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| BEFORE THE LAST LAP Review by Julie Obermiller
It's only September and the prolific writing team of Joyce and Jim Lavene have released 5 novels in 2005; one paranormal romance, one romantic suspense, the premier Peggy Lee Garden Mystery and two more books in the Sharyn Howard Mystery Series! That brings the total books in this series to eleven with the release of “Before the Last Lap.” Sheriff Sharyn Howard and her deputies in Diamond Springs , North Carolina have a personal stake in the mystery. The sheriff's missing assistant is linked to a runaway speedboat that crashes into the pier- by her bloody pocketbook. When a body washes up next to the pier, things start to look bad. Sharyn knows Trudy Robinson could not be involved but the evidence is too glaring to ignore. Trudy's husband Ed is a deputy frantic to find his wife after she disappeared from their bedroom. Upon discovering that the dead man was the head mechanic for a local racecar driver, Sharyn's investigation turns to the speedway. Could legendary driver Duke Beatty be the one behind it all? A cloud of controversy follows Beatty and his Stag-Inn-Doe nightclub, a seedy roadside hangout right on the county line. The ramshackle place was a part of local history that law enforcement seemed to overlook and Duke managed to get out of every scrape he got in. The investigation is complicated by a jurisdiction tussle with Police Chief Roy Tarnower and it offers a glimpse into local “good ol' boy” politics. The missing Trudy turns up at the speedway but Duke Beatty is shot and killed at the same time, and the long arm of the law reaches out for Trudy in the face of the evidence. When loyal husband Ed takes the blame for the murder to protect Trudy, Sharyn must try to protect her deputy while trying to find the real killer. Old and new mysteries intertwine and the reader will find this fast-paced story difficult to put down. This is the eleventh romp for Sharyn Howard and there are many references to past cases. I found myself searching for the list of the first ten books so I could start from the beginning, when Sharyn turned her back on her law degree to take her father's place as Sheriff- after his murder. It isn't necessary to have read the rest first; this story stands alone nicely. Still, I wish I had stumbled onto this series years ago. Readers enjoy familiar characters and this cast is a likable bunch. The spark of romance between the Sheriff and Medical Examiner Nick Thomopolis is a nice touch. It's easy to be drawn into the complex relationships of the characters and you'll want to know more about them. The books are set in the Uwharrie Mountains in North Carolina , and the authors say the series “reflects the changing face of the southern Piedmont .” It turns out that every novel in the series combines both a retro and a current mystery to solve, and the clues are ingeniously planted for the reader to sort out. “Last Dance” was the first in the series. The authors' website (joyceandjimlavene.com) offers some insightful tidbits and trivia into the Sharon Howard Mysteries as well as their other works. As members of the Carolina Conspiracy, a group of “writers with attitude” from North and South Carolina , they invite readers into their world of southern hospitality. It's a fun excursion! Here's a list of the other books in the series, courtesy of the author's website. LAST DANCE - Sharyn Howard Mystery #1 ONE LAST GOODBYE - Sharyn Howard Mystery #2 THE LAST TO REMEMBER - Sharyn Howard Mystery #3 UNTIL OUR LAST EMBRACE - Sharyn Howard Mystery #4 FOR THE LAST TIME - Sharyn Howard Mystery #5 FIRES BURNING - Sharyn Howard Mystery #7 GLORY'S LAST VICTIM - Sharyn Howard Mystery #8 LAST RITES - Sharyn Howard Mystery #9 THE LAST ONE DOWN - Sharyn Howard Mystery #10
“Death in the Cards: A Stain-busting Mystery” reviewed by Kevin Tipple Sharon Short's mysteries center on Josie Toadfern, Paradise , Ohio Laundromat owner and stain removal expert. Previous books in the series have been called “Toadfern Mysteries” and while that may cause some momentary confusion, rest assured both titles share the small town adventures of Josie. Drawn by the cover art showing a fortune teller and crystal ball, I was enchanted with the story. The normally sleepy little town is soon to be besieged by an upcoming “Psychic Fair” and not everyone is happy about it. The more conservative citizens of Paradise are whipped into a frenzy of fear by a local evangelist promising all kinds of hell-fire if the charlatans and soothsayers are allowed to come there. The finely drawn portraits of the religious zealots are both amusing and frightening; grim reminders that there are vengeful people everywhere. Josie has already antagonized some locals by renting out the second floor apartment over her Laundromat to a couple that owns the New Age Bookshop and Tarot Card reading room in town. They are planning on a big business boost from the fair. At the start, Josie receives a strange warning from a pink-suited psychic and dismisses it as hype and fluff. Eerie happenings abound around the town, including Josie's glimpse of the colorful clairvoyant in seeming embrace with the religious leader causing the entire ruckus. No-one else on the sight-seeing tour noticed the meeting, but Josie's innate sleuthing tendency starts a whirl of questions in her mind. It wouldn't be a mystery without a murder and, of course, Josie stumbles on the body. A suitcase left at her Laundromat offers up a strange clue, but a flooded shop threatens to wash it away. Add a spooky Halloween corn maze for charity and you'll happily follow Josie work her way through the maze of clues. What connection could the locals possibly have with these famous and not-so-famous psychics? Jealousy abounds and nothing is what it seems. Josie very nearly ends up the next victim. Josie and her pals add comic relief and the characters are vivid and enjoyable. The series is an easy read, with familiar characters and a hometown feel. Cozy lovers will find Josie appealing and look forward to the latest adventure. Look for Death in a Deep Dish Pie; A Toadfern Mystery,” “Death of a Domestic Diva: A Toadfern Mystery,” and “Hung Out to Die; A Stainbusting Mystery” due out in February 2006. Author Sharon Short and her family live in Ohio , where she writes a weekly humor column called “Sanity Check” in the Dayton Daily News. She's had several short mystery stories published in Murderous Intent Mystery Magazine and Orchard Press Online Mystery Magazine. Short's sense of humor is evident in her Josie Toadfern stories, which provide a delightful insight into small town life.
Pretty, Pretty Review by Julie Obermiller For teenagers Quinn Hunter and Holly Gates, a summer job at a Hawaiian hotel seems too good to be true. Anxious to sample the beautiful climate, scenery and eligible young men, the girls embark on an adventure that could turn out to be their last. Barrington House turns out to be as mysterious as a few locals made it sound, but the girls are eager to do their jobs and have some fun. Hotel owners and spooky elderly siblings Edith and Edward Barrington are vividly scripted to give you goosebumps! Spine-chilling sensations abound as the girls make their way around, and they soon realize nothing is as it seems. The only spookier occupant is a crazed cat but the cat can't possibly be to blame for the strange haunting at Barrington House. The girls are fun characters going through the typical teen angst of relationships and life. Holly is the flirt, while Quinn is used to being in her shadow. When an interesting and good looking young man checks in with his parents, even Quinn assumes he will fall for Holly. Jaxon Caine seems to have other ideas as he befriends the girls and gets tangled up in the mystery of who, or what, is haunting the hotel. As the girls eagerly search for the truth, someone is just as eager to see that they fail. The seemingly supernatural happenings will have you on the edge of your chair, glancing over your shoulder as you turn the pages. The scenery and characters are vividly painted by the writer and this is a read-through-it-at-once book. To call this strictly a Young Adult mystery would be a serious misnomer. As an aging matron and mystery buff, I thoroughly enjoyed the tale and look forward to more of the same. At the same time, I feel safe buying it for young teens who have discovered the delights of the mystery genre. There's a hint of romance without descriptive sex and a spooky mystery without gushing blood and gore. Many adult mystery fans stick with cozies for just that reason. A well planned mystery with fair clues and a good ending doesn't need the gratuitous sex and violence that seems to be getting more and more prevalent in all media. A visit to the author's web page offers a glimpse of the young Canadian author from Manitoba , who cut her literary teeth on Nancy drew Mysteries. The good news is, Oliver has a work in progress called “Bonedance.” The author's sense of humor is evident throughout “Pretty, Pretty” and also in this sound bite from her bio. “ I have a lot more creepy tales hidden in the dark recesses of my mind, just waiting to break free onto the pages of a manuscript,” writes Oliver. “ Ideas can be a funny thing, coming from the strangest places. One of the most common questions people ask a writer is: "Where do you get your ideas?" I don't know about anyone else, but my ideas come from a squat, gargoyle-like muse that sits beside me when I work and drools green slime on my keyboard.” Will the slime drooling muse make an appearance in a future mystery? What fun if it happens! Buy this book for your young readers, but treat yourself to a read first!
PRETTY POISON Review by Julie Obermiller When a good fictional character and setting turn into a series, it's a delight for fans to return to the familiar and visit with old friends. Peggy Lee, owner of The Potting Shed garden shop, is a new friend with great promise for new adventures. Joyce and Jim Lavene, authors of the popular Sharyn Howard Mystery Series, have brought us an amateur sleuth we can easily identify with. Set in uptown Charlotte , North Carolina , the unique shop is the stepping off point for this fifty-something botanist who bicycles to conserve fossil fuels and is totally in tune with her plants and nature. The shop assistants are colorful and vivid, and Peggy's classroom at the local college helps paint a wonderful background for the mystery. The widowed Peggy has a son who joined the police force after his father was killed in the line of duty, and relations between mother and son are strained. The story has a body, of course, and Peggy discovers it in the middle of an autumn tableau at her shop. The over-zealous police latch on to a local homeless man as their prime suspect, but Peggy has come to know Mr. Cheever and like him, and cannot believe he would murder anyone. On the other hand, the victim turns out to be a known womanizer, frequently seen lunching with someone-other-than-his-wife in the courtyard eatery outside the Potting Shed. Peggy is determined to solve the crime, butting heads with the local police, and her son Paul, at every turn. It seems that our heroine finds a new complication around every corner. As the mystery unravels, she finds her shop assistant, an old friend, a town matriarch and a distant connection embroiled in the mess. The reader soon realizes there is more than one mystery being played out and every clue is vital. The book is a roller coaster of twists and turns that finishes with a flourish, but don't count on an easy ending. The Lavenes make you work for this one. Along the way, Peggy adopts a dog although she knows nothing about dogs, and with him comes a new local vet, a somewhat younger admirer that Peggy tries to keep at arm's length. Nick, like the dog, endears himself to Peggy's heart. The story is lightly sweetened with romance liberally seasoned with humor (the Marmaduke-like dog causing much mayhem), and it's an easy page-turner. Honeyed southern charm is a delight, from the ladies at the Kozy Kettle Tea and Coffee Emporium to the French restaurant kitty corner from the Potting Shed, and there's even a fun poke at grits. The atmosphere is warm and homey and kinship with the characters, even the quirky ones, comes easily. At the beginning of each chapter, the reader will find a little botanical glimpse of a common flower. In fact, each of the upcoming books in the series will be written in one of the four seasons of the year. This book presents autumn, and at the end you'll find Peggy's Garden Journal, chock full of planting and growing tips for many of the plants featured in the story, including the Night Blooming Water Lily that Peggy passionately experiments with. I think it deserves mention that the added botanical notes will enhance the book for gardeners and plant lovers, but they don't impede the story for the mystery purist. The story moves along easily, with just the right amount of background information to make it plausible and interesting. How very thoughtful of Joyce and Jim to make the presentation fun for everyone! Throughout the book are subtle life lessons. Peggy is a vegetarian and passionate conservationist. Animal cruelty rears its ugly head but has a happy ending. Our heroine is a no-nonsense, comfortable woman in her fifties who lives life on her own terms, free of stereotypes. No fragile southern belle is Peggy, yet her heart is as gentle as a sigh. Winter follows autumn and the anticipation of the holiday season in Charlotte is enticing to this reader. Here's hoping that Peggy, Nick and friends will return as perennially as the seasons with more mayhem and mystery!
Bound For Eternity Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Lisa Donahue, museum curator, returns the new Egyptian mummy after having it x-rayed at a local clinic. She discovers the bloody body of her colleague, Marion, in the mummy's empty case. Lisa is a widowed young mother. She has to juggle her job and being a mother. Now she's taking on sleuthing to figure out who killed Marion and why. Marion had mentioned to Lisa that she felt that some artifacts were missing and others were misplaced. The museum is quite old and there are promises of moving to a new facility. Lisa isn't sure whether the artifacts are really missing or if they have been stored for the move. Since Marion cataloged all the artifacts, now no one knows for sure. As Lisa gets to know more about the mummy, she begins to wonder whether Marion was killed because she knew something, or someone thought she did. Now Lisa wonders whether she might be next. I really enjoyed this book. It is the first I have read by this author. It will definitely not be the last. Lisa is such a wonderful character. Her friends and new love interest really add to the story. I can't wait to find out about their next adventure.
May The Best Man Die Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Carnegie Kincaid is a wedding planner in Seattle . Normally she doesn't plan stag parties. She plans weddings. But, her new client insisted. After she left the party, she ends up looking through binoculars to watch the party. Why? Her significant other, although they're currently having trouble, is at the party. What she doesn't know is that a killer is there, too. The next day the best man is pulled from the canal. Who could have killed him? What did she see in those binoculars? Anything important? After she tells police what she saw and gets a friend in trouble, she decides she'd better look into things herself before telling them anything else. She gets Aaron, her significant other, to help her. Not only does she have this New Year's Eve wedding to be planning, she has another Christmas wedding to plan. And now Ivy, the mother of the bride for the New Year's Eve wedding, has asked her to plan another party. Since the murder is related to that wedding, she wants to spend as much time as possible with the parties to try to determine who could have been the murderer. Can she do that before anyone else is murdered, including herself? Plus what about her new love interest? Will this muddy the waters? Carnegie is a great character. She is a lot of fun, and she gets herself into predicaments throughout the book. I felt it was a very believable story, and a lot of fun to read. I can't wait to read more. I am originally from Washington State , and I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book set in Seattle . I think the author does a great job of weaving the wedding planning and the sleuthing.
Pier Pressure Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com If possible, please mention my website: www.mysteryloverscorner.com Keely Moreno , now free from an abusive ex-husband, is living in Key West and building up her foot reflexology business. Things seem to be going fairly well until she arrives for an appointment at her wealthy patient Margaux Ashford's house to find her dead of a gunshot. The police are very interested in Keely because she found the victim. They question her quite often, but there are plenty of suspects to go around. She and her friends decide to try to solve the murder, because they aren't convinced the police will look at all the possible suspects. Other things begin to happen, including a fire and another death. Each of these events is in some way related to Keely. This doesn't help direct the police to other suspects. Keely finds herself in some sticky situations. Can she and her friends find the murderer without her becoming the next victim? This is the first book by this author that I have read. It definitely won't be the last. I really enjoyed Keely, and the Key West location was very refreshing. I felt like I was on vacation while reading this book. Keely and her friends and family are such fun characters. You never know what might happen next. I can't wait to read another book in this series.
Dying To Call You Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Helen Hawthorne is working another dead-end job with payment in cash so she can evade her ex-husband and the law. This time she's doing telemarketing. While she's good at it, she gets plenty of hang-ups and people cursing her out. But then she overhears a murder during a phone survey she's conducting to the home of Henry Asporth. She reports it to the police, but after their investigation, they tell her it was just a show on TV. Helen is convinced she heard a murder. So she does some research through the computer at work to determine whether a woman lived at that address. Once she determines that Laredo lived with him, she contacts her sister Savannah and they begin investigating. Helen likes to stay as far away from police as possible. Disrupting her enjoyable life at home are Fred and Ethel Mertz that moved into the apartment building. They are difficult to get along with and soon none of the neighbors are hanging out around the pool so they can avoid them. As Savannah and Helen dig deeper and deeper into Henry Asporth and his friends, Helen finds herself in some sticky situations. Can they find the murderer without Helen being the next victim? I always enjoy books in this series. Helen is a fun character and the people she works with and the other tenants in the apartment building are such great characters. They really add to the story. hile I sometimes have trouble believing anyone is really after Helen, I think the stories are well constructed and such a fun read.
Mum's The Word Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Abby Knight recently opened her flower shop, Bloomers. She is a law school dropout. She really enjoys her shop. But a low-cost competitor has just come to town and is killing her profits. Then a black SUV rams her vintage Corvette in a hit-and-run. The police don't seem too interested in tracking down the culprit. Especially when a murder is discovered near her shop. Abby meets hunky ex-cop Marco Salvare who now owns the pub down the street. Together they begin to look into who rammed her shop. As things turn dangerous, they begin to wonder whether the person that rammed her car could have been involved in the murder. Plus they have tracked down the possible vehicles that rammed her car and one is owned by a prominent politician's nephew. Abby begins getting threatening phone calls and road rage. Can they find the culprit without Abby being harmed or killed? Abby is such a delightful character. All the other characters that work in her shop, as well as Marco, really add to the story. The author has done a great job of weaving her job as florist and her sleuthing. Abby's family adds a lot of tension in the story, too. It was hard to put this book down once I started reading it. It is such a fun cozy to read. I can't wait to read more.
Out of Tune Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Grandma Harms has summoned the family for Grandpa Harms' memorial service. He died while they were on safari in Africa , and she was unable to bring his body back. Alexandra Walters is a gospel singer. She is happy to be home with her daughter Jess. But, someone sends her a photo which unsettles her. It appears someone is watching her. At her grandpa's memorial service, Mrs. Kliewer takes ill and a chandelier almost falls on Alex's Grandma. Unfortunately Mrs. K doesn't make it. Grandma Harms requires that the family also come to the Blossom Trail Bike Ride she'll be riding in. Sabotage begins against her and disrupts the bike ride. Alex ends up riding too to try to keep an eye on things. She hasn't been on a bike for years so she has her hands full just keeping up. Stephen, Alex's boyfriend, is a PI. He is looking into the accidents. Plus he has a secret case he won't tell Alex about. She is upset by this. Detective Will Knight is trying to keep everyone safe during the bike ride. Plus he has an interest in Alex. Alex is very confused about her feelings for Stephen and for Will. Plus she can't figure out who is sabotaging her grandma in the ride. Was someone trying to kill her grandma and got Mrs. K by accident? Could it be someone in her family? Her grandma is referred to as the storm in the family and not many people like her, inside or outside the family. She was especially difficult in business. really enjoy this series. It is always fun to pick up one of these books. Alex is such a fun character. Her relationships with Stephen and Will make for a terrific story. This book gives us a real insight into Alex's family and helps us get to know her better.
Southern Fried Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle - mysterybks@yahoo.com Avery Andrews has recently returned to Dacus , SC , after working in a large law firm in Columbia , SC. She was fired, so she's trying to decide what to do next. In the meantime she's living in the family cabin and doing some legal work in town. Her client, Donlee Griggs, is accused of murder. While they're dragging the lake for his victim's body, they find a car with a skeleton in it. This has nothing to do with the crime he is accused of. Soon Avery realizes that Donlee has told everyone he is in love with her and makes many spectacular suicide attempts to get her attention. She is hired by Harrison Garnett, owner of Garnett Mills a local furniture plant, related to environmental concerns. Not long after the environmental investigator arrives in town to check out the plant, there is a fire at the plant destroying records. Now the environmental investigator is back with the feds along. Avery wonders what they're after. Her other client is Melvin Bertram. He'd left town amidst scandal years ago when his wife went missing. He is back visiting his brother for the holidays. The car found in the lake was his wife's, and he fears the skeleton was her, too. He asks Avery's advice and has her accompany him for questioning. Can Avery figure out who killed Melvin's wife and who torched Garnett Mills without putting herself in danger? I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading many more adventures with Avery. She is such a likeable character. Very down to earth, but a smart lawyer as well. I like the dilemma she's having with staying in her hometown or going to a bigger city again. It really gives us a glimpse of the character and not just her sleuthing skills.
Visit Dawn Dowdell's website for more reviews and mysterious treats: www.mysteryloverscorner.com |
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