The Blood Ballad

I had lost touch with local historian and genealogist Torie O'Shea in recent years, as well as her little town of New Kassel, Missouri. I'll certainly have to go back and pick up the volumes I've missed after reading THE BLOOD BALLAD.

In this one, Torie deals with every genealogist's nightmare -- the possibility of what is euphemistically termed "a non-paternity event." In other words, a man shows up claiming to have evidence that her grandfather was actually the son of a well-known local musician. What's more, he has tapes that appear to show that the musician stole songs that Torie's grandfather wrote and copyrighted them as his own.

Meanwhile, Torie is working busily on events for the town, the main business of which is tourism. show more During a "Birding Olympics" she's been roped into, shots are fired and then she and her partner literally have a dead body thrown at them. While she's investigating all this, another tape surfaces, with a song that appears to be a murder confession. The usual complications of family life and Torie's conflicts with her stepfather, the former sheriff, add to the mix.

Anyone who prefers their cozy mysteries with a bit of meat to them would do well to read THE BLOOD BALLAD. show less

I love the Torie O'Shea novels, and this one is better than some of the recent ones. Some old recordings threaten to overturn Torie's carefully researched family trees. Torie and local busybody Eleanore Murdoch are in the path of bullets while they are out birding before a body gets "dumped" (almost) on them. Torie uses her genealogical sleuthing skills to help uncover the solutions to all of this.

This cozy series just keeps getting better and better.

Torie starts out the book by attending a Bird Olympics with Eleanor as her partner! If you've read any of the earlier books you would know that this is not going to turn out well. Once dusk sets in Torie is writing down birds for Eleanor and Eleanor is sitting in a tree when they hear gunfire. Two or three sharp reports. Then bullets start flying toward them and they run to get away. They make it down to the river and then the dead body is introduced to the story.

It was quite an opening and just the start of a rollicking good story.

One of the things I like best about this series is the realistic family life that surrounds Torie. She has two teenage daughters who fight violently show more (including throwing things at each other) and yet they will help each other occasionally. Matthew, her son, is six now and is into bugs and dead squirrels as well as superhero's and swings. Rudy just tries to keep peace and keep Torie alive.

The mysteries in these books are good, well plotted and mostly very realistic but it is the characters who shine in the stories and it is the characters who will keep bringing me back. show less

Local historian Torie O'Shea juggles several investigations in this series entry. While participating in New Kassel's birding Olympics, Torie and her partner are shot at and, as they run to get out of the shooter's range, narrowly miss being crushed by a trunk thrown from the road above them. The dead body in the trunk is the first of several mysteries competing for Torie's attention. The grandson of a famous family of musicians contacts Torie, claiming that her grandfather wasn't who she thought he was. An extra horse appears in the O'Shea's field. Whose horse is it and why was it left there? To top it all off, it's the Christmas season and Torie has events to organize and shopping to do.

This is one of my favorites in the Torie O'Shea show more series. I'm a country music/bluegrass fan, and I suspect that Rett MacPherson is, too. She creates a very convincing musical family along the lines of the Carter family. I recommend this book for cozy readers with interests in genealogy and/or the early years of country music. It isn't necessary to have read other books in the series. Although it includes recurring characters, the author provides enough background so that first-time readers shouldn't feel like they're missing something. show less

As those of you who read works in this particular genre know, after several books, most authors sort of wear out. They seem to lose the “thing” that made their series so good in the first place. This is an endless list, and it is not the intent to go into that with this review. Those who read “cozy” mysteries will know precisely what and whom I am talking about.
Well delight of delights! This sad little trait has not infected Rett MacPherson one little bit. This is number eleven in her Torie O’Ohea Mystery series and I do believe that Ms. MacPherson is actually getting better and better with each book. Those that are familiar with these particular novels know that they center around a small town in Eastern Missouri and that the show more main character, Torie O’Shea is the local town historian, owner of two museums, the town’s genealogist, mother of three children, owner of several animals, including horses, is involved in just about ever aspect of village life in the small community where she lives, knows most of the characters in the surrounding area and has a bad habit of getting involved with murder! This is one busy girl and if the reader is exhausted after reading one of the works in this series, then it is a good exhaustion and was well worth the effort.

Readers and fans will not be disappointed with this latest work. Torie becomes involved with birdwatchers, a rather wacky crew, right from the start, and good grief, she gets shot at and has a body thrown at her! She then becomes quite involved with a family who is a musical ledged in the area which lead her back to her own roots and a rather musical family. Mix this in with raising two teenage girls, a six year old son, solving the current murder while at the same time solving one that is 70 years old, along with her many civic and family responsibilities, and you have a very fast moving story that is absolutely hilarious at times. And oh, did I mention a mystery horse that shows up in their stable?

Due to the nature of this authors work, it is almost impossible to give a plot outline without throwing in spoilers in just about ever sentence. There are many twists and turns to this little book; each a bit of a mini-mystery within itself. Each of these many twists are quite logical and Ms. MacPherson is not one of those authors who, in desperation, throws in a last minute bit of information on the second to the last page to end her story. If you read, and read carefully, you may be able to figure out “who done it,” but then maybe not. That is one of the fun parts of reading this author’s books. I will say that the plot is more complex with this one than some of MacPherson’s past work, but that is a good thing and has certainly not increased to the point of being overwhelming, which as far as I am concerned, would take away one of the reasons I read these little mysteries.

It has been very interesting following the Torie O’Shea Mysteries as it has enable me to follow the growth and maturity of a very fine author and story teller. I always learn something from these books (genealogy), am entertained and in the end, want more. I do like these books and this author.

As a personal note, or notes: I was at first a bit offended at the author’s portrayal of birders (birdwatchers). You get the impression that these people are a bunch of rather eccentric individuals wondering around in the woods…ungraded. Being a birder for well over 50 years I suddenly did some self examination and had to admit that the author pretty well hit the nail on the head; indeed, we are a band of very strange critters, when all is said and done. Secondly; even though this story takes place near St Louis, Mo., it is in no way is about that city so the reader need not fear that. The setting is rather small town and rural.

This is a great little cozy mystery and I do home we have many more coming from this author in the future. Put this one on your “to read list,” as you will be in for a treat.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks show less

Genealogist Torie O'Shea and her team mate in the bird-watching Olympics hear gun shots and then are shot at. Running for cover they hunker in a gully when a trunk is thrown from the cliff above and bursts open revealing a badly beaten body. Besides being involved in this murder case Torie is also approached by a man with information that could potentially throw all of her genealogical work into question. Interesting mystery mixed with Torie's family dynamics.

I bought this book at a used bookstore, so the price was right, and it was a nice, quick read. Since I like mysteries and genealogy, it was a good fit during busy times.