Eye of the Storm

Here is another mystery that I vividly remembered in great detail even though I've only read it once many years ago. Sharon McCone travels to a remote island in the Sacramento Delta at the behest of her sister, Patsy, to investigate some haunting events at the future bed-and-breakfast Patsy and her friends want to open. The climax is truly memorable, occurring during a torrential downpour that nearly costs Sharon her life. Marcia Muller has done an excellent job in the plotting and pacing of the mystery, and the characters are very well-developed. Plus we get a further glimpse into the Sharon's complex family.

A good solid read. I like the McCone character enough that I'm going back through the earlier works. This one is different because it gets her out of San Francisco. You can tell a lot of research went into it in describing the Sacramento Delta and the historic town of Locke with its rural Chinese settlement. The story was a bit convoluted and most of the characters were very unlikeable, but it was a good diversion.

Good mystery, using 1988 Delta storm as a major factor. McCone tries to help her sister and runs into two murders and several failed attempts on her life. The history of the haunted house and family, plus a sketch by her nephew, enable her to finally figure it out, almost too late

Saw this listed in Overdrive and I had read a lot of Marcia Muller books back in the 80s but had missed this one. Sharon takes vacation time to visit her sister and her latest venture, a B&B on an island only accessible by ferry. Strange things are happening the Inn has a history and some believe it's haunted and Patsy wants Sharon's help. Of course the storm of the century arrives and leaves them stranded with a murderer but Sharon solves the case and saves the day with the help of her nephew, Andrew.

Essentially a locked-room mystery in the Sacramento Delta, which I will have to look up in my atlas!

group on Delta island with murderer