Mary Daheim Saks and Violins

Saks and Violins

Mary Daheim

Morrow, Aug 2006, $23.95

ISBN 0060566515

Hillside Manor Bed and Breakfast owner Judith McGonigle Flynn is frustrated with her new neighbor, violinist Rudi Wittener who plays or listen to his recording at any hour of the day; the musician is driving everyone including her, her staff and her guests crazy. Adding to the insanity cousin Serene "Renie" Jones arrives to announce they must sell items to pay off their Saks Fifth Avenue credit card tab during their recent escapade (see DEAD MAN DOCKING); Judith cannot help much as the B and B is in the off season.

So with the need of funds, Judith agrees to host a reception for Rudi's visiting mentor Dolph Kluger at Hillside Manor. Renie provides "shoplifted" rhubarb to the party. The gala goes off smoothly, but later that same night, Dolph dies from rhubarb poisoning. Feeling guilty though she is innocent, Judith begins making inquiries into who had a motive to kill Dolph; she learns quickly many people hated the talented musician. Soon afterward as someone steals Renie's to the max credit cards, Rudi's expensive violin bow is purloined. Judith wonders if the three incidents are connected and if so when she finds the line through them will it take her to the killer?

SAKS AND VIOLINS is a terrific B&B amateur sleuth tale that fans of the series will enjoy as the setting returns to Hillside (after the SF adventure). The story line is driven by the cousins who separately seem logical, but when they get together chaos is the norm. The whodunit is fun to follow, but as always Mary Daheim's latest B&B is served up by Renie and Judith proving that the whole is greater than the sum of the two parts.

Harriet Klausner