Customer Reviews

Out of the Ruins (Ben Reese Mysteries)

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

 

 

In 1960, Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia is one of last barrier islands to be privately owned by an individual. Charlotte Hill MacKinnon, the owner of most of the land intends to keep it that way. When she dies, she leaves her holdings on Cumberland Island to Hannah Williams Hill, her sister in law. Hannah feels the same way about Cumberland as Charlotte did and she intends to fight off the developers and the Parks Department who want to take it by eminent domain.

Even though she is in the end stages of multiple sclerosis, her mind is clear and she asks her nephew, archivist Ben Reese to help her. Ben has one satisfying conversation with Hannah before she dies and he wants to help the new heir, Johanna Elliott, a shy retiring opera singer who intends to carry out her aunt's wishes. Ben isn't sure that Hannah died from natural causes so he starts his own investigation just to make sure that there isn't a killer on the loose ready to strike again.

Sally Wright is a very talented, very visual writer who describes Cumberland Island in such detail that readers will feel they have visited the place. The fourth Reese mystery is the best yet, primarily because the audience feels closer to the protagonist. OUT OF THE RUINS is a cerebral brainteaser that will appeal to fans of literary mysteries.

Harriet Klausner

Cumberland Island had been in Charlotte Hill MacKinnon's family for over eighty years. She "suddenly" died from an aortic aneurysm, according to the reports. She willed the island to Hannah Hill, a widow suffering from MS, who would continue Charlotte's fight to keep the land from developers.

Ben Reese was Charlotte's nephew. He went to the island, visited Hannah, and listened to her tale about a disguised intruder who entered her room during the night to spray some sort of mist and wore a gas mask. Hannah had thought it a dream. Short days later, even though her own doctor thought Hannah doing better, she mysteriously died.

Ben suspected foul play and began asking questions. The killer knew of Ben's reputation for snooping whenever his curiosity became aroused. Ben would have to be watched closely.

**** Great mystery reading here. It was a bit hard to get into the story at the beginning. The characters kept dying after only being in the story for one or two chapters. However, when Ben Reese entered the story it became engrossing. A sharp man who not only copes with the Cumberland Island problem, but also a problem (sub-plot) at the Alderton University involving an old will and the new president. Recommended for true mystery fans! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

I received the book in record time and am very pleased with the good customer service, the quality and the book itself. Thanks again. Will be sure to check out more of your offerings in the future.

I looked forward to reading Out of the Ruins, as I had read the first three of the Ben Reese mysteries in quick secession on my Kindle and liked them all very much. This book was so different that it seems as if a different person wrote all the narrative parts about Cumberland Island (and the travelogue through other parts of the south) and then Ms. Wright just filled in the action scenes that involved Ben Reese. I found this book so difficult to read that if it had been the first one of the Ben Reese books I had read, it would have been the last. I persevered to the end because I wanted to see how Ben Reese solved the mystery, but it was hard going.

I feel untrue in even giving this book 1 star. I have spent a great deal of time on Cumberland island and have a great love for the island and it's true story. This book did a complete injustice to Cumberland and to literature in general. The characters were flat and wouldn't have even been allowed into the worst episode of Murder She Wrote. Ben Reese was the only character that made me continue the painful experience of reading this book but even his scenes were as dry as reading a road sign. As far as mysteries go, this was completely unbelievable - the method of Hannah's murder and the steps that the the murderer would have had to go through are illogical and don't even really fit the clues. The innocent, sweet niece that the reader is supposed to care about is the biggest idiot of all time - 'I know you are acting very suspicious, and I know you've tried to kill me in the past, but I'll drink that coffee you are offering cause I'm just too stupid to live.' I cannot think of a single redeeming quality of this book. I never throw away books but I didn't want this one to remain in my house. I thought of giving it to a friend, but I don't know anyone I dislike that much. If anyone wants to read this book, I will gladly send you my copy free of charge.