This was a well-developed longer short story about the ghosts of an Egyptian aristocrat, Victorian innocent, a modern architect and the ties between them. The story goes down the path of a quite interesting, thought-out world with great characters who were developed very well, something uncommon in short stories. The writing here was fantastic with some nice jokes but also deeper discussions about death and the afterlife as well as about limbo. The ending, while it did feel a little rushed, was such a great one for pointing how lonely being "alive" can be. I really loved this and can't wait to see more stories from Mr. Traver. For 2.99 for Kindle, it is a steal!

A digital copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Two female ghosts meet several times a year at the Cheesecake Factory in Los Angeles to gossip and pretend to eat. They have been doing this for several years when a third ghost joins them. Comparing stories, they find out that there is a mystery to be solved regarding why they hang around and others do not. But the price of the truth may be more then they thought. And stranger as well. An interesting short story that leaves plenty of room for additional tales in this world.

Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this tale!

I expected "Wraith Ladies who Lunch" to be a fun read about a couple of ladies from different eras gossiping about their lives. What I got was a story about three, very static, characters that jumped around without a purpose.
The tone of the book was what really diminished the overall reading experience, over-using adjectives and everyday words and phrases turned needlessly academic spun the book into lifelessness. The book was presented through this tone as an exposition rather than a fun and gossipy novel with historical elements.
The main character, Tasenetnethor, felt like an automaton in the way she spoke and thought, the feeling seeped out of her. I never had any moment in the book where I was rooting for her - not that I had anything to root for in doing as the storyline was flat. The secondary character, Christabel, was no better as she seemed like a parody of a real character. The only character with any real depth was Derren Grey, who had a back story and motivation, changing throughout the few chapters he was in.
The plot was another confusing mess that I couldn't follow. Unlike many stories, it didn't have an inciting incident or any purpose driving the novel within the first few chapters. The first sign of anything interesting was the reveal of the "antagonist" 45% of the way through the novella. Even this, though, fell flat and purposeless. The real disappointment was the ending that seemed to hit climax and resolution within one page, the "antagonist" having no explanation for his misdeeds and then giving up. Throughout my reading I expected it to get better and, sadly, it never did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy to review. This in no way affected my opinions.

Wraith Ladies Who Lunch is a novella about three wraiths, or ghosts, who hang out contemplating their lives and their afterlives. It only took me an hour to read so it is perfect for someone who wants a light piece of fiction to enjoy; perfect for being in between books.
The three main characters are Christabel, a Victorian ghost who I advise you not to ask about her ex, Tasenetnethor (Ta-senet-net-hor), a 2,900 and change Egyptian spirit who is tied to a mummy that is currently residing in a museum, and Derren Gray, who is the newest addition to the clan and was an architect that made some bad decisions. I enjoyed Christabel the most because of her spunky attitude and the fact that I am so happy I am not living in the Victorian age.
However, I don’t think that I was the intended audience for this book. As it deals with the afterlife and a good majority of the novella involves Derren talking about his life mistakes, such as how he could have had a better relationship with his daughters. Overall, it just did not envelope me in the story the way that I was hoping it would.
Also, the ending was a bit confusing though I did enjoy the plot twist that Traver included to tie all of the characters together. However, the ending still felt rushed and I think that it could have been smooth out a bit more to make it not feel so sudden.
In a nutshell, I would recommend this book to someone who wants a light, unique read in between books that gives you something to think about.