Saturday, May 29, 2010

Candlesticks-Sharon Ervin

Candlesticks
Sharon Ervin
Five Star, Jun 16 2010, $25.95
ISBN: 9781594148767

In San Diego, American Wire Service chief Duke Mallory allows his enthusiastic intern Jancy Dewhurst to cover the South Beach burglaries; the fourth break-in when the family was not home. Police Detective Thad Bias tells her he is frustrated as his Captain O’Brien devastates crime scenes with his desire for TV appearances. Jancy soon realizes the oddity of the serial robberies is besides valuables, the thief takes candlesticks.

After writing a couple of articles that are published with her by-line, Jancy receives several threatening phone calls. Her fiancé Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Jim Willis takes time off to be with Jancy to insure she is safe. Jim and Jancy marry as planned and go on their honeymoon when she reads in the Denver paper that robberies similar to those in San Diego with the candlesticks stolen have occurred. Soon their lives are threatened by a dangerous culprit obsessed with candlesticks and more.

The third Jancy journalist investigation (see The Ribbon Murders and Murder Aboard the Choctaw Gambler) is a superb sleuthing thriller that also moves forward the relationship between the heroine and her Fed who marry and honeymoon during this storyline. Fast-paced throughout, fans will relish this enjoyable thriller with a terrific twist although the thief once identified comes across too deranged even while that moved the plot from California to Colorado. Still fans will enjoy Jancy’s jaunt into marriage and her latest whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

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