Down Home Murder - Laura Fleming, Bk 1 Author:Toni L. P. Kelner Laura Fleming...She's a savvy southern sleuth born and bred in the heart of Dixie -- a down home detective solving crimes right in her own backyard. Because when it come to murder, there's no place like home... — A tragic family accident summons Laura Fleming back home to Byerly, North Carolina. Hardly expecting to be welcomed with open a... more »rms by her sprawling, eccentric clan ever since she turned traitor and headed north to Yankee country, Laura still isn't prepared for the barely concealed hostility behind every homegrown smile. But the truth is even more alarming: her beloved grandpaw's fatal fall from a ladder in the old town mill was nothing less than murder.
The sudden appearance of a second corpse tells Laura there's more to this baffling case than meets the eye. But as alibis of aunts, in-laws and kissing cousins come under scrutiny, it soon becomes all too apparent that someone is lying...and that someone who has killed twice before will kill again to keep a shocking secret all in the family.« less
A great beginning to a series. I especially liked the married couple detectives- and their relationship to each other. I also enjoyed the way that their interactions with each other and with relatives echoed the themes of the mystery itself- this interweaving of themes enriches the story and makes it richer and more interesting than the typical mystery. But, the book is not too heavy- there is good-hearted humor in the descriptions and characterizations, and the murder is handled well- with seriousness but not too much gore.
Lynn D. reviewed Down Home Murder (Laura Fleming, Bk 1) on
In the first in Toni L. P. Kelners smart, witty mystery series, amateur sleuth Laura Fleming finds her trip going Southin lethal ways
They say you cant go home again, and Laura Burnette Fleming thinks they may have a point. Moving to Boston has made her a bona fide Yankee in the eyes of her Byerly, North Carolina family. Yet Lauraforever Laurie Anne to her kinstill rushes back to see her ailing grandpa.
Paw is in a bad way, rousing just long enough to tell Laura he didnt fallhe was attackedbefore passing away. Why would anyone harm the beloved Burnette patriarch? True, the family has its share of issues lately, from Aunt Nellies doomed get-rich-quick schemes to Aunt Ednas fixation with the local pastor. But surely not even the grasping cousins slyly sizing up Paws possessions could commit murder.
With the aid of her Shakespearean scholar husband, Richard, and her indomitable great-aunt Maggie, Laura confronts a slew of family secrets. Turns out Paw may have seen something that a killer is determined to keep quiet. And Laura will have to untangle the truth, before this homecoming leads to another homicide.
This was a delightful book to read. Lauras family in North Carolina are truly an amazing group of people who come what may defend each other always! I enjoyed the small town cozy part of it, how most of the family truly didnt get along very well and their love for Paw! The ending truly surprised me and even though its an older mystery because Laura and Richard are from Boston --- its not totally outdated. Once I started it, I couldnt put it down!
