Star-Spangled Murder

A good read and an enjoyable entry in the Susan Henshaw series, but not worth the $15.00 price being charged here.

Susan Henshaw and her friend Kathleen decide to go to the Henshaw's summer home in Maine for the Fourth of July holiday. The rest of their families are otherwise occupied so it is an all-girl outing. They hear about their new neighbors, the Taylors, who live next door. This is a second marriage for the parents, and their three daughters are having a hard time adjusting. When the new step-father, Humphrey Taylor,is found dead in Susan's living room, the girls are among the first suspects. They have some longtime friends visiting, and it appears that they too have a motive. Susan and Kathleen help the local sheriff do some investigating, but they become more confused as they gather information. One of the girls disappears and the mystery deepens. Finally there is a climactic scene and the killer is revealed. This is one of Valerie Wolzein's better books and has quite a complex resolution. Readers who enjoy cozies will like this one.

Susan Henshaw and her friend Kathleen Gordon decide to spend their 4th of July at Susan's summer house in Maine. They notice something odd is going on when they get there. But when Susan's neighbor, Humphrey Taylor, shows up dead in her living room, their relaxing holiday dies with him. Now it's up to Susan and Kathleen to find out who the murderer is, and find time to still enjoy their holiday.This is an excellent holiday mystery, a great read to bring with you to the beach.

Susan Henshaw and her friend Kathleen Gordon travel to the Henshaw family's summer house in Maine. A huge house has been constructed next door. The house belongs to a very troubled family. Susan and Kathleen find the owner of the house dead in the living room the next morning. It turns out that he is the brother of the original owner of the house and present husband of his brother's ex-wife. Shortly thereafter, the oldest daughter of the family disappears. Susan and Kathleen are asked to help find out what happened. I found the book to be well written and the characters believable and interesting as well as quirky. This is a great beach or leisure book.

I really enjoyed this book. It has gotten me hooked on mysteries and I can't wait to read Valerie Wolzien's other books. If you like mysteries, you'll love this book. The main character Susan Henshaw is great, too. The story was easy reading and it kept me on the edge of my seat...I didn't want to put it down!