Relative Danger (Wheeler Softcover) [Large Print] [Paperback]

June Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wheeler Softcover | Publication Date: April 2008

Cealie Gunther avoids things that bindlike control-top pantyhose and Gil Thurman. Widowed Cealie thinks she wants to avoid her hunky ex-lover Gil as she travels while trying to rediscover herself. But he opens Cajun restaurants in many cities, and Cealie's not great at avoiding temptation. She tries to avoid family members so she won't become dependant, but since her family is most important, constantly winds up around them. Murder is always involved. Cealie gets drawn in, although as owner of a copyediting agency she knows parts of speech but not weapons. She's dropping by to visit her motherless granddaughter now and watch her become a high school graduateunless Cealie's interference in the school creates a catastrophe involving someone very special.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Shaw's promising first mystery, Cealie Gunther, an independent woman of a certain age, finds her granddaughter, Kat, in tears on a surprise visit to her widowed son in a Chicago suburb. Kat, a high school senior with excellent grades, is so upset after the death of a school custodian (the police, who at first ruled the custodian's balcony fall an accident, now suspect Kat's Spanish teacher of murder) that she insists on staying home and missing final exams and graduation. When the interfering Cealie pushes her way into Kat's high school as a substitute teacher, further violence and mysterious accidents, not to mention rude students and eccentric staff members, can't deter her from finding answers. A former lover, restaurant owner Gil Thurman, lends romantic interest. While Cealie muses too much on matters irrelevant to the main plot, humorous dialogue, a suspenseful climax and good character development should please cozy fans. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Relative Danger gives the reader absolute delight."" --- Haily North, USA Bestselling author of Love: Undercover

humorous dialogue, a suspenseful climax and good character development --Publishers Weekly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 451 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing (April 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597226777
• ISBN-13: 978-1597226776
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,134,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My debut novel was published some time after I became a widow with five children. My ninth grade English teacher ignited my dream of becoming a writer, but my life was busy, my dream long deferred. How exciting it is to see my lifelong dream come to pass.

My mystery series has been compared to writing by Janet Evanovitch and Agatha Christie. It's been called suspenseful and fun. It's certainly been fun for me. Deadly Ink nominated Relative Danger for their David award for Best Mystery of the Year. I'm honored and thrilled--and love to hear from readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great new mystery series, January 4, 2007

By 

Dawn Dowdle "Mystery Lovers Corner reviewer" (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relative Danger (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

Caelie Gunther arrives in town a few days before her granddaughter Kat's graduation only to find out Kat may not graduate at all. Caelie made a deathbed promise to Kat's mother that she would see Kat graduate, so she is determined to make Kat graduate.

Kat explains that a school janitor was killed. Her favorite teacher is no longer speaking to her so she has no interest in going to school. Caelie signs up to be a substitute teacher at the high school to get Kat back in classes.

In the school Caelie encounters some rude students and there are some mysterious incidents as well as more violence. Can she find the killer in time for Kat to complete her final exams and graduate? Will the fact that her ex-lover Gil Thurman is in town at his new restaurant sidetrack her plans?

I enjoyed Caelie. She is a great senior sleuth. She is a lot of fun and cares about her family but doesn't want to be tied down to them or them to her. Apparently she moves around a lot. She doesn't want to get tied down in a relationship either. This makes her a very interesting character and also very three-dimensional in my eyes.

The sparks always fly when she's with Gil. There is a lot of mystery as to what might develop between them. I hope that eventually something does.

I like the way Caelie interacts with her granddaughter and son as well.

I highly recommend this book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sassy amateur detective will entertain you, December 29, 2006

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relative Danger (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

Cealie Gunther visits her widowed son and granddaughter Kat, for her high school graduation--only to find that Kat has stopped attending school. And, her favorite teacher is a suspect in the death of a school janitor.

Cealie decides to take it upon herself to get the girl to go back to school, and if that means she has to solve a murder, so be it. She takes a job as a substitute teacher to gain entry to the school and snoop around.

Cealie's ex-lover, Gil, is also in town opening a new venue in his chain of Cajun restaurants. Cealie had broken off their relationship when she felt a need to find her own independence. She has spent the time since traveling and rediscovering herself. However, she finds herself unable to stay away from him even when she spies his new woman.

Cealie manages to cause all kinds of trouble for everyone as she sticks her nose in the murder investigation and attempts to get her family back on track.

I liked Cealie a lot. She is feisty, determined, and lovable. She has a cactus plant as a pet. Shaw does a good job of showing that grandmas can be sexy too.

Armchair Interviews says: Sexy grandmas, hmmmm.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, February 28, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Relative Danger (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the character of Cealie Gunther, the amateur grandmother detective, in this exciting adventure story.

Cealie goes to Chicago for her granddaughter's high school graduation and finds that her smart granddaughter is very scared and isn't going to school. One of the janitors has been murdered at the school and, for some reason, her granddaughter is now scared of attending.

Cealie then decides to substitute at the high school and find out who the murderer is.

I loved the fact that by the end of the story, Cealie has not only solved the mystery and connected with the man she loves, but also has mega-respect for teachers. Being a teacher myself, I always appreciate the acknowledgment that our job is not easy.

Being 50+ years old, I loved the love story and could identify with the feelings of an older adult -- but for teens, I could imagine the groans when the main character discusses her feelings about a sexual relationship. If they can get around that idea, though, then I think they will enjoy the rest of the novel.

Reviewed by: Marta Morrison