy blond hair and pale complexion.”
Man’s knows fashion

“…be sure to look pleasurably shocked, yet thrilled, when we get inside."
"I shall try my best."
The carriage slowed to a stop. I looked out the window and cried out so loudly that heads turned our way, "Oh, look at the funny people!
Why is that man sleeping in the gutter? He'd better get up before he catches cold."
When mysir de duke handed me down, I stumbled against him, giggling. Pressed against him, he whispered in my ear, “is that a weapon I feel in your pocket Madame?” </spoiler>

"Madame Elinor Chalamet battles a ghost in the Beyond.

Trained as a medium by the elite Morpheus Society, Elinor Chalamet uses her skills to aid the police while she hunts for her father's killer in the coastal city of Alenbonne.

But a dead body found in the canal puts her in deep with royal matters. And she might even succeed in solving the mystery if Tristan Fontaine, duke de Archambeau, would stop getting in her way.

The first of a six part gaslamp fantasy ghost mystery series featuring a strong female character in a slow burn romance."

Gaslamp fantasy with a medium, hell yes!

“The Ghost Talker,” by Byrd Nash, is a lively, well-imagined trip through an alternate realty that is very similar to France in the late 19th century.

Our heroine, Elinor Chalemet, is a Ghost Talker who literally can communicate with the dead—fraudulent mediums exist in her world, but she’s not one of them. She’s been trained by the Morpheus Society and knows her business.

Set in a world that is well-imagined (no info dumps, thank goodness), Elinor gets caught up in investigating a murder that brings her to the arrogant, yet likable Duke de Archembeau. Together, they face spirits, possession and danger. Along the way we meet plenty of fascinating characters, from snobs to street urchins.

I enjoyed this book. Elinor isn’t just a trained Ghost Talker, she has strong deductive reasoning skills, and at moments, is positively Sherlockian. The world she inhabits is a fun visit, and I hope this is the first of a mystery series worth following.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Ghost Talker by Byrd Nash, is the first in a series of fantasy ghost mysteries. It centres on Madame Elinor Chalamet, a trained medium, who becomes involved in a murder investigation while hunting for her father’s murderer.
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I loved this novel! It had everything I needed. Witty female characters, a murder mystery and the paranormal. The plot is fast paced which makes this a perfect read if you’re heading into a reading slump.

The dynamic between Elinor and the duke was great as they’re both stubborn and confident. I especially love how Elinor proved him wrong many times.

I loved Elinor’s character! She’s a strong and independent medium, with confident in her abilities and her mind. I think Elinor so compelling to read about, and I can’t wait to see how her character develops in the next book.

This is a really well written novel, and I can’t wait for rest of the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Rook and Castle Press for this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.