THE UNGRATEFUL DEAD

This sequel to I Text Dead People (2015) finds Anna now not only plagued by ghosts, but by a nasty new stepsister.

The white girl describes herself as a “Guided,” someone who helps newly dead spirits cross over into the next place, whatever that may be—but some spirits refuse to go. Lucy, the spirit that so annoyed Anna in the first book, has now convinced a new spirit, Harper, to re-enter her dead body and live again. Harper not only does so, but also becomes the best friend of Tabitha, Anna’s new stepsister, who has moved in with the family. Tabitha makes no secret of the fact that she dislikes Anna, and as one of the popular girls in school, she decides to make Anna’s life as miserable as possible. Things get complicated when Harper’s already-dead body starts falling to pieces and Tabitha eats a magic cupcake meant for someone else. Can Anna control the spirits running rampant in her house and save the awful Tabitha? Cooper effectively mines Harper’s disintegrating body for dark humor. Combining paranormal and emotional suspense, she follows Anna as the girl tries to cope with her despised new stepfather, who believes every lie Tabitha tells him, but, unsurprisingly, it’s the spooks that provide the most fun. The significant characters all appear to be white.

An amusing if not particularly diverse series entry.