Tuesday, May 12, 2015

See Also Murder - Larry D. Sweazy

See Also Murder
Larry D. Sweazy
Prometheus/Seventh Street Books, May 5 2015, $15.95
ISBN: 9781633880061

In 1964 Marjorie and Hank Trumaine live on their farm near Dickinson, North Dakota.  Since Hank suffered a horrific hunting accident that left him crippled, blind and totally dependent; Marjorie stoically, with neighbors’ help, sees to her husband’s every need without complaint.  The farmer’s wife buries most of her personal desires as a book indexer for H.P. Howard and Sons; though at times when she is idle she dreams of a tryst with a local law enforcement hunk. 

Sheriff Hilo Jenkins visits the Trumaine spread to warn Marjorie that an unknown slasher cut the throats of her neighbors Erik and Lida Knudsen.  Shook by the trauma, Marjorie wants to hide in a cocoon, but reluctantly conducts research at Hilo’s request into a copper amulet that Erik grasped in a death grip.  Soon Hilo’s wife Ardith while spending time with Hank vanishes and assumed dead, and someone slashes more locals.

The first Marjorie Trumaine regional historical amateur sleuth is a refreshing whodunit starring a unique “detective” who does little detecting as we define it (for instance her indexing of the case is awesome).  Readers will feel transported to 1964 rustic North Dakota where a serial killer terrorizes a once serene community.


Harriet Klausner

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