SKELETON JUSTICE by Michael Baden, Linda Kenny Baden and Mycroft Baden

Publisher: Knopf
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.

REMAINS SILENT by Michael Baden and Linda Kenny

Publisher: Vintage
Date published: September 2006
ISBN: 978-1400095612
Cozy Mystery
Paperback
Reviewed by Gina



Philomena Manfreda, aka Manny, is one tough cookie. With her designer shoes, purse and style, this attorney for the underdog takes on the big boys and wins.

Sometimes. Oh she does her homework. It’s just sometimes the other guy manages to do his a bit more. Such is the case with her most recent trial. She’s all set to go for the jugular when New York Medical Examiner, Jake Rosen takes the stand for the other side and blows the case out of the water. Furious with the ME because he previously testified for her side in a big case she won, she decides he’s among the lowest of the low.

When Jake receives a call from his former mentor, Pete Harrigan, without a second thought he heads to upstate New York to help him out. Pete, it seems, has found a graveyard. Not a forgotten or paupers’ graveyard, but a secret one. On the surface it seems that the only reason the local sheriff wants to just move on is to continue construction on a new mall that will bring considerable business to the small town of Turner. Below the surface lurks one of the most horrific crimes imaginable—testing of mentally ill subjects by the government. Yet that is merely the topping on the deeper mystery of just what Pete was doing to cause someone to murder him.

When Jake sends a family member of one of the graveyard victims to Manny, she simply cannot say no and finds herself with an entirely different view of Jake.

Michael Baden and Linda Kenny, the authors of REMAINS SILENT came to my attention when I received a copy of their newest release SKELETON JUSTICE and I checked out the back cover. What I was more than intrigued with, Mr. Baden was not only the medical examiner for the State of New York, but was also involved in some very high profile investigations. Ms. Kenny is an attorney not all that different than Manny appears to be. I had to wonder if their first meeting was anything like Manny and Jake’s. Well, actually their first meeting went well, after all, Jake did come down on Manny’s side. But that second encounter, my my, Jake sure rubbed Manny wrong and the writing had me chuckling through the whole scene. Manny’s initial appearance portrays her as a professional with an edge and a bias towards designer fashion. What we learn as we get further into the story is that Manny has a huge heart and those designer fashions are bought on a discount.

As odd as it may sound, I enjoyed learning more about what happens during an autopsy as seen through Manny’s eyes and heard through her ears. She’s a gutsy lady; someone I would like to know in person. Initially the internal thoughts were fun, funny and helped to move the story along. A few here and there added to the story. The last third of the story was so clogged with them I wasn’t entirely sure who was speaking, thinking or the point of view we were in. It became not only distracting, but jarred me out of the story each time it was used.

That said, I am eager to dig into SKELETON JUSTICE and I checked to see if there are more Manny and Jake stories in the mill. They are a fun duo to read, even if the subject is murder.