キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
MURDER, MAYHEM, AND A FINE MAN (Amanda Bell Brown mystery series #1) by Claudia Mair Burney
From the back cover:
For Amanda Bell Brown, turning forty is murder! How's a woman supposed to grapple with romance and faith when she finds herself in the middle of mysteries--and not the God kind?
Life as a forensic psychologist isn't quite as cool as prime-time television would have us believe, and most of us just don't have closets full of red-carpet gowns and bling. Instead of painting the town red in a drop-dead gorgeous dress, this boring therapist finds herself at the scene of a crime.
Amanda Bell Brown just may know who the killer is. She needs to spill her guts, but not on the lead detective's alligator shoes. A complicated murder investigation unearths not just a killer but a closet full of skeletons Amanda thought long gone. Murder, mayhem, and a fine man are wrecking havoc on her fortieth birthday, but will she survive to see forty-one?
Camy here:
What a cool story! This novel has lots of sass and a terrific storyline.
I loved that the heroine is 40 rather than a perky 20-year-old. The book explores some of the issues that older single women have to face, and Bell's maturity also brings a solidity to the character rather than a ton of emotional flightiness.
The dialogue rocks! Jazz and Bell's interactions are hilarious. The romantic tension is definitely there and sizzling, and the story showed not a perfect romance where everyone behaves, but a realistic romance where two people are attracted but they're trying to do the right thing and not always succeeding. It made both characters very sympathetic to me.
It was hard to see things from Jazz's point of view at times, and I really wanted to slap him for being so inconsistent with his actions and words. At first I didn't quite understand Jazz's spiritual and romantic conflict, but then I realized that it is there and is, in fact, a hot issue in the church. I'm very glad Mair is addressing that with this series, showing both sides of the issue.
The story gives a huge eye-opening look at cults, but also with a slightly analytical perspective from Bell, who is a forensic psychologist. It was fascinating and yet saddening at the same time.
The story really shows the power of prayer and the power of God even if He's not there with bolts of lightening or "mysterious circumstances." Like the book of Esther, God is evident even if nothing "supernatural" happens onstage.
Very entertaining storyline and complex characters. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
From the back cover:
For Amanda Bell Brown, turning forty is murder! How's a woman supposed to grapple with romance and faith when she finds herself in the middle of mysteries--and not the God kind?
Life as a forensic psychologist isn't quite as cool as prime-time television would have us believe, and most of us just don't have closets full of red-carpet gowns and bling. Instead of painting the town red in a drop-dead gorgeous dress, this boring therapist finds herself at the scene of a crime.
Amanda Bell Brown just may know who the killer is. She needs to spill her guts, but not on the lead detective's alligator shoes. A complicated murder investigation unearths not just a killer but a closet full of skeletons Amanda thought long gone. Murder, mayhem, and a fine man are wrecking havoc on her fortieth birthday, but will she survive to see forty-one?
Camy here:
What a cool story! This novel has lots of sass and a terrific storyline.
I loved that the heroine is 40 rather than a perky 20-year-old. The book explores some of the issues that older single women have to face, and Bell's maturity also brings a solidity to the character rather than a ton of emotional flightiness.
The dialogue rocks! Jazz and Bell's interactions are hilarious. The romantic tension is definitely there and sizzling, and the story showed not a perfect romance where everyone behaves, but a realistic romance where two people are attracted but they're trying to do the right thing and not always succeeding. It made both characters very sympathetic to me.
It was hard to see things from Jazz's point of view at times, and I really wanted to slap him for being so inconsistent with his actions and words. At first I didn't quite understand Jazz's spiritual and romantic conflict, but then I realized that it is there and is, in fact, a hot issue in the church. I'm very glad Mair is addressing that with this series, showing both sides of the issue.
The story gives a huge eye-opening look at cults, but also with a slightly analytical perspective from Bell, who is a forensic psychologist. It was fascinating and yet saddening at the same time.
The story really shows the power of prayer and the power of God even if He's not there with bolts of lightening or "mysterious circumstances." Like the book of Esther, God is evident even if nothing "supernatural" happens onstage.
Very entertaining storyline and complex characters. I can't wait for the next book to come out.
Comments
Actually, the young man who seemed to be in charge was the third son of friends of mine. I know and love all of *her* family. In fact, another friend is married to her youngest brother. Her parents are getting elderly now and especially her mother is very frail. After meeting Jason again, I'll have to talk to Hilary and find out about the parents.