Wendy Howell Mills, Island Blues

Island Blues

Wendy Howell Mills

Poisoned Pen, Apr 2007, $24.95

ISBN 1590583965

After the death of her controlling mother and finding a lump on her breast, Cincinnati schoolteacher Sabrina Dunsweeney decided she need a time out to learn what she wanted in life; she traveled to isolated Comico Island. Her thoughts of a carefree island lifestyle proved false and she ended playing adult Nancy Drew and solving the murder of Rollo Wrightley (see ISLAND INTRIGUE). However, instead of R&R on a warm beach, Sabrina becomes the island's first ombudsperson handling disputes between the rising tourist populace and the locals.

Initially the job seemed relatively easy when compared with teaching in inner-city Cincinnati; but then Hummers International Inc. arrive on a retreat where they feel they can best hear the Hum of the universe. However, key Hummer spokesman Gilbert Kane is found dead, floating without a care or a noise in the marina. While the surviving Hummers fear the loss of the sound due to their potential deaths, Sabrina, as part of her position to keep the tourists contented and coming, investigates the homicide as well as several recently reported break-ins.

Though it sounds so idyllic to run away from one's troubles, Sabrina finds her escape to paradise is wrought with danger as her amateur sleuthing brings her to the attention of a killer who wants to silence her. The storyline is fun to follow as the heroine frolics where she does not belong. This is a delightful, amateur sleuth tale as Wendy Howell Mills makes her island mysteries filled with intrigue and the blues caused by murder.

Harriet Klausner