Synopsis (from
the publisher):
Some people really go overboard for their anniversary, especially
spoiled young Ivy Diggs, who mysteriously vanishes during the Dixie
Queen paddle wheeler's crowded Fourth of July dinner cruise on Lake
Tahoe. It's also Elsie MacBean's 50th birthday celebration, which
almost turns out to be her last when Beanie finds herself embarking not
only on a calamitous cruise but a murder investigation.
After overhearing Ivy's angry outburst at her husband moments before
her disappearance, Beanie suspects Ivy's drowning may not have been
accidental, as is assumed. In Beanie's estimation, anyone who was
present at the Diggs' anniversary party could be a possible crime
suspect ... and even some who weren't. While casting for clues amid
purported sightings of a legendary creature believed to inhabit the
lake, Beanie and her sleuthhound Cruiser discover something more
sinister is lurking beneath the surface of this mystery surrounding the
Lake of the Sky. Ivy Diggs isn't the only one to end up in deep water
as Beanie also becomes the target of a killer.
— ◊ —
— ◊ —
Embarking on Murder
A Beanie
and Cruiser Mystery
Sue
Owens Wright
Five Star (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59414-780-9 (1594147809)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-780-7 (9781594147807)
Publication Date: May 2009
List Price: $25.95
— ◊ —
Review: Elsie
"Beanie" MacBean is celebrating her 50th birthday with her daughter
Nona and her good friend Sheriff Skip Cassidy aboard a dinner cruise on
Lake Tahoe on the 4th of July, expecting a brilliant display of
fireworks at the end of the evening but getting fireworks of a
different, and more deadly, kind instead in Embarking on Murder, the third
mystery in this series by Sue Owens Wright.
While Beanie is enjoying her meal, another couple, elderly Frank Diggs,
his adult children, and his wife of one year Ivy, who just happens to
be younger than any of his children, have a loud argument. Ivy is
screaming at Frank, demanding a divorce, and otherwise making a scene
for all to see. Suddenly the boat seems to run over something, lifting
one side up enough to tip over tables and unseating patrons who
immediately leave the dining area. Soon after Frank yells that Ivy is
missing and he fears she may have fallen overboard. Skip dives into the
lake but something yanks on his leg, pulling him down. He manages to
free himself, but his pants are in shreds and his leg in need of
stitches. Beanie is faced with two puzzling questions: What happened to
Ivy? And what was in the water that attacked Skip?
Embarking on Murder
takes a creative look at a colossal creature that reportedly lives in
the great depths of Lake Tahoe and dubbed "Tessie" by the locals,
incorporating it into the plot of the story. If Ivy wasn't on board the
cruise ship, she must have fallen overboard. But could she have drowned
so quickly, or might she have been pulled under just as Skip was. If
so, by what? And what caused the boat to suddenly shift to one side, as
if it hit something large underwater or was shoved upward from below?
The multiple twists in Embarking on
Murder, colorful characters and tense situations, broad humor
and the hint of romance between Beanie and Skip, and of course the
delightful Cruiser, make this a most enjoyable read.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Embarking on Murder and to Breakthrough Promotions for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Embarking on Murder? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
Howling
Bloody Murder
Deadly Alibi (Trade Paperback), February 2001
ISBN-10: 1-88619912-4 (1886199124)
ISBN-13: 978-1-88619912-5 (9781886199125)
Sirius
About Murder
Five Star (Hardcover), January 2006
ISBN-10: 1-59414364-1 (1594143641)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414364-9 (9781594143649)
Embarking on Murder
Five Star (Hardcover), May 2009
ISBN-10: 1-59414-780-9 (1594147809)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59414-780-7 (9781594147807)
Omnimystery keywords for Embarking on Murder ...
Location(s) referenced: Lake Tahoe, California.
