Maggie Dove
I have been a part of the Random House Monthly Mystery for the past few months and this novel is the best mystery I have read so far. It had great energy, moving along quickly and although I was able to figure out the mystery, I still deeply involved in the novel until the final pages. Set in a small town, gossip is cheap and everyone’s business is out on the street but that is just how things occur in Westchester. Sides are taken for which they can change quickly depending on who is talking and just how trustworthy that person’s word is. People look out for one another, believing in each another while others only see what they want to see. It doesn’t pay to believe in individualism.
Maggie is a changed woman. Her neighbor Bender, a painter, has been harassing her to move her tree so that he can paint a proper picture. It seems her tree is blocking his view of the water and his relentless badgering is bringing out the worse in Maggie. Maggie has no plans on moving her tree, resulting in countless face-offs between these two neighbors, threats and vicious words being exchanged until the day Maggie finds Bender on her property, dead. The rumors start immediately and Maggie tries to defend herself but her clash with the deceased brings her front and center as the killer. Maggie is not lying down on this charge; she’s pumped and ready to lead her own investigation. The police have their investigation started but Maggie is not happy with their results or their timeline. Previously a mystery writer, Maggie begins looking into Bender’s death. It was no accident, he was murdered and now Maggie needs to clear her name. Another death follows shortly thereafter and Maggie now must decipher two deaths. They seem to be related in nature but how can these individuals be linked? Maggie seems to be working harder than the police on this investigation and I enjoyed reading about Maggie as she made inquiries with individuals and tried to uncover the truth. The more she dug, the more she learned about the individuals she thought she knew. Small town people tried to keep their secrets hidden but Maggie was digging to discover the truth to save the people that she loved. She discovered facts and secrets that shed light on her investigation and opened the eyes of many. This was a fun and interesting novel, I really enjoyed it. Thanks Random House for introducing Susan Breen to me, I will be looking for her books in the future.
“I listen. You’d be amazed what you can find out if you listen.”
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Random House Monthly Mystery in exchange for an honest review. #RHMysteryPack#
3
