Deadly Burden by Janet Sketchley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Still needing a Christmas read? Consider Deadly Burden, Janet Sketchley’s latest cozy mystery.
Again amateur sleuth Landon Smith gets lured into detective action when Vi Foley, keeper of many of the townspeople’s darkest secrets, is found dead in her remote home.
Lunenburg’s fictional Green Dory Inn, Yuletide-decorated and fragrant with muffins, gingerbread, hot chocolate, coffee, and tea is the homey setting of this mystery which consumes Landon and her friends during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Sketchley’s storytelling style is taut and efficient. Her characters are originals—layered and complex. A helpful “Meet the Key Characters” list helps us keep all the players straight. The plot’s well-crafted “whodunit” aspect kept me guessing till the end. Many themes including healing from trauma, the need for forgiveness, faith in God, family relationships, and romantic love are woven into this captivating tale. A set of discussion questions, great for book club discussions, rounds out the offering.
Altogether a great read in the Green Dory Inn Mystery Series, whether you celebrate Christmas in December or July!
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Violet Nesdoly 