HOUSE OF MIRRORS

In Nash’s paranormal novel, a tour guide discovers an extrasensory ability that can help her free trapped spirits.

Anyone visiting the “sleepy little suburb” of Franklin, Tennessee, can catch the “ghost tour” with guide Ruby Baxter. However, town newcomers Jake and Mallory Winter need Ruby’s rich historical knowledge for more than tourist entertainment after Mallory sees a ghost in their home—specifically, the shade of a Civil War–era soldier, shot and killed at the foot of the couple’s bed. Ruby surmises that the man fought at the extraordinarily bloody Battle of Franklin and later identifies him by name. After Jake sees ghosts as well, Ruby determines that the spirits are trapped in mirrors in the Winters’ house. Amazingly, she can psychically interact with the ghosts—and, to her surprise, transport back to their 19th-century pasts. She and the Winters make it their mission to help these spirits, most of whom simply want to go “home.” But returning the purchased mirrors to their rightful homes proves difficult, and not every Franklin local is cooperative. Nash’s measured ghost story is more poignant than spooky. Ruby, as a medium, connects with the spirits on a personal level, even witnessing firsthand their unavoidable deaths, and sending ghosts to the other side leaves her with a sad feeling of “emptiness.” She’s a well-developed protagonist with an intriguing backstory: She grew up with wonderful, doting grandparents; her late grandfather restored buildings (including the Winters’ home), and her late grandmother also had “spiritual sensitivities.” However, some of this emotional resonance fades as Ruby handles two feuding, rather annoying ghosts. At one point, she fears a “witch hunt” after a local man dismisses her ability, though that’s more of a potential conflict than an actual one. As the story progresses, Nash intercuts Ruby’s benevolent deeds with brief but vibrant scenes of the real-life Battle of Franklin: Tennessee’s “Five Bloodiest Hours.”

This quiet, engaging tale ably blends the supernatural with real-world history.