A Cry for Self-Help

In Marin County, California Kate Jasper was attending a scuba diver wedding when human potential guru Sam Skyler, takes an unwanted, but clearly assisted dive off the edge of a cliff. Kate decides to investigate the murder of the rich head of the Skyler Institute for Essential Manifestation. Wayne Caruso, who wants to marry Kate, reluctantly helps his beloved because he wants to protect her from a killer and even more so, from herself. ..... As the couple digs into Sam's past, they run the gauntlet of New Age personas. They also learn that the victim has a problem filled history. However, the worst problem comes from Sam's fanatic followers who want Kate and Wayne to drop the case. The threat do not stop fearless Kate from continuing to investigate. The number of suspects with motives seems overwhelming, but that does not stop Kate from investigating. Wayne's incessant pleading for her to quit fails to stop Kate doing what she believes is her job. Only one thing could ever stop Kate from completing her investigation: a final solution that could only lead either to her death (not a remote possibility when kate is on the job), or identifying and apprehending the killer. ...... The eighth entry in the Kate Jasper series is humorous and charming as it highlights various eccentric characters living in Northern California. Kate is an interesting amateur sleuth and the story line is fun to read. However, fans of the dead-serious who-done-it sub-genre will not enjoy this novel. This book is intended for those readers who enjoy a quirky assortment of secondary characters tied together through a who-done-it that emphasizes the New Age renaissance. Harriet Klausner