Dark Aura

In Stanton's Mill, California many of the New Age residents believe in the prophecies foretold by the Indigo child, fifteen years old Tamina Kerry. Whenever Tamina spoke in her Oracle like metaphors, people heeded what she said. So everyone waited breathlessly for she has told them she has something significant to say. However, before she can relay her message, Tamina falls off a nearby cliff to her death. In her last moment she mentions a missing Indigo child. Still no one thinks about it as the Indigo are strange and others like her have died young or vanished abruptly to never be seen again. Encouraged by her boss sly blonde bombshell Sheriff Cherie Ghent, part-time deputy sheriff Carla Day investigates whether Tamina's death was an accident, a suicide or a murder. She uses her skills honed from obtaining information from her Alzheimer's suffering father to inquire of the eccentrics who live there. When a man is found dead with his throat cut, Carla believes there is a link to the Tamina death and fears more will follow. The key to this entertaining whodunit is the fullness of the prime characters especially the heroine, who works the case amidst an eccentric crowd that orates in riddles when asked a straight question. Her caring for her father, a professor losing his memory except when it comes to Egyptology, enables her to work through the odd responses she receives. Cherie is terrific as her boss as she plays the police version of Reese Witherspoon's Legally Blonde but more as a ploy to fool the rubes into giving her whatever she needs. Fans will appreciate Diana O'Hehir's enjoyable third mystery as no clues are straightforward. They require New Age translation into police English (see ERASED FROM MEMORY and MURDER NEVER FORGETS). Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid Stanton's Mill seems to be lost in time. It is a small community near Berkley, California and the residents do not fall into the category of your run-of-the-mill community. Tamina Kerry is a gifted young girl who fell from a cliff while speaking to a crowd at Stanton's Mill. Did she fall or was she pushed? That is the question that Carla Day, part-time deputy sheriff must answer. Carla's father was present when Tamina fell and might be able to give Carla some answers. The problem is Professor Day, Carla's father, is suffering from Alzheimer's and Carla does not know whether to trust his memories. Tamina is purported to be the mother of an Indigo baby. An indigo baby has a special aura and Stanton's Mill has a resident who states she is an expert on Indigo children. Stanton's Mill has reported several indigo babies but the babies disappear. What has happened to the babies? This is another mystery for Carla to solve. The residents of Stanton's Mill are eccentric to say the least. With names like Scope, Happy Dawn, and Sunshine, it is difficult to keep some of the characters straight. A good book if you can follow the riddles as well as Carla did. Armchair Interviews says: Dark Aura was an interesting read with a surprise conclusion.