If getting struck by lightning at a funeral service isn’t bad enough you would think being sprayed with the deceased’s ashes would be; but oh no, Hannah Campbell’s bad luck gets better. When she comes to in the hospital the first person she sees is Tom Mecurio. Only he’s dead and she’s covered in his ashes to prove it. After spending a few hours with Tom, Hannah begins to suspect she isn’t crazy and she’s not hallucinating but helping Tom find the terrorists that blew up the plane he was on.

Takeshi Shimodo is surprised to find Hannah at his door but that’s nothing compared to her story of being able to see and talk to Tom’s ghost. With secrets only Tom knows Hannah convinces him, and wanting nothing more than finding the people who killed his best friend, he agrees to help her and Tom. Neither of them could have known the adventure or danger they were walking into. As the danger heats up so does the attraction between them. Can they find those responsible before the terrorists silence them forever?


Shaking Off The Dust has everything. You’re treated to a range of emotions and every new page brings another new surprise. The way Hannah is able to laugh at herself, her situation, her smart-mouthed come backs are a joy to read. From the start when she first awakens to find Tom leaning over her the exchanges between them are engaging. I found myself laughing at their bickering and delighted as the relationship between them grew. Added to that is Tom’s best friend, Takeshi. His very much alive best friend. Jealousy between the two friends adds emotion to an already emotionally pack story. There’s action and adventure at every turn with laughter and lust thrown in for good measure. With the cast of supporting characters like the FBI’s Bill, Jack, and Rachel, it’s no wonder Shaking Off The Dust keeps you enthralled to the end. But Ms. Samuels doesn’t stop there; she takes us on a ride across the world and pulls in another cast of characters who are just as intriguing and likable as the ones we’ve already met. Added to our FBI trio are three top Spanish agents, all equally determined to bring the terrorists to justice. I haven’t even mentioned the cast of ghosts that show up adding further to an already full story. With this many characters you would think the story would be bogged down and hard to follow, but Ms. Samuels doesn’t have a problem keeping things moving and she delivers more than enough punch throughout the whole book to keep pages turning. Shaking Off The Dust is a serious novel that has surprising moments of light and laughter; well worth picking up and losing yourself in.

Reviewed by: Rachel C.