Customer Reviews

Miss Zukas Shelves the Evidence

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In this 7th book in the Miss Zukas series, Helma meets Chief of Police, Wayne Gallant's, children for the first time. It seems he wants to take their extremely slow-moving romance to a new level, and Helma is happy to comply. However, before the shock of meeting Wayne's teenagers has time to wear off, both him and Helma become involved in another murder investigation. When Chief Gallant gets injured while investigating the case, Helma and his kids must find the killer before anyone else gets hurt. Adding to the suspense is the fact that a library book is found at the site of Chief Gallant's injuries, and Helma refuses to disclose the library patron who checked out the book. Will she change her mind and violate her personal ethics to save Wayne and his kids? Or will she become the target of the killer since she knows too much?

This was a great installment in the series about the very practical, dependable librarian. We start to see a more human side of Helma as she faces choices to help her love interest, Wayne. I also like the fact that the romance may move forward a bit faster (7 books and not even a smooch!), but not too fast. If you have not tried this series but enjoy cozy mysteries, you will like this book, even if you have read none of the previous books in the series.

The first book in this series is "Miss Zukas and the Library Murders". Enjoy!

I just discovered the Helma Zukas series around a month ago and have slowly been savoring each book. When is the next one coming out?? There are so many new experiences for Helma in this book, putting Wayne before her job, conversing with TEENAGERS, etc. Helma is a librarian in a small town in northwest Washington state. She is in her late thirties, eats healthy, exercises, still has the same car she had in college and actually likes her job.

In the latest of Jo Dereske's "Miss Zukas" series, Helma Zukas comes to the realization that her job isn't everything when Chief of Police Wayne Gallant, is seriously injured while investigating the murder of a local professor. Helma, her mother, aunt, and friend Ruth end up looking after Wayne's two teenage children while Wayne is in the hospital. Helma sticks to her believe of the right of privacy for library patrons when the police want the Library to give them the name of the borrower of the book found next to Wayne when he "fell" off a cliff. Even with all that is happening around her Helma is able to figure out who killed the professor and why.

So far, this has been my favorite of the series. Helma not on solid ground was a treat. The wait for Helma & Wayne to finally get together was worth it. I liked Wayne's children and hope to see them in future books. And lets not forget my favorite cat, Boy Cat Zukas.

Miss Helma Zukas is tactful, resourceful and smart. With her cultural moras and crisp attitude, she tackles problems methodically and boldly. There are very few issues that give her pause as she researches, breaks down the facts and acts.

Dereske gives women a good role model with her mysteries and I hope she writes more! Cheers for Helma!

Miss Zukas's relationship with police chief Wayne Gallant seems to be moving to a new level when the chief brings his teenagers over to meet her. Unfortunately the meeting is marred by the distress of Helma's new neighbor, TNT, who is trying to comfort his stepdaughter because of the untimely death of her husband. Things become even more complicated when Gallant has an accident and suddenly Helma finds herself in charge of two sullen teenagers. Fortunately her friend Ruth, her mother, and her Aunt Em all pitch in to entertain the two young people. Helma is torn between helping to solve the murder, visiting Chief Gallant in the hospital, working at the library, and trying to tend to the teenagers. In her usual clever fashion, Helma does a good job of most of these things and manages to entertain the reader in the process.

People keep reminding the Bellhaven prim and proper librarian Miss Helma Zukas that meeting the children of the man she is keeping company with is momentous. When Wayne Gilbert arrives with his three teenagers in tow, Helma is next door comforting her neighbor's stepdaughter over the loss of her husband. When the Gilberts and Thelma finally meet, it is clear to anyone but the most muddle minded that none of the adolescents want to share their dad with Helma.

Their outing to watch the ocean at low tide abruptly ends when Wayne receives an official call that someone murdered the husband of Helma's neighbor's husband. Wayne receives a second call related to this investigation, but he is soon found unconscious with broken bones and severe bruises. Thelma takes his two children into her home while he recovers in the hospital. She also begins to tie the puzzle pieces together in order to identify the culprit who viciously attacked Wayne.

The eighth installment in this long running series is a cozy lover's delight as all of the violence takes place off stage. The protagonist retains her charm as she stands up for what she believes is right even when her views remain at odds with her boss or her boyfriend. MISS ZUKAS SHELVES THE EVIDENCE is a fresh entertaining novel that deals with some controversial issues inside a warm cozy.

Harriet Klausner

Helma Zukas is an aging, unyielding old maid whose attitude makes me want to run screaming down a hallway; in real life, I'd send her "boyfriend" an anonymous note advising him to RUN...not walk...away from this relationship. On the other hand, I can't put any books in this series down until I've read them completely through. Jo Dereske's characters are exasperating, but they sure make one hell of a good read! Bring on the next one...it's overdue!

miss zukas is one h ll of a librarian. she uses her research skills to solve mysteries. it would be nice to see boy cat help her. this is a light but well written book.

#8 in the Helma Zukas mystery series set in fictional Bellehaven, WA. Helma, a librarian, is meeting her "friend" Wayne Gallant's teenage children for the first time. Before they can spend much time together, Wayne--who is also the chief of police--is seriously injured when he falls or was pushed off a cliff, sustaining a serious head injury. He was investigating the death of a professor from a local university, at first thought to be a heart attack until an injection site and unusually high levels of insulin in his blood were found.

The professor's much-younger wife is the daughter of Helma's new neighbor, the former wrestler known as TNT. The professor was not diabetic, but after nosing around a bit at the behest of TNT--who can't stand his daughter's crying and carrying on--she discovers that the wife's cat WAS diabetic and on insulin. Mary Jane becomes the primary suspect then, but Helma doesn't believe her guilty and she carries on investigating--also hoping to find out who injured Wayne Gallant--all while trying to keep up with his two teenaged children.

As Helma tends to be rather set in her ways and somewhat rigid, she needs some help and she gets by with assistance from her colorful friend Ruth and her mother and aged Aunt Em and ventures rather far outside her usual behavior. I have still not been able to pinpoint exactly why I enjoy this series so much--cozies have become far from my favorites, but I look forward eagerly to each of these, and also am dreading the end of the series as there's only three left.

The Miss Zukas mysteries are always fun and she is an original character. I've never been disappointed with any of the series.

MISS ZUKAS SHELVES THE EVIDENCE
[REVIEW]

Jo Dereske's wonderful librarian, Miss Zukas bravely faces all naysayers in this wonderfully engrossing and endearing novel of family, ex-family and admirers and ex-admires.

Nearly always totally focused and serene, the Bellehaven, Washington librarian Miss Helma Zukas, finds herself in the predicament of having to refuse to reveal the name of the borrower of a library book. She remains personally in agreement with and staunchly follows to the letter the American Library Association Code of Ethics, and the Revised Code of Washington which turn on the expectation of privacy throughout all libraries. Even after Helma finds out that the library information is the key to the murder attempt on her close friend and confidant, Wayne Gallant, Chief of the Bellehaven Police, and that he is in the hospital severely injured, she still refuses to reveal the name of the borrower.

In addition, this particular time period carries this additional twist: Chief Gallant's two teenaged kids are visiting him. Helma enlists her best friend, Ruth, the extremely tall, colorful, flamboyant painter, as well as her mother to help watch the kids while Chief Gallant is in the hospital.

Helma's new neighbor, TNT is a sweet-spirited, retired but energetic ex-boxer. TNT's stepdaughter, Mary Lynn's husband has quite recently died, and she has moved in with him. An old boxing friend of TNT's and teaching colleague of Mary Lynn's comes by to offer solace. TNT's ex-wife, Mary Lynn's mother is also a surprising piece of that family puzzle.

As Wayne Gallant's health improves, and Helma and Ruth pursue intriguing but incomplete facts regarding Chief Gallant` possible attacker, the story winds perilously to it's surprising conclusion.