The Girl in the Green Silk Gown

Starred review from June 4, 2018
In McGuire’s beautifully written second story featuring hitchhiking ghost Rose Marshall (after 2014’s Sparrow Hill Road), set in the same world as the InCryptid series, Rose must confront her most dangerous foe: Bobby Cross, the immortal who ran her down when she was only 16. Bobby’s car runs on the spirits of the restless dead, and for him, Rose is the girl that got away. Rose loves her unlife: her true love, Gary Daniels, is finally with her, 60 years after her death, and Rose enjoys ushering the newly dead into their next state of being. Rose has a tattoo that protects her from Bobby, but when he damages the tattoo, Rose must become flesh and blood again—to her horror—and enlist the help of her onetime nemesis, folklorist Laura Moorehead. McGuire gives the headstrong Rose a rich history and firmly anchors her in her present as she crisscrosses the country and spends time in her diner, the Last Dance, with those she loves. This stunning, richly imagined story of love and destiny features an irresistible heroine and is one of the accomplished McGuire’s best yet. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary.

June 15, 2018

In this strong sequel to McGuire's gripping Sparrow Hill Road, ghost Rose Marshall, aka the girl in the green silk gown, is still being stalked by Bobby Cross. Not content with killing her 60 years ago, he wants to punish her even more in the afterlife. He may even have found a way to bring her back to life, which is definitely not something she wants. On the plus side, Rose has been reunited with lost love Gary and has gained valuable and unexpected allies to help her fight Cross. The author takes a deliberately lyrical tone with this series, making the story feel like a folk song. She has a gift for putting her heroines in danger and finding creative ways to return them to see them out of it. VERDICT McGuire's fans will relish this ghostly treat, as will those with a penchant for the supernatural, specifically works by Simon R. Green.--Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

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