Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Jackie Lynn
St. Martin's, Jun 2008, $24.95
ISBN: 0312376812
In West Memphis, Arkansas, Rose Franklin temporarily manages the Shady Grove campgrounds. When obviously lost Chariot Stevens arrives, Rose welcomes her. Chariot has driven from her Pierre, South Dakota home to Arkansas after witnessing the murder of her boyfriend, Jason Holmes.
Soon after Chariot’s arrival, the police arrest her for Jason's homicide. Rose and her Shady Grove pals believe the young woman is innocent and having solved two local murders (see JACOB'S LADDER and DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE); they investigate as they believe the motive involves whatever Jason stole from the real killer. Chariot convinces Sheriff Montgomery to stall Chariot's extradition back to South Dakota to give her and the Shady Grove posse time to sleuth.
This is a fabulous amateur sleuth filled with red herrings, plenty of twists and strong regional characters. The bone weary heroine refuses to quit though the clock is against her and her team. Fans will cheer on Rose and the Shady Grove detectives as they set out to uncover the identity of the culprit with the cooperation of the local sheriff stalling South Dakota law enforcement behind a brilliant “dumb hick” façade.
Harriet Klausner
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