"Entertaining cozy"

Sixty-three years old Maxie McNabb enjoys hitting the road with her RV accompanied by her mini-dachshund, perhaps the only Alaskan resident not to have a husky. When Maxie learns that her friend Sarah Numamaker is dying, she decides to visit her pal in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Sarah is elated that Maxie is coming to see her, but not just because she enjoys her company, which she does. Sarah needs Maxie to help her with a problem, but will not explain what it is until her visitor arrives. Maxie finds Sarah's house has been turned upside down and her buddy is in the hospital. Sarah dies, but not from her illness but because someone killed her. As the executor, Maxie must settle Sarah's estate, which she has left to her adopted son and any natural children of her own, of which Maxie did not know any existed. Ed Norris claims that Sarah's adopted son, Alan, is actually his; Alan denies any blood ties while openly acts hostile towards Maxie and Ed. As Maxie tries to learn who killed her friend, she also researches relationships to see whether Ed or Alan is telling the truth even while wondering what Sarah needed for her to do.

Though the story line moves at the pace of driving an RV from Alaska to Colorado, fans will appreciate this entertaining cozy due to the delightful sexagenarian charmer Maxie. She makes for a fine tale with her friendly open approach to people even when she is rebuked by her friend's son. Sue Henry, known for her scenic Alaska mysteries, shows she can entertain readers with a lower Forty-Eight tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 10, 2004

From an author whose "twists and turns keep you turning the pages" (Denver Post) comes a brand-new mystery series starring Maxie McNabb—an independent retiree whose adventures across the country in her motor home are destined for murderous roadblocks.

Summary

At 63, Maxie is cruising down the Alaska Highway in her brand-new Winnebago. She's always been a gypsy at heart—and with her mini-dachshund at her side, and the open road ahead, she's never been happier. But before her exploration of the Lower Forty-eight gets underway, Maxie needs to figure out who burglarized her friend's Colorado home—and why. But the closer Maxie gets to solving the puzzle, the more it becomes chillingly clear that her friend's life isn't the only one on the line...