Customer Reviews

The Blood Ballad (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 11)

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As those of you who read works in this particular genre know, after several books, most authors sort of wear out. They seem to lose the "thing" that made their series so good in the first place. This is an endless list, and it is not the intent to go into that with this review. Those who read "cozy" mysteries will know precisely what and whom I am talking about.

Well delight of delights! This sad little and unfortunate trait has not infected Rett MacPherson one little bit. This is number eleven in her Torie O'Ohea Mystery series and I do believe that Ms. MacPherson is actually getting better and better with each book. Those that are familiar with these particular novels know that they center around a small town in Eastern Missouri and that the main character, Torie O'Shea is the local town historian, owner of two museums, the town's genealogist, mother of three children, owner of several animals, including horses, is involved in just about ever aspect of village life in the small community where she lives, knows most of the characters in the surrounding area and has a bad habit of getting involved with murder! This is one busy girl and if the reader is exhausted after reading one of the works in this series, then it is a good exhaustion and was well worth the effort.

Readers and fans will not be disappointed with this latest work. Torie becomes involved with birdwatchers, a rather wacky crew, right from the start, and good grief, she gets shot at and has a body thrown at her! She then becomes quite involved with a family who is a musical ledged in the area which lead her back to her own roots and a rather musical family. Mix this in with raising two teenage girls, a six year old son, solving the current murder while at the same time solving one that is 70 years old, along with her many civic and family responsibilities, and you have a very fast moving story that is absolutely hilarious at times. And oh, did I mention a mystery horse that shows up in their stable?

Due to the nature of this authors work, it is almost impossible to give a plot outline without throwing in spoilers in just about ever sentence. There are many twists and turns to this little book; each a bit of a mini-mystery within itself. Each of these many twists are quite logical and Ms. MacPherson is not one of those authors who, in desperation, throws in a last minute bit of information on the second to the last page to end her story. If you read, and read carefully, you may be able to figure out "who done it," but then maybe not. That is one of the fun parts of reading this author's books. I will say that the plot is more complex with this one than some of MacPherson's past work, but that is a good thing and has certainly not increased to the point of being overwhelming, which as far as I am concerned, would take away one of the reasons I read these little mysteries.

It has been very interesting following the Torie O'Shea Mysteries as it has enable me to follow the growth and maturity of a very fine author and story teller. I always learn something from these books (genealogy), am entertained and in the end, want more. I do like these books and this author.

As a personal note, or notes: I was at first a bit offended at the author's portrayal of birders (birdwatchers). You get the impression that these people are a bunch of rather eccentric individuals wondering around in the woods...unguarded and clueless. Being a birder for well over 50 years I suddenly did some self examination and had to admit that the author pretty well hit the nail on the head; indeed, we are a band of very strange critters, when all is said and done. Secondly; even though this story takes place near St Louis, Mo., it is in no way is about that city so the reader need not fear that. The setting is rather small town and rural and has universal appeal well outside its geographical setting.

This is a great little cozy mystery and I do home we have many more coming from this author in the future. Put this one on your "to read list," as you will be in for a treat.

Family Skeletons (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 1)
A Veiled Antiquity (Torie O'Shea Mysteries)
A Comedy of Heirs (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 3)
A Misty Mourning (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 4)
Killing Cousins (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 5)
Blood Relations
In Sheep's Clothing (Torie O'Shea Mysteries, No. 7)
Thicker Than Water
Dead Man Running: A Torie O'Shea Mystery
Died in the Wool (Torie O'Shea Mysteries)

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

(11th in fascinating Torie O'Shea mysteries)

This tale is set in the country around St. Louis, Missouri. Torie works at the historical society in New Kassel, Missouri, and also runs a small museum of women's textile arts in an historic home. She is a local historian and a genealogist, and a mother and wife.

While out birding with a friend, they are shot at-and run for their lives-only to have a trunk come crashing down a cliff, open at their feet and dump out a bloody body.

Later a descendant of the Scott Morgan musical clan comes to Torie with a CD which contains performances recorded years ago, with her grandfather as a young man playing with the famous Morgan family musicians. The introductions on the CD clearly state that her grandfather had written the songs, songs that Scott Morgan took credit for. During the Depression the small song royalties would have made a difference.

Then Torie's eccentric cousin Phoebe arrives with some old letters to Scott Morgan, written by Torie's great-grandmother. The letters chide him for his treatment of "the boy, who looks more like you than your own sons," and mentions a woman named Peggy. Phoebe assumes that means that Torie's grandfather was actually Scott Morgan's son. Torie does some research and finds the mother and son, one of three known as `other side of the blanket' children that Scott Morgan fathered over the years.

The dead man in the trunk, Cliff Weaver, had mailed Torie a CD, containing more Morgan family music, including a solo by a woman claiming to have murdered Belle Morgan. Morgan had disappeared supposedly with a lover in the 1930s, abandoning her husband and children. Using the information in the "blood ballad," as Torie calls it, she is able to direct the authorities to Belle's body. She now has two mysteries to solve. Who murdered Cliff Weaver, and who murdered Belle, all those years ago? Are these deaths connected? Sheriff Mort Joachim actually welcomes Torie's help with these cases.

While the family trees are complicated, the story is captivating. I especially enjoyed Torie's family and her genealogical work. The author is a genealogist, too.

Armchair Interviews says: An outstanding series of cozy mysteries.

I pre-ordered this title because I've enjoyed the previous Torie O'Shea books and, I have to say, I wasn't disappointed. I love old mysteries being solved, I love genealogy AND I really like the O'Sheas and extended family and friends (although Eleanore can be irritating!). One thing that's been driving me crazy is that in the first book, Colin was divorced with children. In a later book he had never been married. Unforgivable in a series revolving around family trees! That aside, I thoroughly enjoy the series and would recommend it to cosy readers who like a touch of history mingled with family life, humour and good writing.

OUTSTANDING!! I loved this book, I was so tired of the "Hard" mysterys out there, where they try to "shock" you with the details and facts of the crime, Rett, writes for the rest of us!! She tells you about a crime and its over, not "shock value"
she works more with the detail on how to solve the case, not how much blood and guts are at the scene,I am a first time reader of hers and will go back and pick up the rest of her books, I love a re-occuring charater too..You just got a new fan!

Small town Missouri genealogist Torie O'Shea has a knack for finding dead bodies. Even while she is participating in New Kassel's first Birding Olympics, Torie manages to find a dead body. She is also approached by a mysterious man who is obsessed with her grandfather's fiddle music. When the mysterious musicologist makes allegations about Torie's grandfather's parentage, she find herself quickly involved in solving another mystery.

Very enjoyable book for fans of this series.

I picked this book up as a new book at our public library. I had never read a Torie O'Shea mystery before. I was immediately hooked. I read this book in a few hours and found it pulled me in. Having just started working on my family geneology, I found that aspect so interesting and I am a lifelong mystery reader. Since I love series books (probably starting from my Nancy Drew days), I have read five other books in the series and am searching for the remaining ones.

New Kassell, Missouri genealogist Torie O'Shea uncovers some fascinating information re her fiddler grandfather, John Robert Keith. He apparently had ties to the 1930s regionally popular country band Morgan Family Players. Glen Morgan, the grandson of band member Scott Morgan, informs Torie that he has found a tape that implies his grandfather claimed authorship of songs that apparently her grandfather wrote.

While on a bird watching expedition, Torie notices someone dump what turns out to be the corpse of Clifton Weaver, another Morgan grandson. She already rules out coincidence and her opinion is affirmed when a CD arrives apparently sent by Weaver before he died with someone singing the tune of a murder confession by Belle Morgan, who vanished many years ago. Torie follows the song's clues that take her to Belle's body. Starting to fear what else will fall out of the family trees, Torie keeps on shaking the branches.

This is a fun entry in a fine series (see THICKER THAN WATER) as Torie learns a lot about the apparently cutthroat Depression music industry in the Ozarks as much as the modern day murder mystery while she follows the genealogical paths which converge on a contemporary killer. Although not quite as exciting as her past escapades in BLOOD RELATIONS investigations, cozy readers still will appreciate Torie's latest genealogy adventures as a murderer makes research dangerous.

Harriet Klausner

Murder meets music in the latest Tori O'Shea adventure. In typical Tori form we find her again hunting truth and family ties. This is another winner. I'm always eager to read the latest Tori installment!

Well, let me assure you, Torie O'Shea has lost none of her quirkiness. In fact, she entertains the reader magnificently with her `devil-may-care' demeanor when it comes to 1) danger 2) parenting her children or 3) concern for her reputation. None of the above applies - she will do what she feels compelled to do - get the facts - solve the mystery and add knowledge to her genealogogy genius.

The compelling aspect of Rett MacPherson's series is the unique mixture of work life. She is historian, museum curator, genealogist and wife/mother. Family life - we have watched her children grown into individuals as wacky as their Mom. Don't forget the disabled mother who stays centered and forgiving and a step-father relationship that has blossomed from hatred to near respect. We cannot overlook the community life. It is Torie's most patient husband, Rudy, along with the town chocalatier, the quite taken-with-herself Eleanor and other equally colorful characters that force the reader to grin at least and laugh out loud more likely.

The best reference I can give is if you can start with her first book in this wonderful series , Family Skeletons, you will not have to be coached into reading the next 10 books. Torie is a hoot - you will relish every moment of reading pleasure.

History is certainly NOT boring in New Kassell, Missouri. Local historian and genealogist Torie O'Shea finds herself in the middle of things yet again. It's not as if she doesn't have anything to do, since she's managing two historic homes in town, Christmas is coming, and just keeping her two teenage daughters from killing one another is a full-time job. Now Torie is also roped into participating in a 24-hour bird count with Eleanore Murdoch, one of her least favorite residents. While they're out bird-watching, shots are fired at them, and a trunk containing a dead man falls practically on top of them. While Torie is dealing with those events (and with questions posed by current Sheriff Mort Joachim, as well as by her step-father, nemesis, former sheriff and now mayor, Colin Brooke), she's contacted by a man who thinks he can prove that her own family tree research is wrong. A new horse suddenly shows up in the O'Shea corral. Who could it belong to? Then a package arrives in the mail, addressed to Torie from the dead man, and containing a recording of a "blood ballad." What does any or every one of these developments have to do with the members of the old country group, the Morgan Family Players, who may or may not be related to the Keiths, Torie's ancestors? There are no dull moments in the life of Torie O'Shea. And that's just fine by the avid fans of this mystery series.

While regular readers will welcome this episode, newcomers to the series might be slightly confused by all the names that fly past in this genealogical tale. It might have been helpful to have included family trees of the Morgans and the Mercers and the Keiths. And yet, since their very veracity was being questioned as part of the mystery, it would have been impossible to do so. "The Blood Ballad" is a quick and fun read that not only deals with history and genealogy, but with the genesis of down-home country music as well. Woven into all those strands are some family re-connections and two murder mysteries that will keep readers guessing.