Merryll Manning: The Health Farm Murders

John Howard Reid
Lulu Press (2008)
ISBN 9780557010066 
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (8/09)


“Merryll Manning: The Health Farm Murders” is a well-written story full of intrigue and suspense that will keep you turning pages until the final surprising outcome.  John Howard Reid wrote this story twelve years ago, and now it is finally making its way into the United States market.  It is the second of twelve in the Merryl Manning series.  The story is written about a town named Happy Valley, but it is actually based on the real town of Blackheath, Australia, in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.  The characters are fictional but the events are based on actual murders that took placed in a few different places and venues. 

Merryll “Merry” Manning is taking a well-earned vacation from the Miami Police Department, or is he?  He arrives at Sister Susan’s Health Farm in Happy Valley, Australia excited at the prospect of doing something healthy and restful from his stressful job.  He quickly finds himself in the middle of an investigation as the other visitors at the Health Farm start dying.  Police Sergeant Lambert is quick to blame Jimbo Punter, a local who had an affair with the Sergeant’s wife.  Merry is not convinced that Jimbo is involved and looks at everyone as a suspect.  Each of the suspects is a very colorful character, but do they have the potential of turning into deadly killer? 

The author does an excellent job of describing the local countryside in detail. The story setting is in a beautiful valley that was burned by fire.  It includes a harrowing hike through the sometimes beautiful, sometimes desolate terrain that has many landslides, sheer cliffs and rivers - all places for people to meet unfortunate ends.  As Merry is fully immersed in this nightmare, he finds part of the truth to what has been happening as he almost loses his life.  The other part of the truth comes out later and is very surprising.

I recommend the “Merryll Manning: Health Farm Murders” by John Howard Reid to mystery fans; it makes for a great summer read.

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