Catalogue of Death: A Miss Zukas Mystery [Mass Market Paperback]

Jo Dereske (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2007

At last, construction begins on a new library for Bellehaven, a gift of Franklin Harrington, scion of old Bellehaven money, and one of the locally famous Harrington triplets. But when a freak snowstorm hits, Bellehaven is brought to its knees. Not so Miss Helma Zukas who is at her post, dispensing library information, overseeing wayward employees, and soothing a busload of stranded gamblers.

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the snowy day, destroying the library site, killing the benefactor and a penny–pinching city finance czar.

The snow melts but not trouble. Shockingly, Ms. Moon thrusts the new library project onto Helma. And Helma soon discovers why, uncovering secrets and shady dealings from start to finish – secrets in the library, in the City, and in the Harrington family – secrets worth killing for.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jo Dereske grew up in western Michigan, and is a former librarian who now lives in the northwestern corner of Washington State.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Reissue edition (March 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060790849
• ISBN-13: 978-0060790844
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #500,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jo Dereske grew up in western Michigan and now lives in the foothills of Mount Baker near Bellingham, Washington. She draws on her Michigan background and Lithuanian heritage for her books, especially in the Miss Zukas and Ruby Crane mysteries. She's a former librarian who believes that libraries are one of our last truly public institutions, where the entire world can mix and mingle amid the written word - what could be better! Jo's website: www.jodereske.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good addition to a favorite series, April 1, 2007

By 

N. Turner "bookstore clerk" (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Catalogue of Death: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Hooray, a new Miss Zukas! Helma's at it again, with more reason than usual for plying her investigative skills, since the deaths involved are related to the new library building site. Watching the careful back and forth of the relations between Helma and the chief and Helma and Boy Cat Zukas is fun, even if I sometimes want both to progress faster. I can't blame Helma for wanting to keep Wayne on his toes a bit, though, and you just can't hurry a cat. I've already told several fellow mystery readers that the new Dereske is out, and good, and plan on keeping my personal copy away from the grabbier ones!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New library site threatened, May 23, 2007

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Catalogue of Death: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

Miss Helma Zukas, intrepid librarian, is very much looking forward to a new library building for Bellehaven, Washington. The site for the new building has been generously donated by Franklin Harrington, a prominent Bellehaven citizen. An unusual snowstorm hits town, but Miss Zukas is determined to get to work, whatever the difficulties. She arrives and is greeted by a skeleton crew and a visit from Mr. Harrington himself. Franklin decides to visit the library building site, but unfortunately there is an explosion and the elderly philanthropist is killed. Miss Zukas' boss, Ms. Moon, is concerned that Mr. Harrington's heirs may not want the library project to continue, so she asks Miss Zukas to talk to them. Soon, Helma is gathering information about the agreement between the library and the Harringtons and is also trying to find out who killed Franklin. The more she delves into the Harrington family, the more secrets she finds out about them. Author Jo Dereske has created an interesting character in the prim and proper Miss Zukas and she injects just the right amount of red herrings to keep things interesting,

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Happy, April 12, 2007

By 

L. McLean - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Catalogue of Death: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

I am relieved that Jo Dereske is writing her Miss Helma Zukas mysteries again and that the out of print ones are being printed again (though at too slow a pace).

My only frustration with the series is that Helma, pardon me, Miss Zukas, and Chief of Police Gallant are not progressing very fast in their relationship! Foreplay is fine, but this reader is getting impatient for more than the occasional date where their thighs touch accidentally. I might be able to believe this self-restraint of her, but not of him with his Baltic blue eyes and hard thighs and grins. Men just don't wait this long!

Otherwise, the series is still a delight. I enjoy the regional flavor, so the blizzard appealed to me.