September Mourn: A Bed-and-Breakfast Mystery

I've always liked mysteries but have never read many before seeing this one. I read it in two days and could hardly put it down! The characters were all so vivid and real and the scenery was like Ms. Daheim had taken a picture and taped it into the book. It was highly entertaining from begining to end and now I'm on to my next Bed and Breakfast Mystery!

Judith Flynn and her cousin Renie are asked to help an old high school friend run her bed-and-breakfast while she takes a much-needed rest after the death of her husband. The B & B is on a remote island which is inhabited by an eccentric group of people who are not particularly welcoming to newcomers. Added to this, Judith and Renie have an unfriendly tenant who is disagreeable to everyone with whom he comes in contact. Renie argues with him and hits him on the head with a dinner plate when he becomes aggressive and demanding. He leaves and shortly thereafter, he is found dead. The cousins fear that Renie's blow may have contributed to his death, but further investigation leads them to several of the island's inhabitants who seem to have a motive for murder. As usual, the cousins have more success than the local law enforcement officers, and after several red herrings, Judith discovers the identity of the killer. This is another good read from author Daheim.

The Bed-and-Breakfast series from beginning to end has been highly enjoyable entertainment and a pleasure to read. The settings, though realistic, always are a little off-center. The main characters are always amusing and so much like the people I see everyday. September Mourn takes the cousins to an unfamiliar place, both to them and me, and it is a pleasure to follow them as they chart new adventures. The plot is, as usual, also a little off-center and pushes the reader to think a little differently. A good read and a great series.

This is one book in a series of bed-and-breakfast mysteries set in Seattle, Washington. Anyone familiar with the city can tell that the author, Mary Daheim, has changed the place names, but retained the feel of the city in accurate descriptions. Heraldsgate Hill is really Queen Anne Hill. Norway General Hospital is really Swedish Hospital. Papaya Pete's restaurant is really Trader Vics. Donner and Blitzen department store is really the now defunct Frederick and Nelsons. Nordquist is Nordstroms. The Belle Epoch is The Bon Marche, now known just as The Bon. Moonbeams coffee house is really Starbucks, and so on. The descriptions are so accurately and fondly drawn that the reader experiences a warm sense of being there, especially if one has actually lived in Seattle at one time. The relationships of the characters are sometimes feisty but honest and often very funny. I recommend this whole series.