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Publisher: Worldwide Library
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Release
Date: November 1, 2004 |
ISBN: 0373265093
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Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Paperback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Mystery / Anthology |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer: Brenda Weeaks
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Reviewer
Notes: Christmas Theme |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
|
The Last Noel
By Linda Berry, Catherine Dain, Steve Brewer, Mat Coward
"The
Last Noel' is a Christmas anthology of mystery and mayhem with storylines
that run from Mall humor to social issues. There's a little something
for everyone.
SANITY CLAUSE by Steve Brewer
Bubba's wife wants a laptop
for Christmas. To pay for it, Bubba becomes a Funnel-cake-eating
secret agent (Santa guard at the Mall). When a Santa is murdered
on his watch, Bubba is fired. When someone else hires him to investigate
the murder, his Christmas season gets even wilder. It's witty mayhem
at the expense of multiple Santas and Mass Malls. It's my favorite
read in the bunch.
FINDING CHARITY by Catherine Dain
This one is told in first person by lead
character Faith Cassidy, a therapist with Hollywood-type cats. Charity,
a hooker, sees a dead body in the trunk of a silver car. She goes
to Faith for help and when Faith refuses to help, Charity wishes
her dead. Karma boomerangs and Charity is abducted by the driver
of a silver car. When Faith witnesses the abduction, she works the
case and gets herself into one heck of a fem-jep situation. One
can't help but cheer her on.
DEEP AND CRISP by Mat Coward
This is the only British mystery in
the set. It's about an anti-Christmas group. While ignoring Christmas
tradition and playing hide-and-seek in the park, a member of the
group is "conked on the head with Yule log." Was it a
group member, a frightened dog walker, or a Christmas enthusiast
getting revenge? DCI Don Packham and DC Frank question all involved
while going on with their holiday traditions. This complicated mystery
is an armchair reader's delight.
THE THREE WISE WOMEN by Linda Berry
Officer Trudy and Chief Hen are back. Ogeechee,
Georgia is "no longer black and white." Hispanic citizens
have settled in the small town and murmurs of the change are negative.
When a young black man is found dead and a young Hispanic man missing,
cultures rumble. Trudy and Hen work the murder case. Trudy also
takes interest in an older case, and finds a parallel between the
two. The mystery is the main focus of the storyline but as usual,
I enjoy watching Ogeechee and its citizens grow. |