Deadman's Switch

I enjoyed reading from the late Ms. Seranella's Munch Mancini titles. Charlotte Lyon, the main character her new projected mystery series, is likewise a resilient, flawed, but sympathetic lady. Charlotte, 33 and a widow, operates a crisis management consultant business in California. She's good at what she does, and commands top dollar doing it. In this case, Charlotte is hired by Sun Rail after their train derails under suspicious circumstances. During Charlotte's subsequent dogged investigation, we learn lots of cool details on trains and railroads. Interestingly, what emerges is Charlotte's forceful personality and her somewhat chaotic personal life. Saddled with an OCD like TV's Adrian MONK, Charlotte learns to channel her energies and phobias to do good. She cultivates a budding romance with Todd Hannigan, a NTSB investigator, and reconciles with a difficult mother. The proper elements, then, are successfully established to grow a new, winning series. That fact alone captures my first vote. However, sadly Ms. Seranella passed away on Jan. 21, 2007 while waiting for a new liver transplant, leaving behind her mysteries for her many reader fans.

Deadman's Switch is one of the best murder mysteries I've read all year. Seranella creates an engaging heroine with OCD (did she know about the Monk television series?) who functions best amidst others' crises. Hired to manage a specialty train's derailment, she digs deeply into the mechanics of trains. She combines her PR knowhow with her unique specialty of crisis management. The book's plot and pacing are superb. The end might follow mystery conventions a little more closely than some readers will like but is ultimately realistic and satisfying. As a special treat, readers will learn a great deal about trains and about the world of public relations. I must admit I got totally involved. I found myself enjoying the story and wanting to learn more about the characters. Not being familiar with Munch Mancini, I checked the back flap and was horrified to learn there will be no sequel. The author's untimely death will leave readers wondering how the characters would have developed in future. That's the only bad part of reading this book.

Seranella is the author of eight Munch Mancini mysteries. Mancini is a woman auto mechanic. This is the first in the Charlotte Lyons series. Charlotte Lyons is a well-known consultant who is called when a company faces a horrible crisis such as a disaster, an accident, or thefts. She counsels them on how to deal with the public, the media, their shareholders, and their employees. Charlotte even investigates, on occasion. A terrible train derailment in California calls her out to work for Sun Rail. There were only two deaths, but one was the experienced engineer. Many unanswered questions remain. Still recovering from her husband's death in an accident, she welcomes the distraction of intense work. Charlotte is perfect for such a job--she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and is always worrying about worse case scenarios. Along with strikingly handsome Todd Hannigan, an investigator for the Nation Transportation and Safety Board, she rummages around until she finds the truth to those unanswered questions. Despite her home being invaded, being shot at by a sniper, dealing with a complaining hypochondriac mother (who actually seems to be sick this time when she is suddenly hospitalized), and dealing with her every-day fears, Charlotte manages to triumph. This is a stellar first in a series with a fascinating and enjoyable character that has great promise. However, the author died in January of 2007, from liver disease while waiting for a liver transplant. Seranella grew up in California and had a wild youth, riding with a motorcycle club, running away from home, and when she decided to settle down, she became an auto mechanic. Armchair Interviews says: Charlotte is one resilient woman.

In Orange County, California recently widowed thirty-three years old Charlotte Lyon provides crisis management consulting services to companies with media or shareholder issues. She is highly regarded by her clients as following her advice can save the firm plenty of money and keep negative press to a minimum. Corporate lawyer Dom Cole hires Charlotte to assist Sun Rail Corporation whose train the Sunliner just derailed. The accident killed the engineer Bob Peterson and an elderly female passenger; twelve passengers are in the hospital. Charlotte takes charge of the spin control to insure the firm has the right image for public reaction starting with booting out the Red Cross. Meanwhile the Feds are all over the scene trying to determine whether what happened is mechanical failure, driver error, or terrorism. Charlotte unable to stay out of the inquiry soon begins to believe someone deliberately caused the derailment by tampering with the tracks. Switching from Munch to Charlotte, fans of Barbara Seranella will appreciate this powerful thriller starring an intelligent take charge woman; she serves as a fitting tribute to the late author who recently passed away from liver failure. Charlotte makes the fast-paced story line so much fun to read as she seeks the truth while taking charge of her client's publicity. Character driven readers will take pleasure in observing the behind the scenes work at managing a crisis even as Charlotte goes after the saboteur. Harriet Klausner

I have been a big fan of Barbara Seranella. Her Munch Mancini series was loosely based on her life, and although it was a good series, it had run its course. Seranella was starting this new series featuring Charlotte Lyon, a crisis management expert, getting over her own crisis, her husband's death. Charlotte is another strong woman in Seranella's heroines. And it is unfortunate there will not be further sequels, as Ms. Seranella died of liver disease at age 50 - way too young to die. This death hit me like Anne George's did in the early 2000's - (George wrote the hilarious Southern Sisters mysteries). Seranella will be remembered with her strong working ladies, with a heart and the toughness to get any job done.