Crime & Punctuation

April 30, 2018
Freelance editor Mikki Lincoln, the heroine of this entertaining series launch from Dunnett (X Marks the Scot), is coping with renovations to her childhood home in Lenape Hollow, N.Y., when aspiring writer Tiffany Scott asks for help revising her fiction manuscript. Despite promising early chapters, Mikki finds the tale of violent gangsters far-fetched and full of clichés. After Tiffany drowns, Mikki begins to wonder whether the book’s characters have real-life counterparts—such as Tiffany’s husband, Greg Onslow, an entrepreneur who has a controversial theme-park proposal; his associate, Alan Van Heusen, who may have secrets in his past; and Onslow’s creepy security guard, Paul Klein, who has been following her. Ronnie North, Tiffany’s grandmother and Mikki’s supercilious former classmate, also has a motive: the shares of stock Tiffany left her. As Mikki’s suspicions grow, a burglary at her house suggests that she may be asking too many uncomfortable questions. Appealing supporting characters include Mikki’s loyal and resourceful friend, Darlene Uberman, and the ever-gossipy patrons of the local café. Cozy fans will be pleased. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Narrator Margaret Strom convincingly portrays Mikki Lincoln, an active 69-year-old who is a new widow. When Mikki opens an editing service, Strom does an excellent job of navigating the explanations of grammatical and editing details. These elements are crucial to the solution of the mystery involving the murder of one of Mikki's clients, but they have the potential to bore or confuse listeners with less interest in grammar than Mikki. Happily, Strom does well at keeping listeners engaged. She also makes a good decision to use a neutral accent instead of imitating Maine and New York speakers, which might have gotten in the way. Overall, Strom immerses listeners in this audiobook. V.M.G. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine