Grave Reservations

A Novel

By: Cherie Priest

Narrated by: Ulka Simone Mohanty

A psychic travel agent and a Seattle PD detective try to solve a murder in this “ebullient tap dance of a mystery” (Christopher Moore, New York Times bestselling author)—perfect for fans of Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series.

Meet Leda Foley: devoted friend, struggling travel agent, and inconsistent psychic. Impulsively re-booking Seattle PD detective Grady Merritt’s flight, she has no idea that her life is about to change in ways she could have never foretold.

When his original plane blows up on the runway, Grady begins to suspect that Leda’s special abilities could help him with a cold case he just can’t crack. Despite her scattershot premonitions, she agrees to join the investigation for a secret reason: her fiancé’s murder remains unsolved.

Leda’s psychic abilities couldn’t help that sad case, but she’s been honing her skills and drawing a crowd at her favorite bar’s open-mic nights, where she performs her klairvoyant karaoke—singing whatever song comes to mind when she holds people’s personal effects. Now joined by a ragtag group of bar patrons and pals, Leda and Grady set out to catch a killer—and learn how the two cases that haunt them have more in common than they ever suspected.

Critic reviews

"Mohanty captures the sly and witty tone of this audiobook perfectly, leaning into the humor and semi-ridiculous plot while never losing sight of its serious issues. Leda is dealing with unresolved grief and guilt, both of which Mohanty presents with care and compassion. Secondary characters are easy to distinguish and delightfully depicted, adding to the listener’s enjoyment. A promising series opener, narrated with flair and empathy."

I loved it

I originally got this to see if it was a good comp for my current WIP. It didn’t quite work for what I was looking for, but it was still great! She really nailed the amateur sleuth storyline! Definitely looking forward to the next one!

Good quick listen

The narrator did pronounce some of the words incorrectly but it didn’t ruin the story for me. The story was interesting and did not lag at all.

Fun Story

This was a fun story with an interesting premise. Not a typical psychic tale. Nice use of Seattle as a backdrop and to support the story.

Wish the mystery was more compelling

I liked the characters and the writing, but I didn’t really care about the case, unfortunately. Found it a little boring, but of course that is entirely subjective and I’m sure many people will love it.

it was OK

story had alot of potential. the 'ol psychic helps police story. but there was no action. no real drama. just a straight forward predictable plot. the tiny bit of action was anticlimactic. sorry.

Another exceptional book from Cherie Priest

One of the most gifted writers you will ever encounter. Everything from Gothic horror to rollicking, steam, punk, and everything in between. Cherie has put out yet another amazing book. Highly recommend.

Ok, but not great

This was an ok book, but it was hard to follow when so many new characters were introduced. I kept listening because I wanted to find out “who done it.” But I wouldn’t waste a credit if you have something better to listen to!
The narrator’s voice was flat and although she tried to change it for different characters- she didn’t alter her voice that much. Not a lot of suspense in this book either.
I’m debating whether or not to listen to the 2nd book in the series.

Quirky, clever Psychic detective story

A light, funny take on an accidental psychic detective. Technically, a travel agent, our heroine stumbles into helping a detective solve a murder (or2 or 3). The characters are fun, the Seattle backdrop is solid. The main characters were well fleshed out, a couple of red herrings to keep us guessing, and the karaoke scenes were a blast.

Started slow, but picked up speed

The story started slow as the characters and premise were introduced. But by the end you love all the characters. I’ll stick with the series.

Fun story

Fun story. Keeps you involved. Great for a bike ride listen. Have fun listening to it.