Book Review: Death and the Walking Stick

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Death and the Walking Stick     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Linda Berry
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Police Procedural   Humorous   Cozy
Series: Trudy Roundtree # 4
Five Star, Jan 2005, $25.95, 262 pp.

There isn’t much violent crime in the Georgia town Ogeechee (pop 3,000) so when octogenarian Althea Boatright runs over Charles Sykes of Jesup, Georgia the police think it is an accident due to poor eyesight, poor motor coordination and her dog sleeping on the gas pedal. They yank her license but don’t put her in jail. A few days later Althea is found dead in her home; chief of police Henry Huckabee concludes she fell and hit her head against the bathtub.

One of Althea’s friends feels that she was murdered because the walking stick she always used was nowhere near her body and the one in the house was not owned by the deceased. Police officer Trudy Roundtree listens to the women, especially her boss’s mother and concludes they might be right. Althea was not on good terms with her son and daughter-in-law who feel they were cheated in his father’s will because he left everything to his wife. Further investigation finds that the car accident might have been homicide; to find the killer requires setting a dangerous trap.

Linda Berry has written a charming down home cozy that displays life in a small southern town. Trudy is a dedicated police officer who protects and serves the community but listens to the theory put forth by Althea’s friends that she was murdered. When she believes they have a point, she convinces her boss to let her investigate and finds evidence to support their claims. DEATH AND THE WALKING STICK showcases the talent of the author whose tale rivals the best of superstars like Leslie Glass and Susan Wittig Albert.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner