Cooper S. Beckett’s Osgood as She Gets (released February 2024) is the third instalment of the Spectral Inspector series. The novels follow the spooky and often troubling adventures of Prudence Osgood—a paranormal podcaster, functional addict, and extraordinarily flawed protagonist who, when not self-medicating or pursuing potential hook-ups, attempts to solve complex and enticing mysteries with a decidedly supernatural bent.

Osgood as She Gets builds upon the obscure and eerie pop culture foundation of Osgood as Gone, the excellent first novel in the series (and my personal favourite). While Osgood as Gone included references to early internet personalities, past true crime mysteries, and urban legends, Osgood as She Gets pivots to video, focusing on a seemingly benign viral TikTok challenge that has some unexpectedly violent side effects in one particular American city. As the challenge grows in popularity and the bodies pile up, Osgood and her Spectral Inspector colleagues struggle to unravel the mystery before Chicago turns into a Gen Z bloodbath.

Fans of the previous instalments will enjoy the return of Audrey and Zak, as Osgood attempts to heal her oft-fraught relationship with the former and appreciate the growth of the latter. Their partnership is explored and challenged throughout the story as Osgood battles her ever-growing army of demons. The book does get a little repetitive when dealing with Osgood’s chronic pain and attempts to ameliorate it, but hey—that accurately depicts the unfortunate reality of living with chronic pain. I truly appreciated the book’s recognition of Long Covid, a condition in desperate need of more visibility and attention. Kudos.

Content note: self-harm plays a large role in the story and suicidal ideation is explored frequently. Also, this novel does contain multiple sex scenes that get rather graphic. If that’s your bag, you’ll get your money’s worth. If you prefer the spooky to the sexy, be ready to skim through quite a few paragraphs.