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Patricia Stoltey

Författare till Prairie Grass Murders

4 verk 37 medlemmar 4 recensioner

Om författaren

Foto taget av: Photo by Kristen Besanceney

Serier

Verk av Patricia Stoltey

Prairie Grass Murders (2010) 14 exemplar
Desert Hedge Murders (2009) 14 exemplar
Wishing Caswell Dead (2017) 6 exemplar
Dead Wrong (2014) 3 exemplar

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Recensioner

Pat Stoltey's historical mystery is a delicious visit to Sangamon, a well-drawn western town, populated by unique, unforgettable characters who take turns on the center stage. Plenty of action, and - no spoiler here - you'll wish the title character was dead, too.

Stoltey's book is more than just a great read. Her grasp of language and voice is superb. Never cluttered, her prose will make you forget you're reading literary fiction. But make no mistake, this carefully crafted novel reveals a deep understanding of human nature - both flaws and virtues - and weaves that understanding into a plot that entertains (and tweaks genre conventions).… (mer)
 
Flaggad
Briankaufman | Aug 7, 2023 |
 
Flaggad
diananagy | 1 annan recension | May 20, 2014 |
First Line: I barely had time to slide my hotel key card into the slot before a loud crash, thud, and clatter set my heart racing.

Former Miami judge Sylvia Thorn's heart should be racing. She let herself be railroaded into accompanying her mother's seniors group, the Florida Flippers, to a weekend of fun in Laughlin, Nevada, and Oatman, Arizona, and they haven't even settled into their hotel rooms before a body is found in one of them.

The seventy- and eighty-somethings are excited because of the body found in Sarah Pringle's bathtub, and they're all set to investigate the murder. That first night all the Flippers run around the casino asking questions while Sylvia has the feeling that Sandra and her roommate Patsy know more than they're letting on. Sure enough, next morning finds Sandra missing. And speaking of feelings, Sylvia's brother Willie is in Florida, and he can feel that his sister's in trouble. Nothing doing but he and their father hop the next flight out. The stage is now set for all kinds of goings on.

Sylvia and the Flippers go to Oatman, Arizona. By this time, Sylvia realizes that she's signed on to herd excited cats. When their tour of a nearby gold mine is ruined by a grisly discovery, the ladies are more willing to settle down and listen to the local police and an FBI agent who is now on the scene. The Flippers are in danger, and Sylvia knows she's going to have to work hard to keep them all accounted for... and safe. The situation doesn't necessarily improve when Willie and their father show up.

I enjoyed this book with all its elements of the Keystone Kops. Anyone who's spent any time at all with a group of spry senior citizens knows the probable outcome if said group is on vacation and smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation. Stoltey had me caught between bouts of laughter and frustration as those "little old ladies" went to work.

Any time the action took place in Oatman, I was even happier. I've been to this old mining town on Route 66 several times, and Stoltey really captured its ambiance.

The cast of characters in this book is so good. The Flippers are a hoot, and Sylvia is a level-headed woman who doesn't panic-- even though she does need to learn to relax more. Sylvia's brother, Willie, is also a wonderful character who adds so much to the book. A Vietnam veteran, Willie suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, but he's learned how to deal with it and has made a good life for himself. He also happens to be a bit psychic, which can be both a blessing and a curse for his sister, depending on the circumstances.

I couldn't help but wish there was a tiny bit more to The Desert Hedge Murders as I read. In one scene, Sylvia is planning a night-time visit to the old gold mine, and all the Flippers start digging through their purses to provide Sylvia's fanny pack with emergency items. The things the Flippers toss at her are funny in and of themselves, but I was envisioning Sylvia stuck down in the mine trying to be MacGyver with all those goodies. Alas, it was not meant to be, probably because Sylvia is Sylvia, not MacGyver, and she doesn't need to imitate anyone else. This book-- minus my wishful thinking, thank goodness-- is thoroughly enjoyable. Read for yourself!
… (mer)
½
 
Flaggad
cathyskye | 1 annan recension | May 2, 2012 |
First Line: Willie narrowed his eyes against the sun's glare as he watched the huge bird circle overhead.

Willie Grisseljon is taking a well-deserved vacation back in central Illinois where he grew up. Hiking through the backroads and fields that he knew as a child, he finds a dead body beneath a pile of debris. As he's walking to town to tell the police of his discovery, he's stopped by a policeman. The policeman's reaction is to take Willie's identification and haul him off to the county hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

When he can get to a phone, he calls his sister, Sylvia Thorn, who just happens to be a circuit court judge in Palm Beach County, Florida. Sylvia clears her docket and heads to central Illinois. When she and her brother go to find the body, the pile of debris is much higher, and the body can't be seen. The two go to town to tell the sheriff-- and Sylvia finds out he's her old high school flame. It also isn't long before she knows that something's not right in Sangamon City, Illinois, and that trouble is going to follow them both all the way back to Florida.

I really liked the two main characters. Sylvia is a level-headed woman in her fifties who doesn't panic. Her profession has taught her how to deal with all the various law enforcement agencies, and she uses her contacts to good effect. Her brother, Willie, is a Vietnam vet who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. This has given him a few quirks, but he deals with them. He's a highly intelligent man who has built and run a successful small business, and he does his bit to help those in need. Sylvia knows that it's always a good idea to follow Willie's intuition.

Although I thought the villains were rather easy to identify in this book, "who" didn't matter as much as "why", and I found the "why" very interesting. With two very strong main characters, I hope this series is in for a good, long run.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
cathyskye | Jul 11, 2011 |

Priser

Statistik

Verk
4
Medlemmar
37
Popularitet
#390,572
Betyg
½ 3.6
Recensioner
4
ISBN
12