When the murder of a popular judge in the small town of Purple Sage, Texas, proves to be an exact copy of one in her new novel, writer Jolie Wyatt investigates, trying to head off suspicion that she is the killer.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The second book this fall with a title punned from Zane Grey (see Joe R. Lansdale's Writer of the Purple Rage, reviewed above) is a neatly crafted debut set in the town of Purple Sage, Tex. Narrator Jolie Wyatt, a fledgling mystery writer, has lived there for three years, drawn from Austin by her now defunct marriage. A writers' group she has started is full of colorful women-and then full of suspects after a venerable judge is murdered with a ploy taken from Jolie's novel-in-progress. Her novel and a recent altercation with the judge draw suspicion to Jolie, who sleuths to exculpate herself. Her investigations lead her to focus on a number of the writing group's members, including a newspaper reporter with a secret; a woman whose father killed himself long ago after selling land to the judge; and another whose youthful indiscretion with marijuana put her in the deceased's courtroom. While solving the murder, Jolie grows to understand her struggles with independence, allowing her to decide whether to return to Austin. Despite the self-consciousness of novice Smith's writing about a novice writer, the story is briskly told, the characters well rounded and Purple Sage promising as a rich setting for future tales from this talented newcomer.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
When someone murders a well-loved local judge using methods described in her not-yet-published book, Jolie Wyatt becomes the prime suspect. Already frazzled by a new divorce and a teenaged son, Jolie now suffers ostracism, vandalism, and attempted murder. Approaching the case as a "fictional" detective would, Jolie searches newspaper files for clues to character and discovers evidence linking the judge to illegal land transactions. Use of a writer's group as focal point serve this talented first novelist well. For most collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A well-rounded mystery,
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This review is from: Writers Of The Purple Sage (Paperback)
Jolie Wyatt, recently divorced and trying to raise a teenage son, is meeting with her writers' group one night when she learns that Judge Volney Osler has died. What might not have been such a big deal--after all, people do die, and the Judge was old--becomes a very big deal when it turns out that the Judge was murdered. What was a very big deal becomes a huge deal when the murderer's method turns out to be one Jolie herself devised for her as-yet-unpublished mystery novel. Since she had shared her manuscript with only the other members of the group and the officer investigating the crime, the list of suspects is small indeed. When the police officer devotes particular attention to Jolie, the townspeople of Purple Sage have little trouble narrowing the suspect list down to one: Jolie. The fact that Jolie had an argument with the victim shortly before his death does little to help her case.With a very personal interest in solving the crime to absolve herself, Jolie begins to poke around. Soon she discovers motives for many of her writing group, but still the solution seems elusive--and the danger seems to be getting closer to home. With a son to protect and an ex-husband trying to protect her (and threaten her independence), Jolie finds that her efforts to solve the crime are not entirely consistent with her efforts to maintain her small family. "Writers of the Purple Sage" is Barbara Burnett Smith's first novel in the Purple Sage series, and it is a most enjoyable read. Smith juggles a traditional cozy mystery in the Christie sense with a domestic tale, and it is the latter that really gives the novel its strength. Jolie Wyatt, as a single mother, is a very sympathetic character who is afraid of losing the life she has provided for her son and who has become an island unto herself. The events surrounding the murder threaten her and her son, and she fights back bravely. While the everyday citizen investing a crime so thoroughly can be problematic (and is indeed a problem in many of the novels of the cozy mystery genre), Smith seems well aware of this problem and has made strides toward explaining Jolie's sleuthing. Jolie investigates in self-defense. I'm not sure that this justification works completely, and there are times when Jolie seems a bit too brazen for either her own good or common sense, but overall the novel works well and is a pleasure to read.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun reading "cozy",
By
This review is from: Writers Of The Purple Sage (Paperback)
In genre increasing its use of gore and violence, "Writers of the Purple Sage" is a welcome diversion. While quite modern and friendly in its manner, "Writers" evolks images of mysteries of days gone by. No blood, guts, gore and profanity here - just a tightly knit mystery that doesn't bring you down.
5.0 out of 5 stars
solid mystery with interesting heroine,
This review is from: Writers Of The Purple Sage (Paperback)
this book took me by surprise. I started reading it because the idea of a writers group and an unpublished manuscript forecasting a real murder was very intriguing. but I didn't go into it with any particular expectations since I'm new to this series. I found myself very pleasantly wrapped up in this story. first off, the heroine, Jolie, has very good reasons for sleuthing and getting involved. it's not sheer nosiness that drives her on, which I appreciate. also there are several plausible suspects. and rather than eliminate them one by one as the reader progresses, as so often happens in the less-challenging mystery novels, Jolie considers, dismisses, then re-considers each one throughout the book-and with good reason. the solution was believable and satisfying. the real substance of this book, though, came from Jolie's character, her depth, her unresolved feelings toward her ex-husband who obviously still loves her, and her struggle with asserting her independence but at what cost. these themes proved to be pretty substanitive and I liked how everything came together. I will definitely be seeking out the other books in this series.
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