Book Review: Murder, Mayhem, And a Fine Man

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Murder, Mayhem, And a Fine Man     Amazon US TPB Amazon Canada TPB
Claudia Mair Burney
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Romance   Christianity   Woman Main Character   Forensics   Thriller
Series: Amanda Bell Brown Mysteries # 1
NavPress, Jul 2006, $12.99

Forensic psychologist Amanda Brown just turned forty, but the single woman wants a baby and knows her time is running out because she suffers from endometriosis. Her medical examiner sister Carly buys her a sexy outfit and takes her to dinner, but Amanda and Carly have to leave as Carly is called to a crime scene.

There she meets Lieutenant Jazz Brown whom she thinks is a fine man, but concentrates on the homicides. She has been to this house before to investigate a cult leader and his followers on behalf of a member’s father. That man and another are among the dead. Jazz and Amanda hit it off, but he tells her they cannot have a relationship even as they need to team up to solve the case. The victims apparently took communion with poisoned bread and wine. One member of the cult, Susan, goes to Amanda’s church where counseling to aid to people who suffered at the hands of a cult is offered. When Susan leaves, Amanda risks her life to find her, unaware that her decision will lead her to face and defeat evil in its most primal form.

Jazz and Amanda are terrific protagonists trying to live their lives in accordance with God’s commandments. Both have relationship issues as Amanda was once an abuse victim who lost her baby due to that and Jazz’s wife dumped him without warning. Claudia Mair Burney provides a good murder mystery wrapped like a moebius string in and out of a quirky relationship drama.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner