Death Makes the Cut
by
Janice Hamrick
Order:
USA
Can
Minotaur, 2012 (2012)
Hardcover, e-Book
Reviewed by Lyn Seippel
O
n the first day of school after summer break, Texas high school teacher Jocelyn Shore discovers a body in the tennis shed. The deceased was her friend and mentor, Fred Argus, a history teacher and the tennis coach. He's the best teacher she knows and so well liked, it's impossible for her to believe he was murdered.
T
he principal assigns the tennis coaching position to Jocelyn. It's not a job she wants, but she takes it on a temporary basis and later learns there is another teacher who is wild to have the job. So much so that he confronted Fred and attempted to pressure him into stepping aside, just as he's now doing with Jocelyn.
A
fter finding a stash of marijuana in the tennis shed, the police consider that Fred's death could be drug related. Jocelyn knew him well and she doesn't believe the drugs belonged to him, so she begins asking questions of her own. Although she doesn't think she's making progress, someone does. She's attacked in the park and her house is trashed while she's hospitalized.
I
was relieved that, unlike in most mysteries, Jocelyn wasn't treated as a suspect. The lead detective's interest in her has nothing to do with the case. Jocelyn's long distance relationship with Alan Stratton, introduced in
Death Goes on Tour
, could be in jeopardy.
H
amrick writes with humor and wit. Jocelyn is gutsy and funny. This is one series that goes on my
to-read
list.
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