July 2005

Hot enough for ya? Here at the Mystery Morgue, we're staying cool with a variety of mystery books, great authors and other features that should get us going into the dog days of August (although my dog disagrees, believing that all days are dog days, no matter what time of year).

Besides a good crop of book reviews, with authors like Chester Campbell, Joanne Fluke and Thomas H. Griffin represented, we also offer a fascinating interview with Lea Wait, describing the antique print trade and how it translates to a mystery series, as well as the trials of adopting four children as a single parent.

And our ongoing serial mystery, "Murder by Committee," is back, with a new chapter by Debbi Mack that answers questions, asks new ones and leaves the door open for next month's author to do the same, only more. With a nod toward the style of Walter Mosley, Mack takes our twisted tale and un-pretzels it, then knits and purls it back into something curved and bent. You can't ask for more than that.

Sit back with a cool drink (preferably with an umbrella in it), slather on the suntan lotion and check out the latest Mystery Morgue!!

In this month's issue:

Lea Wait—The Mystery Morgue Interview

Reviews:

A Dose Of Murder, by Lori Avocato
Murder In The Rough, by J.S. Borthwick
Designed To Kill, by Chester Campbell
Chamomile Mourning, by Laura Childs
Hotline To Murder, by Alan Cook
Peach Cobbler Murder, by Joanne Fluke
The Burger Barn On Sunset, by Thomas H. Griffith
Missing Marlene, by Evan Marshall
Invisible, by Lorena McCourtney
Love Is Murder, by Linda Palmer
The Body Of David Hayes, by Ridley Pearson
Sudden Death, by David Rosenfelt
One, Two, And Even, by Jeff Sherratt
The Spice Box, by Lou Jane Temple
Otherwise Engaged, by Laura Young

Ongoing Story:
"Murder by Committee," Chapter 15, by Debbi Mack

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Lea Wait—The Mystery Morgue Interview

Lea Wait's experience shows in her mysteries. She writes with great knowledge about buying and selling antique prints in her ongoing Shadows Antique Print series, and now is beginning to explore the trials and tribulations of adoption and single-parenthood, two topics she knows well. In this interview, she discusses where the real-life experiences cross the line into fiction, and talks about her consuming passions and their place in her mysteries.

Your series centers around the world of antique prints and you are involved in the business yourself. The prints in your books are real—do the prints inspire the stories themselves?

Lea Wait: I'm a fourth generation antique dealer, and have been an antique print dealer myself for 29 years. That means I've seen a lot of prints, and knowing the prints is part of how I see life.

They're definitely sources of inspiration and ideas. In one case—an historical novel for children I wrote, Seaward Born—I wrote a whole book based on an engraving of a young black boy in Charleston, South Carolina. A Winslow Homer engraving gave me a key piece of the plot of Shadows on the Coast of Maine. And early botanical prints that include information on the medicinal uses of plants helped with both Shadows at the Fair and Shadows on the Ivy. In Shadows at the Spring Show, a print illustrating nineteenth century views of racial differences gave me a clue to the reason for the murder.

How did you get involved in antique prints, and can you describe what they are, and what makes them intriguing?

LW: When I was in my twenties I decided to start an antique business. As a child I'd worked with my grandmother, who was a doll and toy dealer (like Gussie in the Shadows series,) so I'd been to a lot of antique shows and auctions, and I knew the basics of the business. I knew I didn't want to deal in furniture or glass or china, but it took me a while to settle on prints. It probably helped that my mother, who worked with me in the business in the early years, was an artist. Antique prints are, in the broadest sense of the word, old pictures. Most of the prints Maggie deals with in the Shadows Antique Print Mystery series are engravings or lithographs. Those before 1850 are either black and white or colored by hand. Before photography, prints were the way that people "saw" the news, and "visited" other places. Artists were often naturalists who wanted to share pictures of animals and plants they had discovered with others. Many prints before 1900 were bound into books—that was the way they were distributed. Looking at those prints today gives us a hint of what our ancestors saw when they looked at the world.

How did you begin writing? What was it that drove you toward the mystery genre?

LW: I've been a writer all my life—I wrote poetry and plays as an undergraduate, and then worked for AT&T for many years, writing nonfiction for the corporation. In my 40s I decided to turn to fiction. I write in two genres—historical fiction for young people, and the mysteries, for adults. We live in a complicated world. I love the idea of problems that can be solved, of the "bad people" being caught, and there (almost) always being a happy ending. Mysteries help people to relax, and to enter another world for a while. I'm thrilled that many people have chosen to enter the world I've created.

You're also the mother of four adopted children, and your series character, Maggie Summer, considers adoption. How difficult was the adoption process for you, and what effect did the experience have on your writing?

LW: I adopted my girls when they were older children—ages 8, 9 or 10. They were born in Thailand, Korea, India, and Hong Kong, and I was a single parent. There were some rough times, but there were also wonderful times! When I adopted—in the late 1970s and early 1980s—there weren't many single people adopting, so the challenge was to convince agencies that a single parent could be a great parent. I ended up forming an adoptive parent support group for single adults and their children, so we could share information, and our children would know other children in families like theirs. Adoption is a life-long experience for everyone involved. I use what I learned as an adoptive parent in my fiction for both adults and children.

Have you studied writing formally?

LW: Maggie is an antiques print dealer but also teaches American Studies at a college.

Did your educational background lean in that direction?

LW: My undergraduate degree is in English and drama, and I do have graduate degrees in American Civilization, because the history of American culture, and what makes us different from other countries, has always fascinated me. But I've never taught in a college! I learned to write by writing for years at a corporation, from reading extensively, and from studying the works of authors I admired.

What inspires you—is it simply a question of channeling your own experiences into fiction?

LW: Clearly, I have taken to heart that classic "write what you know" dictum. I know antiques, and the antiques business. I know prints. I know adoption. But I wish channeling that all into fiction were easier! Unfortunately (for my writing!) I haven't had a lot of experiences with murder and crime—so although the background of the books is a comfortable place for me to start—developing the plot of each story is challenging.

Do people assume you are your character? What are the differences in personality between you and Maggie?

LW: Yes—people do assume I'm Maggie! Although she's 20 years younger than I am, has brown hair instead of blonde, is taller than I am—and much braver! She drinks diet Pepsi; I drink tea. We both like Dry Sack sherry, though. Last summer the van I used for my print business was in an accident, and I had to find another one quickly. The only one I could get was blue—and Maggie drives a blue van! That just wouldn't do. So in Shadows at the Spring Show Maggie's blue van will meet its end, and by the next book in the series she'll have a sparkling red one! There are other very basic differences between Maggie and I. Maggie is very focused on her students and her prints; I was focused on my family. She is torn between the idea of being a mother, and of having a man in her life, since her Will does not want to have children. I don't know if Maggie will be strong enough to decide to adopt. That takes courage and a high tolerance for risk in personal relationships. Maggie will risk her personal safety—which I won't! I'm a wimp—but in relationships she is looking for security. I might add—I got married about 18 months ago—and his name is not Will!

Your new novel, Shadows at the Spring Show, takes place in Somerset County, New Jersey. Somerset County is not the New Jersey many people assume is true. How did you decide on the locale for the book?

LW: There are many New Jerseys. Somerset County is there, too—the affluent semi-rural suburbs filled with horse farms, enclaves of McMansions, and corporate campuses. I grew up in New Jersey—in Glen Ridge, a suburb considerably less posh than Maggie's, and closer to New York—but then raised my children in Somerset County since my job took me there. I invented Somerset County Community College, but a lot of the New Jersey places mentioned are real. And some of the people Maggie knows come from other parts of New Jersey. (Anyone for Bayonne?)

You also tackle mixed-race families and single parent adoption in the new novel. Again, does you own experience mirror what Maggie goes through?

LW: There are people in Shadows at the Spring Show—adoptive parents of large, multi-cultural families—who are very like people I have known and admired. There are always issues of some sort with mixed race families, and my family and I dealt with some. But Maggie's real issue is whether or not she is ready to adopt. I was lucky—even as a child I knew adoption was the right choice for me. The only question was when. Maggie has questions many other prospective adoptive parents have, and I thought it was realistic for her to be unsure about making a major life-changing decision.

What has been the most satisfying aspect of writing mysteries, and what most difficult?

LW: I love creating characters, and then having fans tell me they think the characters are real. It is really flattering to have people think I am Maggie—it means they think she is an actual person. I've had people contact me to say they just went to their first antique show or auction because of Maggie. Or they wanted to know where to buy antique prints. That tells me that people are not only enjoying my books, but learning a little from them. And that makes me feel great! What is difficult? Keeping my rear end in the chair and writing. Or—at the other end of the writing/marketing spectrum—not having enough time to put my rear end in my chair because I'm spending so much time talking with people about mysteries. It's hard to get the right balance between writing and promoting. And, of course—I also have to take some time to "be Maggie," and buy and sell prints!

 

Reviews

A Dose of Murder
by Lori Avocato
Avon
Paperback, 305 pages, $6.99
ISBN: 0060731656
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Pauline Sokol decides she is burned out from being a nurse for so many years, so she quits her job. Her best friend and roommate, Miles, sets her up with an interview with his uncle. Thinking she'd be doing office work, she soon finds out she will be an insurance fraud investigator, something she knows nothing about. Since she doesn't get paid unless she completes an investigation, she sets out to quickly learn how.

Can she do her surveillance work as well as help Jagger out with his case, through her undercover work, without wearing herself out, getting caught, or getting herself killed? As she stumbles on a body and tries to keep a level head when around hot Jagger, she finds herself in many hilarious situations.

I found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading this book. It is a quick, easy cozy to read. The characters are great fun, the situations believable, and the plot well-written. I especially like the interaction of Pauline and Jagger, but Goldie is also a hoot. Her parents and uncle really add to the story as well. Her lack of experience does not detract from her ability to help solve this crime. I found it to be believable.

I look forward to reading many more Pauline Sokol books. I highly recommend this book.

 

Murder In The Rough
by J. S. Borthwick
St. Martin's
Paperback, 338 pages, $6.50
ISBN: 0312984537
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Sarah Deane's in-laws have just moved into Ocean Tide, an "architect-designed hometown community." It's almost summer and Sarah has just completed a substitute teaching job at a girls' boarding school in Massachusetts. This fall she will begin teaching English classes at Bowmouth College in Maine.

Her mother-in-law, Elspeth, has invited Sarah and Alex down for some family celebrations. The biggest is to include a 90th birthday party for Uncle Fergus and she's asked their help in planning it because she will be in Provence for part of June.

Then the body of an 18-year-old male is found at Ocean Tide, management is beside themselves. It turns out to be a son of Barbara Colley, one of Elspeth's neighbors. Then Sarah almost runs into a frightened boy near the golf course. She later discovers another body. This time it's a man.

Plus bikes and golf clubs are being stolen from residents. Can management keep their good image? Can Sarah concentrate on tutoring and family rather than getting involved in investigating? She tries, but she keeps getting pulled in like when she goes after another Colley son who appears to have taken off in a boat.

She often finds herself in sticky situations and the questions are piling up without a solution in site. Who is behind all this?

I love this series. The books are fast, easy reads. I always look forward to spending time with Sarah and Alex. I recommend this book.

 

Designed To Kill
by Chester Campbell
Durban House
Paperback, 283 pages, $15.95
ISBN: 1930754469
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Greg McKenzie and his wife Jill are asked by friends to go to Perdido Key, Florida, to investigate who killed their friends' son Tim Gannon. The police believe it was suicide.

Tim was an Architect/Engineer in charge of construction of a beachfront condo complex called "The Sand Castle." At a recent party, the balcony of the penthouse unit on the fifteenth floor collapsed killing and injuring people. He tried to help rescue people, but the police feel he was depressed from the collapse.

Greg is not a private investigator, but he was an agent with OSI (the Air Force office of Special Investigations) and an investigator with the DA's office in Nashville. So he has experience.

As Greg starts investigating, he soon finds out there are missing plan, an obstinate contractor, an inspector who is angry over a disrupted love affair, and a very slick developer. Plus Greg is worked over by two thugs. Greg realizes Jill is in danger and that he'd better determine if this is murder and if so, get it solved quickly. But can he do it without either being hurt further or Jill being harmed?

I really enjoyed this book. It was the first in the series that I have read. Jill and Greg are terrific characters, and I would love to read more about them. The Florida setting was very enjoyable as well.

I liked all the twists and turns that the plot takes. It keeps you guessing right up to the end. He does a great job of tying up all the loose ends as well.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more in this series.

 

Chamomile Mourning
By Laura Childs
Berkley
Hardcover, 306 pages, $22.95
ISBN: 0425202518
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Theodosia Browning's Indigo Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina, is a great success. Then, auction house owner Roger Crispin falls off the balcony and onto Theodosia's cake after a shot rings out during a presentation given by Drayton Conneley.

Since Theodosia was the last one to see Roger alive when she took a cup of tea to him up in the balcony, she is questioned. The police also question Grace Venable who is opening a store near the tea shop. Haley, a co-worker of Theodosia's, is friendly with Grace and is upset when Grace becomes a suspect, because she had been having an affair with Roger.

Theodosia and friends begin investigating as Roger's wife is putting lots of pressure on the police to look at Grace. Theodosia does not believe Grace did it, but she isn't positive.

The investigation leads her into the swamps of South Carolina where she uncovers art forgery, fraud, and murder. This was the first I have read in this delightful series. It won't be the last. Even though I'm not a tea drinker, I really enjoyed this book. I found the information about tea enjoyable. The author didn't describe it in such depth that non-tea drinkers would be bored.

I really like Theodosia and her friends. They are great characters and having it set in Charleston was great. I have visited there once, and she really has the ambiance down.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more.

 

Hotline To Murder
by Alan Cook
AuthorHouse
Paperback, 303 pages, $12.25
ISBN: 1420838253
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Not long after Tony Schmidt joins the Central Hotline in Bonita Beach, California, Joy is found murdered. Both are listeners—people who man the Hotline and talk to the callers. Tony pairs up with Shahla Lawton, another listener and Joy's best friend.

They begin working many shifts together. Since Tony and Shahla work at the Hotline, they find they can often get information the police are unable to obtain. But instead of turning everything over to the police, they begin to follow up on much of the information themselves. Partly because the police don't seem too receptive to the information and partly because of privacy rules.

They begin looking into some of the inappropriate callers and others with a connection to the Hotline to determine who might have had a motive to kill Joy. There are many strange people and they have to sift through information to determine if the person is just having trouble or if they might have a motive to have killed Joy. Tony and Shahla put themselves in many very sticky situations and find themselves in peril more than once as they work to uncover the identity of the killer.

This is a great story. It moves along quickly and keeps you guessing as to who committed this murder and why. There are plenty of red herrings and things happen regularly that made me change my mind continuously about who I thought did it.

I really enjoyed getting to know Tony and Shahla. Even though Shahla is only a teenager, she is such an integral part of this story. Their relationship is terrific. I hope there will be more books with these two main characters. This story is well crafted and the California setting terrific.

I highly recommend this book.

 

Peach Cobbler Murder
by Joanne Fluke
Kensington
Hardcover, 304 pages, $22
ISBN: 0758201540
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Shawna Lee Quinn has opened the Magnolia Blossom Bakery right across the street from Hannah's own shop. As most people know, Hannah and Shawna are not friends. And if things don't change soon, Hannah and Lisa might have to close their doors. Plus Mike is often spotted at Shawna's, much to Hannah's chagrin.

Shawna promises to bring her famous peach cobbler to Lisa and Herb's wedding reception. Hannah is not happy, but tries not to think about it. Then Shawna doesn't show up. When Hannah returns to her shop later, she notices lights on at Shawna's. After calling and getting no answer, Hannah goes over to see if everything is okay at Shawna's. She finds Shawna dead.

Knowing that everyone knows she didn't like Shawna, Hannah realizes she is a suspect and had better investigate to find out who killed Shawna to clear herself. Lisa, Hannah's sister and Hannah's mother, along with Norman help her work to solve the murder. Most people were at the wedding with a great alibi. Who could have done it?

I always enjoy books in this series. Minnesota is a great location, and the characters are great. I love the love triangle of Hannah, Mike and Norman. Her friends and family are great and always keep the story hopping.

If you haven't tried this series, I recommend you do, especially if you like food. One of these days I want to try one of the recipes. They sound wonderful. I highly recommend this book and the whole series. You might want to start at the beginning of the series if you haven't read any so you can see the progression of the characters through the series.

 

The Burger Barn On Sunset
by Thomas H. Griffith
Virtualbookworm.com
Paperback, 265 pages, $25.95
ISBN: 1589394410
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Ron Jobeman, a former minister, now manages a Burger Barn fast food restaurant in Hollywood. He has just been transferred to this location when the police shoot an employee who was selling drugs in the restaurant. Then Ron finds out that there have been former drug busts at this location.

Ron begins to investigate what is going on and how the drugs are being ordered and sold. Ron's ex-wife ran away with a more flamboyant minister. There was controversy in his church from his sermons, and he was asked to leave. Ron wanted a job away from the church and went through the Burger Barn training.

The police suspect Ron, even though he is new to the location. Ron ends up visiting a local church and meeting a woman. They begin dating. She helps him with his investigation and also in putting his life back together.

This is a great book. I had trouble putting it down. It is written in such a way that you want to keep reading. Ron is a terrific character. I hope there will be more books with Ron.

I highly recommend this book.

 

Missing Marlene
by Evan Marshall
Kensington
Hardcover, 309 pages, $20
ISBN: 1575664208
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Sarah Brandt is a midwife working in the tenements of New York around the turn of the 20th Century. She often helps her friend Detective Sergeant Malloy with cases.

She is summoned by the wealthy Lintons to their home. Their teenaged daughter, Grace, is mentally still a child. Sarah confirms their fear that she is expecting. Since she is never left alone, no one can figure out who the father could be.

The only place Grace goes is to church. So, Malloy and Sarah both begin to investigate whether it could have happened at the church. Sarah begins to get to know quite a few people, including Mrs. Upchurch, the Reverend's wife. She doesn't have many friends. Matter of fact, her husband tells people that she is unbalanced. But Mrs. Upchurch begins to confide in Sarah.

When the Reverend falls dead during a service, things begin to really get going. Sarah and Malloy have their work cut out for them. Can they figure out who is guilty of murder and who took advantage of Grace?

I highly recommend this new book in this terrific series. Due to some of the subject matter, it made me wary of reading it. But the author handled it very well. And if you haven't read the previous books in this series, I recommend you do.

 

Invisible
By Lorena McCourtney
Revell
Paperback, 320 pages, $12.99
ISBN: 0800759532
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Ivy's best friend, Thea, has just died. Before her death, she discovered that tombstones in the Country Peace Cemetary, where her aunt and uncle are buried, have been vandalized. Ivy and Thea had reported it to the police, but it didn't appear that they were going to do anything about it. So, now Ivy decides to investigate for herself.

She stakes out the cemetery at night, waiting for the vandals. She doesn't think about being in danger. She's just hoping to get a license number to give to the police. One night she seems something ominous happen, and she finds herself unable to stop investigating.

Then Thea's tenant, Kendra, is found murdered. She had never given out much information about herself, and when Ivy begins to look into Kendra's past, she finds more questions than answers.

Soon Ivy realizes that she is invisible. Oh, she can be seen, but most people just look through her as if she isn't there. She begins to use this to her advantage in her investigations.

The authorities try many times to get her to stop investigating for her own safety, but she doesn't listen.

I really enjoyed Ivy. She is such a spry senior citizen, and she does things I wouldn't do. She always makes me laugh! It's a great Christian mystery and very much a cozy. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to read the next one.

 

Love Is Murder
by Linda Palmer
Berkley
Paperback, 275 pages, $5.99
ISBN: 0425196879
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Morgan Tyler, a young widow, writes for a hit daytime soap opera. After only a few years she has become the head writer. The producer, who wasn't a kind man, ends up murdered. Since he'd been after Morgan many times, and she had repeatedly turned him down, she comes under suspicion of his murder. When she finds out he left her a fortune, Morgan decides she'd best figure out who did kill him to clear her name. Her life is beginning to look like one of the scripts she has written. Oh, and she still has scripts to write and problems to solve with the soap opera, too.

To complicate matters worse, one of the detectives appears attracted to her, but with her being a suspect, it puts a crimp in things. Morgan does develop a great relationship with his aunt.

Someone else is looking into the murder, and he becomes interested in Morgan as well, much to the detective's chagrin. But, can she trust him? Is she even ready to date?

Can she figure out who the real killer is without having harm come to herself? This is a fabulous book.

I can't wait to read the next in the series. It is a funny, quick read, what is called a chick-lit mystery. It is definitely a cozy as well.

Ms. Palmer has done a wonderful job with the plot. There are quite a few twists and turns so that it is difficult to figure out who did it and why before it is revealed.

I highly recommend this book.

 

The Body of David Hayes
by Ridley Pearson
Hyperion
Hardcover, 352 pages, $23.95
ISBN: 0786867256
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

In this latest installment by Ridley Pearson in the Lou Boldt series, some of the story is told from Lou's perspective, but a lot of it is told from his wife's. Some actions in Liz's past have put them in a sticky situation that comes to a head in this book.

A past lover and ex-employee of Liz's, David Hayes, who is now paroled, contacts her upon his release. He embezzled millions from the bank where she works. No one ever found the money when he went to prison.

Now he's trying to enlist her help to get the money for the Russian mob, from whom he stole it, before they kill him. In the meantime, Lou's long-time friend and fellow cop, Danny Foreman, enlists Lou to help him track down David Hayes. While Lou has a hard time with the affair, he knows his family will never be free without David Hayes being brought to justice.

There are so many twists and turns in this book, it is very difficult to figure out exactly who the good guys and the bad guys are, let alone figure out the whole mystery. It is a very fast-paced, action packed book. It is hard to put down. You always want to read just a little more to find out what happens.

I have always enjoyed the Lou Boldt series, but I think this was a great diversion from the normal way the story was told. It also gave me a better sense of the relationship between Lou and Liz. I liked that. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

 

Sudden Death
by David Rosenfelt
Mysterious Press
Hardcover, 320 pages, $23.95
ISBN: 0-89296-783-8
Reviewed by Kevin R. Tipple

A man holed up in a house with police massed outside is never a good thing. When it is your potential client, the bad situation is made much worse. Such is the situation that confronts defense attorney Andy Carpenter early on in this fourth novel of the series.

New York Giants running back Kenny Schilling is friends with Willie Miller. He wants Willie's lawyer friend, as he made clear to the police after firing one shot into the air to get them to back away from his house. Because of Willie, Andy agrees to go into the house and to try to get Kenny to surrender peacefully. Once inside the house, it becomes very clear to Andy why Kenny panicked and reacted the way he did. Missing Jets wide receiver Troy Preston, last seen the night before in Kenny's presence, is very dead and stashed inside a closet in one of the bedrooms. Of course Kenny didn't do it and he will need all of Andy Carpenter's considerable legal expertise to prove it.

What follows is another enjoyable read from author David Rosenfelt. Everyone seen in the earlier novels returns as well as there is the addition of several new characters. As is common in most series by this point, little new is added to character development. Little new is added here character development wise. However, the characters in David Rosenfelt's novels do evolve and change and as they do story arcs develop and relationships change. That is certainly true in this case where sufficient back story of the earlier novels is given that this novel could be read as a stand alone.

However, doing so would diminish the flavor and impact of this novel. If you haven't read him before then I strongly suggest you begin with the first book, which was nominated for an Edgar award and is titled Open and Shut. That first book in the series sets up everything that follows, including this novel. In each book, the author weaves humor, plenty of action, interesting characters and cases, all together for murderous tales with a legal background. Fans of the series won't be disappointed with his latest offering as it meets the strong standards he set long ago.

 

One, Two & Even
by Jeff Sherratt
Marlowe, Spade and Archer
Trade paperback, 354 pages $15.95
IBSN 0-9752721-2-8
Reviewed by Terri M. Tumlin

Jimmy O'Brien is a defense lawyer in the 1970's recovering from too much alcohol and an ex-wife. His small firm is usually uncomfortably short of money cause many of his clients can't pay. His office is staffed by Mabel, his office manager, always on his back to collect fees from this clients, and Rita, formerly his secretary, now his law partner pursuing her own apparently impossible-to-win cases.

Jimmy is the court appointed lawyer for Buck Simpson, a career criminal who is back in jail for breaking his parole. The trouble is, when Jimmy gets to the Los Angeles County Jail for a preliminary interview, a deputy informs him that Buck has committed suicide in his cell. Suicide does not sit well with Jimmy, so he asks his friend and extremely successful investigator, Sol Silverman, to check on it. The result: Buck seems to have hanged himself with three stab wounds in the back.

Before Jimmy has time to do much follow-up on Buck, a previous client, ex-hooker Laura, calls for help It seems her wealthy husband is dead on the library floor in their home, a suicide note in the typewriter. Jimmy goes to her home, checks out the situation, and calls the police—something the gorgeous widow has failed to do. When Detective Corshank shows up and starts investigating, this suicide doesn't hold up either. It was murder and the widow is the prime suspect. Not only that, but the detective is convinced that Jimmy is involved with both the widow and the murder.

So now Jimmy has two matters to deal with: Buck's murder, for which he has no client, but can't drop, and Laura, who is very shortly arrested for her husband's murder. He pursues information about one to a state sponsored halfway house for parolees and about the other to the victim's highly successful meat packing operation. He becomes convinced that the two are somehow related.

The tension mounts when Jimmy himself becomes the target of attacks and Laura suddenly fires him and states her intention to plead guilty to the murder charge—a plea Jimmy is convinced is false. Time is getting short if he is to find out the truth before Laura has to make her plea in court.

Jeff Sherratt has written an appealing book peopled with a variety of interesting characters liberally spiced with events and pop culture from the seventies. Even though at times the present sneaks in somewhat anachronistically he brings off the time quite convincingly. The story is agreeably complex with interesting subplots and a couple of hooks that make the reader look forward to the next book in the series.

 

The Spice Box
by Lou Jane Temple
Berkley
Hardcover, 312 pages, $22.95
ISBN: 0425200434
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Lou Jane Temple is famous for her culinary mystery series featuring caterer Heaven Lee. This is a new culinary series set before 1900. I normally shy away from historical mysteries, but I am so glad I read this one. Bridget Henry is an Irish immigrant. Her friend helps her get a job as a cook in the home of Isaac Gold, the wealthy owner of a department store.

She finds the body of Mr. Gold's son in the dough box on her first day. He'd been shot twice in the chest. Mr. Gold has no faith in the police finding his son's killer, so he decides he'd better do it. He enlists Bridget's help. He also ends up assisting her in her search for her sister. They set off on many adventures until Mr. Gold's wife tries to put a stop to it. Bridget still assists, but Mr. Gold is not as free to join in.

Bridget finds herself in quite a few interesting situations. She is a wonderful character, and her interaction with Mr. Gold as well as the rest of the staff is terrific. The setting of the late 1800s really adds to this story. I can't wait to read more in this new series. Ms. Temple has a real winner. I highly recommend it.

 

Otherwise Engaged
by Laura Young
Silver Dagger
Paperback, 202 pages, $9.95
ISBN: 1570722811
Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle

Kate Kelly's cousin Adam wants her to pose as his friend Brett's fiancée for a weekend at Brett's family Kentucky horse farm. Brett's mom is throwing him an engagement party, but his real bride-to-be has disappeared. She is a travel reporter and the magazine agrees to pay her expenses and those of a photographer so she can write about her experiences. Kate begins to think she made a mistake in agreeing, even as soon as moments after she has agreed.

Soon after arriving at Blue Grass Winds, his family's horse farm, a car blows up. There was someone inside, but they can't identify it immediately as it was too burned. The police begin investigating, but the family, including Brett, is not very helpful.

Kate soon discovers that someone is trying to scare her into leaving. They are using pranks, sometimes nasty or dangerous, but still just pranks. Brett keeps disappearing and she can't figure out what is going on. His mother is mentally unstable and is against the marriage.

Kate decides she'd better figure out who is behind all of this and what is going on before her life is in real danger.

This is a fabulous mystery. I laughed out loud many times. Some of the situations seem unreal, but you know they could happen and they make you laugh. I hope there will be more Kate Kelly mysteries. I would love to read them.

I highly recommend this book.

 

Murder By Committee

Read past installments and find out more about Murder By Committee

Debbi Mack is a "recovering attorney" who practiced law for nine years before finally figuring out that she should be writing instead. She has worked as a reporter for Dow Jones covering the U.S. Supreme Court. She currently works part-time as a reference librarian and does freelance writing and research, as well as fiction writing, the rest of the time. Her first novel, Identity Crisis, introduces lawyer/sleuth Sam McRae in a new mystery series from Quiet Storm Publishing.

CHAPTER 15
By Debbi Mack (with special thanks to Walter Mosley)

Bruiser—or Jake—and I jumped to each of the doors and pushed. They didn't budge.

"Now what?"

"We still have four and a half minutes, girlfriend."

Jake was really overdoing the fruity bit, I thought.

"Hey!" A male voice pierced the darkness. "Up here!"

I looked up and saw a small window. A man's silhouette filled it.

A rope snaked down the wall. I grabbed it and started to climb, only to end up falling on my ass.

"Oops. Sorry," the voice said. "Must have left some slack."

I struggled to my feet and tried again. Rock-climbing isn't my forte, so walking up the wall wasn't the easiest thing for me, especially since I had to sidestep a stuffed moose head on the way. But with a bomb ticking somewhere, I managed to make fast work of it. By the time I reached the window, my arm muscles were taut as piano wire and the rope had burned my palms. I was wondering if I'd end up falling to the floor again for all my trouble when the man reached through the window, grabbed me and pulled me out.

"Let's go." I was yanked to my feet and forced into a run.

"What... about... Jake?" I could barely get the words out, for trying to catch my breath. "I left the rope. He can fend for himself."

True, but could he get through the small window? Nothing to be done about it.

We ran through the woods to a waiting car. "You drive," he said, getting in on the passenger's side.

I slid behind the wheel, started it up and drove as fast as I dared, bumping over the rutted ground, swerving around trees, and looking for the road.

"Slow down," he said.

"We need to make tracks. Any minute now, that place is going up."

"That place ain't going nowhere."

I looked over and did a double-take. "Rich, is that you?"

Husband number five grinned back at me. "That's right, Harper. Long time, no see."

"Not nearly long enough. What the hell are you doing here?"

"You didn't know I was an agent with the CIA, did you?"

"No, you never bothered to mention that in the six glorious weeks we were married."

It did explain a few things. Like his twisted need to have surveillance cameras in every corner of the house and his obsession with phone taps. Here I thought he was just paranoid.

"What do you mean the place isn't going anywhere?" I asked.

"There was no bomb. The place is fine."

"So what about Jo Edwards? And that weird cadre?"

"We'll get to that later. You still have the chip?"

I could still feel it, pressed between my bra and my boob. "Yep."

"Great. Now, we have to get back to your plane."

"Betty and Guthrie will know to look for me there."

"Don't worry about them. They're taken care of... for now."

I wondered what that meant, but I didn't ask. "So if you took care of them, couldn't I have left through the front door?"

"And have to deal with that slow-ass elevator? It was quicker to climb. I about busted out laughing when you fell on your can."

Good old Rich. Always the card. It's a wonder we lasted six weeks.

"So now what?"

"On to the next stop."

"I don't know about you, but my next stop is home, to a hot bath and a stiff drink."

"No, it isn't." Rich was pointing a gun at me. That same stinking .38 caliber.

"Stay cool." A voice came from the back seat and a shadowy figure popped up. He also held a gun.

"If you're smart, you'll do as we say," Rich said. "Because if you go home, they'll come after you. You'll be dead in 24 hours."

His tone was serious and his face, murky in the dashboard lights, mirrored the tone.

"Trust me," he said.

"Right."

"What's your alternative?"

I shrugged. "So where are we going?"

"LA."

I had the feeling it wasn't to take a tour of Universal Studios.

"I hate LA," I grumbled. "But it's warmer than Alaska, anyhow."

Rich relaxed and lowered his gun, but I noticed the back seat man didn't.

Once on the plane, I finally got a good look at the other guy. He was a small rodent-faced man with chocolate-brown skin, light gray eyes and a gold tooth, which he revealed with a smile as friendly as a homicidal insurance saleman's. He wore an expensive suit and kept the gun in hand.

"Mind telling me what your part is in all this?" I said, as I prepared to take us down the runway.

"In good time."

I got us in the air and our conversation after that was limited to directions from Rich, guiding me by a palm-sized GPS device.

This was turning into the longest night of my life. Maybe the longest night in storytelling history, other than that one about the Holy Grail. But by the time we circled the electric light grid that was Los Angeles, dawn was glowing faint on the eastern horizon.

I brought us down in a field, at Rich's direction, and we got into a waiting Datsun. That's how old this car was—it was a Datsun. Rich had me drive again.

In the rolling foothills, the crisp, medicinal scent of eucalyptus permeated the air. The sky lightened enough to reveal scrubby chapparal dotting the landscape. We seemed to wind forever through backroads, until we finally hit a multilane freeway that took us into town... and a traffic jam.

I groaned. "Do they ever not have rush hour in this burg?"

"Don't get your undies in a bunch, kiddo. Take the next exit."

Rich guided us into what must have been the worst neighborhood in South Central. He had me pull up before a storefront with the sign "Primo's Taco House" on it.

Rich nudged me. "We're here."

"In God's name, why?"

"I'll tell you in a moment."

We got out and entered the restaurant. My stomach felt as hollow as a bass drum. My mouth watered at the smell of coffee and the sizzle of fried eggs from the kitchen. The men led me to a private dining room in back. We sat at a table set for four.

"Someone else coming?"

"He should be here soon." Rich glanced at that fancy watch he always wore—the one with the underwater depth gauge and compass. I always wondered why he wore that stupid thing. Now it turned out he was a spy. Great.

In a matter of minutes, a tall black man who looked like he just woke up arrived. He plopped into the seat across from me and wiped his weary face with one hand. "Gopher, why we here at this ungodly hour?"

"Relax, Ozzie," the well-dressed man with the killer smile said. "Have some breakfast."

A swarthy Hispanic man came in with four plates of huevos rancheros, swimming in tomato sauce and melted Jack cheese, and a pot of coffee. A heavy Mexican breakfast wouldn't normally have been my first choice, but these weren't normal times, so I stuffed my mouth without complaint. The coffee was hot, but I drank it in two gulps and poured myself more. I'd been dying all night for a caffeine fix.

"Now that we're all here..." Rich nodded toward Ozzie, who gazed back with exhausted nonchalance. "I'll explain everything.

"This is Ozzie Roland. His friend, Gopher, is a, uh, transportation consultant who works for Halsworth's people."

"You mean a smuggler?" I said, through a mouthful of eggs.

"Gopher's is a kind of facilitator. He keeps everything running smoothly on the domestic side."

Based on the crazed gleam in Gopher's eyes, I could just imagine how he kept things running. "So he works for Halsworth?"

"Only indirectly. Someone working for Halsworth hired him."

"Okay. So what's this got to do with an Internet security group and a cadre of religious zealots?"

"Oh, that. We know all about Jo. Whatever she told you is hooey. She's a paranoid, schizophrenic, manic-depressive with abandonment issues. Her brain's as twisted as a Raymond Chandler plot. She's also part of an Idaho militia group trying to overthrow the government."

I arched an eyebrow. "What about Guthrie?"

"Guthrie's just a private eye from Boston, working a case."

"I thought Betty and Guthrie were in an Internet security group."

"Betty's in the group and she thinks Guthrie's in the group, too. But he's just playing along with her, to find out what she knows. Not that it'll get him anywhere."

"So I still don't know why we're here."

"Ozzie here got called in on Guthrie's case. Guthrie wasn't making any real progress in solving Meredith Sheridan's murder. Ozzie?"

Ozzie sighed. "Meredith was wild. Liked to hang with the brothers at the rap clubs 'round here. She ended up marrying Hank Brown, one of Gopher's crew. The Halsworths and Sheridans weren't exactly thrilled about this."

Rich jumped back in. "When Meredith was killed in the plane crash, James hired Guthrie to check on her various associations, here in the City of Angels. Nice guy, James, but dumb as a box of rocks. I mean, who hires a white boy from Boston to investigate in the black neighborhoods of LA? James' brother, Roger, tried to talk James into canning Guthrie, but no dice. So he did an end run around him and hired Ozzie through a mutual friend."

"What the hell does this have to do with anything? Why is the CIA involved? And what about this microchip?"

"Brown got greedy," Rich said. "He wanted part of Halsworth's action and threatened to expose him if he didn't get it."

"He also threatened to tell the press about the marriage, which neither family wanted," Ozzie said. "Might get them kicked out of the old country club, if you know what I'm saying. Gopher here had to step in . . . "

I threw up my hands. "Would somebody please just give me the Cliff Notes version? Why is the CIA interested in this and why is this microchip so valuable?"

"It's simple, really," Rich said. "First, you have to understand that Meredith was killed because... "

Just then, someone kicked the door in with a resounding bang.

 

Ask the Publicist

Welcome to our very own mystery authors advice column! Since publishing a book is only marginally easier than getting it recognized among the throngs, we're here to help: authors with a question about publicity and promotion can send such questions to: mysterymorgue@breakthroughpromotions.com and our resident expert, publicist PJ Nunn of BreakThrough Promotions, will answer each question and point you in the right direction.

This month's questions are interesting and varied, and those who want to make their books more, um, noticeable might find a few helpful tips along the way. Remember, if you can't be too thin or too rich (and, you can), you certainly can't do too much promotion! It's a jungle out there, and our very own Bwana can help you through the murkier parts—send your question along!

Dear Publicist: I have recently completed the first novel in my three book series entitled The Third Eye. I have contracted with a great agent and we are now in the process of getting the manuscript ready for submission to publishers. I have created my web site, and have broadcasted the site to acquaintances in my email address book and other interested parties. Is it too early to begin other types of marketing strategies? Or should I wait until we get a publisher and a publication date? What do you suggest? Of course, at this time my funds are limited. So, whatever I do now must take that fact into consideration.

Warmest regards,

Sylvia Dickey Smith
www.sylviadickeysmith.com

Sylvia,

You're off to a good start with the website—that's a powerful marketing tool that takes time and work to develop fully. Keep up with that, adding changes and keeping it fresh. Use contests and new material regularly to keep people coming back to see what's new.

Aside from that, I'd suggest that you get actively involved in a writers group or organization that caters to your personal taste and writing style, and that you consider doing some non-fiction or short fiction that you can use to start developing a good list of published credits. That could assist you in hooking up with the right agent/publisher. Any type of published work will be an asset along the way, and once your first book is published, those bylines and short bio tags are a great place to advertise. Effective promotion is always about developing name recognition and making lasting impressions!

Good luck.

Sincerely,

PJ Nunn
BreakThrough Promotions
www.breakthroughpromotions.com

Dear Publicist: My previously self-published mystery novel has been picked up by a traditional publisher and is scheduled for re-release under a new title in May of next year. I'm wondering if I should mention the fact that it was previously self-published in my press materials?

Angela Henry
The Company You Keep: A Kendra Clayton Novel
Coming May 2005 from BET Books!
www.angelahenry.com

Angela,

I'm never one for deceptive practices. They'll come back and bite you every time! But, there's a difference between being deceptive and simply not telling everything you know. Ask yourself if there's any benefit to advertising that the book was previously published, self or otherwise. If you can't think of any, then don't say it.

Today's publishing industry is full to overflowing. There are more books coming out every month than ever before. That means more books competing for shelf space and media attention. While many stores have eased up on their strict avoidance of self-published novels, there's still quite a stigmatized reaction in many areas. But even among those who don't seem to care if a book is/was self-published or not, there's the practical matter of whether it's new or not. We regularly promote books that have been out for nearly a year, occasionally longer. But those are the exceptions, not the rule. The larger markets see a book as "old" a month or two after release. If they know it was once released under a different title, they may judge it "old" before it even comes out again.

Of course that's not everyone and those who are adamantly opposed on principle are quite vocal, but fairly small in number. Bottom line—I'd never deny that it was published before, nor would I purposely hide it, but I wouldn't advertise it either. Personally, I have represented two such books with a pretty good success rate on both, but we didn't volunteer any information about previous publication and as I recall, it never came up. Good luck with your new book!

Sincerely,

PJ Nunn
BreakThrough Promotions
www.breakthroughpromotions.com