August Moon-Jess Lourey

August Moon
Jess Lourey
Midnight Ink, Jun 2008, $14.95
ISBN: 9780738713250

Battle Lake, Minnesota has a population just over nine hundred residents. On the surface, it is a quiet quaint samll town in which everyone knows their neighbors and strangers are always noticed. Mira James has a radically different opinion on the town that she believes is the murder capital as she has recently been involved in several homicide investigations.

When Johnny Leeson stands her up, Mira decides to leave Battle Lake. She finds a replacement librarian and gives notice to her boss and at the paper where she writes a column. She is glad to be leaving since Pastor Meale and his wife opened up the New Millennium Bible Camp. The Meales want to dictate what books the library can circulate and what must be banned because they go against God’s commandments. A cheerleader who works part-time at the library is assassinated by a bullet stunning everyone. Mia Googles the Meales for their prior connections and engagements and learns other girls were killed who looked like the late cheerleader. The Pastor declares that a local festival is devilish and those who partake pagans. When a teen is kidnapped, Mia thinks she knows who is behind the crimes, but her guess proves false, leaving her life in danger.

AUGUST MOON is a fabulously entertaining amateur sleuth tale in which the audience like the heroine will not identify the killer, but also will be shocked when the culprit reveals their identity. Jess Lourey is a fabulous story teller who uses everyday people as the back drop to her fine whodunit. Mia is an interesting lead character who is torn between what she wants and what she needs; however when it comes to murder she is confident in what she must do. Readers will empathize and admire this caring woman who holds this regional tale together.

Harriet Klausner