Reviewer: Connie Payne
Title: When Zeffie Got a Clue
Author: Peggy Darty
Publisher: WaterBrook
ISBN-13: 9781400073337
Release Date: March 2008
Genre/Sub-genre: Cozy Mystery/Inspirational Fiction
Year/Setting: Present Day - Summer Breeze FL
Overall Rating: 4.25
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Peggy's Website:
www.peggydarty.com
Little Zeffie Adams had no clue her simple unselfish act of love would turn lives upside down and open old wounds...all she wanted to do was help her grandmother.
When Zeffie appeared at I Saw It First, Christy Castleman’s "trash-to-treasure" shop, with an old jewelry box in hand and a story of buying medicine for a sick grandmother, Christy’s heart went out to the little girl. After paying Zeffie more than the jewelry box was worth, Christy decided to clean it up a bit, see if she could turn it into a "treasure" for someone else. Yet upon closer inspection she finds an appraisal slip hidden under a bit of torn lining. That’s not curious in itself; however the last name written on it comes straight from Christy’s past and is connected to a cold case murder. A little digging is in order…
Christy is more determined than ever to find out exactly what happened on the night Kirby Strickland was killed after returning the jewelry box to his sister, Ellen. The "story" of his murder just doesn’t add up. With a few well-placed questions and a little digging she just might find the answers she’s looking for.
Yet with each bit of information unearthed and one question leading to another, Christy is learning far more than she anticipated. And not just about the murder, either. For reasons other than bringing a killer to justice, it’s become imperative that Christy find the real killer in order to save another, but what she learns might just cost her her life as it’s become painfully obvious there was more to Kirby’s death than a "robbery gone bad." It’s definitely not been healthy for others who might have had some crucial information.
Ms. Darty had me stumped throughout most of the book. I was sure I knew who the perpetrator was…well, let’s just say more than once. Not only did Ms. Darty keep me on my toes, but she kept the story moving at an even pace and threw in some heartstring-tugging, too.
An extremely well written "cozy" mystery that is threaded with detail, filled with complex and endearing characters, and a very puzzling plot. I look forward to more from Peggy Darty.
Connie
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