A Case of Hometown Blues
A Mitch Malone Mystery by W. S. Gager
Review: Crime reporter Mitch Malone returns to his home town of Flatville to present a seminar, only to end up being arrested for killing his high school sweetheart, in A Case of Hometown Blues, the third mystery in this series by W. S. Gager.
Mitch has mixed feelings about returning to Flatville. He doesn't have fond memories of his childhood, his cousin Rem and best friend Sam, constantly tormenting him and his own friends, one of whom, his buddy Aaron, was found dead after being bullied into jumping off a bridge on a dare. Later his parents were killed in an automobile accident in the town. Now to top it all off, he learns that his 15th high school reunion is scheduled for the same week he's to be in town. He doesn't intend to go, but he sees Trudy Harrison, the senior prom queen, in a local bar and she joins him for a drink. They agree to have breakfast, but when she doesn't show he's not really surprised. But he is very surprised, and greatly dismayed, to discover that her body has been found in the same place where Aaron died, so many years ago. The police, now led by one of his high school bullies, Sam, believe that Mitch was the last person to see her alive and arrest him for her murder. He makes bail, but is determined not to regress into that shy kid from his youth, and sets out to find the real killer.
The appealing and engaging characters of A Case of Hometown Blues help keep this fast-paced murder mystery moving right along. Anyone who has moved away from their hometown, only to return many years later, will relate to much of the angst that Mitch feels. His resolve to set aside old rivalries and not dwell on the past but instead focus on the present is handled quite well, and lends a lot of credibility to the story. Readers unfamiliar with Mitch Malone will likely want to go back and read the earlier books in the series; others will have to be content with looking forward to the next entry.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of A Case of Hometown Blues.
Acknowledgment: Dark Oak Mysteries provided a copy of A Case of Hometown Blues for this review.
Review Copyright © 2011 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Location(s) referenced in A Case of Hometown Blues: Michigan
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A Case of Hometown Blues by W. S. Gager
Publisher: Dark Oak Mysteries
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN-10: 1-61009-017-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-61009-017-9
Publication Date: July 2011
List Price: $14.95
Synopsis (from the publisher): When Pulitzer-winning reporter Mitch Malone's editor presses him for a favor, Malone breaks his vow to never return to his hometown. It seemed simple enough — lead a seminar for Flatville, MI's newspaper, keep a low profile and get back to the city post haste. But memories of his parents' death swarm him, and, to avoid solitude, he stops for a beer. In the crowded bar, Mitch is dismayed to see many of his former classmates — including the still-lovely Homecoming Queen, Trudy. Once the object of his teenage crush, Trudy joins Mitch. He quickly realizes she is upset and inebriated. Always the gentleman, Mitch sees her safely home, and returns to his B&B, still trying to shake memories of his parents' sad demise. The next day, he is stunned to learn Trudy was murdered and he is the prime suspect. The locals treat the murder charge as a slam dunk, and Mitch realizes he must track down the real killer to keep his butt out of jail. As he investigates, facts he thought he knew about his family unravel, and danger ratchets up. Can Mitch discover the truth that will allow his parents to rest in peace, or will he be resting with them?