Hot on the Trail

By Jane Isenberg

    Bel Barrett, a local community college professor, is stressed out between trying to arrange her wedding with her boyfriend, Sol, and getting through the bulk emails about bladder control. Despite this stress, she volunteers to teach a writing course for senior citizens. When one of her beloved students, a racing pigeon enthusiast, ends up dead, Bel is driven to try to solve the reason behind his death, especially when his daughter states that his death was not a murder.

   Jane Isenberg's character of Bel Barrett is similar in personality with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, only older and much more life experience behind her. Bel is funny, sassy, and knows what she wants in life, even if on the outside it doesn't seem like it. Her characterization makes it perfect for a small time mystery buff that gets caught up in solving murders and other strange mysterious happenings. Hot on the Trail can take place in any town and allows for the flexible of scenery (especially if a movie is ever made of Ms. Isenberg's books).

    Any fan of Evanovich should pick up a Bel Barrett mystery novel.