I’ve got a soft spot for novels set off the beaten path. Creosote, Nevada certainly qualifies. Mary Sojourner invents the town for her novel, Going Through Ghosts, centering the action in Creosote’s two-bit casino. The reader immediately meets enough characters to make her feel like a new bride at her husband’s family reunion. Sure hope I can remember all these people.

Then one of the characters finds herself murdered. But that’s OK. She drifts about as a ghost, making contact with the living. You’d think the goal would be to solve her own murder, but mostly she hangs around with her chosen human contact, using up the woman’s nail polish. (Hmm, when I’m dead, I want to try on prom dresses. .)

Sojourner’s ghost-y plot has something to do with Hopi notions on dying.

One night while laboring through the introduction of yet more characters,  the room spun every time I moved my head. I don’t want to blame Sojourner’s book. But an out-of-control cast list, not to mention a good many of them stoned, hungover, suffering flashbacks — or dead — this is no cure for dizziness.

What worked was a good long nap and a different book.

Mix these together for a great snack.

I also comforted myself by making Cheesy Corn Spread and sharing it with friends.

Give Ghosts a shot if you like. Let me know if I missed out on anything good.