Appetite for spooky stories

• Geraldton Guardian
• 13 Nov 2018
• Francesca Mann

Geraldton author Kitty Boyes is no stranger to writing about murder, and her latest instalment in the Arina Perry series features not one but four mysterious unmarked graves.

But there is more to Her Grandma’s Ghosts than the usual murder mystery — the story ventures into the paranormal world where terrifying hauntings awaken latent psychic abilities.

As the Jackman family wait for their new home to be built, they live in Grandma’s house in Perth, which just so happens to be haunted.

One day, the family make a gruesome discovery — two bodies are buried on the property, and more graves are uncovered in the nearby bushland.

Arina Perry, the gung-ho protagonist with a penchant for sticky situations, must use her newly discovered psychic abilities to uncover what secrets have been left dead and buried.

Although Boyes enjoys the occasional spooky story, horror is not usually her genre of choice.

But the author said she wrote for her readers, who had been pestering her to write a fourth book before the third, Her Brother’s Keeper, was officially launched in July.

“My readers wanted more . . . I want a break but they won’t let me,” she said with a laugh.

“It only takes two people to ask for another book and I’ll go from there.

“(Her Grandma’s Ghosts) is a little different with the paranormal added in but it was interesting to write.”

Boyes will officially launch her fourth book at the Geraldton Regional Library next month on December 2 at 2pm.

The mother-of-three is also working on a children’s book, which she hopes to publish before revisiting the Arina Perry series.

Boyes will also host a book launch at the Dongara Library from 10.30am on November 22 and the Jurien Bay Library Centre from 12.30pm on November 23.