MacLaren Yarborough is a very busy lady. Her husband, Joe Riddley, recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, requires her nearly constant attention while he is re-educated to learn to perform every day tasks. At the same time, MacLaren has to take care of the family business and is a town magistrate.
To celebrate Joe Riddley's improvements and his 65th birthday, MacLaren throws a birthday party which ends up with an uninvited dead guest. Keeping the murder a secret while the party progresses, the judge manages to get the sheriff to start the investigation and keep her guests happy at the same time.
This mystery is complex and yet simple. Some of the events are predictable and others are surprising. I thought it was tremendously woven to combine these aspects and it was sheer pleasure to read. I definitely need to find the first two in this series. 4 stars ( )