18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Timely Vision, May 16, 2010
This review is from: A Timely Vision (A Missing Pieces Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)
The cover says 'First in an All-New Series'. I sincerely hope so!
Dae O'Donnell has the gift of finding things. (If you've lost something, she can hold your hands and she can see where it is.) She has a shop, 'Missing Pieces', full of donations and 'found' things. She is also the mayor of the town 'Duck' which pays all of $1000 per year, expects her to it that things are done, attend openings, hold meetings, and answer to the population!
It's the 4th of July, and the town is full of summer day visitors. A storm is coming in, the visitors are leaving and Miss Mildred, 92, has come to Dae to see if she can find a watch she lent to her sister, Miss Elizabeth, 90. Miss Elizabeth hasn't returned it and won't answer her phone, so she wants to find out where it is. (Elizabeth and Mildred have not been friends since Elizabeth stole Mildred's boyfriend, years and years ago.)
Dae goes to Elizabeth's house, but she isn't answering and has been known to wander off. She is getting ready to call the police chief when a voice asks her if she's trying to break in! She drops her phone, turns and sees the new owner of 'The Blue Whale', an inn which has been out of business and neglected for years. Kevin Brickman has retired to Duck and intends to restore the inn.
When the Chief comes and determines that Miss Elizabeth isn't home, the townspeople set up a search for her as the storm is getting very bad and she might be out in it.
Kevin and Dae start off and she sees Mary Lou Harcourt and helpers trying to save turtle eggs and she goes down to the beach to tell Mary Lou that she can't help. As she goes back up to Kevin, she trips, and when she looks to see what tripped her, she sees Miss Elizabeth's arm! They have to recover the body as the sand is washing away in the storm. Kevin helps uncover her body and carries it up to safety. Her purse is missing, and they assume that it was washed away. She never went out without the purse.
Everyone is shocked and unhappy as it appears that she was murdered. There is a cut on her head.
When Dae tells Miss Mildred that the purse is missing, she says that Elizabeth brought it to her a day or so ago, and produces it. As Elizabeth was dead at the time, suspicion arises that perhaps Miss Mildred killed her and doesn't remember it. A small shovel is found in her shed, one that fits the blow. She is arrested and then put in a nursing home with criminals under police surveyance. Dae doesn't believe that Mildred did it.
Kevin asks her to find a key for him. He has one room that he can't get into. She finds the key and they open the room only to have a big surprise!
The next thing the town discovers is that both Miss Mildred's and Miss Elizabeth's properties have been put up for auction! As Dae starts investigating, she finds a lot of chicanery has been
going on by a realtor and a newscaster.
This is a fast, very enjoyable read.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read, May 25, 2010
This review is from: A Timely Vision (A Missing Pieces Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)
The writing is crisp, the characters are well-formed and the story is unique and interesting. A sophisticated cozy with a protagonist who has a special talent for finding things. Even if you don't quite believe in her unique beyond the norm gift, you can still find lots to like in this clever read based in the Outer Banks. I can't wait for book two and will look for others by this writing duo.
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