A Deadly Calling

Glenn Ickler
Pemberton Mysteries (2007)
ISBN 9781563153938
Reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for Reader Views (6/07)

Glenn Ickler is a former reporter.  “A Deadly Calling” is about Mitch, an investigative reporter who must report on a humdrum square dance festival on a hot summer day.  Mitch learns about the politics of square dance calling after two callers are killed within days of each other.  

The dead callers have skeletons in their closet.  Mitch is determined to bring them to light.  The reader follows the unraveling case step-by-step with Mitch.  He sets out to determine who poisoned and smothered the callers.  Perhaps it is related to a fall-out some of the callers had.  Maybe it is related to something that happened at the caller school. 

Meanwhile, Mitch’s girlfriend is overseas on assignment.  He plays the field when she is gone, but he does not consider it cheating.  Will he feel the same way when his girlfriend shows signs of interest in Charles, her new coworker-turned-boss?  Will their relationship survive?  Will Mitch fall for a suspect in the murder of the callers?  Will he fall for the obviously sexual Universalist minister?  The Universalist minister is an enigma to me.  His love life is a mystery, too.

Mitch has a corny sense of humor that will not make you laugh out loud, but it will make you chuckle.  He has a fascination with puns.  He has affection for his spoiled cat, Sherlock Holmes.  The characters have memorable names such as Tennessee McGee (No, she is not from Tennessee.), Big Eddie (a.k.a. Little Eddie and Eddie), and Lefty LaBlanc.

“A Deadly Calling” is a classic sort of mystery with dry humor.  The characters are well-developed.  This is an easy and enjoyable read.   I do wish that there was more blank space where the pages join.  Some of the words became hidden in the bend of the book.   I recommend “A Deadly Calling.”

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