Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Bones of Contention by Jeanne Matthews


First she gets a call that she must fly to Australia immediately because her Uncle is dying. Her boss pitches such a fit she quits. Then when she goes home unexpectedly, she finds her boyfriend in bed with a redhead. What else can go wrong in her life? Lots more...

Poisoned Pen Press has published this book in hardcover, trade paperback, and large print. The ARC I read was provided by Net Galley.

This is the first book for this author, but I'm sure it won't be her last. This book has a complicated plot with overlapping lives from various marriages and mixed families. She keeps your attention to the very end, and I was surprised by the murderer. You didn't have to worry about not having enough suspects or enough motives for murder!

When Dinah reaches Australia and takes a small two-seater plane out to the town closest to the lodge, she doesn't realize just who her pilot is. Just that he's weird and she hopes she lives through the flight. She meets him again later in the story.

The dying Uncle is actually her stepfather from the past. He has an ex-wife and his current wife at the lodge, as well as his children. Dinah's mother declined the invite. Her uncle is filthy rich, and everyone is anxious to see what they inherit.

The Aboringe cook doesn't like making the fancy American dishes for the family meals. The lodge owner has a great interest in Aborigne beliefs and heritage because he's part Aborigne.

And nobody is quite what they seem: So many people with grudges, so many secrets, so much hate. Cleon came here to die (terminal cancer) with the help of his doctor, but the doctor dies first...

The plot is fast-paced. The family is dysfunctional and contentious. I enjoyed reading this book. Check it out at your local bookstore.

1 comment:

SusanB said...

This sounds like a book to put on my tbr list. Thanks for the review.
Susan

Nonna Marie and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra

As Nonna Maria's longtime friend and sometimes colleague, Captain Murino of the Ischian caribineri never wanted to see harm brought to t...