🔪🔫🏚️ Murder in the Family 🏚️ 🔫 🔪 (2019) - Book Review
MY REVIEW
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction
(September 15, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1946016764
ISBN-13: 978-1946016768
“Greed Poisons Even The Sweetest Well
Storm chaser Molly McClelland must return to her small Alabama hometown when she unexpectedly inherits her hoarder aunt's house . . . and all of its contents. Despite her suspicions that her aunt was murdered, Molly wants nothing more than to sell everything and get back to the life she loves. Especially once her homecoming reignites the decades-old family conflict that drove her away in the first place. But when Molly uncovers caches of cash, journals revealing secrets-and a body-amongst the stockpiles, she finds herself locked in a cat-and-mouse dance with a deadly endgame.
Molly teams with local sheriff, Greg Olson, to find the truth. But will her determination and his skills be enough, or will the killer-or killers-put an end to their efforts once and for all?”
“A Murder in the Family” is what I would
describe as a “cozy mystery” – “subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and
violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take
place in a small, socially intimate community”. This novel fits right into
that, though I found it “slightly” on the serious side.
Molly McClelland is a
storm chaser who had left her hometown of Carterton, Alabama after her 18th
birthday, nearly 20 years earlier. Despite cutting off most of the ties with
her family, she still remains in touch with her Aunt Liz. Molly has no idea
where her brother went off to.
Elizabeth Morrow dies in
a freak hoarding accident when stuff falls on her and “buries” her. In her
will, she leaves the estate to Molly who wants nothing to do with the “stuff”. She
feels that the greed in the family was what broke her mother’s heart and cost
the family their home.
Given how Liz died, Molly
is almost certain that her cousin Kitty and Kitty’s daughter Lyric might’ve had
something to do with the accident that claimed Liz’ life. Lyric was supposedly
Liz’ caregiver but did nothing to actually help the woman.
Molly just wants to be
out from underneath it and back to the “job” she loves. A job which injured
another storm chaser of the group – Sarah.
While Molly waits for
news of Sarah’s recovery, she has to deal with her aunt’s estate. And, after
reading a heartfelt letter from her aunt, Molly is (albeit reluctantly) ready
to deal with the mess her aunt left behind.
Molly’s family has other
ideas – namely to grab what they can and run, even if it means breaking the
law. And, with the discovery of a body in the house where her aunt died, it may
mean they did just that.
A shooting, a fire, an
accident, a dead body – there are more secrets surrounding Liz Morrow’s estate
than the entire town. And, in between all of the goings-on, Molly has to sort
through the trash to find the treasure; after all, one man’s trash is another
man’s treasure. But, Molly has to discover the treasure.
Richards uses a unique
plot device – hoarding – to begin the story and to keep the story going. Her
detail of the hoarding issue is vivid and candid; thus bringing to mind
episodes of A & E’s “Hoarders” series.
Richards writes Molly
with a realistic revulsion to the scene – a filthy house, piles of “stuff”, and
“pest” infestations. Molly is overwhelmed by not only the sight, but the
stench, as well as how to handle it.
It is definitely not a
common theme to use in a book, particularly a mystery type book. Though it is
easy to see how the hoarding issue could hide the underlying crimes that were contained
in the book.
Richards’ use of hoarding
as a plot device also causes the reader to look at the “stuff” they keep and
re-evaluate what we “store” and want to pass on to our children and
grand-children. It also provides a unique perspective on greed and people who
think nothing of their behavior or how many people are affected by it.
In addition I enjoyed
reading two of my favorite revenge lines in this novel. One was “revenge is
best served cold”. I first heard that in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (“revenge
is a dish best served cold”), and in other TV shows as well – even J.A.G.
Another “revenge” quote
from the novel mentioned digging two graves before setting out on revenge,
which I’d heard in “For Your Eyes Only” (“the Chinese have a saying; Before
setting out for revenge, you first dig two graves.”). It was interesting to see
two phrases from two separate movie genres mentioned.
This was a quick and easy
read. Suitable for someone who wants to dabble with the mystery but wants
something clean and easy to read.
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ramona Richards is the associate publisher
for Iron Stream Media, the parent company of New Hope Publishers, Iron Stream
Kidz, and Ascender Books. She has been an in-house editor for Abingdon Press,
Thomas Nelson, Rutledge Hill Press, and Ideals magazine, and has freelanced for
a dozen other publishers. The author of nine novels, three books of devotions,
and numerous magazine articles, she is a frequent speaker for women’s and
writers’ groups, and has presented at numerous conferences across the country.
Her latest book, Murder in the Family, released in October from Lighthouse
Publishing of the Carolinas.
She can be found on the following social media
accounts:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RamonaRichards
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