Lisa Bork

“For Richer, for Danger” is the second in the Broken Vows Mystery Series. Not only is this book a good mystery, it’s also a lesson in relationships and what can happen when good friends and life partners keep secrets from each other.
Protagonist Jolene Parker and her police-deputy husband Ray love each other deeply. But their marriage is rocky because Ray wants children and Jolene, for reasons I can’t divulge here, does not. They become foster parents for an adorable baby girl and show more the experience draws them closer together as a couple. They want to make their parenthood permanent, but the adoption proceedings hit a roadblock when the given name of the baby’s birth mother traces back to a dead girl.
Lisa Bork’s characters are richly drawn and complex. “For Richer, for Danger” is not a typical cozy with frothy fun on every page. Rather, it makes a reader care about the characters long after the book is over. In this book, as in life itself, no one is ever guaranteed a happy ending. You have to work for it.

Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, author of “Moving Can Be Murder” for Suspense Magazine show less

This book did not have the ending that I was expecting. This is the first mystery that I have read where the the main characters' stories overshawdowed the mystery so much. 'For Richer for Danger' was more a story of relationships, trust issues, and all of the characters had flaws except for cute baby Noelle. I still enjoyed it, got involved in it and it made me think about whether or not it is good to tell everything to the ones you love. The characters were complex and well developed and I show more think I would like to read the previous book in this series, 'For Better For Murder'. I have gotten to know the characters so well that I don't want to close the door on them. show less

Jolene Asdale seems to be driven to prove herself as a successful business woman. I'm not quite clear to whom she is trying to prove this. Possibly herself--she doesn't seem to make very good business choices--overbidding on a car up or auction with no funds to pay the difference (at a time that she admits to needing money). Possibly the town council who seem to be interested in moving her business off the main strip.

Another confusing point is that Jolene and Ray are not really divorced, show more even though we, the readers, are lead to believe that they are at the beginning of the book. They seem to care for each other but let a disagreement about having a child split them apart. Jolene is not interested in having a child due to a family history of mental illness that she doesn't want to pass on to her offspring--admirable, but instead of exploring other options with her husband (adoption, foster-parenting, hiring a surrogate, etc.) she chooses to walk away from her marriage.

Jolene finds the body of a man she dated in one of her showroom cars. Her husband is the investigating officer. Then, Jolene's sister escapes the psychiatric hospital with another patient. Ray suspects them of robbing several stores. A DeLorean disappears from Jolene's garage.

Jolene spends her time trying to deflect suspicion from both herself and her sister--and later her mechanic. In the process, embezzlement is exposed, and a way is found to fulfill Ray's wish for a family as well as Jolene's wish to not have a biological child.

I did not guess the culprit until close to when it was revealed. show less

Not a bad little mystery. Even though I could probably care less about sports cars (the protagonist sells them), the premise is interesting. Light, readable, quirky characters and good plot twists; I will certainly read the next in the series.