Book Review: But For the Grace

Reviewed By: Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

But For the Grace     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Patricia Brooks
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator
Series: Molly Piper
Dell/Random House 2000, US $5.99 240 pages

This is the second in the Molly Piper Mystery series. I have not read the first. I rarely read PI series but the cover art and the back cover blurb attracted me so I decided to take a chance.

Molly is a very young retired cop turned not too savvy private investigator living on a fictional Prince Island off the coast of Washington state in the small town of Grace which is a fantasy version of a 60's hippy commune gone 90's mainstream. Its a pleasant little world but with your standard unpleasantries under the surface.

There were a lot of elements about this book I liked. Molly is poverty prone person living in a camper in the backyard of her friend Free. Brooks writes about living close to the land in the northwest with truth and a vivid writing style that allows the reader to smell the forest and the rain, taste the sea in the air etc. right along with her characters.

I liked that in creating her characters she used ordinary but more real life names than one normally sees in fiction. I recognized most of the characters as people I have know living on the west coast.

There is the obligatory cop boyfriend but he lives in another town on the mainland and the obligatory difficulties in the relationship are at least atypical.

The only problem I had with the story was the town sheriff in Grace just doesn't participate in the resolution of the murder. Molly's client is murdered and the sheriff just suggests she solve it and gives her a clue or two. Otherwise we don't see or hear from him. I found that odd. However I was able to willingly suspend my disbelief enough to otherwise enjoy the journey through this world. I look forward to reading the first in the series.

Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM