A most perfect book for Halloween and ghost story aficionados: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. The cover alone is spooky but dive into Anna Dressed in Blood and you are in for a great big thrill!
In Theseus Cassio Lowood, Blake has created a reluctant hero with both a gritty edge and a snarkish vein. Cassio, also known as Cas, is a ghost killer, descended from a line of ghost hunters. His father was murdered while in the line of duty by a diabolical spirit. Since then, Cas has been training to prepare to meet his father’s murderer and vanquish him (or her…or it) forevermore. He is well on his way by sending 22 spirits on their merry way.
Cas and his mom, a “kitchen witch” and online occult supplier travel the world following up on local lore and legends, seeking out the ghosts who terrorize and kill. Mrs. Lowood does everything in her power to protect her son while he is ghost hunting, and as understanding moms go ~ she is probably one of the best.
Cas received a tip of a ghost disappearing numbers of students and vagrants in a small Ontario town. Once Cas and Mrs. Lowood arrive in Ontario, Cas enrolls in the local high school in order to learn more of the mysterious killer ghost. He discovers that in 1958, Anna Korlov was murdered on her way to a high school dance. The killer was never caught, but since Anna’s death, the home she lived in with her mother has been haunted by Anna’s ghost.
When Cas inadvertently meets up with Anna after being locked in her house by a jealous ex-boyfriend, he discovers that Anna is unlike any other ghost he has ever exterminated – she is much more powerful and actually aware of her state. Because of this, Cas is forced to accept the help from a high school mis-fit, Thomas Sabin, and the queen bee, Carmel Jones.
Anna Dressed in Blood was both fun and scary – the sarcasm from Cas along with his references to Ghostbusters and Buffy the Vampire Slayer gave Blake’s novel a touch of humor to balance out the scary. But don’t get me wrong – the novel was not as scary as some books I’ve read – I was actually able to read this one late at night while home alone and didn’t feel as though I had to hid under the covers from the bumps in the night. It was; however, a quite satisfying ghost story.
There is a sequel, Girl of Nightmares, of which I’ve already downloaded from Audible. The reviews I’ve read of the audio version have me anxious to get started!
Cautions: Mild profanity, gory violence and an episode of teen drinking.
Anna Dressed in Blood is my 2nd read in the RIP web event.
