The Unfinished Business by Stephanie Campisi

Regal House Publishing, 2026

ISBN: 9781646036752

Available: Paperback, ebook edition

Buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

I’m finding that some of the most enjoyable authors writing today are working in the YA field. There’s Kevin Garrone, author of the Alien Survival Guide series, Sarah Beth Durst, author of the excellent Spellshop series…and then there’s Stephanie Campisi, with her new Unfinished Business series. One word: extraordinary. This is great for the young and old alike: it’s a light-hearted, cheerful ghost story. Put it on your “gotta read” list. This is something special.

Teen-aged Dari Glen, who has the unusual ability to see ghosts, finds herself tossed into running the business next door to her house, called The Unfinished Business, when the owner, Maude, meets an untimely death. Maude’s business (and now Dari’s) was, helping ghosts resolve whatever problems are keeping them tethered earthbound, so they can pass on to the next plane. What follows is a heartwarming tale of Dari trying to aid various spirits, while at the same time dealing with her own life difficulties, with the help of a couple of her friends.

The main thing to note is, the writing in this is simply incredible. Let’s use the Samuelson Scale to explain. There’s the standard skill level 1, which most writers use, and it’s perfectly good to get the job done. Grisham would be a nice example. Level 2 includes writers with a bigger vocabulary and the skill to use it correctly. It isn’t just writing, it’s vivid imagery. Joseph Sale would be an illustration of such. Level 3 would be the Dickens level, reserved for extraordinary writing. Stephanie Campisi’s writing is firmly in the upper end of Level 2. The Unfinished Business doesn’t just tell a story, it illustrates a portrait, Take my word for it, you’ll understand within the first couple chapters. I can’t explain it any better, my writing skill is rather, ahem…lower level 1.

The story itself, although a “ghost” story, isn’t meant to be scary. Instead, it’s an uplifting tale about helping others, and overcoming your own problems, with plenty of wry humor thrown in along the way. The ghosts themselves demonstrate this, with their reasons for being restrained to Earth. One spectre is eternally searching for the perfect chocolate frosting recipe, another is always trying to make a shoestring catch of a cricket ball (cricket the game, not a ball of crickets) and one of the best ones…she just needs her still-living husband to feel needed by others. This is real “tug the heartstrings” stuff at times, and done perfectly. The story is a collection of the sun’s morning rays, with onth a few passing clouds to obscure them: while there are some rather unhappy moments, such as Dari’s relationship with her absent father, his helps provide just enough contrast to the rest of the book.

Bottom line is, just pony up the greenbacks (or pounds, or lira, or whatever) and buy the book. It’s a can’t-miss. English teachers should be adding it to their classroom libraries: it’ll get students to read a story they will love, and also educate them on how to write at a higher level. Very highly recommended!

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson