The 5 Manners of Death    by Darden North Order:  USA  Can WordCrafts Press, 2017 (2017) Softcover      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Mississippi doctor Darden North not only practices medicine but also finds time to write mysteries. Good mysteries. Mysteries that are hard to put down once they are started. Edgar Award nominee John M. Floyd has this to say about The Five Manners of Death – 'If you like plot twists and surprises, you'll love Darden North's fifth novel, a fast-moving story of crime and deception in the modern South.' I do agree. A construction worker uncovers a human skull – decades old – on the campus of the University of Mississippi, which begins the search for the individual's identity. Research takes authorities back fifty years with little to help them put a name to the skull and bones that are eventually uncovered. Not only is the plot of Five Manners of Death top notch, but the characters fit into that plot with ease. Surgeon Diana Bratton is a key figure and becomes like an old friend immediately. She suffers all the cares and woes that go with being a single mother, contending with her ex-husband, and trying to keep a new romance alive. And somehow trying to solve the mystery of the uncovered bones. Her Aunt Phoebe is involved as well and provides a look at old-time mores of the 1960s in the South. She is delightful. Don't miss this one. Great read for the beach. Or sitting in a rocking chair on a wrap-around porch with a glass of iced tea at hand. Or maybe a gin and tonic. Whatever. Obtain a copy and enjoy. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews