Available:*
Library | Material Type | Item Barcode | Shelf Number | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library | Adult Mystery Fiction Book Hardback | 120791002188919 | M CLE | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
It's been years since Casey Maldonado visited her hometown. The only reason she's returning now is to get her brother Ricky out of jail, where he's been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Alicia McManus. Casey believes in her brother's innocence, but proving that to the cops is a different thing altogether, especially since she has her own murder warrant to worry about. Even more frightening is Casey's confrontation with her personal demons--the home she shared with her late husband and son, the resentment of her mother, and even the presence of Eric, who wants to be more than just a friend.
As Casey and her ever-present companion Death investigate, it becomes clear Alicia was not who she claimed to be. Instead of a solid history, she left only questions when she died. Where did she come from? What secrets did she know? And, most importantly, who were the three people she spoke of when Death carried her away?
Casey must sort the truth from the elaborate fiction of Alicia's life in order to clear Ricky's name, but as she reveals the woman's secrets, Casey begins to see just how alike their lives appear. Is Casey destined to an existence as empty and dark as Alicia's? Or can she overcome the tragedy of her past and move forward into a life worth living?
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In Clemens's flawed fourth Grim Reaper mystery (after 2011's Flowers for Her Grave), tough-girl crime-solver Casey Maldonado and her sidekick, Death, hitchhike from Florida to her nameless hometown, where her younger brother, Ricky, has been charged with murdering Alicia McManus, a waitress he'd been dating. In order to prove Ricky innocent, Casey and her "sweet, good-hearted, handsome" new friend, Eric Van Diepenbos, have to untangle Alicia's complicated, tragic past. In between bashing baddies with her hapkido training, Casey suffers such grief over her dead husband and baby son that she wants Death to take her. She also fights to keep her hormones under control when in Eric's presence, but the sex role reversal of hard-boiled detective and gentle supporting pal never quite comes off because Casey's too snarky with Eric and he's too forbearing for their mutual attraction to be convincing. The self-conscious reverberations of classic detective fiction dwindle off into a few feeble whimpers. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A woman with a dark past must confront her demons to save her brother from a murder charge. Ever since a fiery car crash claimed her husband and son, Death has been Casey Maldonado's constant companion. Now she returns to her Colorado hometown in the hope of clearing the name of her brother Ricky, who stands accused of brutally murdering his girlfriend, Alicia McManus. Alicia, a greasy-spoon waitress with no verifiable background, was obviously hiding from something in her past. The cops have no interest in looking further, especially since someone has obligingly framed Ricky by hiding a bloody shirt and incriminating documents in his apartment. Death gives Casey a tip that helps her and her friend Eric, who's come after her despite her efforts to put him off, track Alicia to a small Texas town. There, they discover that 14-year-old Elizabeth Mann, aka Alicia, had vanished on the very day her father was murdered. Though she was never a serious suspect, she'd apparently been on the run for years until whatever she was running from finally caught up with her. Elizabeth's family, including her look-alike cousin, remain in town, but although Elizabeth and her father had been living in his car ever since he lost his job, none of them has any idea who wanted him dead. Casey and Eric, accompanied by the ever-present Death, ask many questions and go through the detritus of the past until they find a motive that can lead them to the killers. Having Death as her tipster makes sleuthing easier for Casey (Flowers for Her Grave, 2011, etc.), whose latest adventure provides mystery, romance and the hope that she'll get her life back together.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Clemens' tough heroine, Casey Maldonado, who is on the run from her tragic past, does not want to go home again. But when she learns that her brother, Ricky, has been arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, she has no choice. Knowing that Ricky would never murder anyone, she returns to her hometown in Colorado with Death riding shotgun (literally; the unusual premise of this series has the Grim Reaper serving as a kind of sleuthing sidekick). Casey must face her personal demons, seeing the home that she shared with her late husband and son, dealing with her mother, and sorting out an unresolved relationship. As Casey digs in and begins to investigate, she quickly discovers that Ricky's girlfriend, Alicia, was not the person she claimed to be. As she sorts through the details of the murdered woman's cloudy past, she discovers that her own life is not unlike that of the victim. Those willing to accept the fantastical premise will find themselves caught up in Casey's quest to come to terms with her past and move on.--Bibel, Barbara Copyright 2010 Booklist