South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
A strong police story and an Agatha homage
’Mercy Creek’ by M.E. Browning. Crooked Lane, 288 pages, $27.99 Boca Raton author M.E. Browning smoothly uses the police procedural to explore how Det. Jo Wyatt handles the vagaries of family — her own family, her police family and the family of 11-year-old Lena Flores, who disappeared after attending the fair in Echo Valley, Colorado.
The second novel in Browning’s new series, “Mercy Creek” gains its strength from its tight plot and realistic characters.
Unlike her self-centered, wild 16-year-old sister, Marisa, Lena is the good daughter of her divorced parents, Lucero and Tilda. She’s the one with good grades, is polite to her elders and an animal lover.
Lena was excited about the ribbon her steer had just won at the fair. Given that, Jo believes it’s unlikely Lena ran away. But a lack of a ransom demand may mean Lena is in danger.
Jo’s investigation sifts through myriad lies, beginning with Lucero’s alibi and Marisa’s vagueness. Lena’s complicated home life hinders the search, as does Jo’s history with the violent Lucero and the stubborn Tilda. Browning makes each character a vibrant part of “Mercy Creek.”
Browning’s affinity for showing the details of police work shines as Jo delves into crime scene investigations, works with other detectives, views street cameras and tackles endless paperwork, while making each step exciting. The appealing Jo’s insight and intelligence buoy “Mercy Creek.”
“Mercy Creek” shows why Browning’s series — and Jo — should be with us for a while.
Zoom with the author Join M.E. Browning in a Zoom discussion with Oline H. Cogdill about “Mercy Creek” beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 23 through Murder on the Beach. Free, but reservations are required for Zoom invite. Call 561-279-7790 or email murdermb@gate.net for link.
South Florida authors Alan Orloff (“I Play One on TV”) and M.E. Browning (“Mercy Creek”) will discuss their novels in a Zoom discussion with Oline H. Cogdill beginning at noon Oct. 30 as part of the Broward Public Library Foundation’s Book With Brunch. The event is free for Foundation members; $15 for nonmembers. Visit bplfoundation.org/bookwith-brunch to register.
Agatha Christie homage
’Death at Greenway’ by Lori Rader-Day. Morrow, 448 pages, $16.99
Agatha Christie — the “queen of mysteries” — never goes out of style. Although the prolific Dame Christie died in 1976 at age 85, her stories about Miss Jane Marple, Hercule Poirot and other characters are still in print, fodder for TV series, films and short story collections. Every few years a new biography comes along.
Lori Rader-Day has found a new way to pay homage to Christie in “Death at Greenway,” with an original plot that uses a little-known fact of the author’s life. During World War II, Christie’s Devon estate Greenway housed 10 children whose parents sent them to the countryside to, hopefully, be safe as London was being bombed by the Germans.
This plot device makes for a gripping novel in the style and spirit of Christie, but with a fresh story. It also works that Christie makes scant cameo appearances, with the action centered on Greenway’s staff, the children and the adults caring for them.
Trainee nurse Bridget Kelly has one chance to save her career after she makes a terrible mistake. She must travel to Greenway where she and another nurse will take charge of two infants and eight children under the age of 5. If she does a good job, she may be able to resume her training. The other nurse also says her name is Bridget Kelly, but goes by Gigi to avoid confusion.
Although she’s only a trainee, Bridget ends up doing most of the work as Gigi seems to have little interest in the children. The plot thickens, as Christie would say, when a man’s body is found near the river, followed by Gigi’s disappearance.
Complex characters, a rich sense of the effect of WWII on British citizens and the constant threat of danger add to the strength of “Death at Greenway.” At first, Bridget comes across as unsympathetic, “arrogant,” as her supervisor says, someone who cares for patients with
“her fists clenched and her heart closed.” But Bridget is protecting herself as her mother and siblings were killed during a bombing while she was away from their home.
With its many rooms, some of which are off limits to the visitors, Greenway — “the home that murder made” — proves to be the perfect Christie setting. “Death at Greenway” does justice to Christie’s oeuvre.
Zoom with the author
Lori Rader-Day will present the virtual workshop “Become Your Own Best Editor” in which she shares tips and exercises for revision from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 30 through the Florida Authors Academy sponsored by Murder on the Beach bookstore in Delray Beach. Workshop cost is $25. Reservations are required for Zoom invite. Call 561-279-7790 or email murdermb@gate.net.