HUCKLEBERRY FINISHED by Livia J. Washburn

Publisher: Kensington
Date published: October 2, 2009
ISBN: 978-0758225696
Cozy Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by Library


A year after solving the Gone With The Wind tour murder, Delilah Dickinson is back on the road with another tour group. This time it is cruising down the Mississippi on a river boat with Mark Twain. Well not really Mark Twain, but an actor playing him.

Along the way to Twain (Samuel Clemmons)’s home town of Hannibal the Twain character entertains the tour group with quotes and quips by the famed author. In Hannibal the participants will have a chance to see where Twain lived and his creative genius sprang from. Before they reach Hannibal, however, there is not one but two incidents on the paddle-wheel. One a loud, blustery guest who doesn’t seem to want to be there and the other, a fight between one of Delilah’s tour participants and the head of the boat’s security. Delilah is relieved the situation is under control until the captain summons her below. Apparently one of her group won’t be returning—someone killed Ben Webster. Once again Delilah finds herself embroiled in a mystery and not just who killed Ben Webster. Several of the tour’s participants aren’t what they seem and one of them could be the killer.

While not as immersed in the original story as FRANKLY MY DEAR I’M DEAD, HUCKLEBERRY FINISHED still draws on aspects of Mark Twain’s wit. Instead, it takes pieces of Twain’s era and stories and interweaves them in a well told mystery. Delilah has matured a bit since book one, FRANKLY MY DEAR and a year after her divorce has begun to date and find herself attracted to a few of the men she meets. She is still a lady and a southern lady at that. I loved some of her quips and expressions. Delilah is a fully drawn, multi-dimensional character who comes across as someone you’d like to know. You have no idea till the very end just who the perpetrator is which makes for some good suspense and fun speculation. At one point Delilah thinks about some of her favorite southern authors which was a heads up to me for more stories based on some favorite books and authors will be on their way.

HUCKLEBERRY FINISHED stands on its own and you do not have to read the books in order, but you will want to read all of them.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.