The Outer Banks of North Carolina ~~ Present Day

In order to feel closer to her twin brother Troy, who died after joining the Navy SEALs a year ago, Taylor Bannon decides to join in the Civil War re-enactment that Troy often participated in before enlisting. Wearing his uniform makes her feel closer to him, but also drums up the guilt that she feels because the last time they spoke she raged at him for wanting to become a SEAL. After listening to one of the soldiers' famed stories of Beaudry's Ghost, and his grisly demise, the tale hits a little too close to home for Taylor, and she needs some time alone. When she sees a ghostly figure with no arm or leg riding a horse, Taylor hopes that it's just her subconscious reacting to the scary story. The man on the horse disappears, and instead Taylor ends up capturing a Yankee, whose name happens to be Jared Beaudry. Pretty odd. And he's not the only one acting weird. Could the ghost of the notorious rebel leader who was responsible for Beaudry's horrific death also be here?

Hate can be a very powerful incentive to stick around after one's death. And that's just how Jared Beaudry has managed to roam around the abandoned battlefields for so long. Murdered at the hands of the sadistic Zachariah Harris, Jared finally gets his chance to seek justice when another ghost tells him that he can possess the body of a living person. Even after he finds out that the men dressed as soldiers are merely actors, Jared can't stop himself from wanting to relive his last days. But the real pleasure comes from realizing that he's not the only spirit who's decided to live again. Zachariah Harris is here, too, and Jared's about to dish out some sweet revenge that's been a longtime coming.

Taylor doesn't know what's going on except that all her friends have now turned into mean, unsavory characters...and they're no longer acting. If the man she captured truly is Jared Beaudry, then she's got to get him the hell away from these people before she watches history repeat itself.

Love and hate. Two of the most extreme emotions a person feels are at the core of Carolan Ivey's book. BEAUDRY'S GHOST is a complex, character-driven story about the need for revenge outweighing the need for inner peace, and how far some people will go to exact it. Jared and Taylor are scarred individuals, both mentally and physically. She can't seem to get over her guilt, and Jared has allowed the disgust and anger he feels over his death consume him. Together, though, these two find the peace that they've been searching for. Though the story itself is riveting, it is also complicated, with some questions I felt were never answered. But Ms. Ivey has a knack for creating a realistic world, and history buffs will especially enjoy the Civil War theme. Throw in a friendly ghost who's looking out for Taylor and Jared, and a couple of plot twists, and BEAUDRY'S GHOST is a pleasant tale from the pen of Carolan Ivey.

Courtney Michelle