The Ghost in You
Ed Brubaker, writer; Sean Phillips, artist; Jacob Phillips, colors
Image Comics, 2022
There is a reason that Ethan Reckless is not on the cover of this one. He spends most of the story out of town on a case, which leaves his assistant Anna in charge. She intends to just keep the movie theater running, but is presented with an irresistible case. Hollywood Scream Queen Lorna Valentine is renovating a famous murder mansion she inherited, and wants help determining if the place is haunted. Anna met Lorna when she was young, and grew up watching her host horror movies on TV--and really, what could go wrong?
The mansion is plenty creepy, but Anna initially focuses on a simpler, more concrete objective, that of locating Lorna's missing dog. Even that looks a little tricky, as she encounters suspicious neighbors and a cop who claims to live nearby, but acts increasingly suspicious. Anna's estranged mother contacts her, invites her to her wedding, and introduces Anna to her sketchy fiancé. This triggers childhood memories, so we learn quite a bit more about Anna's troubled childhood.
Research turns up a possible reason for outside interest in the mansion: legend has it that the Hollywood movie star who originally owned the place was paid in cash, so there may be a huge stash (possibly hidden in the walls). Unfortunately, Anna only puts that together after being stabbed by two homeless burglars she encounters in the house. But with that information she confronts the crooked cop. It bothers me a little that she needs Ethan's help handling the guy--she had proven herself quite capable on her own--but Ethan is the star of the book, after all.
Replies
I tore through this one, and enjoyed it, as I always do. It was good to see Anna out on her own, and by the end of this novel I was VERY relieved (considering how the last one ended). One touch I really loved was bringing back Anna's boyfriend who published zines; looking back, it seems clear he was planted in the last book so that he could help out with this one.
As for Ethan showing up at the end, it didn't bother me; he doesn't really solve her problem, so much as he's her instrument here. And it brought him back for the wedding, and set up that the next book will be happening concurrently, up in San Francisco.
"I tore through this one..."
Not literally, I hope.
OK, I give up waiting for an omnibus. The enthusiasm is infectious. I ordered all four Reckless books.
You guyyyyss!
You won't regret it, Cap!
Agreed!
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said: