Nancy J. Cohen Dead Roots

Dead Roots

Nancy J. Cohen

Kensington Dec. 2005, $20.00, 244 pp.

ISBN: 0758206585

Floridian hairstylist Marla Shore is for once taking time off from overseeing her salon, to go to the family reunion with her fianc e Detective Dalton Vail at the Sugar Crest Resort. The event was the inspiration of Marla's Aunt Polly, who wants to right past wrongs and let hidden secrets see the light of day and bring the family together. When they arrive at the resort they learn that members of the family once owned the place, and it is supposed to be haunted by various spirits dead throughout the decades.

Murder isn't confined to the past, as a workman is killed while up on a ladder. Vail is suspicious but the house doctor lists it as an accident, and the police listen to him rather than the outsider. Polly wants Marla's help in finding letters she wrote to someone named Vincent, but she forgot where she put them. She also wants Marla to look for gemstones that were supposedly hidden by the owners (who was one of the family) family in the main building. Polly is murdered before Marla can find what she is looking for, and when another death on the property happens, Marla decides to investigate on her own and hope she doesn't become murder victim number four.

The main building of the resort is riddled with secret passages, a hidden floor, and cleverly disguised entrances and exits to the passageways, adding a Gothic ambiance to DEAD ROOTS. One of Nancy J. Cohen's most incredible skills is letting her characters grow and change as they experience new things. The deepening romantic relationship of Vail and Marla adds a nice twist of spice to a cleverly crafted and well designed who-done-it. This delightfully entertaining amateur sleuth tale is one of Ms. Cohen's best in this long running series.

Harriet Klausner