Out of Circulation: A Miss Zukas Mystery

Helma Zukas' best friend Ruth talks her into going on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to celebrate Ruth's 40th. birthday. Ruth promises that two hiking experts will accompany them, but when the day arrives, Ruth's friends are unable to join them. They set out on their own, and to their horror they discover a dying man. Before he dies, he is able to tell them that he had a companion who may be in trouble, so Helma and Ruth decide to look for him. A blinding snowstorm forces them into an emergency cabin, along with a group of other hikers. This setting allows Jo Dereske to introduce a whole new set of characters who are an interesting change from Miss Zukas' usual co-workers ath the library. This is a well-written and entertaining "cozy".

This is my favorite of all of Helma's adventures. Great mystery/thriller story interspersed with Helma's very inspiring examples of being properly prepared to be on a mountain in a blizzard surrounded by some not very civilized people. I love this series. Always look forward to Helma's interactions with Boy Cat Zukas too (I love cats but this is hilarious!).

Perhaps because I am a retired librarian and my father was a librarian, I was able to see the little bits of irony and the take-off in Ms. Dereske's discription of Miss Helma Zukas. Helma almost fits "the typical librarian" in the libraries of the past. She is over-organized, dedicated to knit-picky details, dresses in such a way as to seem almost invisible, and (possibly her worst character defect)she has no sense of humor.Ms. Dereske has written tongue-in-cheek about most librarians' favorite stereotype. The idea that Miss Zukas enjoys adventures that few people get involved in, much less staid and sober librarians is part of the fun. I have enjoyed all the murderous events that Miss Zukas has become enmeshed in and I'm hoping for many more. Go, Miss Zukas. The Dewey Decimal System, though inadequate, will lead us out of the vale of ignorance.

If you like "cozy" mysteries, you will like this book and the others in this series a lot. Not only interesting plots, but well-drawn, complex, appealing characters. Plus a cat, Boy Cat Zukas, what more could you ask for?

If it's true that there is some of a book's main character in the author, I pity Jo Dereske's family. Helma Zukas is a self-righteous, prim old maid who seems to have a case of arrested social development. And her best friend, Ruth, borders on the unbelievable. On the other hand, it is pretty much impossible not to finish the first book, and then want the others in the series immediately. It's because we see touches of humanity starting to emerge from Helma Zukas...and we want to be there for the final unveiling. Also, some of her ways take many readers back to a time when social conventions were stiffer...but the world was a lot nicer place!