A PHANTOM DEATH
ANNETTE MAHON
ISBN# (13)978-0-373-26591-6 / (10)0-373-26591-3
February 2007
Worldwide Library, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd
225 Duncan Mill Rd. Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9
Paperback
$5.99
252 Pages
Mystery
Rating: 4 Cups

Maggie Browne is widowed, leaving her plenty of time to snoop around in things she should leave well enough alone. But that does not stop her from plowing ahead when her sons' childhood friend is murdered.

The St. Rose Quilting Bee likes nothing better than to rehash the plots of movies, books, and television shows. But now a real murder has happened close to Maggie’s old home and they are bound and determined to figure out who did it, before the cops, if possible.

When one of the cast of the local production of The Phantom of the Opera is murdered and it turns out to be a childhood friend of her sons, Maggie cannot help but get involved in the case. Since she is a volunteer at the theater, she interviews the prime suspects, much to the angst of her policeman son Michael. However, soon someone thinks she is getting too close to the truth and tries to scare her off. Is it the killer? Can Maggie and the rest of the quilters solve the murder before the police, or will she be the next victim?

Maggie is much like anyone’s mother in that she was worried first about how her children were affected by the murder. I liked that, as it makes for a realistic character. The way she and the other ladies went over the evidence they collected was entertaining and the one ‘gloomy Gus’ in the bunch made me laugh because we all know one. A Phantom Death is a wonderful mystery that keeps you guessing until the end and gives you great characters you will keep thinking about long after. I hope we will see more of Maggie Brown and her Arizona Mysteries very soon.

Jenn
Reviewer For Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer For Karen Talk About New Books