Book Review: In Plain Sight

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

In Plain Sight     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Lorena McCourtney
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Senior Sleuths   Amateur Sleuth   Woman Main Character   Christianity
Series: Ivy Malone # 2
Revell, Apr 2005, $12.99, 311 pp.

Ivy Malone now appreciates being an invisible LOL (Little Old Lady) since avenging Drake Braxton begins to carry out his threat towards her after her testimony convicted his brother of murder. At first she ignores Braxton’s harassment knowing from solving the murder of her best friend Thea (see INVISIBLE) that the police cannot help her. She no longer can ignore him when her house caught fire with her inside. Ivy consults with the Lord and decides it is time to go invisible again.

Her niece DeeDee Harrington and family are off to Hawaii so Ivy moves into their isolated family property near Little Tom Lake, Arkansas. An unfriendly enigmatic loner, Leslie Marcone, thinks she is the Harrington housekeeper and Ivy fails to correct him; he hires Ivy to be his housekeeper, which she accepts as she wants to uncover his secrets. Meanwhile two former lovers arrive while police sergeant Yates plays matchmaker between Ivy and his widower dad that is when he is not considering arresting her for interfering with an investigation that could leave her dead.

Everyone’s favorite amateur sleuth LOL is back in a wonderful tale as she is as visible in the Arkansas side of the Ozarks as she was in the Missouri side. Ivy is as nosy as ever uncovering everyone’s secrets, which places her in danger, but is comforted with her knowledge that the Lord is with her. Fans of a strong regional amateur sleuth tale with a subtle Christian message that augments understating of the heroic LOL on the lam will appreciate this fine tale that will surely bring Lorena McCourtney IN PLAIN SIGHT of the sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner

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