Wreck the Halls

October 15, 2001
In her first hardcover in this popular series (Repair to Her Grave, etc.), Graves entertains with a cozy New England murder as she also treats such dark topics as domestic violence, stalking, date rape and drug abuse. When not do-it-yourselfing around her 1823 Federal house on a Maine island or looking after her son, Sam, Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree, a former Manhattan financial manager who's divorced from a philandering neurosurgeon, solves mysteries. In this outing, a neighbor, Faye Anne Carmody, stands accused of murdering her wife-beating husband, Merle, a butcher who was literally butchered. Although no one liked Merle, Faye is the prime suspect, and no one doubts her guilt except her friend Ellie. Ellie encourages Jake to investigate, and before long there are so many likely suspects you wonder if there is anyone on the island who didn't have a motive to kill Merle. But Graves is crafty—and craftsmanlike—enough to pull a least likely killer out of her top hat. Home repair doesn't figure as much as in past books, but the case is difficult to crack and involves considerable danger for Jake and Ellie. Incidentally, Jake acquires a cat and a mouse to keep her dog, Monday, company; and her ex-husband, who's moved to Maine to be near Sam, asks her help to persuade his new girlfriend to marry him. Graves's characters are very human creations, warts and all, with Jake in particular making fine company. (Dec. 4)Forecast:A most attractive holiday jacket will snag attention, but a few supportive blurbs, particularly from male authors, would help signal that this series isn't just for women.

August 1, 2001
No home repairs for Jacobia Tiptree at Christmas: it seems neighbor Faye Anne has chopped up her butcher husband.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2001
Pairing home repair and murder may seem a bit of a stretch, but Graves hits the nail square on the head in her Home Repair Is Homicide mysteries. Even those who don't own a screwdriver will be hooked by this fifth installment in the series. Graves' oddly named but thoroughly likable female protagonist, Jacobi "Jake" Sorenson, left a lucrative career as a New York financial advisor and moved with son Sam to the tiny island of Eastport, Maine, where she devotes her days to the never-ending repairs on her 1823 Federal clapboard home. Jake's enjoyment of the Christmas season is interrupted when she drops in on her friend, Faye Anne Carmody, and finds Faye's abusive husband dead and Faye covered in blood and unsure what happened. With the encouragement of her best friend, Ellie, Jake agrees to help Faye Anne prove her innocence. Meanwhile, domestic tranquility between Jake and husband Wade is threatened by the annoying presence of Jake's ex-spouse, Victor. Graves paints a compelling portrait of small-town Maine in this entertaining cozy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)