From Publishers Weekly
Amanda Pepper is a wide-eyed and overzealous young Philadelphia schoolteacher who debuts in a not-very-mysterious mystery, the first in a series. Returning home from school, Amanda finds a friend has been murdered in her living room. Always in the right place at the right time (later, she happens upon a second body in much the same way), Amanda is up to the task, and ultimately solves the mystery with a few clever deductions. She also conveniently solves the problem of her personal life by falling in love with a charming detective with a Southern accent and a solid background in English Lit, who has been assigned to the case. Although there are a few glimmers of wit, this mystery is chock-full of predictable plot turns, and is peopled by stock characters who are not enigmatic, interesting or vivid enough to launch a long-lived series. Mystery Guild selection.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Amanda Pepper comes home after a hard day teaching school to find an acquaintance dead on her hearth. All clues point to Amanda but she finds help in the guise of tall handsome police detective C.K. Mackenzie. Everything is in place for an excellent story. But the ending is a bit of a disappointment, the motive trite. However, Roberts (pseudonym of author Judith Greber The Silent Partner and Easy Answers ) has provided enough plot line and characterization to keep the reader's interest. JV
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
