Eye of the Storm

This is an early Sharon McCone mystery--she's still at All Souls Cooperative--but since she's away in the CA Delta area there's very little interaction with other continuing characters. However, her younger sister Patsy & her kids play a prominent part in the story. The bulk of the story is an armchair type mystery, but there are also some action scenes including a big one at the end. The mystery slowly unfolds. I found the motive easier to determine than the culprit. There are some sub-plots, but Muller eventually weaves it all together into a neat package. You CAN figure out the perpetrator near the end (before its revealed by McCone), but it's not easy. Overall, this is a solid Muller mystery which stands the test of time. It does remind me a bit of Agatha's 10 Little Indians to a degree.

This is an early Sharon McCone mystery--she's still at All Souls Cooperative--but since she's away in the CA Delta area there's very little interaction with other continuing characters. However, her younger sister Patsy & her kids play a prominent part in the story. The bulk of the story is an armchair type mystery, but there are also some action scenes including a big one at the end. The mystery slowly unfolds. I found the motive easier to determine than the culprit. There are some sub-plots, but Muller eventually weaves it all together into a neat package. You CAN figure out the perpetrator near the end (before its revealed by McCone), but it's not easy. Overall, this is a solid Muller mystery which stands the test of time. It does remind me a bit of Agatha's 10 Little Indians to a degree. By the way, Muller also wrote 2 mystery trilogies starring 2 different heroines: Elena Oliverez (The Tree of Death, The Legend of the Slain Soldiers, Beyond the Grave) & Joanna Stark (Dark Star, The Cavalier in White, There Hangs the Knife).

Private Investigator Sharon McCone gets a call from her sister Patsy who wants to employ her to investigate some strange occurrences on Appleby Island. Patsy has joined a group who plan to turn an island mansion into a bed-and-breakfast, but several acts of sabotage are beginning to discourage them. Sharon arrives and is as perplexed as her sister. The mischief continues and eventually escalates into murder. As she continues her investigation, Sharon realizes that someone on the island must be the perpetrator. Eventually there are several revelations which expose the fact that many of the people on the island are not what they appear to be. This is another good entry to the Sharon McCone Mystery Series.

When Sharon McCone goes to the island in response to her sister's request for help, excitement is everywhere. Sharon thinks she's going to get to rest, but mystery is everywhere. Who is leaving a hanging effigy in a tree near the old mansion where an assorted group is trying to resurrect the old mansion for a posh bed and breakfast. Meshing all the characters and exploring their secrets is what McCone, the lady detective , does best. You'll enjoy figuring out who's doing what to whom. As usual, Marcia Muller works it all out in fine style. Read it. You'll love Sharon McCone mysteries.