"A very good who-done-it"
In 1932 in Voorburg-on-Hudson siblings Lily and Robert
Brewster recover from their sudden fall from wealth by
turning the mansion they can live in for life (according to
their late uncle's will) into a bed and breakfast. When an
obviously masqueraded stranger leases a room for the
outrageous price of $500, Lily hesitantly agrees though she
suspects the worst from this individual and his cronies
coming for the weekend. However, Lily misread what the worst is when someone stabs
and subsequently drowns radio preacher Brother Mark Luke
Goodheart in one of the B&B bathtubs. While Police Chief
Walker investigates the homicide, Lily and Robert begin
work as a substitute teacher temporarily replacing
Millicent Langston who seems to have vanished. Meanwhile
someone abducts young Joey while his mom waits for news
whether her husband died while working on the Hoover Dam
project. Lily being Lily cannot resist making inquiries
into the murder, the misplaced teacher, and the kidnapped
child. Though this is a Grace and Favor mystery, the suspense
elements take a back seat to the Depression Era ambiance of
the story line. Readers can feel the mood, at least near
the Hudson River, of the change in presidential
administrations from Hoover to the New York Governor
Roosevelt. The intrigues tie together, but never really
hook the reader as deeply as the historical perspective as
LOVE FOR SALE is more a strong 1930s fiction that contains
mystery subplots. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted June 8, 2003
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