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
Captain's Log, Stardate 02.19.2008
Bayou Corruption by Robin Caroll
From the back cover:
"Don't let them get away with it, Jacks—"
Those were the sheriff's last words. Left for dead in the middle of the road, Jackson Devereaux's good buddy had slipped into a coma. Well, Jackson wouldn't let them get away with it, once the ace newspaper reporter uncovered who they were.
He'd start with the lovely Alyssa LeBlanc, the only eyewitness to the crime. Problem was, she hated Jackson—why?—as much as she hated being back in the Louisiana bayou.
Unfortunately, the truth lay deep in the bayou's belly. And whether they liked it or not, Alyssa had to lead the way.
Camy here:
I like this book even better than the first in the series, Bayou Justice! I’m not sure why, but I like the heroine, Alyssa, better than CoCo from the first book. I don’t really relate to Alyssa’s job as a newspaper reporter, or her hatred of her home, or her personality, which is elegant and no-nonsense. But something about her is appealing to me as a reader, and I was immediately sucked into the story.
Like her sister CoCo, Alyssa is a strong character who doesn’t take guff from anyone. She’s a perfect foil for Jackson, the hero, who is also a reporter and more than a match for Alyssa’s sass.
The story has hairpin turns that kept surprising me. The pacing of the story was excellent, too—I felt like the action started with a bang and never let up.
As with the first book, the culture of the bayou pervades every character, every scene, and I felt like I was on vacation in Louisiana with a close friend to both expose me to the culture and explain it at the same time. The setting itself is a character, and I loved the town, the food, the atmosphere of Lagniappe.
This is a fabulous novel for readers of all ages. The junior high girls in my church youth group will love this story, because the heroine is feisty and the hero is dashing, and the mystery and suspense kicks the romance up a notch.
Bayou Corruption by Robin Caroll
From the back cover:
"Don't let them get away with it, Jacks—"
Those were the sheriff's last words. Left for dead in the middle of the road, Jackson Devereaux's good buddy had slipped into a coma. Well, Jackson wouldn't let them get away with it, once the ace newspaper reporter uncovered who they were.
He'd start with the lovely Alyssa LeBlanc, the only eyewitness to the crime. Problem was, she hated Jackson—why?—as much as she hated being back in the Louisiana bayou.
Unfortunately, the truth lay deep in the bayou's belly. And whether they liked it or not, Alyssa had to lead the way.
Camy here:
I like this book even better than the first in the series, Bayou Justice! I’m not sure why, but I like the heroine, Alyssa, better than CoCo from the first book. I don’t really relate to Alyssa’s job as a newspaper reporter, or her hatred of her home, or her personality, which is elegant and no-nonsense. But something about her is appealing to me as a reader, and I was immediately sucked into the story.
Like her sister CoCo, Alyssa is a strong character who doesn’t take guff from anyone. She’s a perfect foil for Jackson, the hero, who is also a reporter and more than a match for Alyssa’s sass.
The story has hairpin turns that kept surprising me. The pacing of the story was excellent, too—I felt like the action started with a bang and never let up.
As with the first book, the culture of the bayou pervades every character, every scene, and I felt like I was on vacation in Louisiana with a close friend to both expose me to the culture and explain it at the same time. The setting itself is a character, and I loved the town, the food, the atmosphere of Lagniappe.
This is a fabulous novel for readers of all ages. The junior high girls in my church youth group will love this story, because the heroine is feisty and the hero is dashing, and the mystery and suspense kicks the romance up a notch.
Comments
You like Alyssa better than CoCo? Hmmm....interesting. I related more to CoCo, but more of Alyssa's spiritual lessons were more personal to me than CoCo's. Interesting.