SHOES ON THE STAIRS

A supernatural novel focuses on a mother’s care from beyond the grave.

Steele presents Claire Blackwell, a homemaker in San Diego, California. Claire’s daily frustrations include getting the kids to school on time and managing all of the little, often unnoticed things that keep a household running. This all changes one rainy day when Claire is killed in a car accident. The event is, however, not the end of Claire. She finds herself as a ghost of sorts, able to observe things on the earthly plane, though not able to interfere with them. She can ride in someone’s car and hear everything said, but she can’t transport herself to places instantly or touch anything. But in time, Claire learns she can communicate with her husband and children. And if they relied on Claire when she was alive, they need her more now that she’s dead. But even a ghost mother can only do so much. Then there is the question of Claire’s future: Will she ever move on from her newfound existence? Will she be able to save her family before she leaves? The book takes a unique twist on a life-after-death existence. But certain comical moments can be trite. For instance, Brad, Claire’s husband, attempts to cook a frozen turkey on Thanksgiving. Add in a surprise visit from relatives, and it seems as if following the death of his wife, Brad is destined to spend his own eternity as a bumbling father in a sitcom. Nevertheless, many moments are moving even with the fantastical premise. Claire’s abilities allow her to see the other sides of her children’s lives. She comes to understand them in a way that she never would have otherwise. Although she may not be able to magically return to life, she will make readers reconsider what it means to be among the living.

While some of the humor falls flat, this modern ghost story remains touching.