Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (Helen Bradley Mystery Series #1) (Book 1) [Paperback]

Patricia H. Rushford (Author)

Book Description

After ten years of widowhood, Helen Bradley is in the prime of her life with a wonderful new husband, a terrific job as a freelance travel writer, and the occasional assignment from her former employer the U.S. government just to keep life interesting.

But a phone call from Irene Kincaid detailing her husband's mysterious death interrupts Helen's leisurely pace. A prominent gerontologist, Dr. Paul Kincaid had developed a number of anti-aging products, including what was hoped to be a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. When Irene dies following a gunshot wound, Helen is convinced that secrets are lurking in Kincaid laboratories and someone is willing to kill to keep them quiet. To discover the truth, Helen checks herself into Edgewood Manor one of the best convalescent homes in the county and Dr. Kincaid's dream child.

Helen Bradley's son had pleaded with her not to go there. Once inside, Helen understands why.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Meet Helen Bradley: ex-police officer, government agent, and grandmother. With her new husband gone on a secret government assignment, Helen is left to her own devices. Then she gets a call from her old acquaintance Irene Kincaid, who is convinced that her doctor husband has been murdered. With the assistance of her granddaughter, Jennie, Helen managers to solve the mystery. Helen is a charming character, reminiscent of Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Pollifax, with the addition of a strong belief in Christianity to motivate her actions. This is the first book in the Helen Bradley series, but characters may seem familiar through Rushford's young adult mystery series featuring Jennie McGrady.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

In Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, Helen Bradley, a grandmother, freelance travel writer, and ex-police officer from a small town along the Oregon coast, leans that a prominent gerontologist has died under mysterious circumstances. Before his death, Dr. Paul Kincaid had developed a number of anti-aging products, including what was hoped to be a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. When the doctor's widow dies following a gunshot wound, Helen is convinced that the doctor was murdered and that Kincaid laboratories is hiding dark secrets. To discover the truth surrounding the unexplained deaths, she checks herself into Edgewood Manor -- one of the best convalescent homes in the country and Dr. Kincaid's dream child. Helen Bradley's grandson had pleaded with her to not go there. Once she's inside, Helen understands why. Will she be able to unravel the mystery? Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is a gripping work that will appeal to all fans of the mystery genre. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556617305
• ISBN-13: 978-1556617300
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,325,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars book 1 in the Helen Bradley Mysteries, August 30, 2009

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In My Opinion... (NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (Helen Bradley Mystery Series #1) (Hardcover)

Strange events are happening at Edgewood Manor. A woman fell downstairs. Or was she pushed as one resident believes? Some say the residents are being poisoned. Others claim those who are saying that, pretty much don't have all their faculties in order. Many residents made Edgewood Manor beneficiary to their insurance policies and wills. Some residents are given experimental drugs in exchange for room and board. Helen and her granddaughter are determined to discover the truth behind the claims and counterclaims. While some of the residents want to talk, others are too frightened to speak lest they "be next."

4.0 out of 5 stars Good mystery, empathetic heroine, November 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (Helen Bradley Mystery Series #1) (Book 1) (Paperback)

While on a spy mission in Lebanon eleven years ago, Helen Bradley's spouse died during a terrorist act.For the next decade, Helen, a former police officer stayed single. However, now she is happily remarried, lives in Oregon, and loves her job as a writer of travelogues. While working on her latest book, Helen receives a call from an Irene Kincaid, asking for her help. Irene believes that her spouse, the renowned gerontologist, Dr. Paul Kincaid, was murdered because of his work on slowing down the aging process.

When Irene is shot to death, Helen decides to investigate by setting herself up as a target. She feels that someone at Kincaid Labs has secrets they want kept buried. To uncover them, Helen checks into Edgewood Manor, one of the top convalescent centers in the nation even as her son pleads with her not to become involved. Inside the idyll home, Helen learns that once she is there, she might not leave the place alive.

The first novel, NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, in the Helen Bradley mysteries is an interesting thriller that is highlighted by an interesting lead protagonist. Even though, the story line is relatively simplistic, to Patricia H. Rushford's credit, it remains a gripping suspense laden tale. This series will be well liked by readers of mystery.

Harriet Klausner