Murder of a Botoxed Blonde (2007)

The latest in the Scumble River Mysteries series featuring Skye Denison, a school psychologist. This murder adventure takes place at a health spa where Trixie Frayne, Skye’s best friend, has convinced her, much to her dismay, to spend her Thanksgiving complete with tofu turkey and lectures on how to “dress for sexcess”.

Scumble River’s favorite school psychologist and her friend Trixie Frayne are enjoying a long Thanksgiving weekend at the new spa in town. But Skye Denison is there to work, not necessarily to work out; she’s profoundly grateful for that. Owner Margo Avanti wants Skye to figure out who’s vandalizing the grounds – most likely the vandals are seeking jewels supposedly buried on the old Bruefeld estate decades earlier.

Before Skye gets started on her investigation, one of the others guests is murdered. That brings in the Scumble River chief of police Wally Boyd. Since Skye is a paid consultant to the department, that takes her off one case and brings her into another. Working closely with Chief Boyd is no chore – they’re in the will-they-won’t-they-do-it stage of their relationship.

Complicating both the murder investigation and Skye’s and Wally’s romance is the presence of some other not-so-welcome guests: Skye’s mom, the mother of Skye’s former beau, another friend Loretta (who’s dating Skye’s brother Vince) and a reporter from the high-school newspaper. Meanwhile, Skye experiences all the angst of a plus-size woman in a petite-size world -- plus hunger pangs brought on by the meager spa diet.

Skye Denison is one of cozy fiction’s sweetest heroines. She’s smart, funny, insecure and a dogged sleuth. Although I enjoyed Murder of a Botoxed Blonde, some of my favorite characters seem to be missing: the rank-and-file citizens of Scumble River, Illinois. The outsiders who dominate the cast of Murder of a Botoxed Blonde (ninth in the series) aren’t quite as funny or as developed as the Scumbletonians. Granted, Skye doesn’t venture far away from home by going to the spa, and the author brings some favorite characters into the story for brief cameos. But Skye is far enough away from home that I noticed. This may be one of the times when absence truly does make the heart grow fonder and I’ll enjoy the next entry in this popular series even more.

By Diana. First published in Mystery News, June-July 2007 issue. ( )

Skye Denison has won a free spa weekend at Scumble River's newest spa and salon, but only if she agrees to investigate the vandalism that has been going on. She, of course, stumbles across a dead body that has been drowned in the miracle mud bath. Skye and her very lively and very abundant (in this novel) cohorts try to sort through the mess and find a murderer.

Another brava for Ms. Swanson, all her books are a delight to read. ( )

Another enjoyable read in the Scumble River series. The characters continue to grow in believable ways and as always there is a murder to solve. The supporting cast of Trixie, Frannie, May, and Bunnie were given more to do and became more real during this book. The only downside is Skye's continual obsession about her weight and her negative outlook on anyone who might be thin or striving to look their best. Maybe her comments are meant to mask her insecurities but she comes across as rather judgmental at times. ( )