Monday, March 23, 2009

THEY DID IT WITH LOVE by Kate Morgenroth

Publisher: Plume
Date published: December 2007
ISBN: 978-0452288973
Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Dave




Sofie and Dean Wright have it all, they just moved to a “fantasy” suburban setting in Greenwich, Connecticut, from a Manhattan apartment. Sofie is fitting right in, joining a neighborhood mystery book club with several other wives. While taking a walk with Priscilla, they find Julia dead, hanging from a tree in her front yard. Detective Mike Ackerman discovers it is not a suicide and proceeds to investigate all five of the book club members and their husbands. Detective Ackerman discovers one of the husbands wives had committed suicide before. Subsequent events prove the husband, Alex, is innocent. Where to look now? The path twists on. Who did it? Priscilla, the snooty uppity self styled leader of the club? Could it be Candy, the sweet tender one, who is adopting a child from China? Or perhaps Margarite, the Agatha Christie expert? Might it be Ashley, the perfect home maker and dog lover? It will be a tough discovery. Will Detective Mike Ackerman be able to solve the crime?

Kate Morgenroth is a very accomplished author. In They Did it With Love she has woven an intricate tale of mystery and murder, with twists and turns and a truly surprise ending. This book flows well, with great character interaction. The communication between characters is easy and natural. The scenes follow smoothly, and quite logically, with no requirement to suspend belief, and without “amazing coincidence” found in so many other stories this reviewer has read . This reviewer enjoyed this novel, and is motivated to definitely search out the other works Kate Morgenroth has produced. Kate Morgenroth has given us a view of Greenwich that brings it vibrantly alive. Her insight into the neighborhood ladies inevitably draws comparison to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple’s village. Her observations are quite amusing and an amazingly accurate dip into the human condition. This is a good read, a true page turner. This reviewer read it straight through – at great sacrifice to much needed sleep time!

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