Marcia Muller is one of my favorite mystery writers, so whenever I find one of her books that I haven't read yet, it's a real treat. The Dangerous Hour came out in 2004 (Thorndike Press) but it was new to me when I discovered it at the Waterloo Public Library not long ago. (Okay, I found it in the large print edition, but after grading a big stack of my students' papers, it was a nice change of pace).
The story focuses on Sharon McCone, who runs McCone Investigations in San Francisco. Things seem to be going well until Julia, one of her newest employees, gets arrested and accused of crimes by a powerful city supervisor. Sharon starts digging for answers. Before long, it becomes clear that Sharon herself--and her business--are the real target. I don't want to give away too many details about the rest of the story; however, it's a good read, especially for those of us who have followed the series.
Sharon is a believeable, strong woman with a group of loyal friends and coworkers, as well as a boyfriend named Hy. While Sharon is an experienced investigator, she has her share of flaws, but she doesn't seem predictable. Muller's prose, with her skillful use of dialogue, description and characterization, draws you into Sharon McCone's world. However, I would caution you to not start reading The Dangerous Hour too close to bedtime, because you'll be tired the next day, after staying up extra late. On the other hand, it is just the sort of book to grab on one of these chilly evenings, when you curl up in your comfy chair with some cocoa and an afghan.
You can find Marcia Muller's The Dangerous Hour in the Large Print section of the Fiction department at the Waterloo Public Library.
Waterloo Public Library, c 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment