Lorena McCourtney, Stranded

Stranded

Lorena McCourtney

Revell, Oct 2006, $12.99, 320 pp.

ISBN 0800731387

Senior citizen Ivy Malone and her young traveling companion Abilene are on their way to Arizona when their RV breaks down outside the small town of Hello. Ivy is on the run from a criminal family the Braxtons, as her testimony is sending one of them to jail. Abilene is on the run from an abusive husband who has vowed to kill her. When they arrive in Hello, the resident mechanic tells them the vehicle needs a new engine.

Unable to pay for the repair, Ivy gets a job at the library and Abilene obtains work training to be the vet's assistant. Lawyer Kelli Keifer invites both women to stay at her uncle Hiram's home now empty since he was murdered two months ago. The townsfolk believe she is the killer but Ivy who has taken an immediate liking to the attorney decides to find the real killer because she believes Kelli is innocent. There are plenty of other suspects with strong motives.

Readers who like a warm, entertaining, small town cozy with no blood or gore will definitely enjoy Stranded. The small town welcomes the new visitors and people go out of their way to make them feel at home. The support cast is well developed and fleshes out the ambience of the small town yet the focus stays on Ivy who demonstrates getting old doesn't mean immovable rocking chairs. The mystery itself is well crafted and readers should be very surprised when they learn who the killer is.

Harriet Klausner