"Fantastic amateur sleuth"
China Bayles left a thriving law practice in Houston to
become a shop owner in Pecan Springs, a quiet little town
except for the occasional murder that somehow China is
always investigating. Homicide is the last thing on
China's mind as she gets ready for Picklefest, an annual
event celebrating Morgan's Premier Pickles, the largest
pickle making place west of the Mississippi. Phoebe Morgan controls Picklefest with an iron fist in a
velvet glove. When the committee needs to meet with
Phoebe, neither she, nor her boy toy Todd Kellerman can be
found. A hard rain flushes Phoebe's body out of a
containment area right outside the pickle factory. It
isn't long before, the sheriff discovers that she was
killed but she had so many enemies who wanted to kill her,
he doesn't know where to start investigating first. Lucky
for him he has China and Ruby who dig up enough
information that China begins to realize who the killer
might be. A DILLY OF A DEATH is a fantastic amateur sleuth novel as
China deals with two businesses, Ruby's illegitimate
daughter's problems, her & husband's career all the
while she is trying to find out who killed Phoebe and
Todd. Readers care about China because the most important
people in her life is her husband and her stepson and she
never puts them on the back burner even when she is pulled
in several directions at once. Susan Wittig Albert once
again provides a who-done-it that is almost impossible to
solve by a mere mortal. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted December 20, 2003
SummaryChina's otherwise sensible husband is bored with teaching
and ready for a career change...say hello to Mike McQuaid,
P.I. His first client is Phoebe the Pickle Queen, owner of
the biggest little pickle business in Texas. She says her
plant manager is embezzling, and she wants McQuaid to
follow the money. But just days before the annual
Picklefest, Phoebe disappears. And now it's up to McQuaid
and China to search for her-and for clues in a case that
promises to leave a very sour taste.
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