I love the China Bayles mysteries. I have definitely not read these books in any kind of order, but it is still so easy to pick one up and get involved with China and her Texas friends. Each book also covers some craft or hobby that seems to fit into the mystery. This particular book, as you may imagine, begins with China and a friend planning a workshop to teach participants how to make dyes from native plants. The mystery itself was pretty easy for me to figure out, but I enjoyed the journey. First the town bully of an almost ghost town is killed by a booby-trap he created. Then a gorgeous journalist is found bludgeoned to death. Along with following China and her clairvoyant friend, Ruby, as they track down leads, Albert manages to throw in some environmental issues and lots of relationship twists. There are 18 books in this series now. If you can read them in order, do, because than you can follow how the relationship between China and McQuaid begins and develops. If, like me, you just grab one and get started; it's still okay. It's pretty easy to figure out what's going on. The books are great for a light summer mystery. Try to squeeze in two or three each year.
Rating: 4
I thought I left a comment on this earlier . . . It must have got lost in the same place my mind did. (and my waist!)
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