Die Me a River

Die Me A River may be the second book in the Welcome Back to Scumble River series, but it is a continuation of A Scumble River Mystery series. If you are new to this series of books, begin with Dead in the Water. If you are up for a challenge, pick up Murder of a Small-Town Honey (go all the way back to the beginning). I thought Die Me A River was easy to read with eccentric characters and a quirky small town. Denise Swanson has an engaging writing style that draws the reader into the Scumble River world. It can be hard, though, to keep track of the all extraneous characters especially in the beginning. Skye has an extended family and many close friends along with co-workers, Wally’s family, Wally’s co-workers, the townspeople (you show more get the picture). There is plenty of humor in the story as Skye learns to deal with the twins, Carson’s new girlfriend (and how they learn who it is will have you chuckling), the fairy godmother (her outfit alone will cause you to snicker), May’s over-the-top plans for the party, and the incident at the party are just a few examples. While Die Me A River has a delightful homey feel to it, the mystery was lacking. There is misdirection as the author tries to steer readers away from the real killer, but there are a limited number of suspects. Readers will have no problem solving this whodunit. I would like to suggest the author consider Homer as a victim in a future story (he is an obnoxious ignoramus). I could have done with fewer lovey dovey moments between Wally and Skye (they are sweet, but this is not a romance novel), references to Skye’s weight (which is normal after having a baby), and less focus on how much money Carson has at his disposable (and is spending on Wally, Skye and the babies). I am glad that the new parents are trying to eliminate vulgar swear words from their vocabulary (I dislike seeing them in my cozy mysteries), and they are coming up with some creative alternatives. It was lovely to finally find out the names that Skye and Wally had picked out for the twins. Die Me A River is an enticing cozy mystery with peculiar characters and an appealing small town. show less

Another comforting visit to Scumble River. The aftermath of the tornado is still very evident, with insurance adjusters and builders all scrambling for their piece of the pie. Wally and Skye are busy with their new twins, her mother is planning a huge baptism/shower party where they will finally reveal the babies names. When an explosion at the bowling alley involves Bunny and her newest beau as suspects, both are invested in searching for the culprit.

School psychologist Skye Denison-Boyd stopped pacing, tucked a stray curl into her messy bun, and plopped onto one of the chairs facing Homer Knapik's desk. She'd been waiting fifteen minutes; the high school principal hadn't yet graced her with his presence.

Constant action; Denise Swanson is one of my favorite authors.