Final Notice: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Mass Market Paperback)

by Jo Dereske (Author) "On Thursday afternoon, when the phone call came, Miss Helma Zukas was refereeing an argument between two Bellehaven Public Library patrons who each accused the..." (more)
Key Phrases: coal dock, amber necklace, purse snatcher, Aunt Em, Wayne Gallant, Bad Black (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Librarians seldom have as much fun--or as many direct references to dead bodies--as Miss Helma Zuckas, master sleuth and loaner of all things literary. When Miss Zuckas, librarian to the core, starts digging in the family archives, she turns up some deadly secrets. Unless she can learn the whole story, the final chapters are about to be written as a tale of mystery, mayhem...and murder.

About the Author
Jo Dereske grew up in western Michigan and is a former librarian who now lives with her husband in the northwest corner of Washington state. She is currently at work on the sixth book in the Miss Zukas series.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Avon (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380782456
• ISBN-13: 978-0380782451
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #305,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aunt Em comes for a visit, April 24, 2002

By	Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Helma Zukas' brother calls with the news that their Aunt Em has had an accident and is unable to care for herself for awhile. Helma steps in and volunteers to take time off from her job as a librarian to take care of her favorite aunt. As soon as Aunt Em arrives, strange things begin to happen, from stolen suitcases to the appearance of a dead body. Aunt Em seems to be at the center of the occurrences and Helma begins to suspect that her aunt's past is not quite as pristine as she had believed. She and her best friend Ruth begin to investigate the people who surround Aunt Em and finally discover a motive for the crimes which have been committed. Aunt Em is blissfully unaware of the stir that she is causing and proceeds to befriend several people in Bellehaven. She is a delightful character who would be an asset in future books. As always, this Miss Zukas Mystery, is a fun and enjoyable read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the series!, October 28, 1998

By	Corinne H. Smith (Athol, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Shame on you, if you're a school or public librarian and haven't yet devoured these Helma Zukas murder mysteries! The plots become even merrier with every fun-poking gibe at current librarianship. In "Final Notice," Helma's aunt takes center stage as she visits Bellehaven from her native Michigan. Murder and intrigue come with her, and it's up to Helma (as usual) to decipher who the culprit is before he/she can wreak more havoc. The running romantic sub-plot between the librarian and police chief Wayne Gallant is a continuing saga with subtle nuances that reflect real life experiences. These books can be enjoyed by ANY mystery lover, and not just those of us in the book-loaning trade.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining addition to the series., May 31, 1999

By	Theresa L. Krause "terrikrause" (Hanover Park, IL United States) - See all my reviews

Jo Dereske's Helma Zukas, librarian and amateur sleuth, is one of my favorite fictional characters. This series always keeps me laughing, both at Helma and and her friend Ruth's exploits, and at the shenanigans going on at Helma's library. This latest adventure is no exception, as Helma's elderly aunt gets involved in a murder. Ruth is her usual over-the-top self, and Helma has to suply the common sense for all of them. It will be interesting to see if the author works Helma's aunt into upcoming books. Highly recommended