Storm Season

I really enjoyed this book about P.I. Maggie Skerritt and partner Bill Malcolm and was very sorry to hear that this book is the last in the series. Maggie, a former police officer gets involved in two very different cases. One a mysterious stranger staying with elderly friends and the other a victim of stalking. Bill has his own problems when his ex-wife lands on his doorstep wanting his help. While all this is happening the weather turns wild and everyone battens down for the forecast hurricane. I found the solution to all the problems well thought out and while I hate that there won't be any more Maggie Skerritt books, I hope M/s Douglas re-considers.

In Pelican Bay, Florida, former cop turned private investigator Margaret Skerritt and her partner fiancé, Bill Malcolm are working two cases. First they are trying to identity the J.D. (John Doe) amnesiac living in the garden shed of their neighbors, the elderly Lassiter sisters. Even more pressing is uncovering the culprit who has tried to kill advice columnist Kimberly Ross. However, for Maggie and Bill these are normal cases. More upsetting is Bill's former wife, Trish, who dumped him over twenty-three years ago when she could not deal with his profession, is back in town seeking a place to stay since her second spouse left her and her adult child Melanie refused to take her in. Maggie assumes Trish expects a reconciliation although she never looked back to contact Bill over the years and ultimately their daughter followed her lead. Now as a Type 5 hurricane is heading towards the state, Maggie thinks her rival, living in the house she and Bill own, is the bigger storm, a hurricane type 6. The latest Skerritt-Malcolm private investigative tale (see PELICAN BAY, WEDDING BELL BLUES and HOLIDAYS ARE MURDER) is an entertaining cozy as the two cases are cleverly intermingled with the heroine's doubts re her relationship with Bill. The story line is fun to follow although no one will believe the chutzpah of Trish or the selfishness of Melanie. Harriet Klausner