Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris

When Harper Connelly was 15 she struck by lightning. She survived the experience but she soon discovered that she had developed an unusual ability. She is now able to locate bodies and see how the victims died, although in the case of foul play she cannot identify the killers.


 A sceptical anthropology professor, Clyde Nunley, has discovered a detailed list of all the burials’ in a historic cemetery in Memphisthe graveyard along with the corresponding causes of death. He decides to test Harper’s skills by asking her to come along and deduce what each grave inhabitant died of.

Excited at the thought of exposing her as a fraud, the professor lead Harper from grave to grave, he gets increasingly upset as she correctly guesses the sex of the inhabitant and how they died. He is delighted when Harper appears to get the last one wrong – she says there is a new body in the grave – on top of the original inhabitant. His delight soon comes to an end when she is not only right, but it turns out to be a missing 12-year-old girl, Tabitha Morgenstern, whom Harper failed to locate in Nashville on a case a year or so earlier.

Harper becomes a suspect and is told not to leave town so she and her travel companion, Tolliver, set out to solve the murder and free their name. They soon find out that Tabitha’s parents are now living in Memphis – and are expecting another baby. The next day a 3rd body turns up in the grave – Professor Clyde Nunley.


I enjoyed this instalment in this series. I like the way Harper and Tolliver's relationship is slowly changing.

A very enjoyable read.