The Mother Tongue

January 1, 2001
Readers looking for a juicy, easy-to-read mystery are likely to be disappointed by Holbrook's sluggish new offering (following the Edgar Award-nominated Sad Water). Statlers Cross is normally a sleepy Southern town. The locals know who belongs in what class, and there's naturally some gossip. When a car with three dead men inside is uncovered, however, the residents find themselves embroiled in a mystery that threatens to dislodge their long-held secrets. Writer Gale Grayson has returned home after her husband's death to raise her daughter with the help of her mother, grandmother and a young female assistant. Meanwhile, her houseguest, Scotland Yard detective Daniel Halford, can't help but examine the murder case. All too many residents have attempted to thwart the police investigation--the murder weapons belong to a woman who claims she has no idea who stole the guns from her home; one of the murder victims is a Vietnamese immigrant whose sister offers few clues about her brother's presence in the area--and readers may forget the key details as they try to keep track of the numerous subplots and characters. While Holbrook convincingly portrays a Southern town and its inhabitants, the complex plot hinders the momentum of this overly ambitious read.