I just finished a book by a new author--and I think I'm going to like her series! The book is titled Moving is Murder, and the author is Sara Rosett. The series is called "A Mom Zone mystery" and features Ellie Avery, whose husband is serving in the Air Force. Ellie has moved four times in the past five years, and she includes helpful tips with every chapter.
Moving is Murder (2006) begins as Ellie and Mitch are unpacking the moving boxes in their new house--they've just made the move to Washington state with their newborn daughter Livvie. Thinking they found a great house off the base, they soon learn that many of their neighbors are in Mitch's squadron. Fortunately, they are friends with one couple already--neighbors Abby and Jeff. As they settle in, and meet more neighbors and attend some get togethers on base, it becomes clear that not everyone gets along. One of the more outspoken spouses is Cass, who is something of an activist; she protested against a big Walmart coming in, because she thinks it will ruin the area. Cass is also one of the people who organizes events and before Ellie is even unpacked, she finds herself volunteering to help with the upcoming garage sale.
However, when Cass dies after being stung by wasps while driving home from a party on base, it is Ellie who finds her, and Ellie who is convinced that someone Cass knew killed her. Police investigate a series of minor break-ins in the neighborhood and Ellie finds herself noticing strange behavior on the part of several neighbors. Joe, Cass' husband, leaves to take Cass back to her hometown to be buried, and Ellie ends up watching the house--and Mitch agrees to keep an eye on Rex, the dog.
As the story continues, Ellie finds herself asking questions--sometimes of the wrong people, and getting drawn into the investigation, in spite of being cautioned by the military investigator. She finds herself unraveling several stories, with surprising results: things are not at all how they appear. As she finishes unpacking her boxes and settles into her new house and routine, she gains confidence in her mothering skills, but increasingly concermed that whoever killed Cass is going to get away with it.
Reading this book was most enjoyable; I liked the way the author captured the anxiety and wonder of a first time mother. Ellie takes good care of her baby, worries about Livvie's first cold, experiences the fatigue any new mother feels after a long night without much sleep--and yet is filled with joy when she watches her baby sleeping. Livvie is a rather demanding baby: Ellie goes through a carwash at one point because the motions seem to soothe the baby, and does a lot of jiggling to soothe her. She also has a baby carrier--one of those great cloth things you can strap to yourself that holds your baby close to you.
The author is a military wife herself and thoughtfully includes a glossary of military slang at the end of the book. Having spent 11 years in Newport, R. I.--which has a large Navy base and the Naval War College--I felt almost nostalgic reading several passages. My first husband and I were in the ministry, and were fortunate enough to get to know a number of military families. I was struck by several things as I reflected on those years and read the book. I had never met such organized, motivated, jump in there and get acquainted folks in my life! While there are the sad cases of military families split by spousal abuse, alcohol abuse, or other problems, the vast majority of the families we met were solid. I loved to go on base to see them, and enjoyed going to the base movie theatre or Officers' Mess.
So I could relate in a strange way to the characters in the book, because several of them made me think of some of the military wives I had known. I also realized again that the military is one of those careers that is more of a lifestyle than just a job.
Whether you're looking for some packing/moving tips or just want to discover a new mystery series, I recommend Moving is Murder. You can find it at WPL in the Mystery section.
You may also want to check out the author's website, http://www.sararosett.com.
c Waterloo Public Library 2008
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