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There’s nothing I love more than blending and melding genres to create something unique, and I really admire those authors who have the creative guts to do so. Jeffrey Ricker has invented a wonderful debut in Detours—part ghost story, part road trip, part romance, but entirely witty, irreverent and thoughtful.

Joel Patterson meets Philip while vacationing in London, but their beginning is interrupted by the ending of Joel’s mother, who suddenly dies of cancer. He quits his job in order to fulfill his mother’s last request to take the RV she and his father have never used cross country to an old family friend. Complicating factors? Joel’s high school friend, Lincoln, who invites himself along for the ride, not to mention his mother’s ghost—and for a dead woman, she has a lot to say.

Mashing these genres together should be difficult, but Ricker makes it look like a breeze. This is, in large part, due to his wonderful characters. Joel is hopelessly confused about life and love, but he’s so damn winning that you find yourself rooting for him from the get-go. And you know he’ll resolve his problems in spite of himself. It’s Mom who steals the show, however. By turns caustic and caring, she dispenses her indespensible advice as freely as her ethereal right grants her.

But as charming as those characters are, I found myself drawn to Joel’s father, who must rebuild his own life in much the same way Joel needs to, without the advantage of having a love offstage waiting for his cue. Poor guy gets the dog, Dudley, instead. Come to think of it, that’s not a bad deal.

The only character I found less than fulfilling was Philip, who makes an appearance at the beginning and then not again until the ending draws near. I understand the plot difficulties in bringing him in sooner, but I wish we’d gotten to spend more time together. However, that’s of little concern with such great scenes as Joel visiting his mother’s friends (and her romantic rival) Sylvia and Gerald. These high comic pieces are hysterical relief from the ineffable weirdness that is Lincoln, who may be good in bed but is lousy in life.

Detours is a great read from start to finish, full of delightful twists and inventive turns that lead you to a heart-tugging destination with no GPS required.

Just get on and ride.