Dead Days of Summer: A Book Review

Author: Carolyn Hart
ISBN: 978-0-06-072404-7
Copyright: 2006
Pages: 316
Publisher: Harper Collins/Avon Mystery

Description:

Annie Darling, owner of "Dead Days" mystery bookstore, is married to Max Darling, a private investigator. The story opens slowly although once it gets rolling there is plenty of action and intrigue.

Max is hired to locate Bridgit Walker's brother. During his search, Max is drugged, Bridgit (whose real name is Vanessa Taylor) is murdered, and Max is accused of the murder.

Once the victim is discovered to be Vanessa Taylor, her past is looked at. She was a beautiful, well-dressed woman who charmed all men, she was employed by Lillian Dodd as a personal secretary and lived in the Dodd house, and she didn't socialize with anyone outside of the household.

Annie believes that the killer is a member of the Dodd house so she comes up with a cover story to get her inside the house. Annie lets Lillian believe she is Vanessa's best friend so she would like to pack Vanessa's belongings up to bring to Vanessa's sister. This works and gets Annie in the house.

Once there, Annie discovers that Heather, Lillian's daughter, is engaged to Kyle, but Vanessa had been flirting with him. This had driven a wedge between Heather and Kyle and the wedding had been called off. Annie also learns that Stan, the neighbor, was smitten with Vanessa. Marge, Stan's wife, was angry about this, and rightfully so. Due to her flirtations with all men, Vanessa was not known to have any friends and was known in unkind terms by women.

With the information that Annie had discovered she had found that Kyle and Stan both had motive for murder. She believes that the true murderer is a man to have supported Max, who is over six feet tall and weighs in at 195 pounds.

Annie and her friends discover who the real murderer is which allows Max to be released from prison.

Review:

The characters and the plot are woven together in a subtle manner to reveal important facts which are needed to solve the crime. Ms. Hart's attention to detail is to be commended. She is an author who does her research on everything.

My Opinion:

While it is important that background be laid out for the reader, I don't like it when a book begins slowly. I like to have my attention grabbed right away. However, if you stick with it, once Max and Vanessa/Bridgit meet, the action does start. The only problem I had with this book is the slow beginning.