The Girl at the End of the Line

Charles Mathes' new book The Girl At The End Of The Line is equal to his last two mysteries. He has once again masterfully created characters in such a way that they become unforgettable, lifelong friends and you find yourself thinking of them days, weeks, and months later wondering how they are getting on. He brings Molly and her sister Nell to us in this latest adventure. Their mystery begins when they find an old theater program with their Grandmother's name as the featured player billed in a Broadway Show. They are amazed and puzzled as she has always been just "Grandma" to them in their tiny town. Their lives begin to unravel at a fast and furious pace with a wonderful blend of warmth and drama that you never have need of a bookmark. Mathes obviously is a gifted intellect who knows how to make both the profound and the trivial entertaining. His books are saucy and witty, quite charming throughout and The Girl At The End Of The Line is no exception. Even Mathes' minor characters are endearing and woven into the plot beautifully and believably. Who can forget New York City and the sister's maze throughout the theater district and Dim Sum in China town and their European jaunt? The way it is woven into our hearts we feel as though we are there with Nell and Molly experiencing their anguish, suspense, frustrations and joys as they tumble through mystery after unfolding mystery.The author knows his way about life in such an authentic manner that adventure, danger, or romance from tiny towns to the largest cities of the world touch us. It doesn't matter which chapter or place you're at in his books you're always left wanting more.

Molly and Nell O'Hara own an antique store in North Carolina. Nell doesn't talk after seeing her mother murdered when she was a little girl, so Molly has to interact with the world for both of them. Molly is stunned to find a program that shows that her grandmother, a poor seamstress who recently suffered a stroke, was once a famous Broadway actress. After the grandmother dies, Molly, determined to learn more about her mysterious past, drags Nell off to New York City and a serious of adventures that lead them through the world of Broadway theatre, Chinatown, England and eventually to a family they never knew they had -- one of whom seems to want to kill them. Molly and Nell are truly touching characters, very real, very believable and the story is a whirlwind read -- I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend. Mathes's other books are good, too -- the kind of books it's fun to curl up with on a rainy day.

I've read all 3 of Mr. Mathes' novels. Each one was as least as good as the last. This one, The Girl At The end of the Line may even have been even better than the first two. This book started off quickly and never slowed down. The main characters (two young women) are thoroughly credible and very original. Their quest to uncover the mysteries of their family is like a high speed chase. Bouncing between North Carolina and New York City, then England and back, then Vermont, the pages fly by- yet the reader never really gets close to solving the riddle. In the end I was completely suprised, totally thrown off. Agatha Christie would be impressed. I highly recommend this book to all readers of fiction, and I encourage all Hollywood producers to consider what an interesting film this would make (I'd sure like to see it on the screen, although I'm not sure who could play the Chinese Pug Mr. Moto). Congratulations to the author on another spectacular contribution to American fiction.

Charles Mathes belongs in a category all his own. Not really cozy. Not romantic suspense. Not violent and gory but serious and affecting nevertheless. He writes in such a delightful and easy-to-read style that it's hard to understand how he can fit in so many wonderful characters and marvelous little details.This book was so hard to put down and the main characters were so appealing that I kept trying to read more slowly to make it last longer -- a losing battle. The central mystery is much intricate than it first appears and the solution is delicious.Bravo, Mr. Mathes. Now if you could only write them a little faster...

Charles Mathes' THE GIRL AT THE END OF THE LINE is a mesmerizing tale deftly conveyed with grace, wit and insight. In this, the third in the "Girl" series (the first two being THE GIRL WITH THE PHONY NAME and THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED SNOW, respectively), Mathes once again casts his charming spell and lures us into the world of two sisters, Molly and Nell O'Hara, owners of Enchanted Cottage Antiques. Nell hasn't spoken for seventeen years, not since the trauma of witnessing her mother's murder left her mute. When they discover an old Broadway Playbill at an estate sale, their lives change forever. Catapulted into an odyssey which takes them to New York, England and Vermont, they search for their roots and in so doing, discover their destiny. Strong- willed Molly and sweet, pretty Nell's lively encounters involve inexplicable murders, an expensive emerald ring, New York actors, a dog show in Bedlingham, and a set of dysfunctional relatives who make the Adams Family look like Ozzie and Harriet. The reader rides on a wave of lively narrative brimming with adventure and surprising turns and laced with Mathes' signature wit. Commenting on a room desperately in need of cleaning, the narrator observes, "Dust bunnies the size of Chihuahuas roamed the hardwood floors." At another point, the aging thespian, Tuck Wittington refers to his early years in the theater as his salad days, dubbing himself a "spring lettuce" and adopting the botanical classification of "Radicchio theatricalis". At work here is an intelligence and wisdom which is a delight to discover in this genre. When actor David Azaria tells Molly, "There is a synchronicity in the universe that supplies people like us with common ground", it resonates within, telling us this is a much deeper book than your average mystery novel. If you want to be transported into a world of intrigue, danger, romance and all the while be thorougly entertained by Mathes' smart and humorous prose, THE GIRL AT THE END OF THE LINE is a must read!