Hal's Own Murder Case

Sixteen year old Hal Ralston and his girlfriend, Lorie Hankins, take off hitchhiking on a whim, never expecting they'd wind up in deep trouble. Deb Ralston sets out after them both, grumbling that the children of police officers should know better, only to locate Hal... in jail. Hal is being held for suspicion of murder of another young girl, April, and Lorie is nowhere to be found. At nine months pregnant, Deb could deliver anytime but she is determined to find Lorie and clear Hal's name. HAL'S OWN MURDER CASE is part of the Deb Ralston series and, arguably, the best book in the series. This time the case is very personal as the future of her son is in jeopardy. Deb knows Hal didn't commit murder but she has to help uncover the evidence to prove to Chief Alberto Salazar of Las Vegas, New Mexico, that Hal is innocent. Initially, I did find it a bit odd that Salazar trusted Deb so quickly, but as the story unveils, his trust begins to make perfect sense. Anyone who has ever worked with or actually had teenagers of their own will appreciate Hal's character, as well as the reactions of the adults who interact with him. Hal's vague answers and impulsive behaviors make both Deb and Salazar want to pull their hair out but one has to also admire their patience in spite of it all. I couldn't help but laugh during quite a few of these scenes. HAL'S OWN MURDER CASE is a fun but quirky murder investigation. The characters really make this story work. Salazar emerges as a very strong character and I found his speech near the end of the story to be quite touching. Lee Martin always writes an excellent story and HAL'S OWN MURDER CASE is yet another excellent example. Easily recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Deb Ralston mysteries are very addictive, and this one is no exception. I didn't get to read them in order, which would have been preferable since developments in the lives of the characters then make a lot more sense. In this one, Deb is almost nine months pregnant with Cameron at the beginning and is the only one who can go to New Mexico to find her errant son Hal and his girlfriend Lorie, who hitched a ride there together without permission during spring break. Of course, Hal is eventually found in a sleeping bag next to the murdered body of a young woman, and Lorie turns up missing. So Deb ends up helping the police chief of this very small town in investigating the murder (and finding Lorie) so that Hal can be cleared of the whole thing and they can go home. Although there is a lot of tragedy and sadness in this book, much humor is evident throughout...I have read this book over and over, laughing at how funny/difficult it is for adults to get through to Hal, who lives seemingly in a world of his own logic. :)