Customer Reviews

Jury Rigged (Five Star First Edition Mystery)

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

 

 

This is the third in the Cezanne Martin series, and imo, the best written. Love the characters and the flair for writing Ms. Moore shows. I've read the first two, and while I did enjoy them, I admit, this is my favorite in the series. It seems as easily written as a conversation with a friend. Hope there will be a fourth!

I'm torn over how many stars to give this book. As a mystery/crime novel alone, it's just OK. Same thing as just a humor book. But when you put the humor and the crime novel parts together, the combination works better than the sum of the parts. It's about 3.5 stars.

The author has a witty way with names. The protagonist, Cezanne Martin, has siblings named Monet and Matisse. Better yet, the young girl staying with her goes by Duty but her given name is Deuteronomy; she has family named Leviticus, Corinthia, and Galatia.

As the book opens, Cezanne has taken a 90-day leave of absence from the homicide department to open up a law practice. She has also just gotten engaged and been kidnapped by the deranged killer wife of a man she had been involved with. Next she learns that the father who left when she was a child recently died and left a house for her and the brother she hasn't seen in years. The house comes furnished with her aunt Velda who refuses to leave. A good bit of the humor comes from the efforts of Cezanne and Duty to remove Velda and of Velda to stay put and get rid of them.

This is not the best book ever written but it was a nice change of pace from some of the edgier thrillers I had been reading and it was good for some laughs, which is always nice. If you like humor along with your mysteries, you might enjoy this book.

In Fort Worth, Cezanne Martin left the police department to practice law. One morning, she wakes up to find Darlene Driskoll holding a gun to her face. Driskoll forces Martin into her car, but the attorney manages to escape. Knowing this is not over, Martin turns to FWPD star detective, Wolfgang "Slash" Vaughn for help from the crazed killer who escaped from her incarceration.

Soon after her traumatic experience, Martin learns her long missing dad Bob died and that her elderly Aunt Velda lives in poverty inside a mansion. Finally her brother, Henri Matisse Martin, arrives demanding his share of the estate. Between family to include her teenage ward Deuteronomy "Duty" Devilrow and a killer, Martin decides the latter is safer.

The third humorous Martin investigative thriller (see LADY GODIVA MURDER and THE WILD ORCHID SOCIETY) is a hoot from the hood as Duty provides enlightening commentary on the big show. The story line is fast-paced especially with deadly deranged Driskoll stalking. Between Duty's asides and in your face comments and Cezanne's struggles to survive her family, Slash, Duty and Driskoll, Fort Worth will never be the same.

Harriet Klausner