Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Kirkus Reviews MURDER AMONG THE OWLS

Kirkus hasn't always been kind to my books, but this time someone slipped up. There are a couple of snide remarks, but overall this is a pretty positive review.

As Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County, Texas, prepares to crack his 14th case (A Mammoth Murder, 2006, etc.), he confronts a cat he'd prefer on someone else's hot tin roof.

Dan Rhodes and Sam, the feline he instantly dislikes, are brothers under the fur. They're both laid back to the point of somnolence, but they're deceptively smart. Dan grudgingly acknowledges the intelligence of the unwanted guest who's taken up residence on his back porch, a place he probably wouldn't have been if his rightful owner hadn't just met the grisliest of ends. Now elderly Helen Harris is stretched out on her kitchen floor, her white curls battered and bloody. As Dan, Sam in hand, stares down at her, that perennial sleuth's question is uppermost: Who would have wanted to harm her? In the days that follow, a surprising variety of candidates put themselves forward, beginning with the ladies of OWLS (Older Women's Literary Society), a group that belies the surface gentility Dan at first takes for granted. As he wises up, he discovers that owlish ladies can have smoldering passions. And, oh yes, that a clever cat can have his ways.

Laconic, wryly amusing Sheriff Dan is in top form in his best excursion in a long time.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn, who did you bribe? And how do I contact them?

For Kirkus, that's positively ecstatic. Good on ya, mon..

Anonymous said...

Wow, great review! Way to go.

Anonymous said...

This has a great cover, although I'm surprised you didn't have Paris Hilton model for the cover.

George Kelley

Unknown said...

Paris would probably have done it for free if she'd been available.

Unknown said...

That was bad, Allan, really bad.

Anonymous said...

Man, it really cheeses me off when Baker and Taylor doesn't have a forthcoming title listed.

...Oh. Owls, O.W.L.S. Freaking, lousy acronyms.

Anonymous said...

Dang, here I am reading through B&T's Forecast, and the book is listed right there. I need to keep my keyboard mouth shut.

Unknown said...

I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd forgotten me.