Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Murder of a Smart Cookie (A Scumble River Mystery)
Author: Denise Swanson
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 0-451-21584-2
Release Date: July 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Mystery/Suspense
Year/Setting: Current/Illinois
Overall rating: 5.0
Sexual content rating: None (just a couple of kisses towards the end)
Denise's Website:
www.deniseswanson.com
Skye Denison is a school psychologist, which leaves her summers free. The cottage she is renting is coming up for sale. Knowing she needs money in order to make a down payment, she determines she needs to work harder this summer. She tried working for Cookie Caldwell in her antique store but her honesty got the best of her and cost her the job. So, now she is working for her uncle, Dante, who is the mayor of Scumble River. Dante has taken on a project to bring tourists to the area called the Route 66 Annual Yard Sale. He has formed a partnership with several other small towns along Route 66 to hold this event, which will last over several days. Since it was his idea – coordination becomes his problem. Of course, as mayor, he knows how to delegate which is where Skye comes in. He has already had several coordinators but none of them can put up with Dante. As family, Skye has no problem keeping him in line. The person she has trouble keeping in line is a TV star who has come to town to do a feature on the yard sale and is trying to take over even to the point of moving Skye out of her house so the "Star" has adequate living accommodations.
As the yard sale kicks off, a murder occurs and the body is found in a cabinet Skye’s family is attempting to sell. During the investigation, another body is found and this one has some incriminating evidence pointing towards Skye. While Skye’s hobby is solving mysteries, the sheriff had told her to stay out of this one. Now the proof is pointing towards Skye, there is no way she is going to stay out of it especially when she gets beaten up one evening. Luckily for her the assault happened within city limits so the police chief is involved and Walt is very definitely willing to work with her. Oh boy, is he willing to work with her.
I grew up in a small, rural community in the Midwest and I have to say reading Murder of a Smart Cookie had me in stitches at several points throughout the book. So many of the characters reminded me of someone from my hometown and even some events which happened during my childhood (not the murders, of course). Fond memories I had forgotten.
To get back to the story, however, Denise Swanson does a fantastic job of weaving together mystery, love, family, history and humor. The characters are ones we can all relate to whether ourselves or someone from our past. The family dynamics created within Skye’s immediate and extended family show the diversity of the rural areas and how intertwined everyone is. You gotta be careful what you say because you never know who is related to who.
The best part of the story, though, is quite frankly the ending. While I can’t say this is a mystery full of suspense, which will keep you on the edge of your seat, it is a classic mystery. Slowly, you find pieces unfolding. Never enough to give you the entire picture but just enough more to keep you guessing and going back for more. The final pieces though really threw me for a loop and were totally unanticipated. Very well done, Denise, and I look forward to future visits to Scumble River.
Lori
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