Mission:
Murder
A
Hattie Farwell Mystery
Betty Kerr Orlemann
ShadowDance
Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-9771329-1-9 (0977132919)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9771329-1-1 (9780977132911)
Publication Date: August 2008
List Price: $12.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): The suspicious death of her lifelong best friend jolts
octogenarian Hattie Farwell out of a comfortable retirement in rural
Bucks County, Pennsylvania. When Annie Turner is killed leaving a
Philadelphia concert, a grieving Hattie is suddenly flung into the
world of high-stakes political intrigue, drifting amid a web of deceit
and the uncomfortable dynamics of the family her friend left behind.
Police efforts turn up more questions than answers, and
Hattie’s patience wears thin. Finally, aided by
Annie’s granddaughters and her huge dog, Wolf, Hattie sets
out to pursue her own theories about what really happened to Annie.
Between Wolf’s nose for trouble and Hattie’s
determination to solve the murder, she finds herself navigating an
unsavory—and increasingly dangerous—path to the
truth. America’s latest unlikely sleuth uncovers the ugly
underside of political campaigns, marital infidelity, and more than one
old family secret that someone will stop at nothing to keep hidden.
Review:
Betty Kerr Orlemann introduces retired school teacher Hattie Farwell,
living on her family farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and
investigating the suspicious death of a dear, old friend in Mission: Murder,
the first in a proposed series to feature the octogenarian amateur
sleuth..
Hattie had known Annie Turner most of her life. Annie's daughters, Anna
and Brooke, referred to her as Aunt Hattie, one of the family. Just
before Thanksgiving, Annie is struck down and killed by a hit-and-run
driver. The police treat her death as an unfortunate accident, but
Hattie isn't so sure. Then Anna, on her way to Hattie's house, is
chased by a car and forced off the road, badly injuring her. This was
no accident; someone deliberately tried to kill Anna. Though there is
nothing to link the incidents, Hattie is sure there must be a common
thread between the death of Anna's mother and the attempt on her life.
Hattie Farwell is a delightful woman and Mission: Murder
is a pleasure to read. Hattie's backstory adds depth and interest to
her character and provides an understanding as to her motivation in
pursuing this case. For example, Hattie prefers to wear what she finds
comfortable, and what Hattie finds comfortable are “long
skirts – usually black – immaculate white blouses
and black lace-up boots.” If she were pressed to explain her
choice, she would say it was her way of paying homage to a strong woman
whom she loved, admired and respected, her grandmother. The underlying
message here: family and respect, and respect of family, are everything.
The plot of Mission: Murder
is well thought out and there are many twists and turns that keep the
briskly paced story fresh and exciting. In short, this debut is a fine
cozy and readers will be eagerly looking forward to Hattie's next
outing.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Mission: Murder and to Word Forge Books for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Mission: Murder? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
Mission: Murder
ShadowDance Press (Trade Paperback), August 2008
ISBN-10: 0-9771329-1-9 (0977132919)
ISBN-13: 978-0-9771329-1-1 (9780977132911)
Omnimystery
keywords for Mission: Murder
...
Location(s) referenced: Pennsylvania.
