Customer Reviews

Cue the Easter Bunny: A Pi Grace Smith Investigation (Pi Grace Smith Investigations)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maybe because she hasn't been discovered by American publishers. I don't know why -- it's worth the effort to get one of her books. Literate, funny, good plotting, fairly complex plots -- these are books that you make you want to read the whole series. The detective character is Gracie Smith, a former police officer who was drummed out of the local constabulary (she's English) because she was suspected of taking a bribe that resulted in a policeman's killer going free. Her policeman father won't forgive her, despite her innocence, so she's estranged from her family. She's not the easiest person -- very independent, notoriously cheap (she's a scrounger), and very direct -- says what's on her mind (which is sometimes very funny). She lives in a small seaside town and works as a private investigator.

In this book, the latest in the series, Gracie is asked to investigate some poison pen letters -- but she's asked to investigate by the recipient's mother, who doesn't want her son to know she's hired an investigator. The son is married to a famous television actress who is filming her series in the town and has bought a house she's renovating. Grace presents herself as a gardener to gain entree to the house (although Grace knows NOTHING about gardening and ends up whacking away at the overgrown back yard -- garden -- with a chain saw). The couple have a rather strange young woman living with them, and Grace makes friends with her to try to spend more time inside the house so she can watch the mail and find out who might have a grudge against the man and why.

It becomes clear that since this couple grew up in the area, the letters could -- and probably do -- involve something that happened 15 or so years ago. But what? And who is sending the letters and why? The man involved is rather unstable, which makes matters worse.

Then at the same time, an old boyfriend (someone she still has attractions to but is wary of) also hires her, to look into the death/disappearance of a 14 year old girl. The girl's parents don't want any reinvestigation, so first she has to persuade them and others involved in the case to cooperate. ALthough the person who is believed to have killed the girl died at the time (killed by the girl's father?), no body has ever been found.

This probably isn't my very favorite in the series but it's a very good mystery that I highly recommend.

Evans reminds me of a funnier and more realistically creative version of many "funny mystery series" books in the US. Cue the Easter Bunny and Sick as a Parrot are laugh out loud reading! While all of Evans books are well worth the hunt to find them, the two I just listed are the funniest. The main character is smart, witty, and brave; and more believable that many female leads. If you like the Stephanie Plum novels, you will love these.

The book arrived in great shape and ealier than I expected. Was very pleased with the order and would definately order from them again!