Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Shakespeare's Christmas
Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Charlaine Harris
Class/Genre: Mystery Amateur Sleuth
Series: Lily Bard # 3
St. Martin's, Nov 1998, $20.95, 234 pp.
Lily Bard is sorry that she has to return to her hometown of Bartley, Tennessee to attend her sister's wedding. Several years ago, she was the focus of a media blitz when she was kidnapped, mutilated, and gang raped. The revulsion and pity from her friends and family drove Lily away. She has been relatively happy living in Shakespeare, Arkansas where she runs a cleaning service.
When she returns to her hometown, she is pleasantly surprised to see that her lover Jack Leeds is also there. Though he has come to provide her support, he is also trying to learn if one of the local girls is actually a kidnap victim who was abducted as an infant eight years ago. Lily wants answers too because her sister is about to become the stepmother to one of the girls.
SHAKESPEARE'S CHRISTMAS is a fascinating mystery because Charlaine Harris provides much insight into the head of her female protagonist. The who-done-it is interesting and well-designed, but it is Lily's ability to surmount her traumas and move on with her life that touch the reader's heart. This change is so realistically portrayed, it engages reader empathy, who will enjoy a glimpse into Lily's hometown relationships. Ms. Harris has written a wonderful novel that adds much to this top rate dark cozy.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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