Caught Dead in Philadelphia

January 1, 1987
Amanda Pepper is a wide-eyed and overzealous young Philadelphia schoolteacher who debuts in a not-very-mysterious mystery, the first in a series. Returning home from school, Amanda finds a friend has been murdered in her living room. Always in the right place at the right time (later, she happens upon a second body in much the same way), Amanda is up to the task, and ultimately solves the mystery with a few clever deductions. She also conveniently solves the problem of her personal life by falling in love with a charming detective with a Southern accent and a solid background in English Lit, who has been assigned to the case. Although there are a few glimmers of wit, this mystery is chock-full of predictable plot turns, and is peopled by stock characters who are not enigmatic, interesting or vivid enough to launch a long-lived series. Mystery Guild selection.

February 15, 1994
Amanda Pepper's day is not going well. First, a woman named Liza Nichols knocks on her door early in the morning, which totally disrupts Amanda's routine. Then, Amanda returns home from work to find Liza dead on her living room floor. Suddenly, Amanda is suspect number one and the object of an unbelieving, Beowulf -quoting Southern detective's interest. What are the connections between the wealthy, would-be Senator Cole, the sleazy Eddie, and the nosy Sissy? Clues pile up, as do bodies, and Amanda finds she's next on the killer's list. Deft, humorous touches enliven Roberts's characters, although her story suffers from uneven pacing. While Caught Dead has its faults, it is still an intriguing story. Narrator Diane Warren's reading is rather bland, hinding an otherwise fun story. For larger mystery collections.-- Susan Lamphier, Somerville P.L., Mass.

Copyright 1994 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.