Book Review: Murder@Maggody.com

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

[5 stars]

Murder@Maggody.com Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Joan Hess
Class/Genre: Mystery Cozy Humorous Woman Main Character
Series: Arly Hanks # 12
Simon & Schuster, Jan 2000, $22.00, 256 pp.

After her nasty divorce, Arly Hanks leaves Manhattan to return to her hometown of Maggody, population in the triple digits. Since she accepted the position of town sheriff, Arly has not had much quiet and her plans to leave seem to perpetually be delayed. Debate has recently broken out over the bringing the Internet into town. Some individuals believe the web is the work of the devil; others think it is an unnecessary expense. Still many residents realize that it is part of living in twenty-first century America.

In the final analysis, Maggody joins the international highway with Justin Bailey and his wife Chapel providing instruction on surfing the net. At about the same time, teenager Gwynne and her toddler come to town to stay with the Hollsflecker family. Another newcomer is Lazerous, a person without any visible means of support. Seth Smitherman arrives next, but has personal reasons to hide why he has come to Maggody. Along with the flood of “immigration” comes the murder of Gwynne with one of the other new arrivals being the most likely suspect. Arly needs to simply figure out which of the remaining three killed the teen.

A Maggody novel is simply a down home, comfortable southern cozy that stars likable recurring characters and a pleasant small town. MURDER@MAGGODY.COM is a satisfying who-done-it because it is impossible to determine who committed murder since each one of the suspects has a strong motive. Joan Hess personalizes the plot as she escorts her audience for a tour of the private lives of some of the townsfolk. Ms. Hess shines with this novel that will send readers scampering to the used book stores for more Maggody stories.

Harriet Klausner

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