Virginia Swift Hello Stranger

Hello, Stranger

Virginia Swift

Harper Collins, Mar 2006, $24.95, 272 pp.

ISBN 0060543337

University of Wyoming Professor Sally Alder always start her Women's Rights in America class with the English common law "Rule of Thumb" that a man must use physical force to correct anything he deems is misbehavior by his wife or children; even the bible affirms that this is God's decree. In the twenty-first century, Sally points out that we are more enlightened, but some still hold to the rod and sword.

Student Charlie Preston stopped attending class about a month ago, but now sits outside Sally's office battered; she refuses to go to the cops, her family, or even a hospital to insure no internal damage. Sally provides Charlie with some money while assuming the coed's dad Brad, who has harmed her before, beat her up. Charlie vanishes again, and not long afterward Sally learns that someone killed Brad. The obvious suspect is Charlie, so Sally, with the help of attorney Dave Haggerty, investigates the homicide as she firmly believes her abused student is innocent.

In her fourth academic mystery (see BYE, BYE LOVE) Mustang Sally places herself in danger in an effort to prove the innocence of an abuse victim. The storyline starts off very interesting as Sally lectures her class of mostly zombies on the Rule of Thumb, that fascinatingly is never mentioned by Fundamentalists when quoting scripture as the rationale behind a social poison. The investigation is fun to follow, while the heroine's relationship with Hawk is jeopardized by the attention Dave gives her. Fans of strong resourceful female sleuths will enjoy the Professor's latest escapades.