Mallets Aforethought

The mystery was pretty good, but one thing I've noticed about this series is that Ms. Graves seems to re-write her characters with every book. Ellie's dress eccentricities become more pronounced with every book (which is kind of annoying, frankly) and it seems like Jake's perception of Sam's drug problems as a young teen have become more extreme with each book. In the first couple, he wasn't described as so hard core. One reason I like series is to see the characters evolve, but it's almost like each book in this series re-invents the characters' past. Also, the resolution to the legal problems of Jake's father & Jemmy was too easy.

Ellie is pregnant, very pregnant. And surprises of surprises she and Jake find two bodies in a 'secret room' of an old house that the Eastport Historical Society is fixing up. Of course in addition to the dead body that has been there for many years they also find a body that hasn't been there for too long at all.

Then George, Elli's husband gets accused and arrested of the recent body's murder. That'd be fine if he'd have told everyone his alibi, but for some reason he won't, a secondary mystery to the big mystery of who done it. (Since as the reader I was 98% sure that he didn't do it.).

So, after George is arrested, Ellie and Jake do their thing, snooping and trying to figure out who else could have done the murder, and alternating in show more getting good information and bad information.

That was the part of the novel that wasn't as great, the mystery part of the mystery just seemed a bit too obvious to me from the very start. And in general I've found that the twists and turns in the mystery of this series aren't as surprising as they were at the beginning of the series.

Still, the characters were still all awesome and most of them were very well written. And the relationships that always seem to be changing and shifting seemed very real as well.

I also liked how the characters have grown during the series, not in a fast way, but in a very real way. show less

Jake and Ellie have volunteered to help fix up the old Harlequin mansion to use for the Historical Society gala. Behind the old wallpaper they find a sealed door and a secret room with 2 bodies, one recent and one old. Ellie's husband George had a grievance with Hector, the recent body, and becomes a prime suspect. The old one, a woman from the 20s, was the mistress of Ellie's uncle who owned the house years ago and was shot in the head. Both women start looking into both murders because of their close connection to Ellie. Side stories on Jake's friend Jemmy and her son Sam's friend Tommy give the story depth. Good mystery.

Very well done. I've not read any other books in this series, but I found the characters to be interesting and realistic, the setting very true-to-life, and the puzzle well thought out. The very small subplot concerning Jake's father never really made much sense, and I can't really figure out the dark Mafia and long-time fugitive hints at all. I suppose I have to read more in the series, but it all came off a bit like someone telling tall tales to make herself seem important. There's also a bit with the cliched character who has something important to say but dies before it can be said. Still, excellent overall, and I will read more.

Yes, the murderer was fairly obvious early on. Murder mystery series set in a small town in Maine, eventually that happens. (Just ask Jessica Fletcher/Angela Lansbury.) Still quite well done.

This is another great book by this author. Sarah Graves does a great job of hooking the reader into the mystery. I cannot believe the focus i have when reading her boks. I know that the home repair angel is just a hook but it is strong enough to keep me going.

Great stuff, great setting. Mystery without some of the horror and gore...wonderful!