Publication Date: June 16, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4000-4432-0
Cozy Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Bouncing back from their last forensic mystery, Deputy Medical Examiner Jake Rosen and his partner in romance and crime solving, Philomena “Manny” Manfreda are settling into their relationship. More or less. Manny still enjoys her high fashion and ultra neat and clean one room apartment and Jake’s four story brownstone has acquired even more artifacts. Their day to day peace is suddenly broken with a new villain on the loose. Dubbed the Vampire by the press, this baddie subdues his victims with a dose of ether and proceeds to take a vial of their blood. Odd, curious, and increasingly dangerous when first he uses a bit more ether than necessary and then, a body turns up. With Jake on the case Manny is prepared to help out where she can. After all, she’s assisted in an autopsy and been learning Jake’s craft along the way. Before she can slip on her Jimmy Choos, Manny receives a call on an exciting new case. This one the press has dubbed the Preppy Terrorists. Her client is a student at an exclusive New York prep school. Arrested because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time, Travis does as little as possible to help Manny defend him. Manny knows Travis is hiding something, but just what is much more than she ever expected. Could Manny and Jake’s cases some how be woven of the same cloth?
SKELETON JUSTICE is the second Manny and Jake mystery by husband and wife writing team, Michael and Linda Baden. Oh, and let me not forget a key member of the team, who is also one of the major characters of SKELETON JUSTICE, the real life Mycroft Baden, a spunky poodle. There is a subtle shift in this story away from the indepth forensic investigation readers were treated to in REMAINS SILENT. It is more than made up for with not only the development of Manny and Jake’s relationship but with learning more about Jake’s brother, Sam. Rather than the laid back neer-do-well brother he is hinted at in REMAINS SILENT, his own intelligence and dedication to his brother is clearly demonstrated.
There was one part I struggled with. When Manny is put in a position of having to harm a dog, I almost put the book down. I understood the reason why and once I got past the initial emotion of what she had to do to survive, I realized that in the same situation, I would probably do the same. I give credit to the authors for the compassionate way they handled the scene and kudos on the outcome. They redeemed themselves in my eyes for starting down an intensely difficult path.
The Badens do a fabulous job weaving the layers of the mystery and then bit by bit unraveling them. If I have one true complaint it is that it was several years between REMAINS SILENT and SKELETON JUSTICE. While I was not aware of this talented team before I received SKELETON JUSTICE for review, now that I am, I hope I do not have to wait two or more years for the next installment. Manny, Jake and Mycroft are three memorable and engaging characters.
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