Forget about Murder

It only takes a few pages of the latest Peaches Dann Mystery to realize you are reading a writer at the top of her form. I have followed the development of Peaches from her first investigation, and Forget About Murder grips you, not only from the questions posed in that first chapter, but the power and strength of Ms. Squire's writing. Ms. Squire, tie a string around your finger or use some other memory trick, we want more Peaches!

Peaches Dann might be forgetful, but she's beginning to resent the labels foisted upon her by well-meaning bystanders. Deputy Wynatt insists that she's "murder prone" and it's turning out to be true.Peaches accepted the job as a feature reporter for the small town newspaper just so she could avoid crime scenes, but when a childhood friend arrives in her office telling tales of murder and mayhem, she doesn't have much choice. Belle claims Isaiah Hubbel is responsible for the death of her husband, but he's related to half the town and Belle has no evidence. Despite every intention to stay uninvolved in the investigation, Peaches finds Belle unconscious in the woods, then gets abducted at gunpoint by Hubbel's brother. When Isaiah turns up dead and Belle is the most likely suspect, Peaches doesn't believe she's guilty, and her own list of suspects grows longer by the minute. Using every available memory-sharpening tool, she finally remembers the clue that might give them the answers and takes off on a last minute quest, only to be ambushed by a killer intent on silencing her forever. Has she left enough of a trail for help to find her in time?For some, Peaches Dann is an old friend. For others, she's a new but quirky heroine. Squire has crafted an amiable character whose erratic memory and her attempts to compensate are endearing, as is her propensity to follow a trail to the truth, wherever it might be found. Squire has obviously found a formula that works. Forget About Murder is not a stay-up-all-night thriller - it's a cozy mystery with likable characters, a colorful setting and a highly satisfying conclusion.PJ Nunn for The Charlotte Austin Review