Book Review: Death on the Family Tree

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

Death on the Family Tree     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Patricia Houck Sprinkle
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Family Tree Mysteries # 1
Avon Books, 2006, 348 pps.

Katherine Murray didn’t count herself as having much of a family tree. She is married and her husband is out of town most of the week. Her daughter and son are both away from home.

Katherine was an only child and was born late in her parent’s marriage. Katherine had been a care-giver to her mother as well as her aunts. When her Aunt Lucy passed away at the retirement home where she lived all of her worldly possessions were delivered to Katherine much to her dismay. The boxes arrived on her birthday and although she wasn’t glad to receive them she begin to sort through one of the boxes. What she discovered changed Katherine and those around her.

Aunt Lucy had an ancient necklace that was believed to be from the Celt times. The box also contained a diary written in German. Katherine began to try to translate the diary and soon found that she wasn’t the only person that had an interest in the diary. She runs into an old boy friend at the library who is now a professor and he seems quite anxious to relieve her of the diary. And he is not the only one with an interest in possessing the diary.

Katherine started changing in other ways as well. She was growing impatient with her husband’s constant absences and excuses. She decided to redo at least one room in her home to suit herself.

Several incidents happened to frighten Katherine and slow down her translation and detective work into the source of the diary as well as redoing the music room in her home. Her house was ransacked and the crime seemed connected to the diary.

This is a book that I thought was fun to read. I enjoyed Katherine discovering more and more information about her family. This is the first Patricia Sprinkle book that I have read but I do intend to read more.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM