Tamar Myers, Hell Hath No Curry

Hell Hath No Curry

Tamar Myers

NAL, February 2007, $21.95, 272 pp.

ISBN 0451220332

Magdalena Yoder, a conservative Mennonite who owns the PennDutch Inn, where celebrities, the rich and power brokers go to, has rearranged the town hierarchy to meet her requirements. As the new mayor of Hernia, she hires Olivia Hornsby-Anderson as the new police chief; unlike the old chief, Olivia appreciates Magdalena's investigative abilities, and appreciates her help on homicides. She also hires a new reverend for the Beechy Grove Church, because he is willing to marry Magdalena to her Jewish fianc .

The police chief's second in command asks her to take over the investigation of the death of wealthy Cornelius Weaver. The chief can't even talk to Magdalena about the case because she was in bed with him when he had a heart attack. A toxicology report shows he had a high dose of Elavil in his system, which could bring on a heart attack. There are at least six suspects that Magdalene finds that have motives, including a fianc e and five lovers, all who knew he was cheating on them. The case becomes dangerous when two of the suspects try to kill her.

Tamar Myers can always be counted on to write a good cozy without any blood, and HELL HATH NO CURRY is no exception. The author constantly refreshes her characters and series by the circumstances of the players, so the long running series never grows stale. There is a lot of humor in the book, so readers will find themselves laughing out loud in the middle of a deadly confrontation. Of all the novels starring Magdalena, this has the best and most unexpected ending.