Where One Goes by B.N. Toler

Hi everyone,

If you have not read this book, I recommend you to.  I found this book by way of an online book club that I belong to and it was the September selection.  This is the first book by this author I have read.

This book has three main characters:  Char, Ike and George.  Char can see the spirits of the dead and helps them crossover to the other side by helping them with their “unfinished business”, whatever it is that is keeping them here on this side.  This has been very hard on Char (short for Charlotte) since her family thinks she is crazy and kicks her out and her job of helping the dead is very difficult.  After being on her own for several years, she has had all she can take and decides to end her life.  As she is preparing to jump, she meets Ike and the story starts unfolding.  Ike died in the service, yet can’t move on because he is worried about his twin brother, George.  George owns a business that Ike was co-owner of.  As twins, Ike and George had that unique relationship that twins have and not only has he lost brother, but also his best friend and business partner.  George can not relate to this new reality and becomes messed up with drug abuse.  So Char and Ike are on the case to try to help George.  Over the course of the story, an interesting “relationship” develops between Char and Ike.  Interesting because the relationship cannot happen–Ike is dead.  However, there is a very strong connection between Char and Ike.  The problem is that a relationship develops between Char and George.  The story at times is heartwarming and heart wrenching, especially when the truth of Char’s abilities are brought out to George and his family.  Throughout the story, Char also helps Ike and George’s parents as well as a deceased little girl as she needs to cross-over but can’t yet.. Some additional suspense is also introduced because of a case that Char is helping a spirit with at the beginning.  Char also helps a buddy of Ike’s from the service who is in Ike’s hometown working at George’s bar.  She helps him deal with Ike’s death.  The characters evolve throughout as we watch how the story starts with Char helping Ike and in the end Ike helping Char and both helping George.

I thought this story was very touching and I enjoyed it.  I don’t believe I can ever re-read this book (I do this with books I enjoy) because of the level of emotional angst in it.  However, I do suggest you give it a look.