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Amateur Sleuth

Review

The Language of the Birds.

by Henrietta Thornton

Arizona’s beloved father, the only one besides her mother and precious dog, Mojo, who really got her, died recently in a motorcycle accident. He was on a solo ride while mom and Arizona stayed in the trailer they travel in while the 17-year-old is being homeschooled. Mom and Arizona—who seems to be on the autism spectrum—are back in Bodie Historic Park, the California ghost town near where the accident took place, planning to spread Dad’s ashes. Arizona is barely holding things together as it is, she misses her father so viscerally, but things spiral out of control even further when her mom goes missing. It’s hard for Arizona to trust others at the best of times. But when it’s clear that harm may have come to her mom, a realistic and touching new friendship is a chance for readers to watch the girl force herself to open up to another. This is an inwardly focused book, with debut novelist Merson taking us inside Arizona’s sharp mind and exploring her feelings at having to depend on others while pushing relentlessly to uncover what happened to her family. A sparkling debut; readers, including young adults, will definitely want more from this new author.

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Review

One Death at a Time

by Brian Kenney

This is one glorious, sprawling, comic work of crime fiction, full of characters you are likely never to forget. Chanel-clad, 60-plus Julia Mann—former actress, current lawyer, and full-time curmudgeon—meets Natasha Mason, all of 20-something, at an AA meeting. Julia is obsessed with the corpse that was discovered in her pool, and can only remember snippets of how it might have gotten there. Could she have done it? Perhaps. She was so drunk last night that she remembers nearly nothing, and the cops seem to believe she’s guilty. Julia sets to worrying, since she has already been locked up for murder once in her life and has no desire to repeat the experience. Fortunately, Natasha makes the perfect companion, and despite her loathing of the film industry, Julia talks the young woman into joining her staff—yes, Julia’s that rich—to help her clear her name. Natasha agrees, if she can also help to keep Julia sober. The joy of this book is both its breadth and depth. The two women—who couldn’t be more unalike—careen about Los Angeles County seeking out the real murderer, driving from the Hollywood Hills to Palm Springs to a night of old-school burlesque all while sharing stories of their lives. It’s a marvelous portrait of 30 years in Hollywood, the conflict between the generations, and how humor can almost conquer all.

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Review

Deep Beneath Us

by Danise Hoover

Tabitha is compelled by the spiteful actions of her ex-husband to move back to her childhood home. This is not a cozy, safe space as one might hope. It is a sort of compound: two schoolhouses on different sides of a reservoir, one occupied by her family, the other by her uncle’s family. In the past, four cousins, Tabitha the youngest, ran and played like a pack. But her mother is an unstable artist, her father and uncle killed themselves, and her sister and cousin married each other at age 16. Now, cousin Davey purportedly dies by suicide as well, leaving his property to Tabitha. But is that what really happened? Davey’s two cronies, along with three smart teens, use skills learned from TV crime dramas and DNA analysis to get to the bottom of it all. The characters are captivating, the atmosphere is dark and dour, and the wretched weather contributes to the overall tone of the book. The novel is set in Scotland and the use of Scottish dialect and expressions is sometimes daunting, but never gets in the way of the telling. To say that the plot here is a tangled mess may be an understatement, but the untangling is a treat.

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Review

Oyebanji, Adam. Two Times Murder

by Henrietta Thornton

Some jobs are more permanent than others, such as working for Russia’s GRU, or secret service. Greg Abimbola, real name Grigoriy Adamovich Petrov, has left the organization and now lives a traitorous life, according to his old colleagues, in Pittsburgh. There he teaches Russian and French at a prestigious school, masquerading as a quiet British man who’s content to help students with grammar and teenage issues. Greg is mixed race, his father Black and mother white, so being an outsider is a well-worn path for him, and he’s thriving in his new life. Until, that is, GRU wants his help—and they never ask nicely. A man has been found dead in Pittsburgh, with signs that he’s Russian, possibly a man that GRU has been after, and they want to know who’s responsible. Greg then becomes a kind of double agent, as a contact he has in the Pittsburg police since he helped solve a murder (in the series debut, A Quiet Teacher, 2022) also wants his help with the mystery of the dead maybe-Russian. And then a second death, labeled a suicide but maybe a murder related to a proposed and hotly debated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program at another local school, sees Greg also investigating. There’s no need to read the first book to enjoy this one, but readers will undoubtedly want more from this lovable teacher who brings his spy smarts to every encounter but knows enough to conceal them when necessary—and when to drop the facade to perfect effect. The ending here is—what’s the Russian for chef’s kiss? Get this on your list!

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Review

The Gatsby Gambit

by Brian Kenney

It takes a lot of guts to write a book based on one of America’s most beloved novels, one that’s the inspiration for several major films and is assigned reading in high schools across the country: Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. But Wheeler successfully takes the original setting, Jay Gatsby’s mansion in West Egg during the summer, and the same cast of characters (Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway, Jordan Baker) and shifts the narrative into a work of crime fiction. The biggest surprise is the arrival of Greta Gatsby, Jay’s much younger sister. Greta is finally done with finishing schools, has moved into Jay’s mansion, and is ready to take on the world. But the suicide—or was it murder?—of one of the leading characters, and the response of most of the residents (one more Gimlet, please?) inspires Greta to become a sleuth, if no one else will. Greta’s new role is hardly acceptable for a young lady, but she just barrels through the criticism, investigating the household staff, the cops, even Gatsby’s guests. A fresh and exciting take on America during the roaring ‘20s, with feminism and class tensions taking center stage, and sure to be a pleasure for readers who enjoy historical mysteries. It would be a delight to have Greta return in all her nosy glory

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Review

Serial Killer Support Group

by Brian Kenney

One of the best—and most shocking—narratives of revenge I’ve ever encountered, and one that even saves room for a bit of humor. Cyra’s younger sister Mira has been murdered, apparently by a serial killer. It’s been over a month, and Cyra has grown increasingly frustrated at the tepid response from the New York Police Department: “Let us do our jobs.” Since Mira died, nearly everything—Cyra’s job, her relationship with her ex-girlfriend, the small group of friends she and Mira share, her apartment in Queens—is rapidly unraveling. Big sister Cyra has always taken care of Mira, and if she couldn’t stop Mira from being murdered, at least she can find her murderer. With some help from a friend, Cyra learns about a self-help group for serial killers—kind of funny, kind of not—and successfully infiltrates the group, creating a persona as a murderer. She claims to work in a nursing home, preying on the elderly, and manages to convince the guys (yes, it’s an all boy’s club) to let her join their group. Her goal? To learn if any of the members murdered Mira, or at least knows who did. But creating an identity as a serial killer has its own unanticipated consequences, and the more involved Cyra becomes in the support group, the more she finds her old self slipping away. Schaefer’s story is dark and twisted, unique, and totally engrossing. Readers who enjoy this book may also appreciate Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer and Peter Swanson’s A Talent for Murder.

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Review

Drop Dead Sisters

by Henrietta Thornton

Camping with her crunchy-granola parents, nit-picky sisters, and assorted also-exhausting family members is Remi Finch’s idea of torture. But it’s her parent’s 40th wedding anniversary and they plan to renew their vows, so fine. She can put up with these people for a few days, especially when she sees that a handsome park ranger is part of the package. Also part of it, though, is Guy, the loathsome son of family friends, who when he was younger held Remi underwater so long she thought she’d drown. Grandma’s reaction, “even when I could still taste chlorine in the back of my throat,” was that horrible Guy obviously had a crush on her. So she’s not expecting much assistance when she finds herself in danger on the trip, a prediction that comes both true and not, as her family steps up but sometimes doesn’t know when to stop. Readers will find the Finches both a lovable and a very real family, with affection and exasperation battling for top spot in Remi’s feelings for them. The story dips into cozy territory, with the law-enforcement love interest, the off-screen killing, and the slapstick family antics, enriching a puzzling whodunit in the process. A great choice for cozy fans who enjoy a wilderness element.

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Review

The Jig is Up

by Jeff Ayers

Irish step dance can kill in the first of what is hopefully many books in this series. Single mom to two young girls and the daughter of a police chief, Kate Buckley receives an urgent text from her sister, Colleen. She packs up and drives to Shamrock, Massachusetts to learn what is wrong. Upon their arrival, Colleen tells her it’s no big deal, but Kate knows otherwise. Stumbling upon the body of Colleen’s best friend, Deirdre, unveils family secrets and hidden motives from people Kate thought she knew. This cozy is perfect as Mathews creates a visual world of great characters and setting, ex-loves, pets, and Irish step dance. She also adds a dose of domestic suspense, but it doesn’t have too much of a psychological bent, keeping the book in cozy territory. With more surprises than usual, this is a step above much of this genre. Readers will be eager for book two; let’s hope it won’t take too long.

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Review

This Is Not a Game

by Brian Kenney

A classic “locked-mansion” mystery set on Michigan’s actual Mackinac Island, which in off-season has a population of a mere 500. And the only way to get on or off the island is by boat or chartered plane. Mimi—as curmudgeonly as she is humorous—is a well-established resident who’s invited to an opulent party cum auction by Jane Ireland, a super-rich neighbor (who’s dating her own son-in-law). Mimi decides to bring her granddaughter Addie, hoping to use the party as a way to mend their fractured relationship. Wouldn’t you know, a big storm blows in, effectively cutting off the partygoers from the rest of the population. Anxiety producing for sure, but when Jane is found dead—and she’s only the first victim—all hell breaks loose. Lots of the fun in this book is thanks to granddaughter Addie, a gamer who produced Murderscape, a hugely popular video game, while her fiancé claims to have done most of the work. See you in court, Mr. Wrong! Addie’s expertise helps solve many of the problems while moving the story along. Also, like a cloud hanging over the evening, is the blackmail threat that Jane sent to Mimi and that Mimi hasn’t shared with anyone. Does Jane’s murder invalidate the blackmail? Closed circles are hugely popular these days, but this title puts an unusual and playful spin on the proceedings.

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Review

The Department

by Henrietta Thornton

Get ready to face big questions in Faber’s novel, one that uses a southern college’s philosophy department as a magnifying glass on relationships between haves and have nots; having power and not, that is. Decidedly a have not in this equation is Neil Weber, a professor whose chances at tenure are fading, a situation he’s desperate to change but too depressed to take real action over. Instead, he becomes enmeshed—his friends and the police say obsessed—with the disappearance of student Lucia Vanotti. This young woman, whose narration alternates with Neil’s, is technically a have not, the daughter of Italian immigrants who own a local restaurant. But a chance encounter has Neil placing her on a pedestal and desperate to find her. As he digs deeper into the student’s life and related goings on in the town, and before-disappearance Lucia brings us further into her trauma-ridden life, readers will ask, can love ever be enough? Who is a savior acting for? Humming in the background of the drama is the perplexing question of what happened to Lucia, the answer to which brings delicious twists. An absorbing debut.

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