February 2005

Baby, it's COOOOOOOOOOLD in here! But hey, it's the morgue: it should be cold in here!

Problem is, it's cold outside, too! And Valentine or no Valentine, this is the toughest month of the year to get through. But don't worry, Morguers: we've got plenty of mystery lore to keep you warm!

For example, there's the usual complement of compliments: that is, a group of mystery book reviews for every taste (except those who don't read mysteries, but do we care about them?). Books reviewed are by such authors as Claudia Bishop, Michael Bowen, Joanne Pence and Evan Marshall, plus nine more.

But that's just the start: we've also got a wonderful "How I Write" essay by Jeffrey Marks, author of mystery fiction and not-so-fiction, and an interview with Denise Dietz, author of the current Eye of Newt and many other books.

This month's chapter of the tag-team mystery "Murder By Committee" is written by Karen Swee, who sheds the burden of writing with historical accuracy to have some fun, and delivers a new, twisty turn to our already twisted tale.

So throw another log on the fire, arrange a warm blanket on your feet, and curl up with this month's Morgue. 'Cause Baby, it's cold outside!

In this month's issue:

How I Write, by Jeffrey Marks
The Mystery Morgue Interview: Denise Dietz

Reviews:
A Puree of Poison by Claudia Bishop
Unforced Error by Michael Bowen
Grave Undertaking by Mark De Castrique
Give First Place to Murder by Kathleen Delaney
The Last One Down by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Pretty Poison by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Crushing Crystal by Evan Marshall
Courting Disaster by Joanne Pence
Family Claims by Twist Phelan
Mistleoe and Mayhem by Christie Ridgway, Katherine Hall Page, Judi McCoy and Joanne Pence
When The Last Magnolia Weeps by Mary Saums
An Anniversary To Die For by Valerie Wolzien
Death In A Beach Chair by Valerie Wolzien

Ongoing Story:
"Murder By Committee," Chapter 11, by Karen Swee

Link to Archives

 

How I Write
by Jeffrey Marks

Jeffrey Marks is equally at home with mystery fiction and non-fiction. His series of mysteries featuring Gen. Ulysses S. Grant is only one aspect of his writing: Marks is also the author of a number of non-fiction books on writing and marketing fiction. Here, he gives us a very clear picture—he calls it a "confession"—of his writing process. Those with aspirations might want to save this page, or at the very least, take detailed notes.

Before I share the details of my writing day, I'd like to defend the eternal interest in this question, which has been mocked by some critics and writers. Having just seen "Kinsey," I feel that writing is not unlike sex in the 1950s—we all yearn for a baseline to find out how normal or abnormal we might be when it comes to this activity.

I confess. I am a creature of habit, and it spills over into my writing life. That's the first of a few confessions you'll hear. In my nearly two decades of writing, most of the books and articles have been written in my spare time. Other than two years of full-time freelancing, I've always had a full plate of writing, working, and family. That meant that I had to choose a time to write that didn't interfere with any of the other aspects of my life. That wasn't an easy choice.

As a result, I decided that the early morning would be my time to write. After getting used to the shock of getting up at 5 a.m. to stare at a computer screen, I started writing 1000 words a day before heading off to face the world.

I don't even turn on the lights or get dressed before I write. I want to get my writing done before reading the newspaper or my email. I find that if I let the world in before I write, I lose my focus and get sidetracked by the real world. Even when I worked full-time as a freelancer, I wrote in the morning. It's that creature-of-habit thing. I spent the morning writing, usually 1000-2000 words on a normal day, and the afternoon was given over to marketing, looking for new freelance jobs, and oh yeah, dinner.

Like every writer I know, I split my writing time between drafting new works and editing existing works. For me, I've always preferred the act of creation. I get caught up in the excitement of a new world of my invention, characters who come to life, and a plot that baffles even me. After letting the first draft sit for several months, the draft becomes just a book. I do the multiple drafts, because no one knows better than I do that the book needs it. Still, by the time that I've read the book eight or nine times, I'm a bit tired of it and ready to move on to a new world.

While I enjoyed my time as a full-time freelancer, I'm back in the workforce now, teaching. I enjoy having another job in addition to my writing. It's not that I'm a sadist. I just like the interaction with other people. I like knowing what people are thinking and doing when they're not reading my books. I've long speculated that my dealings in the workplace give me my plot ideas. Nothing like working in an office to provide a million reasons for murder and a variety of likely victims. In my work career, I've never wanted for book ideas.

My workspace has changed over the years as well. Confession number two: I started my career in a broom closet. To be fair, it was a large broom closet, but it was the only available room in my first house that I could write in. No heat, no air conditioning. Just me, a computer and a blank wall to look at when I got stuck. Not much, but I managed to write four books in that closet, and sold my first stories from there.

As I moved around Cincinnati, I came out of the closet, so to speak. In my current house, I have a spare bedroom that doubles as my office. In it is a large desk; I'm a slob and need all the space I can. Right now, there are six books and five thick files of research on Anthony Boucher for the biography of the writer and reviewer. A computer fills the rest of the desk space. Next to my desk is a fax machine, a copier, and a scanner, all tools of the trade. I have two bookcases, chockfull of reference works and a few odds and ends of what I'm reading now. I have a few awards, some Sherlock Holmes memorabilia, and a calendar on the wall. It's a big step up from the spare floor tile, and some Craftsman tools. I've definitely come up in the world.

 

The Mystery Morgue Interview: Denise Dietz

Denise Dietz ("Deni," to her friends) has been a movie extra, a newspaper reporter and a singer, but she found her niche as a mystery author when she wrote Throw Darts at a Cheesecake, which launched her first series. Now with two series going (she also writes the Ingrid Beaumont/Hitchcock the Dog series in addition to her diet-mad Ellie Bernstein series, which continued with Beat Up A Cookie and has another installment in the works), and a number of standalones, Deni is showing no signs of slowing down. In this interview, she discusses her first fiction work, about a pencil (she was eight years old), her fascination with magic and the paranormal (woo-woo) and how a book dedicated to Alan Alda was almost about "Star Trek."

Did the area where you grew up influence your present outlook or interests?

Absolutely. I was born and raised in NYC. Sometimes I can touch, taste, even smell my "growing up" places—the inside of the Bayside Theater, the Museum of Modern Art, and especially Broadway. One of my reviews for Eye of Newt said: "Fans of the early work of Marcia Muller or Sue Grafton will delight in this heroine and her occasional irreverent attitude towards the world around her." The irreverence is definitely a NYC influence.

As to your educational background, have you taken any formal writing courses, participated in any writers' conferences or workshops?

No, although I've given workshops. I wrote my first story in the third grade. It was called "The Pencil Who Grew Up to Be a Stub." In high school I wrote and illustrated a children's book, Herbert the Giant, about a giant who lived in a town of nearsighted people. The townspeople didn't know he was a giant—until a peddler came to town, selling glasses. I attended the U of Wisconsin as an art/theatre major and never took a course in grammar. However, in the 80s I joined Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and attended critiques. The first time someone said "dangling participle" I said, "Dangling WHAT?"

How/when did you become interested in mysteries?

As a kid I was a voracious reader. My father read "pulp fiction" while my mom read Alice Walker, William Goldman, Leon Uris and James Michener (among others) and I raided my parents' shelves. When I wrote my first book—about diet club member who get killed off at goal weight—I thought I was writing "a funny book." It sold as a mystery series. The third book in the series, Chain a Lamb Chop to the Bed, is under contract.

What did you try writing before your first novel?

Poetry. Sometimes I make one of my characters a poet. That way, I don't get blamed if the poetry isn't very good.

What did you learn writing Eye of Newt?

I learned lots about the Salem witch trials, but I also learned about charms and potions and spells. I was waiting tables at night and if I was "stiffed" by a guest, I was sorely tempted to mutter an incantation. I waitressed at a restaurant in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Many of the people I served knew I was an author. When they asked what I was writing and I said a mystery that starred a witch, they'd hand me business cards. In Manitou Springs, "covens" are listed under "C" in the telephone directory.

How long did it take to write?

Six months to write, three months to revise. That's par for the course, except sometimes the revision process takes longer.

Does your having lived in Colorado play any part in your writing? Or your having earlier lived in NYC?

NYC is the locale for the first half of my supernatural mystery, Fifty Cents for Your Soul. That novel—which Publishers Weekly called "Hollywood noir"—was inspired by events that occurred during the filming of "The Exorcist." My sister, Eileen Dietz, who played The Demon and many of the film's possession scenes, was my "technical advisor." But in my diet club series and my Ingrid Beaumont/Hitchcock the Dog series (and, of course, Eye Of Newt), Colorado becomes "another character." I live on Vancouver Island now, with Gordon Aalborg, author of the suspense/thriller The Specialist, but I consider Colorado "home."

Have you traveled? If so, has it contributed to the content of your books?

For the most part I've traveled inside the US. I flew to Australia (Tasmania) to see Gordon, whom I met on the Internet, but so far I haven't written much about koala bears, Tasmanian Devils and (hundreds and hundreds of) sheep. So I'd have to say no, it hasn't contributed to my books' contents.

How do you do your research?

When I lived in Colorado Springs, I'd spend half my waking hours at the Penrose library. Now, some of my research is done via the Internet. But 100% of my 1692 Salem research (for Eye of Newt) came from historical diaries and 17th-century journals. That, for me, is part of the fun of writing.

Where did you get the idea for Eye of Newt?

I write historical fiction as well as mysteries. One morning, upon awakening, I had an epiphany: Why not combine the two? I had already begun researching 1692 Salem, so I decided my present-day witch's pets (a cat, a dog and a parrot) would possess the souls of my three Salem witch-sisters. Since Eye of Newt isn't a "time travel," people warned me about combining the past and present in the same book, but that seems to be one of the things readers (and reviewers) like about Eye of Newt.

When you create a character, how much of that character comes from your personal experience?

Like Ellie Bernstein, I lost 55 (and a half!) pounds, then lectured for a well-known diet club organization. Like Ingrid Beaumont, I'm a failed—maybe a better word would be "lapsed"—idealist. But I honestly believe that authors, by necessity, use facets of their own personalities for all their characters... even their bad guys. One of my characters, a male romance author, put it best, in my novella Everybody Didn't Like Sara Lee. When a woman he meets complains about being too heavy, he says he likes women with meat on their bones. "But you write romances," she says, "where the women are always slender." "Underfed," he amends. "In the real world very few women look like the women I write about, nor should they. It's like saying Barbie and Ken are anatomically correct."

How did you select potions/witchcraft as the background for your new novel?

I thought it would be fun to create an imaginary apothecary shop, filled with New Age meds and "Old Age" charms, amulets and talismans. But I also like Sydney's skeptical attitude. If the charms for beauty and wealth really worked, she thinks, wouldn't she look like Miss Universe and be sunning herself on the deck of a cruise ship?

Which genre is your favorite—"romantic" mysteries, or those that might be called "woo woo?"

I know this sounds like a cliché, but I like both—as long as the books are well written and well edited. My favorite author, Carol O'Connell, uses woo woo (magic) in some of her books, but I also like to read Jan Burke for her evocative writing and Jeffrey Cohen for his humor. And, of course, Gordon Aalborg, for, among other things, his lyricism.

What is the connection between "M*A*S*H" and Beat Up a Cookie?

Ellie Bernstein, my diet club leader, was a fan of the series. After losing 55 pounds, she looks a lot more like "M*A*S*H"'s Hot Lips. But that claim to fame could be dangerous since there's a killer on the loose and it seems that the show's look-alikes are being murdered. I thought about using "Star Trek," rather than "M*A*S*H," but—especially for a mystery—I liked the word "Masher."

Can you tell us what you mean by The Rainbow's Foot being the "book of your heart?"

The Rainbow's Foot is a saga, circa 1893-1925, that encompasses the Cripple Creek gold rush, the Ludlow Massacre and Colorado's silent film industry. It took me 10 years, off and on, to research and write Rainbow. I call it the book of my heart because I tackle social issues that were prevalent during the turn of the century—racism, religious persecution, women's rights and the birth of unions. I delved into dozens of books about the "real" people of that time period—D.W. Griffith, Mary Pickford, Will Rogers, Teddy Roosevelt, Mother Jones and many more—so that I could talk in their "voices." With the exception of my two fictional characters, every person in the coal miners' strike—against John D. Rockefeller Jr.—truly existed. The major NY publishing houses told me that, although my book was well-written, readers "didn't like/buy sagas," so I published The Rainbow's Foot with a regional Colorado press and the first press run sold out in less than 6 months.

(Editor's note: Jeffrey Cohen, editor of Mystery Morgue, denies using any humor in his novels, and assumes Ms. Dietz must mean another Jeffrey Cohen. Or, he could be kidding.)

 

Reviews

A Puree of Poison
by Claudia Bishop
Berkley
Paperback, 260 pages, $6.50
ISBN: 0425193314
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Everyone is getting ready for the 133rd anniversary of the Battle of Hemlock Falls. Quill is getting the Inn ready, but her sister, Meg, is more concerned about her fiancé, Dr. Andy Bishop.

Recently three of Andy's patients died at the hospital. All three were sick, but what brought them to the hospital should not have killed them. Meg is quite concerned about Andy and how he is taking all of this. Then it is discovered that all three dined at the Inn before going to the hospital.

Quill interviews the families of the three dead people to try to determine what each person ate and what they did while they were at the Inn.

There is also controversy about who really won the Battle of Hemlock Falls. This puts the town in turmoil. The Chamber of Commerce, of which Quill is the secretary, tries to iron things out with the re-enactors.

The many characters that live in Hemlock Falls are very well constructed. I feel as if I know each one. I enjoy the books in this series and always look forward to reading the next book.

Quill always finds a way to get herself in the middle of the murder investigations. She often finds herself in danger, and many times brings her sister or a friend along with her.

Hemlock Falls is the type of town you'd like to vacation in and the Inn at Hemlock Falls is a place you'd want to stay, except for all the murders. Even so, I'd vacation there in a heartbeat if I could.

I highly recommend this book.

 

Unforced Error
by Michael Bowen
Poisoned Pen Press
Hardcover, 199 pages, $24.95
IBSN: 1590581091
Reviewed by Terri M. Tumlin

Unforced Error is an entertaining mystery novel for more than just the murder which occurs during a Civil War reenactment in Kansas City, Missouri. Among its principal characters are an intellectual properties lawyer and his wife, who has a PhD in Literature; an editor of romance novels and her husband, a librarian who is an avid civil war buff and reenactment participant. The backgrounds and interests of these characters provides author Michael Bowen with the opportunity to present the reader with arcane information in a variety of fields as well as widely ranging allusions to delight those who discover them.

Unforced Error is the second in a series featuring the Pennyworths—Rep (Reppert), the attorney and Melissa, his wife. In this volume they travel west from their home in Indianapolis to meet with a publisher of romance novels in hopes of landing a new client and the chance to break new ground in the field of copyright law. It is a bonus that Melissa's college chum, Linda, works for the publisher and her husband, Peter, is to be Rep's guide to the wonders of Civil War reenactments. Peter's boss, Diane Klimchock, who is a thorough going anglophile, adds to the mix with her intelligence and her language laced with Britishisms.

The main thrust of the visit is soon shoved aside when one of the editors is found murdered at the encampment and both Peter and Linda apparently have sterling motives for desiring his demise. Clues mount up and there is a troubling disappearance, leaving Rep and Melissa to try to sort things out and discover the killer while saving their own lives.

Mr. Bowen has a nice touch with humor. Of particular note is an exploratory conversation between Rep and another lawyer explaining the subtext of their comments hidden from of an interested party who is not a lawyer. The repartee between Rep and Melissa keeps the reader gently smiling while the plot unfolds.

The book is interesting and well paced. The writing is generally good, but in places the editing could be better. Luckily, these lapses, such as donated blood flowing up from donor to collection bag, do not impact any of the vital information for unraveling the mystery.

Unforced Error is recommended and will probably intrigue the reader into searching out the previous book in the series and looking forward to additional books by the same author.

 

Grave Undertaking
by Mark de Castrique
Poisoned Pen Press
Hardcover, 266 Pages, $24.95
ISBN: 1590581164
Reviewed by Kevin R. Tipple

Author Mark de Castrique brings readers back to the small mountain town of Gainesboro, North Carolina in this enjoyable sequel to Dangerous Undertaking. As his father's Alzheimer's worsens and a buyer is making noises about wanting the family funeral home, Clayton and Clayton, Barry Clayton has another problem.

Finding a loose skeleton on top of a closed casket, which was buried a number of years ago, is bad enough. The fact that the skeleton has a small bullet hole above the eyes is indicative of the nature of death. What is unexplainable, as Barry watches at graveside, is why the dead man's wallet contains a picture of the woman he loves, Dr. Susan Miller? Why is a gun registered to her father buried with the skeleton?

As a circumstantial case against Dr. Susan Miller and her father, Walt, builds, Barry Clayton begins to investigate with the help of his friend, Sheriff Tommy Lee Wadkins. There is the fact that Susan isn't telling all she knows, their relationship is in jeopardy on many levels, Barry's father wanders away from home lost in his own mind, and the buyer wants a fast decision. Not to mention that a killer still walks among them and is beginning to clean up the loose ends the only way possible—by killing again. Barry should have stayed on the police force up north where it was safer.

This is another enjoyable read by the author who combines interesting and realistic characters, a good mystery, and elements of real life that touch us all. With so many familiar with Alzheimer's, either directly or indirectly, it is nice to see a storyline concerning the subject handled so well in the first two novels of what promises to be a good series. The author gracefully and with tact, details the hard choices so many families have to deal with today in handling the situation and never raises the subject to preaching nor lowers it to condescension or amusement.

This sequel, which could be read as a stand alone, showcases the same deft touch in regards to the depictions of funerals and the grief of the survivors. These characters though they may only appear for brief snippets, a few pages at most, are just as real as the main characters of Sheriff Wadkins, Barry, Uncle Wayne and others. All are family and the result is a read with characters and scenes that flow at a steady pace towards a satisfying ending that culminates another good read.

 

Give First Place to Murder
by Kathleen Delaney
PublishAmerica
Hardcover, 207 pages, $19.95
ISBN: 1413733026
Reviewed by Cindy Chow

Newly divorced real estate agent Ellen McKenzie wasn't thrilled with the horse show even before the murder, so finding Rusty's pitchfork-impaled body did nothing to improve the day. The murder hits close to home, as Rusty was the recently-hired groom who worked with Susannah, Ellen's horse-crazy daughter. It gets even more claustrophobic for Ellen since the investigating detective is Santa Louisa police chief Dan Dunham, Ellen's childhood friend and on-again-currently-off-again boyfriend. Having lost his own family to a drunk driver Dan is less than thrilled to have Ellen and Susannah mixed up in another murder, so he is more obstructive than helpful as Ellen looks into the murder that so closely touches her daughter's life.

Ellen soon discovers that Rusty was involved in dealing drugs around the stable, and suspicion falls upon Chovalo Guiterrez, the ranch manager. Another murder only increases the threat of danger, and Ellen manages to convince Dan into allowing her to investigate those who worked around the horses and who may have more than a love of horses on their minds. Soon Ellen and Susannah are up to their necks in danger, and it will take their ingenuity, their love for one another, and a pirate to save them.

The second in the series featuring Ellen McKenzie (following Dying for a Change, 2002), Kathleen Delaney has created a mystery that provides a fascinating look into the world of horse shows and those who are obsessed with them. Ellen is a delightful character, and the humor and hint of romance keeps the reader entertained throughout the novel. The close relationship between Ellen and her daughter is realistic and a refreshing change from the "my mother warped me and I don't want to be like her" scenario so common in fiction. The pace of the novel gallops along nicely to its explosive conclusion. Neither too cozy nor too violent, Delaney provides readers with a mystery sure to please all fans.

 

The Last One Down
By Joyce and Jim Lavene
Bouregy, Thomas and Company
Hardcover, 192 pages, $21.95
ISBN: 0803496982
Reviewed by Clara Johnston

This Sharyn Howard story begins with Sheriff Sharyn and a corpse in the water, swiftly being carried by the current. The corpse is later identified as Patti Yates, who used to be the girlfriend of Chavis Whitley, a local drug dealer. Even though this current case looks like an accident at first, Sharyn thinks it was murder. Nick, Sharyn's love interest, will determine what the answer is.

The banter between Sharyn and Nick adds a special dimension. Being the sheriff and the medical examiner, respectively, they work together but they also love their few moments captured outside the job. There doesn't seem to be a lot of time for them but their romance and relationship takes new dimensions as the series continues. They have spats over Sharyn's risk taking. Nick wants her to be more careful; he is not sure if he can continue watching her being constantly in harm's way.

Even though there are current concerns, Sharyn continues to glean information about Jack Winters that will eventually put him away. She thinks that Winters had a connection with her father's death. She's sure that he is also responsible for hurting her friend, Jill. Jill was disbarred because she was found with drugs in her system.

Sharyn and two deputies, JP and Marvella, leave Diamond Springs, North Carolina in a helicopter. Their purpose is to attend a three-day law enforcement training session. Sharyn does not want to go, but she has no choice; she has delayed it as long as she can. The area where they are going is called Rich Claim, once known for a gold strike. Now, the area looks deserted and reminds them of a western movie scene. Everything appears to be boring until one of the group is missing. Then JP becomes hurt. Craziness breaks loose and several people are dead.

I like this series. It contains a natural humor and a sense of responsibility that the main players have. The MVC (most valuable character) award goes to Marvella. She does not want to go away for the weekend. She does not like to hike; the only hiking Marvella enjoys is when she is walking in the mall heading toward a store. With blisters on her feet and an attitude that will not quit, she receives my vote. At one point, Marvella said that she's as dirty as she can get, so she might as well continue. Spunky and endearing.

I decided that I knew who was the murderer. Then I wavered, "no, that can't be." Aha, sometimes you need to go with your first opinion.

The 10th installment in the Sharyn Howard series, this has a spectacular finish.

 

Pretty Poison
by Joyce and Jim Lavene
Berkley Prime Crime
Paperback, 272 pages, $6.50
ISBN: 0425202992
Reviewed by Clara Johnston

Peggy Lee does wonders with plants, dispensing advise to the local garden club and anyone one else who frequents her shop. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, her shop, The Potting Shed, had been a dream for both Peggy and her husband, John. But sometimes, plans need to be changed: John, a police detective, was shot and killed two years ago.

A body was found in the shop; a man lying face down with no shoes. After questions from the authorities, Peggy had a better chance to look at the victim and recognized him. He was a well-known man in town; his wife was convinced that he was having an affair. The press will certainly be active and it is wondered if this will be a positive or negative turn of events for Peggy's business. People may not want to come into a shop that hosts dead bodies.

Peggy is not only a shop owner who employs some very interesting characters, but also a botany teacher at the nearby Queens University. Peggy Lee's name consistently brings questions or double takes. Peggy does not have time to ponder this or much else because she is multi-talented with a busy schedule. As an expert, she gives a knowledgeable twist to this case of murder when poison is involved.

There are three aspects of this story that I found to be extremely well done. A very thin, hungry, large dog comes in contact with the main character. Their meeting initiates many paths and I adored every one of them. And I liked the beginning of a relationship between a "hunky" veterinarian and Peggy. This man is real and ready for adventure. The third aspect that especially caught my attention was an online relationship that has started. I do not know where this will lead but I want to find out. The only regret that I have from this story is that I did not know John, Peggy's former husband.

Each chapter begins with an explanation of a plant and there are splendid hints and recommendations that follow the story. This is a story that would be a perfect combination for plant lovers and mystery buffs. Do not miss the beginning of this new series.

 

Crushing Crystal
by Evan Marshall
Kensington
Hardcover, 256 pages, $22
ISBN: 0758202288
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Jane is happy to see her nanny's sister, Crystal Ryerson, moving out. In the two weeks she's been assistant director at the public library, Crystal has meddled into everyone's business.

Jane's reading group meeting at the library has to stop their meeting when library shelves and books come crashing down on Crystal. Jane's boyfriend, Detective Stanley Greenberg, discovers that the bolts holding the bookshelf up had been deliberately removed. Everyone at the library becomes a suspect, especially those who had gone into the back room before the shelf came crashing down.

Many of the people Crystal had meddled in their lives were at the library at that time. So not only do they have means, they have motive. Then things become more confused when a beautiful teenager who worked at the library is found dead in the woods. Next two more girls go missing. Jane is no longer positive that the meddling had anything to do with Crystal's death.

Jane can't resist trying to figure out who murdered Crystal, especially since she promised her nanny she would. Can she discover the murderer's identity and keep herself out of harm's way?

This book was very good. I love Jane's interaction with her many clients. It really adds to each story.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book.

 

Courting Disaster
by Joanne Pence
Avon
Paperback, 368 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 0060502916
Reviewed by Clara Johnston

In the thirteenth book in the series, Angie Amalfi's kitchen is in order. Not only can Angie cook some great culinary delights, she also solves mysteries. You have been warned that you may not want to be too hungry when you read this book.

There are several different riddles to solve in this installment of the series. Angie is trying to discern where her engagement party is going to be held. Angie's mother struck a deal with her: in exchange for planning a no-interference party, Angie's mother will butt out of other wedding plans. Serefina, Angie's mom, is very secretive and no one knows where the party will be. The guests will find out the morning of the event. Along with this effort, Nona Farraday (her adversary), will try to discredit or plant doubt with Angie whenever the occasion arises.

At the same time, Angie's next-door neighbor, Stan, is bemoaning the fact of Angie's impending marriage. When a pregnant waitress catches Stan's eye, he offers to help this woman named Hannah; she has quite a story. Hannah's mix-up with some shady characters and Stan's actions will whet your appetite. The interaction between Stan and the baby is refreshing.

A reintroduction of Detective Rebecca Mayfield lets us peek into the homicide world briefly through her. She, of course, works with Angie's fiancé, Paavo Smith. Paavo is not well liked by Angie's father, Sal. Sal wanted his favorite daughter to marry someone with money. There are similarities between the two men and you will see a new dimension of this relationship. Sal needs some assistance and he asks Paavo for his help. One, then two, murder investigations keep Paavo busy except when he is trying to help Sal.

In addition to enjoying the story, I adore the characters. Angie's older sisters share their wisdom with her, yet do admit that since she is younger, she is probably getting a better deal from the parents. Comedic relief is always there when needed to help point at both the reality and the quirkiness of these people. The feel of this family will have you shaking your head but yet having a warm feeling.

Count on an exciting finish and a few surprises along the way amidst murder, family, an engagement party, babies and romance.

 

Family Claims
By Twist Phelan
Poisoned Pen Press
Hardcover, 241 pages, $24.95
ISBN: 1590581105
Reviewed by Kevin R. Tipple

In this sequel to Heir Apparent, Hannah Dain is still dealing with her problem family and her unhappy life in the Arizona desert. While she is still at Dain & Dain, she is planning her escape from her father's law firm as well as from the unrelenting heat. In 30 days, she will be leaving her aloof father Richard, her hostile sister Shelby, a painful legacy and the desert all behind for Boston, Mass. She is waiting for the deal with Eddie Keene to close.

Eddie Keen had needed financing to build several strip shopping centers which would house businesses that provided auto detailing, oil changes, and the like. To get the financing, Hannah had taken his company public, creating an Initial Public Offering (IPO) worth around $9 million. But the deal suddenly collapses when the land is sold out from under them to a third party.

Instead of reaping success and being able to prove her worth to her chilly father, the collapsed deal means that Hannah may have committed legal malpractice, as the title company claims she didn't take care of all the details regarding the complicated transaction.

Hannah begins digging into the problem and before long finds herself a target for vengeance. It isn't just a business deal gone bad, but a vehicle for personal retribution.

Filed with lush descriptions of settings and events, this novel quickly pulls the reader into the often emotionally painful world of Hannah Dain. Still trying to resolve her guilt over her mother's death shortly after giving birth to her, Hannah is desperate to connect with her family. Both Shelby and Richard simply aren't interested and the pain of her forced familial separation comes through loud and clear to the reader. So too does the humor, often by way of Hannah's colorfully opinioned assistant Clementine and her arch enemy, Melissa, who carries sycophant behavior to the extreme.

In short, this is a very enjoyable read and while marketed as a sequel, is equally enjoyable as a stand-alone. Some detail concerning the earlier book is given but nothing to a level that would detract from reading that one. This read features a strong plot, realistic characters and colorful scenery as well as a complex twisting mystery. The author thanks Sue Grafton in the introduction and her fans will revel in this character that reminds one of Kinsey Millhone. This enjoyable book is a fast fun read and this certainly is an author to keep an eye on.

 

Mistletoe and Mayhem
by Christie Ridgway, Katherine Hall Page, Judi McCoy and Joanne Pence
Avon Books
Paperback, 372 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 0060732059
Reviewed by Clara Johnston

Four storytellers delight this reader: an anthology of Christmas-themed mysteries from four terrific writers.

Christie Ridgway writes "Out on a Limb." Stacey Banks teaches kindergarten during the day but she wanted to enhance her romantic life in the evenings. Deciding to pursue her love interest, she is all dressed up, in costume. Her intended is a new neighbor in her condo building. When she leaves to meet him on a boat, she finds instead a drug deal gone bad. This allows Stacey to be the center of attention, but not nearly in the way she had envisioned. This will certainly give her the opportunity to meet Ryan, up close and personal. There are several times that Stacey wishes she had stayed in her El Paso, Texas classroom mode. A fun short read.

Katherine Hall Page's "The Two Marys" finds Mary Bethany going to her barn during this holiday season to find a most unexpected package. A small baby is discovered wrapped in a lovely afghan. To complete her surprise, there is a note asking for her assistance, supplies and money. Mary Bethany turns to a woman named Faith, her minister husband, Tom, and children, located close to Mary in Maine. A caper ensues when the mother of the child, the baby, drug connections, the baby's grandfather and Mary Bethany are in the mix. A young woman takes a Christmas journey that is filled with danger and life's questions.

Imagine receiving gifts that are frogs: Claire has recently moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Her next-door neighbor, Hugh, looks on in amazement as he sees frogs delivered to Claire. This is a story of romance and magic, just the right mix. Judi McCoy names this story "The Twelve Frogs of Christmas."

Joanne Pence pens "The Thirteenth Santa," and introduces Rebecca Mayfield. Rebecca is a homicide detective working on Christmas Eve. For those of you familiar with Angie Amalfi (the main character in a Joanne Pence series), meet Richard, her cousin. Richie explains his dilemma to Rebecca: he has lost a van filled with twelve men. Finally, even though he doesn't want to explain, Richie tells her that all these men are dressed like Santa. Even though a lot of people do look for Santa on Christmas Eve, this was a different scenario. As Rebecca and Richie continue the search, Angie Amalfi makes her appearance. For those who devour the "Angie" series, you must not miss this short story.

These four stories were enjoyable and that was no surprise.

 

When the Last Magnolia Weeps
by Mary Saums
Silver Dagger
Hardcover, 186 pages
ISBN: 1570722633
Reviewed by Gloria Feit

When the Last Magnolia Weeps brings the return of Willi Taft, a backup singer who occasionally does studio work in Nashville but who has been pursuing a newer career of private investigator. Willi attends a Celtic concert with her buddy and fellow singer, at which she meets Father Mike, a Catholic priest there to raise funds for his New York-based charity. Father Mike, an ex-Vietnam vet, makes the rounds of the patrons attending the concert and appears to be universally welcomed. Until he turns up dead, that is.

When Willi's friend's boyfriend, one of the musicians in the Irish band, comes under suspicion in the murder, Willi agrees to try to unearth information that will clear him. This becomes increasingly difficult, as whatever Willi discovers only seems to implicate him further.

This is the third entry in Ms. Saums' series, and is a very fast-paced, well-plotted book. Willi, although apparently born in Alabama, seems to love her adopted city of Nashville, and makes the reader know and enjoy it as well. The mystery keeps one in its grip until the end, when the proverbial least-person-to-be-suspected is identified as the killer. It appears at the end as though Willi may be changing her geography, which would be a shame.

Recommended.

 

An Anniversary to Die For
by Valerie Wolzien
Fawcett
Paperback, 282 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 0449007170
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Susan and Jed Henshaw are celebrating their thirtieth anniversary with a party at the inn where they spent their honeymoon. The party is great. Unfortunately when they go up to their room, they discover the poisoned body of Ashley Marks, their neighbor, dead on their bed under their gifts.

Ashley wasn't very popular, but who disliked her enough to poison her? She'd just been acquitted of poisoning her husband. Susan had never really liked Ashley, but finds herself helping to track down the killer. Could it have something to do with Ashley's past? As Susan finds out more, she realizes how little she knows.

I highly recommend this book. This is a terrific series and this book is a delight to read. It is a quick, easy-to-read cozy.

 

Death in a Beach Chair
By Valerie Wolzien
Fawcett
Paperback, 272 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 0449007197
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Susan and Jed Henshaw and their friends Kathleen and Jerry Gordon decide to go to the Caribbean resort Compass Bay for a vacation to get away from the cold winter.

Unfortunately things start going wrong right from the start. Susan and Jed are delayed and have to take a later flight. Their luggage gets lost. When they finally arrive, they find that Kathleen and Jerry appear to be having some marital problems.

To make matters worse, a gorgeous blonde is found murdered not long after their arrival. Susan is surprised when she finds out the victim was Jerry's first wife's sister. The police don't believe it is a coincidence that they were all there at the same time and take Jerry into custody.

Susan, Jed and Kathleen attempt to find the real murderer and get Jerry out of jail. That's easier said than done. Susan finds that the staff won't talk much as they are afraid of losing their jobs. Most of the other people staying at the resort are happy to talk to Susan. But, she isn't sure that it is really helping.

Jerry can't speak freely as he is always guarded. Susan can't figure out the coded messages he sends. Once Kathleen goes missing, Susan becomes frantic to uncover the killer before her best friend becomes the next victim.

I love this series. This book would be great to read during a blizzard. You get such a great feeling of being in the Caribbean while reading it. I highly recommend it.

 

Murder By Committee

Read past installments and find out more about Murder By Committee

Karen Swee is the author of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Murder: A Revolutionary War Mystery. She was delighted to write about a time when the heroine didn't wear whale-boned stays.

In this installment, she answers a good number of questions, and asks about the same number, leaving next month's author (no names yet!) with quite a job on his/her hands...

CHAPTER 11
By Karen Swee

The small, black, decidedly deadly looking helicopter did not land in front of the truck as I was expecting. Instead it circled us, kicking up dust from edges of the exit ramp. By its second go-round, the side door had been retracted and the barrel of a gun protruded directly in Tom's direction.

"Duck," I yelled, hoping to be heard above the rotors. Too late. A dart with a fuzzy little purple tail planted itself neatly in Tom's neck. By the time he fell over the steering wheel, I had put the truck in neutral, ducked under the front console, and was debating if a different color dart would not have accessorized his muu-muu a little better; however, the purple did match the current color of his face quite nicely.

I could tell the chopper had stopped circling, but I was still surprised when Betty started pounding on my window.

"How dare you steal my cat! Of all the inhumane, self-serving, inconsiderate things you could have done in this ill-fated attempt to save the world, taking Arnold was beyond the pale. Give him back to me this instant or I'll blow this truck into eternity."

I wasn't quite sure how she could do this and rescue the cat at the same time, which gave me a hint that she was a bit peeved. As Betty was not someone to cross when she was annoyed, I sat up on the seat, opened the window and gave her what I hoped was a genuinely soothing smile.

"I didn't take Arnold. He must have jumped into the truck on his own. Maybe he was hungry and wanted some goulash." I tried to smile even harder.

"Are you implying I don't feed Arnold properly?"

"No, not at all. Perhaps he just had a craving for Hungarian takeout. Is he of Hungarian descent, a Hungarian Siamese or a five pointed Hungarian Himalayan?"

"Get out of the truck, Harper."

Her order was emphasized by a neat revolver pointed in my face. I had lost count of the number of times I had been aimed at in this adventure. I opened the door and stepped out. Betty jumped in, scooped up Arnold, and hugged him to her breast as though they had been separated for an eon. I had no thought of pulling out my .38 S&W or of trying to escape during this touching reunion as Guthrie was slouching against the door with the Goulash-To-Go sign, an AK-47 over his arm.

"Nice to see you again, Jethro," I said, knowing it would rile him.

"You too, Julia Spencer." Tit for tat.

Betty stopped making cutesy noises at Arnold and announced we were all going back to her place for tea and conversation. This all seemed charmingly polite until they handcuffed me to a seat in the helicopter to make sure I didn't fall out. Bruiser appeared from the bowels of the helicopter, pushed the still somnolent Tom onto the truck's passenger seat, and drove away.

The trip back to Betty's was rapid and silent, the whop-whopping of the rotors prohibiting genteel conversation without a headset, which I had not been given. I was uncuffed from my seat and firmly led back to Betty's window-filled living room. The spectacular ocean view had been replaced at nightfall by a mirror-like reflection, reminiscent of the ballet studio of my youth. I refrained from arabesquing across the wide expanse of carpet, having forgotten to bring my ballet slippers.

Betty placed Arnold on the floor; he circled her ankles a couple of times then wandered off. "We have a lot to talk about, Harper, and I have a special basement room I'd like to show you that would make our tale more believable, but you'll have to leave the Smith and Wesson here. I don't allow guns down there."

I was certain she didn't. Who ever heard of allowing a prisoner to bring her gun into the torture chamber?

"Maybe you would feel happier leaving your gun if we gave you a little background first," Guthrie said, sitting down on the uber-modern leather sectional and motioning me to join him.

Not wanting to sink into the depths of the sectional, I leaned against the fireplace wall, crossed my arms over my chest and waited to be convinced to surrender my .38. I was more than a little puzzled why they had not taken the gun from me when I first got out of the truck back on the exit to Lake Shasta. I would never have allowed an enemy to retain their gun.

"What did you do with the chip?" Betty asked.

"I swallowed it."

Guthrie laughed, deep-chested, resonant enjoyment. "Very good, Harper. You took the words right out of my mouth." He looked at Betty, "Let's just assume it's safe, shall we?"

She shrugged. "Have you figured out what it is?" she asked.

"Something you smuggle to support your gambling habit, I assume."

"Actually, it's something you've been smuggling," she said.

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been smuggling a lot of stuff for Halsworth that never appears on the shelves of his stores. As you know, William Halsworth, Jerome's grandfather, kept the store prices low by smuggling goods past customs, but the business has been faltering since Wal-mart appeared on the scene. No way Halsworth could compete with their foreign-made goods and cheap labor practices. So Jerome had to come up with another way to keep the stores afloat."

Guthrie continued, "He decided to use the Halsworth stores as a front to bring illicit goods into the US. Stuff like the cell-phone batteries that look like the ones Verizon uses, but that are so cheaply made they explode."

An old friend of mine had one of those fake batteries, and when it exploded it destroyed half his car. Luckily he wasn't talking on it at the time. Could Betty and Guthrie have known about him? Seemed unlikely. Was there some actual truth to the story they were telling?

"A few years ago, Jerome got wind of a real money making scheme that would allow him to retire to the good life and never be heard of again. Fortunately, our group heard about this little endeavor and have been following it even since."

"And your group is...?"

"A little hard to explain," Betty said.

I didn't have to say a word, my expression conveyed my disbelief.

"No wait," Guthrie said, rising from the couch to stand a few feet from me. I didn't find his closeness reassuring. "We belong to an international group that specializes in Internet security."

"And you're trying to keep some banks from being robbed," I said. "I've heard that plot before; seems to me there was even a movie made like that."

"With Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones," Guthrie said. "There's just one small difference. That was fiction, this is real life." He walked over to the window, looking into the darkness. Then he turned and continued "Do you remember all the brouhaha at the turn of the millennium about the Internet being shut down and civilization falling apart? The threat was real and it almost happened, but Betty and I and our colleagues were able to uncover most of the culprits and nothing serious happened. The world went on its usual way on January 1, 2000."

"You say 'most of the culprits'?"

He nodded. "At least two escaped our net. They have now decided that rather than bring down the established order, they would like to become very, very rich. So they have developed a computer chip that can be used to move tiny bits of money from accounts all over the world and put them into their personal accounts. That is the chip you smuggled for Halsworth." He smiled. "That's also the chip you swallowed. But not to worry, we've got another one."

"OK," I said. "Let's say I believe you. Why did you go to all the trouble for me to get the chip and then stop me from delivering it to Halsworth?"

Betty answered, "We thought the treasury division you and Tom work for was clean. Now we're not sure. Tom may be personally involved."

"I don't believe it," I said.

"Who could more easily be involved than someone investigating smuggling for treasury?" Betty asked. "I'd like to show you my basement room now, if you feel able to leave your gun here."

I took the gun from the back of my waistband, thinking I had never done such a stupid thing in all my life. But I found I believed Guthrie and Betty. I'd gotten pretty good at trusting my instinct, it had even saved my life a couple of times. This time it just seemed so damn irrational, like some crazy novel. I placed the gun on the fireplace mantle. Had I been the praying type, this would have been time for a novena.

One of the bookcases in Betty's library was a false front to an elevator. I was now certain we were headed to a torture chamber just like you see in the movies when the heroine goes through the library wall. To distract myself, I asked Betty "So if you don't support your gambling by smuggling, how do you support it?"

She chuckled. "The gambling supports me and gives me a cover to meet with my associates."

"Your associates are gamblers?" I asked.

"Sort of. My associates are mostly computer experts who specialize in game theory. We meet at gambling resorts around the world, have a good time, talk about how game theory applies to robbing multinational banks and then make a few dollars on the side. I'm pretty good at it, especially at blackjack, although the discussion about game theory gets over my head very fast."

"Is that what OTIS stand for?" I said, the light suddenly dawning. "In mirror image it would be 21TO: twenty-one to zero, the winner at blackjack. No wait. No one in blackjack ever has zero, so what does the TO stand for?"

"You're about to find out." Betty said as the basement door opened.