Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Biting the Moon
Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Martha Grimes
Class/Genre: Mystery
Henry Holt, Apr 1999, $25.00, 301 pp.
When the teen awakened in the Santa Fe bed and breakfast, she had no idea who she was. Her only clues were the initials A.O. on her backpack and vague references to Idaho. She also realizes that "Daddy", who took her to this motel, is not her father, but probably her abductor. She calls her self Andi after the nearby Sandia Mountains.
Andi vanishes into the mountainous wilderness where she begins to protect the animals from hunters. When Andi meets another adolescent Mary Dark Hope, they form a bond. Mary agrees to help Andi and they soon begin their trek seeking the identity of "Daddy" as a start.
Readers need to know that though Mary Dark Hope originally appeared in a Richard Jury novel, BITING THE MOON is not a Jury tale (this reviewer kept waiting for his appearance). The story line is a bit disjointed because too much of the novel is spent on the subplots. This especially is true as Martha Grimes makes compassionate, graphic pleas for animal rights, but ultimately these passages ramble away from the mystery. Mary remains a warm, enigmatic character, whom readers will embrace. The audience will feel much empathy for Andi, but Ms. Grimes dissipates that for no apparent reason. Though the novel has well-written sections, fans will be better off obtaining a Jury tale to see the author at her awesome best.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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