Another cozy series set in the woods. Not bad, sort of cute. ( )

The body of Hope McDonald, a wealthy advice columnist, is spotted in the fancy dining room of her waterfront mansion in Loon Lake, Wisconsin by a young girl and her brother who are fishing on the dead woman’s pier. It’s up to Police Chief Lewellyn Ferris to find the murderer – so she enlists the help of her significant other, the retired dentist “Doc” Osborne.

In the meantime, Doc has agreed to help his friend Ray Pradt. Ray has found sudden celebrity offering a seminar on “Fishing for Girls” – designed to teach women how to fish so they can hook a man. Doc winds up on a pontoon boat with Ray and five novice fisherwomen for an all-day excursion to help the students hone their skills.

Lew is in the midst of a campaign for county sheriff, but finds herself with zero time to knock on doors, shake hands and kiss babies because she has more on her plate than the McDonald murder. A masked duo is robbing banks, and questions about a long-ago multiple murder case arise, casting doubt on the supposed solution.

Dead Jitterbug is subtitled A Loon Lake Fishing Mystery – and it is more “fishing” than “mystery” at times. For someone not familiar with the jargon of fishing, it can be confusing at best, and a major distraction at worst. Another frustrating aspect was the author’s switching back and forth in time without clearly alerting the reader. I also thought the investigation of McDonald murder, the book’s intended focus, was diluted by the addition of other crimes … creating an unlikely and somewhat scattered story.

First published in Mystery News, June-July 2005 issue. ( )