Customer Reviews

Shoveling Smoke: Selected Mystery Stories

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

 

 

I AM NOT A FAN OF SHORT STORIES, BUT THIS VOLUME FROM MARGARET MARON IS OUTSTANDING. SHE CAPTURES CHARACTERS, ENVIRONMENT, AND LITTLE CHILLS UP ONE'S SPINE WITH JUST A "SWIPE OF HER BRUSH." THESE TALES ARE NOT FOR READING WHILE WAITING--THEY MUST BE SAVORED: COMFORTABLE COUCH, WITH PLENTY OF ROOM FOR CATS; BEVERAGE OF CHOICE AT HAND; AND NO INTERRUPTIONS, PLEASE.

I like collections of short stories because they can be read at leisure. This is a collection of 22 stories written between 1968 and 1997. It includes stories featuring Judge Deborah Knott, stories featuring Lieutenant Sigrid Harald, and some additional stories. The stories range from funny to tragic. Hopefully, the stories will not put ideas into your head. Some of them may be about things that you would like to do to someone. As noted in "Mrs. Howell and Criminal Justice 2.1," you need to apply KISS (Keep it simple, stupid), and what better way to learn than to take a class.

MARGARET MARON IS A CROSS BETWEEN DEAN KOONTZ & AGATHA CHRISTIE . THIS IS A COLLECTION OF SOME OF HER SHORT STORIES AND THEY ARE JUST AS GOOD AS HER JUDGE KNOTT SERIES

Margaret Maron's SHOVELING SMOKE is an outstanding example of her story telling skills. 22 snipets of mystery flavor, just the taste for a cold winter's night by the first to sample the strength of this award winning author.
Nash Black, author of SANDPRINTS OF DEATH.

"Shoveling Smoke" - This is a delightful collection of short stories. I bought this primarily for the two Sigrid Harold stories, but it is well worth buying for the entire collection.

"Lieutenant Harald And The Impossible Gun" - a short story that could have taken place any time before "The Right Jack". A short little nothing that highlights Sigrid's formidable intelligence.

"Lieutenant Harald And the `Treasure Island' Treasure" - Buried treasure, children's stories, and mystery figure into Lieutenant Harald and The `Treasure Island' Treasure, a traditional puzzler. When the caretaker of a large estate died, he left dozens of hand-made maps, one of which led to a treasure. Lieutenant Harald promised to help find the map as a favor to a friend, never dreaming that the treasure was real. She solves the puzzle by mentally assembling the clues in the correct order. This story fits between the first and second books in the series.