Hunting the Witch

The books of Ellen Hart, especially those featuring restaurateur Jane Lawless, as does this one, are like a rich, multi-layered torte. Each layer has its own variety of satisfaction embedded in it. This does not mean that I think all her books are alike. Oh, no! Nothing could be further from the truth. Well, there is one common thread in all of them: gays and lesbians are treated like ordinary, normal people. Which, of course, they are. We get to know them, and love them and laugh with them, in all their human foibles, even as we learn more about ourselves in the process, and discover the ultimate secret: how much alike we all are. In the previous book, Jane was severely injured, and needs a lengthy recuperation period to regain her strength and stability. A former lover, Dr. Julia Martinson, wants back in Jane's life, and suggests a stay at her secluded cabin--a non-rustic year-around home, north of the Twin Cities. In spite of some little niggles of her own, and bigger ones from Cordelia (Jane's long-time best friend), Jane agrees to the rest period. At the same time, an enterprising young woman, Patricia Kastner, has launched a campaign to turn an old downtown hotel into a Senior Living complex. With the help of a group of local philanthropists, she is on the verge of locking up the financing when one of the group is found dead in the empty hotel, after a meeting with the architect. Patricia, who is hoping to bring Jane into the project to supervise the food service, is also interested in becoming more than just a friend to Jane, and asks her to please investigate the death. Very much a novel of today's world, mirroring the headlines in tomorrow's paper, Ms. Hart manages to blend her characters, her settings and her plot into a very believable, totally enthralling novel. This short review cannot begin to do justice to such a multi-textured book. Read it for yourself, and enjoy. You won't soon forget this one.

Author Ellen Hart has been writing for several years and her work shows steady improvement. Her effortless use of language and structure make this a strong entry in the genre. This story is another in her Jane Lawless series. Lawless, a successful Twin Cities restauranteer, is the lesbian daughter of a prominent Saint Paul criminal attorney. These associations offer Hart a variable platform from which to plausibly launch Lawless's sometimes reluctant involvement in the investigation of murder and other crimes. The series also allows author Hart to explore the many similarities of the human condition, regardless of sexual orientation. In Hunting The Witch, several familiar themes crop up; greed, kickbacks, towering anger, blunt insensibility, and murder. The story opens as Jane is recovering from injuries received in a vicious attack on her person in her own home. She is staying with a close friend, physician Julia Martinson, in a cabin near Grand Rapids. Martinson is competing for Jane's emotional attention with a Minneapolis entrepreneur named Patricia Kastner. When Julia's private telephone line constantly intrudes on Jane's solitude and Julia is evasive about the frequent calls, Jane begins to have questions about the long-term possibilities of a relationship. In Minneapolis, Patricia Kastner is trying to raise money to rehab an important downtown building. Her plans are disrupted when the financial officer of a local investment syndicate is murdered. Two seemingly disparate and unconnected events, apparently linked to Jane Lawless in a casual way, gradually intertwine and weave together until Lawless and her stalwart if charmingly ditzy sidekick, Cordelia Thorn are stretched to the limits of their endurance and ability to solve the crimes and save their own lives. The book is well-paced and has a vibrant sense of place. Hunting The Witch is a worthy addition to the genre.

I've been a fan of Hart's books since the first one appeared many years ago. Her development as a writer has been amazing, and this is the best book yet. I will say, I was surprised by the ending, but I feel as if Jane has become such a friend that I understand why she did what she did. I couldn't put the book down, though I had to or get fired at my job. And then I had to fight with my husband to get the book back. We both love this series, as well as the other one Hart writes. I just wish she could write them faster. It's hard to think I have to wait another year to revisit Hart's world. These books aren't just for the gay community (although our son who is gay turned us on to them) but for everyone who loves a good mystery. Well done, Ellen!

Ellen Hart writes one of the best series around. Her characters are rich and real, the plots full of lots of twists. I was waiting for her latest, and I certainly wasn't disappointed!

In Minneapolis, Jane Lawless owns the very successful Lyme House Restaurant. Jane is still recovering from a recent trauma (see WICKED GAMES), which forced her to spend time in a hospital. Her former lover Julia never left her bedside. After Jane's release, she moves into Julia's home to complete her recuperation. With all this kindness towards her, Jane wonders why Julia ended their relationship. Julia fears telling Jane the truth because she worries she may place her beloved in a very dangerous situation. A person holding a gun breaks into the house, demanding to know where Julia keeps her medical records. The two women wrestle the weapon from their assailant, but he manages to escape. Julia propels Jane out of further peril by sending her beloved home even as she goes into hiding. Though still healing, Jane goes sleuthing. Her inquiries lead her into murder investigations, blackmail schemes, and ultimately a hostage situation. Ellen Hart writes a deeply textured who-done-it that also focuses on a relationship drama. The colorful and often eccentric secondary characters add a needed degree of levity that softens the psychological thriller aspects of the mystery. HUNTING THE WITCH stars a likable, admirable female lead who is both strong and vulnerable. The audience, sensing the duality, wants to help Jane. Additionally, this special novel leaves readers to think about the impact of gay cleansing. Ms. Hart cleverly integrates that subplot into her fast-paced story line.Harriet Klausner