Death’s Half Acre

Margaret Maron
Grand Central Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780446196109
Reviewed by Lynn O’Connell for Reader Views (11/08)

 

Two deaths in rural Colleton County, North Carolina, put everyone on edge -- including protagonist Judge Deborah Knott and her new husband, Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Bryant.  Most recently, beautiful county commission chairman Candace Bradshaw is found dead in her home with a suicide note, saying she killed herself, overwhelmed with her guilt over taking kickbacks from the developers descending upon the county and its rich land.  A few months earlier, the editor of the local paper had been killed in a hit-and-run accident.  The sprawling urbanization which is squeezing out the farmers also has created incredible tension in the county.  And this makes for a fast-paced adventure with a mysterious twist in this fourteenth book in the Judge Deborah Knott series.

Of course, Deborah and her husband ultimately show that both deaths are actually murders.  Now, who could the killer be?  Meanwhile, Deborah’s father, Kezzie Knott, a ‘retired’ bootlegger, is busy trying to outsmart Faison McKinney, the local reverend who is cheating his church and mistreating his female congregants.  Yet again, the Knott family rights the wrongs done in Colleton County.

Maron skillfully combines suspense, a meaty plot and humor in this mystery.  The Knott family secrets make the tale even more compelling.  I personally was very impressed with Maron’s in-depth descriptions of this rural North Carolina setting – and, it does indeed remind me of my earlier years living in the South.  This isn’t surprising since Maron did grow up in North Carolina and then returned to the state before the first book in this series was published. 

I also thoroughly enjoyed this author’s wonderful character descriptions.  Whether the character was on the side of good or evil, all were portrayed effectively and in such detail that they became real to me.  I feel like I myself may now be a part of Deborah’s extended family.

This book is perfect for the mystery lover, particularly the mystery lover who enjoys tales with wonderful character and setting descriptions.  I’ll definitely be getting the 15th book in the series when it comes out.  I particularly liked Deborah in her role as wife and stepmother.  I thought this added something over the earlier books in the series.  My only suggestion for the future would be even more concentration on Deborah, her husband, her stepson, her delightful father, and the rest of the family.

“Death’s Half Acre” by Margaret Maron had it all – I held my breath, I laughed, and then I was delighted when I solved the mystery – just before Maron revealed the truth behind Candace’s death.

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