Book Review: Osgood As Gone

OSGOOD AS GONE | Cooper S. Beckett
(The Spectral Inspector #1)
04.22.2019 | Horror & Carnage Press
Rating: 4/5 stars

Prudence Osgood was once an up-and-coming star in the paranormal investigation TV genre. Today she finds herself as a barely functioning alcoholic battling chronic pain through the use of drugs. Not only does she have physical pain coursing through her body thanks to a car accident that happened twenty years ago, but she also suffers from emotional pain. When her TV career went belly-up she lost her best friend, Audrey Frost. They were partners until the fateful day an ill-advised hoax destroyed their dreams of fame.

Osgood has just received a cryptic email that she can’t seem to make heads or tails about. With the help of wizkid and computer extraordinaire, Zack, the two begin to uncover clues about what the email’s message could mean. On the trail to an almost abandoned rest stop they’ll uncover a plethora of missing children posters, a connection to a band that skyrocketed to fame and then vanished, and a strange link to Osgood’s past. As things start to take a sinister turn, will Osgood be able to discover the truth before she finds herself in harm’s way?

I haven’t read anything quite like OSGOOD AS GONE this year. One of the things I love about being an active blogger and #bookstagramer is the ability to discover lesser known authors. Beckett approached me in DM on Instagram and I knew the second I read the synopsis that this book was going to be a winner for me.

OSGOOD AS GONE centers around Prudence Osgood, our resident washed up paranormal investigator. Osgood has is an incredibly layered character, from her struggles with alcohol and drugs, to her open honesty about her sexuality, to the way she treats those around her. As Osgood works the case at hand you can see her evolve as a person, learning to acknowledge her faults and come face to face with demons from her past that have a connection to the case. She might be broken, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. I love that Osgood owns who she is and doesn’t take any crap from those who might judge her.

Supporting Osgood are Zack and Audrey, who are there by her side to solve the case. Zack is an amazingly talented computer genius with a sharp eye for the obscure. Osgood doesn’t always treat him as the valuable team member that he is, but at the end of the day they have a strong friendship. Audrey is Osgood’s former partner and best friend. They haven’t spoken in years and their reunion adds to not only Osgood’s character development, but also helps to reveal the strange link this case has to both women’s pasts.

The vibe of OSGOOD IS GONE is a throwback to the older, campier horror stories that we all grew up loving. It hones in on that unique mixture of humor and horror that combine to create a memorable story. I absolutely loved the case, the characters, and every tiny detail that lead to something much bigger. I was sucked into the story within the first few pages and didn’t want it to end! I’m so happy that this is the start of a series. I definitely plan on keeping up with this one to see what other adventures Osgood gets into!

This book is available to buy from: Amazon

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.

Disclosure: Thank you to the author, Cooper S. Beckett, for sending me a free copy of his book in exchange for my honest review!