Dead Man's Bones

Bones have been unearthed in the cave in Mistletoe, Texas. Some were old but some were the remains from a not-so distant and not-so accidental death. I liked the book. Some of the characters were very humerus. I just like books with a little more "meat" to them and not so much "cutesy". My mother reads everything this authors writes and loves them so it's just a difference in tastes. If you like milder mysteries, this is your series of books.

China Bayles is a former defense lawyer but now runs an herb shop and tea shop with her friend Ruby in a small town in Texas. One day, her teenage son finds a human skeleton during a caving expedition that appears to have been shot. Later, a mean and disliked elderly woman shoots the town handyman saying he broke in and threatened her. China gets involved with all this plus both of her friends’ romantic troubles.

This was a decent cozy that had a lot going on. Besides the two main murders of the handyman and the skeleton in the cave, there were two minor mysteries with two other characters. It was clearly written and not confusing. A fair amount of the story involved China and her relationships with family and friends but I found them show more likable and enjoyed them. I guessed who the killer was about half way through but still enjoyed finding out how China and others figured it out. show less

China's stepson finds a 30 year old skeleton in a cave. The Obermanns have donated land and money for a new community theater providing the first production is a play written by Jane Obermann about her father. Jane is a haughty shrew and a bully used to pushing people around including her more timid sister Florence. She has written an awful play but China's friend, Ruby (cast as Jane's mother) finds a way to improve the play angering Jane. A local handyman with a grudge against the Obermanns seems to have broken into their home with a knife and ended up dead. It turns out that this is related to the skeleton.

The Obermann sisters, the elderly remnants of one of the wealthiest families in Pecan Springs, have decided to donate a building on their property to the local community theater group, with one stipulation: They must perform a play written by Miss Jane Obermann that celebrates the life of her father and family founder. But the opening night cast party is brought to an abrupt halt when a shot rings out and Miss Jane Obermann is found holding a smoking gun over the dead body of the local handyman who was apparently breaking into her home, armed with a butcher knife. And China's stepson, Brian, stumbles across a skeleton while exploring a cave, it opens a mystery that is at least 30 years old. China is the only person who sees that the show more secrets to be found in the dead man's bones will connect the two seemingly unrelated deaths in a way that will shock Pecan Springs to it's very core.

Another good one in a great series. 4 show less

I skipped "Dilly of a Death" by accident, but Albert does a pretty good job of catching you up with what you might have missed that you need to know so I didn't feel lost. For some reason though I didn't connect with this story as much as other books of the series. I did have the mystery more or less figured out very early on (perhaps that was why I was a little less enthralled?). Despite that, I'm hoping to go back to Dilly of a Death if I can find it locally sometime soon and plan to continue reading the series. I do have the next book waiting for me on the shelf when I ready to move forward.

Synopsis: Brian is working with people from the university to excavate some ancient Indian relics but finds a skeleton of someone from the current century. Meanwhile China is landscaping the new playhouse that has been donated by two elderly ladies, one of whom is driving everyone crazy with her demands. Then the local handyman is shot breaking into the house of the two old women.
Review: Most of the book was interesting, but there were several loose ends that never were resolved and the murders (three, eventually) should have been tied together more closely.

Son Brian stumbled on a long-dead skeleton in a cave and China and Ruby solve the mystery of who it was and how it got there, while Ruby stars in a homegrown play about a town philanthropist.