Cut and Dry (Ruby Crane Mystery) (Paperback)

by Jo Dereske (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Handwriting analyst Ruby Crane teams up with an ex-cop to investigate a murder in her midwestern hometown and begins to unlock deadly secrets that could cause her to become the next victim. Original."

From the Publisher
The strangulation death of a woman from Ruby Crane's small Michigan town ignites a chilling investigation into the dark side of the quiet community--and Ruby Crane becomes the target of a killer. When she strikes up an acquaintance with the mysterious stranger across the lake, she finds an ex-cop who's willing to help her. But he has his own dark secrets that drove him to this small town--secrets he wants no one to know.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dell (August 11, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440222222
• ISBN-13: 978-0440222224
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #220,072 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy Read, August 9, 2004

By	J. Jewell (Silver City, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was an entertaining and easy read. The characters were interesting, the story line moved right along. If you want a story that doesn't get involved in a lot of details, this is for you. The beauty shop is not the main focus, but is the local hairdresser that is killed. The handwriting analysis is an added feature if you want to know some tricks of that trade.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Cozy, November 5, 2006

By	Rosamede (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

I love Dereske's Zukas books and decided to read this while waiting for the next one. It took me a few tries to get into this one but I ended up liking it. Ruby Crane is a likable and believable character. Her life is hard; handicapped daughter, little money and trying to adjust to living in her hometown once more. On top of that, she's been asked to look into the murder of a friend.

The mystery that unfolds is well told and can keep you guessing whodunit until the end. However, the confrontational scene seemed a little rushed and I didn't quite buy it. But the rest of the book was told well with a strong narrative voice. There was always something going on and the story seemed to pick up after the first few chatpers. There was a bit overtelling or explaining in some parts but that's par for the territory in these types of books.

Read this if you want a nice cozy mystery and a likeable and strong protagonist.

If there are any other Zukas fans out there - I noticed that Ruby's daughter, Jesse had some mannerisms that are similar to Miss Zuaks'; lining things up exactly, logical sequential, etc. Perhaps that type of personality was the prototype for Helma later.