Review: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia

Author:  Kate Racculia

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Publication Date: October 2019

Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly socializes, and spends much of her time watching old Twin Peaks and X-Files DVDs. But when Vincent Pryce, Boston’s most eccentric billionaire, dies—leaving behind an epic treasure hunt through the city, with clues inspired by his hero, Edgar Allan Poe—Tuesday’s adventure finally begins.
Puzzle-loving Tuesday searches for clue after clue, joined by a ragtag crew: a wisecracking friend, an adoring teen neighbor, and a handsome, cagey young heir. The hunt tests their mettle, and with other teams from around the city also vying for the promised prize—a share of Pryce’s immense wealth—they must move quickly. Pryce’s clues can't be cracked with sharp wit alone; the searchers must summon the courage to face painful ghosts from their pasts (some more vivid than others) and discover their most guarded desires and dreams.

A deliciously funny ode to imagination, overflowing with love letters to art, from The Westing Game to Madonna to the Knights of the Round Table, Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is the perfect read for thrill seekers, wanderers, word lovers, and anyone looking for an escape to the extraordinary.

In Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, Tuesday is pulled into a treasure hunt cooked up by a billionaire to commence after his death.  The stakes are high and the search brings Tuesday into contact with a whole cast of outrageous characters.

I'll start by saying that Tuesday Mooney doesn't really talk to ghosts and there is very little in the way of a similarity to The Westing game. Having said that,  I ultimately did like the book. I enjoyed all of the characters.  They really added a lot of color and flavor to the story.  My favorite had to be Tuesday's best friend Dex.  I also loved the  nod to old time horror movies and novels, particularly the Edgar Allen Poe references.  There are a lot of twists in the book, so I was kept guessing throughout.

My biggest disappointment came with the lack of actual treasure hunt.  I was expecting a lot more puzzles and actually hunting. But there were very few.  There was also a distinct lack of ghosts.  Unless you count all of he "ghosts" of the past that the characters have to face throughout the story.  At times, the writing had a distinct YA feel.  However, this is in no way a YA book.

If you are looking for a whimsical mystery, I would recommend giving this one a try.