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Being a detective from beyond the grave is easier than it sounds for murdered detective Oliver Tuck. Tuck is able to spend time with his widow Angel and other close confidants, not to mention being able to communicate with both the recently deceased and the long dead. In the follow up to 2014's DYING TO KNOW, Tuck is at a benefit gala hosted by Angel when a donor is killed in cold blood on the ballroom floor. When the victim turns out to be Stephanos Grecco, a businessman with shady associations, Tuck is thrust into an investigation that quickly becomes about much more than a murder at a charity function.
As Tuck collaborates with his former partner and best friend, Detective Bear Braddock, he also finds himself dealing with a fellow resident of the great beyond: a mobster from decades past named Vincent Calabrese, as well as communicating with living investigators and suspects via whisperings with Bear and Angel. When apparently inconvertible evidence is found linking Angel's close friend André Cartier to the murder, Tuck finds himself in the unenviable position of possibly helping to put his widow's dear friend and father figure in prison for life.
Soon thereafter, the FBI comes in and tries to take over the case from Bear and his team; it becomes clear that this is more than a simple murder, and perhaps even more than your run-of- the-mill mob hit. As often happens when federal authorities take over a case (at least in crime fiction) tensions arise, and our protagonists are left wondering if the feds are bungling the case out of incompetence or because of institutional corruption. As a result, Tuck finds himself conflicted both professionally and personally; all while trying to keep a low profile, lest anyone tries to commit Angel or Bear for talking to an invisible ghost.
Based upon the somewhat cartoonish cover art of DYING FOR THE PAST, one might go into the book expecting a cozy of sorts. While it does not fall strictly into cozy territory, it is certainly a soft-boiled tale that relies on humor and the gimmicky nature of plot to disguise its weaknesses. Once the reader gets past the novelty of having the protagonist be a ghost, the mystery at hand is pretty by-the-numbers and familiar. Although, readers familiar with the first of this series may have a clearer understanding of the "rules" of the ghost-world that Tuck inhabits, it is often confusing why or how some characters can see or communicate with him and others cannot. Tuck and the rest of the characters are charming enough company in which to solve a mystery but still are somewhat predictable and prosaic.
This being said, DYING FOR THE PAST is a harmless, often charming tale that many fans of cozy and soft-boiled mysteries may find to be a worthwhile way to spend a winter's day. While not a wholly original (or completely successful) plot device, it is refreshing enough to see a twist on an otherwise familiar story. Readers looking for a layered and more ambitious mystery probably should look elsewhere, but for its target audience, it will probably suffice for an enjoyable, if forgettable read.
§ Ben Neal is a librarian who likes to fancy himself an amateur writer, humorist, detective, and coffee connoisseur in his spare time. He can be reached at beneneal@indiana.edu.
Reviewed by Ben Neal, January 2015
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