Mickelsson's Ghost, John Gardner (Knopf, 1982) *****

One of my favorite modern literary writers is John Gardner. He authored twenty-one books before he died in a motorcycle accident in 1982. These included nine novels, several children's books, nonfiction, poetry and short story collections. My favorite and some critics say his best novel is Mickelsson's Ghosts , his last work, pub. 1982. It's the story of a philosophy professor at a small college recovering from a failed marriage, not coping well, and drinking too much. He tries to escape his problems by moving into a run-down farmhouse he's just purchased in the nearby mountains of western Pennsylvania. He continues to teach, but his life is now further complicated by the unusual acquaintances he makes in this rural community and by growing evidence that his new home is haunted. There's murder, mystery, suspense, romance and dark humor in this complex tale of professor Mickelsson's struggle to pull his life back together. If you enjoy it, try his novels Nickel Mountain, October Light, and The Sunset Dialogues.