Book Review: Murder Past Due

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Murder Past Due     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
D. R. Meredith
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Amateur Sleuth   Cozy
Series: Megan Clark - Reading Group Mysteries # 3
Berkley, Mar 2001, $5.99, 240 pp.
There is not much demand for the services of a physical anthropologist or a palepathologist in Amarillo, Texas. As such, Dr. Megan Elizabeth Clark resides in her mother's home
to keep expenses down. To supplement her income, Megan works at local library. She loves mystery novels and belongs to a reading group, Murder by the Yard, who meet at the
Time and Again bookstore. The group currently celebrates its six-month anniversary with Megan creating a tour of famous murder sites in which the group reenacts the
homicides of famous murders.

Millionaire and patriarch of a local dysfunctional family, Bruce Gorman joins one of the tours. Twenty years ago, the wife of Bruce's grandson was found murdered in a gazebo with her husband covered in her blood holding the murder weapon. Not too long afterward, he committed suicide, closing the nasty chapter for everyone but Bruce. He has doubts and hires Megan and her cohorts to investigate the homicide even knowing that another family member might be the killer.

MURDER PAST DUE is a delightful installment in a well-written, sweet amateur sleuth series. The book appeals to Christie fans and anyone who prefers a non-violent novel. Megan remains an appealing lead character, who belongs in the world yet still seems to rise above it. D.R. Meredith's five Clark books are all quite good, but leave too much of a gap between their releases to satiate us fans.

Harriet Klausner

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