Book Review: Adam and Evil

Reviewed By: Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Adam and Evil     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gillian Roberts
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Amateur Sleuth   Cozy
Series: Amanda Pepper # 9
Fawcett Books, Ballantine Publishing, 1999, US $6.50, 218 pages

While this is the first Amanda Pepper mystery I have read, there are 9 previous books listed inside the front cover. I didn't mind coming into the series late. The relationships between the regular characters was clearly enough defined I could track things, and I don't think it will spoil reading the other nine afterwards.

Considering my personal stress factors in reading certain subjects, I should probably have put this book down right at the beginning when I discovered it dealt with mentally ill/troubled teens, issues of high school clashes between parents and educators, counselors etc. Nevertheless the beginning paragraphs displayed a real life understanding of this environment by the author, and even a sense of humor. I was hooked and couldn't resist continuing.

Amanda Pepper is a high school teacher for a private school for kids with special learning challenges of all types. On a field trip the to local library a woman is killed and all the evidence points to one of the students Amanda has been concerned about. To make matters worse, her behavior in the presence of her live-in police detective boyfriend previous to the event accidentally adds to the circumstantial evidence. And the victim happens to be her sister's friend. Amanda is drawn in to the situation in ever tightening circles until she finds herself in great danger.

Despite the subject matter, I was drawn into this story, hooked on the suspense, and driven nearly to biting my nails with concern for these very lifelike characters. The rest of this series is now on my TBR list. This book has noticeable discomfort level for some but fits in the definition of cozy genre best.

Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM