Sylvia Toth asks Sadie to clean up after the murder-suicide of her son, Grant, and his deaf wife Trudy. When Sadie and Kent arrive, Sadie isn’t surprised that she doesn’t see Grant’s ghost, for the police are certain he killed his wife, then shot himself. But when Trudy’s ghost appears, the dead female insists her husband didn’t kill her. Then a strange man appears in the Toth kitchen and Sadie learns from Sylvia Toth that the visitor is Kent Lasko, Grant’s best friend, who is very much alive.

Determined to discover the identity of the true murderer, Sadie seeks Kent Lasko. Kent admits to having an affair with Trudy, one that ended long ago. He was at the house to retrieve a necklace he gave Trudy - one that would lead Sylvia to realize they had an affair.  While the explanation satisfies Sadie, when she and Zack return to the Toth home, the ghostly Trudy signs the identity of her killer: the letter "K". Sadie suspects Kent, but Zack has learned Kent has an airtight alibi.

When Sadie’s van tires are slashed, and someone shoots at her twice, Sadie and Zack realize someone wants Sadie out of the picture.  While Zack falls on his old connections as an ex-cop to protect her, Sadie finds help in the form of a Medium named Maeva.

The Remains of the Dead is a clever, fast-paced mystery with a paranormal twist. Ms. Roberts delivers tight, crisp dialogue, an exciting plot, and true to life characters. I especially liked the bickering between Sadie and Maeva, and the potential of romance between Sadie and Zack. This story was so enjoyable that I didn’t want it to end. Fortunately, the next book in the series is due out in December 2008, and it’s one I will eagerly await. If you like CSI, Medium or Ghost Whisperer, you’ll absolutely love The Remains of the Dead.