The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks

The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks (2011/2016) Josh Lanyon

First off, I had a really hard time figuring out just when this book was set. It was first published in 2011, but re-written in 2016, but was definitely not set in 2016. The characters all seem to rely upon land lines and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was still in effect in the military.

Aside from that, I quite enjoyed it.

Perry Foster has returned early from his vacation, after his romantic aspirations went down in flames. His day gets even worse when he goes into his apartment and discovers a dead man in his bathtub.

A dead man who then disappears.

Nick Reno is an ex-Navy SEAL searching for a job and moving past a divorce. But he’s over-qualified for pretty much everything and struggling to find employment. So when his young neighbor freaks out, he decides to see if he can figure out what happened.

He could imagine what Nick would say of such imaginings. The thought of Nick bolstered his sagging courage. Nick did not believe in ghosts and neither did Perry.

Of course, if some human agent was standing outside his room making spooky noises, it wasn’t so reassuring.

Perry is quite lovely. He’s an innocent, and he’s positive even if he doesn’t necessarily have cause to be. But most importantly, he can be silly.

Perry gave a tired laugh. “I know. But that’s what he said. At least, that was the only thing I could make out. He said something else, but I couldn’t make out the words.”

“None of them? What did it sound like?”

Perry made a violent gurgling sound, and Nick nearly choked on his beer. “You’re shitting me.”

Perry gave that funny little smile, but said seriously, “It didn’t sound like words. It was just… dying sounds.”

He was still reading when Nick padded in.

Unshaven, bleary-eyed, he stalked over to the gas range. “Morning,” he growled.

“Good morning,” Perry said cheerfully. “There’s hot water.”

“I see that. I take coffee with my hot water.” He scowled at Perry’s mug. “Tell me those are not bunny-shaped marshmallows.”

Perry blushed.

“Don’t you drink coffee?” Nick sounded disbelieving.

I adore that he drinks his cocoa with bunny marshmallows.

There’s also a marvelous scene when Nick decides that Perry needs to know how to protect himself. It does a good job of showing that for all that Nick sees Perry as a fragile child, he isn’t.

Publisher: JustJoshin Publishing, Inc.
Rating: 7/10

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