I SO DON’T DO MYSTERIES

In life, Sherry and her work-obsessed cop mother weren’t much of a team, but when Sherry’s deceased mom returns as a spirit several months after her death, Sherry can’t deny her request to join forces in her quest to move on in the spirit world. It seems she’s in danger of flunking out of the Academy of Spirits, a ghostly institution that trains the departed to watch over the living. Despite being named after Sherlock Holmes, Sherry feels more comfortable hanging out at the mall and generally shies away from mysteries and challenges, but as she gets drawn into her mother’s task, Sherry finds that she can persevere under pressure, be incredibly resourceful and even shine in the limelight. The task involves saving a rhino at San Diego’s Wild Animal Park that is being targeted for assassination—Sherry’s mother’s final assignment in Prevent a Crime class. Although so aggressively fluffy and self-consciously chick-lit–y that the narrative at times borders on hokey, Sherry’s relationship with her mother’s spirit and her own quirky personality elevate this text by adding sincerity and warmth. (Fantasy. 10-13)