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I just finished a light mystery by Carolyn Hart titled “Dead Days of Summer” a Death on Demand Mystery.

This book is set in Broward’s Rock, a fictional small town on the coast of South Carolina. Soon after the beginning of the book, our main characters, Max and Annie Darling are deeply embroiled in the nefarious plot that implicates Max as the murderer of a local socialite’s secretary. Annie is left to save him from the seemingly irrefutable proof that he did indeed murder the classically characterized vamp, Vanessa Taylor.

Ms. Hart writes loosely in the style of Agatha Christie, drawing a multitude of eccentric characters and setting them in play to help solve the mystery. There is Emma Clyde, author of almost a hundred mysteries, Henny Brawley, a retired teacher with her hacker student assistant, the famous attorney Handler Jones is called in to defend Max and Laurel Darling Roethke, Max’ mother who puts new meaning to the word “eccentric” on the team. All these and more help Annie find the real murderer and clear Max’ name. Broward’s Rock acting Police Chief Billy Cameron is hampered in his investigation by pompous Mayor Cosgrove but aided by the plodding, dependable deputy, Lou Pirelli. Together they get the job done and clear Max’ name while finding the true murderer, bringing him to justice.

“Dead Days of Summer” doesn’t require a porter to carry any luggage containing heavy plot twists. We are left wondering just WHY Max was chosen as the scapegoat for the murder and Ms. Hart leaves a few of her thoughtfully crafted characters in the waste pages of the editing floor. The book has some interesting scenes despite a somewhat predictable plot.

It’s a nice read for a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea at hand.

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