Book Review: Lie Like a Rug

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Lie Like a Rug    
Donna Huston Murray
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Ginger Barnes # 7
St. Martin’s, Jul 2001, $6.50, 256 pp.

For fifteen-year-old Ryan Cooperman the welcome mat at Bryn Derwyn Academy ends with his latest incident of negative behavior. The nasty teen terrorist is going to pay a visit to Judge Rolfe in nearby Philadelphia where Ryan will be officially welcomed into the "scared straight" program. Of course, Ginger Barnes endlessly kicks herself for volunteering to escort the miscreant when her husband is too busy to do so.

After depositing her "client" with the Judge and his crew, Ginger passes the time waiting for the torturer to be returned to her by wandering the courthouse. She is stunned to observe that former childhood hero Professor Finnemeyer is on trial for a fraudulent antique scam. Ginger decides to investigate after she rids herself of her delinquent charge at the local train station. She soon finds that the witnesses for the prosecution have agendas to keep things quiet so that Finnemeyer will take the hit, but that her champion falls off the pedestal as he has a history of questionable, illegal behavior.

LIE LIKE A RUG is an amusing, very entertaining investigative tale because the heroine is so real she insures the plot remains genuine. Ryan is a great character who even hooks Ginger in his nasty way of dissing people. The rest of the support cast rounds out Ginger’s latest adventure by reacting to her actions so that she seems even more like a person rather than a character. Donna Huston Murray continues to furnish pleasant novels filed with ginger that engross the reader’s interest from start to finish.

Harriet Klausner

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