He's Alive: A JJ Gilbert Mystery is a paranormal mystery novel written by Linda M. Williams. Everything changed on that awful day, ten years ago, when JJ’s twin brother, Jackson, died in a terrifying school bus accident. That was when JJ changed her name from Jordyn to JJ, to keep a part of her brother alive. Jackson was a goofball and a class clown, blond, charming and a frequent inhabitant of the detention room. They were so different in so many ways, but the fact of their being twins went beyond those superficialities.

JJ and her parents had been hit so hard by his death. JJ’s acting out had led her mom to have her placed in a hospital, and her dad had eventually left his wife and daughter. Even now, residual hostilities between mother and daughter made their weekly dinners together an ordeal for each of them. JJ’s mom still had issues with her daughter’s paranormal abilities. She refused to accept the fact that JJ saw Jackson after he had died. Now, JJ was being bombarded with the message: “He’s alive”. She knew it couldn’t be Jackson as she had been there when he died, but try as she could not to get involved, the spirit behind the message was obviously anxious and desperately needed help.

Linda M. Williams’ paranormal mystery novel, is a taut and engrossing story about a medium who is determined to use her gift. I appreciated Williams’ perceptive look at the stresses mediums are subject to due to the skepticism and disbelief of the public, as well as their own family members and the impact that those negative attitudes can have -- particularly on young mediums who usually have no one to mentor them or help them understand their gift. William’s characters are finely honed and multi-dimensional, and her plot is well developed with plenty of red herrings for JJ and the reader to puzzle over. He's Alive: A JJ Gilbert Mystery is most highly recommended.

After the death of her twin brother Jackson Gilbert, Jordyn called herself JJ – the first initials of both their names. His death eventually caused the family to split apart, as her parents divorced and her relationship with her mother was always fraught with tension. JJ had the gift of communicating with the deceased, but it was not supported by her mother. One day, years after the tragic event, JJ heard the words, “He’s alive.” This message was repeated several times, and JJ was led to solve the fifteen-year-old mystery of a missing boy. In the novel, He’s Alive: A JJ Gilbert Mystery, written by Linda M. Williams, the blending of messages from the other side with real life obstacles is a refreshing whodunit plot. JJ eventually realizes her gift can be helpful to others, embracing it, rather than feeling embarrassed by it.

He’s Alive: A JJ Gilbert Mystery has an excellent plot. There are many characters introduced during the story, as the main character JJ follows the leads given to her by the spirit. As each young man is introduced, the descriptions are thorough and distinct, making it easy for the reader to remember each one. The spirit told JJ she had already met the missing boy/now young man, so the reader knew it was one of those already introduced. JJ’s best friend, Luke, always supported her gift, and he is her main sounding board during this mysterious quest. Author Linda M. Williams has written an intriguing mystery novel in He’s Alive: A JJ Gilbert Mystery. This may be the first of a unique mystery series!