Book Review: Guilty Mind

Reviewed By: Dawn Dowdle

Guilty Mind     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Irene Marcuse
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Anita Servi # 2
January 2003, 251 pages

One Sat. night when Anita and Benno Servi return home, Benno walked their babysitter Ellen, a recent college grad, home. He gets home quite late.

On Monday Clea, their 7 year old daughter, shows up at Anita's work -- near her school. Ellen never showed up to pick her up. Anita and Clea go to Ellen's apartment. Anita find Ellen dead in bed with one of the screwdrivers they gave her stuck in her chest.

The police believe Benno and Ellen were having an affair. They find his fingerprints on the screwdriver and decide he's guilty of her murder. This shakes Anita's faith in Benno.

Anita's estranged mom, Emma, comes to stay with Anita and Clea while Benno's in jail. Anita needs help with Clea with Ellen gone.

Anita starts asking around to try to figure out who killed Ellen because the police seem to be set on Benno as the killer. Eventhough Anita is unsure of whether Benno was having an affair with Ellen, she doesn't believe he killed her.

In her discussions with other students and faculty, she uncovers many possible suspects and puts herself in danger to try to clear Benno.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed it. I hope to read more by her. This is definitely a cozy.

I like the interaction between Anita and Clea and Anita and Emma. Of course, the interactions between Anita and Benno are strained. I don't like that Benno won't talk to her, but it is believable. Her character development is very strong and they are very likable. This is a white couple with a black child. She also handles this in a very knowledgable way.

This book is set in Upper Manhattan and she has a good grasp of the area.

I think the plot is well written and I found most of it to be very believable. I kept wanting to read more and more to find out what happened.

I highly recommend this book.

Dawn Dowdle

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dawn Dowdle

Please visit Dawns website at www.mysteryloverscorner.com