Customer Reviews

The Weedless Widow

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Ahah! Another second book that lives up to the expectations created by the first one. Deborah Morgan's first mystery novel 'Death is a Cabaret' was marvelous, I thought, and I'm delighted to say I was not one teensy bit disappointed in this one.

Jeff Talbot is a most interesting character, very real and multi-faceted, and one of the author's greatest strengths is how well she gets in his head. A former FBI agent, Jeff is now an antique 'picker' searching out delectable items for his antique dealer friends and acquaintances. His wife, Sheila is housebound, due to a severe case of agoraphobia. She's become a whiz on the web, providing valuable assistance when Jeff is out in the field.

The Weedless Widow is an antique fishing lure, appropriate to the setting of the Northwest US, in and around Seattle, where water is everywhere. Jeff and several of his pals--of varying backgrounds--have traditionally spent time at a fishing camp, doing the 'male bonding' thing, enjoying each other's company, the fishing, and good food. Until this current trip, when he discovers Bill Rhodes, the owner of The Weedless Widow and host for the weekend, lying dead on the floor of his fishing tackle and bait store, surrounded by an assortment of tropical fish. Not all the fish are dead, however, and one of the clues to the time of death is how long a certain fish can exist out of water.

There are several other esoteric-type clues, too; in a computer, for instance, or the recently-renovated home of the dead man, or the fishing regalia of the camp-mates. In addition, it seems that Bill's extensive collection of antique lures is missing, but Bill had been hot on the trail of the thief. Could this be why he was murdered? All in all, the clues are fairly distributed, and lead to the logical solution.

One of the better fictional characters I've met in recent years is the Sheriff who keeps the law and order intact. Colleen McIvers is recuperating from a bout with cancer, but doesn't let that get in her way, as she sifts through the various clues while searching for the killer.

Along the way, Sheila is kidnapped, and Jeff has to realign his priorities all the while dealing with treachery among those he thought were his best friends.

There is a webliography as well as a bibliography at the back of the book, providing information on the many sources consulted by the author during the writing of the book. It's a fabulous treat. Now, it's just wait for the next one in the series.

Ex FBI agent Jeff Talbot is very content at being an antique dealer, buying "treasures" at yard sales and homes where the residents are leaving. He sells them back to collectors and stores that specialize in such items. This weekend he's leaving business behind and meeting with old friends to fish and play poker. Before Jeff reaches the cabin, he finds his friend Bill Rhodes murdered in his fish and bait shop.

Unable to forget the instincts that made him a good FBI agent, he starts questioning people including the victim's wife and mistress. He passes on the information he learns to the local sheriff and returns home to sort out some pickings, both his that he bought and Bill's fishing lures that his wife gave to Jeff on consignment. After a busy day of work he returns home to find his severely agoraphobic wife missing. Jeff's first priority is to find his wife and to do that he has to figure out if Bill's murder played a part in her disappearance, and if so, what?

Any woman who wants a man should pick one exactly like the hero of THE WEEDLESS WIDOW. He is sensitive, caring, earthy and strong-willed so anyone he cares about will know he's there for them. The mystery is enthralling, almost as much as the insider's look at a picker and an antique collector.

Harriet Klausner

Deborah Morgan doesn't miss a beat with The Weedless Widow, the follow-up to her debut novel, Death is a Cabaret. This second book, reminiscent of Ravel's Bolero, a constantly building crescendo from the opening note.

The story begins innocently enough with Jeff Talbot, ex-FBI agent turned antique picker, preparing for a relaxing weekend of fishing in a tranquil Pacific northwest stream with a few of his cronies. Jeff's expectations of a worry free vacation quickly evaporate when he stops at his favorite bait and tackle shop and finds the proprietor on the floor, brutally murdered.

Jeff does his best to stay out of the investigation and let the local sheriff handle it but he is drawn back into the case when the lady sheriff enlists his aid in order to pick his brain regarding a possible connection to some stolen antique fishing lures. The more Jeff probes the purloined fishing tackle, the more nervous the perpetrator becomes. Things get really serious for Jeff when his wife is kidnapped.

This novel has just the right mix of characters with very distinct personalities, each drawn vividly enough to make the story easy to follow. Every person plays a significant role keeping the tale quite lively and the plot flows very well at an ever accelerating pace.

Deborah Morgan has another winner here, a very pleasurable read. I'm sure that Jeff Talbot will be around for a long time.

I really enjoyed last year's Death is a Cabaret by Morgan. This sceond book in the series was worth the wait. The pacing of the story is wonderful, and again, I love the antique information in the book. Deborah Morgan's characters are like people I actually know, and it makes it that much more fun to read.

In this book, Jeff Talbot is off for a fishing weekend. And as often happens in mysteries, someone is found dead. Jeff's involvement makes sense and doesn't feel forced, like a lot of amatuer slueth books do. The ending is also wonderful.

I look forward to many more books in this series.

I am fast becoming a Debbie Morgan fan. I have to say that I was encouraged to read the first book by my mother. I wasn't really interested in reading it because it was about antiques and I am not a fan of them. However I was wrong. That book is for anyone who loves a mystery. It doesn't matter if you like antiques or not. So I was more open to reading this one when it came out. However, I do have to admit that I was also wary. It seems that after the first book in a series, the others just start going down hill. I am very happy to admit that this isn't the case with this series. I would say that the second book is as good as the first one. I had some questions left over after reading about Jeff's wife, but that didn't stop me from loving this book. I think that the writing is just as good and that part of the reason I enjoyed this book more then the first was because she spent more time talking about Jeff and his life. She talks about his friends and what they mean to him and she also talks about his life with his wife and her fear of the great outdoors. I'm sorry that I don't know the name of that fear. I would say to anyone who enjoys a good mystery to check this book out because it has become one of my all-time favorite books out there. I can't wait to find out what happens in the third book. I think that Debbie is going to be around for a very long time because she is able to make all the books in a series just as good (and exciting) as the first one, which is a talent that not a lot of authors have. That is in my experience. So in the end I think that everyone should read this book because there is no way that you can't love it. I even think that you would be OK reading the second book before reading the first. You won't be lost because there isn't really any mention about what happened in the first book (in the second book), but I do suggest that you read all of the books on Jeff. Enjoy and I hope you are able to solve the mystery before Jeff does. Have fun reading everyone!

I don't understand why this excellent series doesn't stay in print. This book, the second in the series and published quite recently in 2002, is just as good as book one, Death is a Cabaret. I've scavenged the web to find the rest of the series. Luckily, the most recent titles are still in print, but if they disappear as quickly as the first volumes, you'd best get them now. The mysteries are excellent, the antiques information plentiful but not distracting, and the characters fully realized. This series is *excellent.*

Okay, I'm hooked...attracted by a "Weedless Widow"! Even with the photo on the cover, I didn't "get" the title...I knew it would be something more pleasant than it would seem...but was surprised and amused at what a "Weedless Widow" truly is! Having wrestled with agoraphobia myself, I am sympathetic to Sheila's plight...and was quite worried about her in this mystery. Happy to know she's back with Greer and Jeff...and look forward to spending more time with them and Jeff's Woodie!