My Two Cents: PUMPKIN SEEDS by Tyler Downs

Every year at Halloween, murdered private investigator Edward Crane is brought back to life for one week. During that time, Ed and his young partner Sam, along with the spirit of a woman named Wren work together to try and solve mysteries of a supernatural variety in their hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. This premise is complex and unorthodox, and in the hands of another author, it might not have worked. However, in his book "Pumpkin Seeds," author Tyler Downs proves more than capable of navigating this unusual set-up, delivering a worthy successor to his highly enjoyable debut from last year, the short story collection "Fifteen Eyes."

As "Pumpkin Seeds" opens, it's Halloween once again, and Ed embarks on his annual resurrection, charged with uncovering the identity of whoever murdered a trio of family members inside their own home. The case leads them to another family in trouble, a little girl who's gone missing, and a mortuary owner who likewise vanished without a trace. Clues are scarce, and as the body count rises, Ed, Sam, and Wren find themselves in a race against time to unmask a killer.

Downs once again proves he's as an author to watch. "Pumpkin Seeds" contains some genuinely terrifying scenes, as well as a cast of relatable, if not realistically flawed characters. There is gore, but Downs tempers it with the dark, gallows humor that made "Fifteen Eyes" work so well. The ending is unexpected and sets the stage nicely for what could be a fun series of future mysteries involving some of the central cast. Downs has a vivid imagination, and a unique talent for making even the most improbable-sounding plotlines ultimately work, making "Pumpkin Seeds" the perfect Halloween read any time of the year.

"Pumpkin Seeds" is available here.