Reservations for Murder

Tim Myers follow-up to his enjoyable Innkeeping With Murderfinds Alex Winston with murder at his doorstep once again.Myers does a nice job with the small town characters giving eachchapter the right amount of homey touches to convey the "Mayberry" cliches needed for this light read. However,I do wish he gave his lead character more conviction anddevelopment. We never get to know Alex Winston. He seemsto exist just to connect the dots between suspects, ex-girlfriends and current love interests. In addition, Myersdoesn't provide the reader with enough clues to the murder,so the conclusion seems to come out of nowhere. What elevatesthis so-so mystery to four stars is the campiness Myers createswith his murderer. The last fifteen pages are pure camp andcomedy. The cat and mouse between Alex and the murderer isover-the-top and played for laughs. This is the mostunintentionally funny murder suspect since Mrs. Voorhees tookrevenge on camp counselors twenty-four years ago in Friday The13th. If they get the right actors, this could be a hoot asa trashy TV movie. Is this a one time comic rush or can weexpect more of the same from future Innkeeping Mysteries?Let's hope so.

The preface notes a manuscript of the author's was plucked from a slush pile. Alex's housekeeper, Elise, for his Hatteras Inn, a replica of the Hatteras Light, situated in the foothills of North Carolina, argued with him that the inn needed to attract a wealthier clientele. She said that friendship should not get in the way of the goals for the inn. The conversation arose because a fair was scheduled to take place on the property. Someone killed one of the blacksmiths. Alex persuaded the sheriff to let the fair continue. Alex called his former girlfriend, a lawyer, to the scene in case any of the fair participants needed to be defended as they were being questioned by the sheriff. The fair attracted a huge crowd, more to see the crime scene than to see the artisans at work. The victim was trying to drive another blacksmith out of business. Everyone in town knew that the sheriff depended upon Alex to help him solve mysteries. Gossip spread like kudzu in the town. Elise the housekeeper had to leave because her father was to have a heart operation. Everyone thought that she was gone for good. Many people had hated the victim. Next a Marilyn Baxter is believed to have been kidnapped and is then found-- her absence caused by an overdose. I don't want to give away any more of the plot of this well-written story.

...Alex is a likeable character. I like the relationship he has with Elise, but hope it will grow. I think that's the only thing I would say negative about this book is that I missed that. With Elise gone, all he did was miss her, but yet he's not sure what type of relationship they have. There was too much of that in this book.This series is very enjoyable. I always look forward to the next book coming out. The descriptions are very enticing. I would love to stay at The Hatteras West Inn. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Nestled in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains lies the Hatteras West Inn. Also on the land owned by the inn's proprietor Alex Winston is a duplicate of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and its' outer buildings. As a favor to his friend Shantara Robinson, he is allowing the Golden Days Fair to be held on the property. The biggest draw to the fair is Jefferson Lee a blacksmith with a national reputation and an ego to match.Jefferson is trying to drive his closest competitor, Bill Yadkin out of business. Bill publicly and forcefully disses his rival to Alex. When Jefferson is found murdered on an isolated part of the property suspicion immediately falls on Bill but there are many other people who had reason to want to see the blacksmith dead. As Alex sleuths aound he should remember that too much curiosity can get one killed.Tim Myers proves that he is no one book wonder as RESERVATIONS FOR MURDER lives up to the promise of his first novel in the Lighthouse Inn mystery series" INNKEEPING FOR MURDER. The protagonist is a likable and believable character whose loyalty to his friends makes him an admirable human being. His inquisitiveness propels him into involvement in a homicide investigation even though he has to take time away from his precious inn. The mystery is a shrewdly crafted puzzle that will catch and keep reader interest.Harriet Klausner