Lock Nut (The Plumber's Mate Mysteries Book 5)
"This book is like a cozy mystery series amped up to 11. I adore each and every one of the characters, their relationship, how much it feels like these are people I could easily pass on the street. The writing is fantastic, with a genuine humor that can be hard to find. JL Merrow is a wonderful writer, and this book just prove she'll only keep getting better."
"The writing was solid. There was enough dialect and slang to add to the story without being overwhelming. The narrator has a charming voice. The first chapter was great, captivating from the start. But then I did feel that the banter often went on too long. Yes, the character is charming, but I wanted the author to get on with the story. The same thing was a problem at the end, when after the mystery is solved, the story continues for another 20 pages so we can see how charming the couple is. This was my biggest gripe with the book. Too much charming banter. It goes on and on in scene after scene. A little less would have still given us the charm without tiring us. I did have a bit of trouble remembering who some of the characters were, more the personal friends of the investigators rather than the suspects. The mystery was complex enough to intrigue. There were some truly clever and interesting word choices (one nice paragraph on page 30 as an example). Some funny lines that had me laughing out loud. The author was good at creating problems and interruptions to make the end of questioning believable. That way we as readers don't get bored and we don't get too much info that would help us solve the murder too soon."
"Excellent mystery and sense of place—consistent with her usual fine work."
Book five in The Plumber's Mate Mysteries series
Still waters run deadly.
Tom Paretski, plumber with a talent for finding hidden things, and his private investigator fiancé Phil Morrison have been hired to locate a runaway husband, Jonathan Parrot. The job seems simple enough — until their quarry turns up dead in a canal, and a photofit of Tom’s face is splashed all over the news, making him chief suspect.
The widow, petite ex–porn star Lilah Lovett, is convinced her husband was killed by his gay lover, but Tom and Phil aren’t so sure. Worried they may have precipitated Jonathan’s death, they’re determined to find the real killer. But with a web of incestuous ties linking the suspects, it’s hard to know who to trust. Especially when a second victim dies a gruesome death.
Meanwhile, with their wedding looming and them sharing a house now, Tom’s worried it may all be too much, too fast. The last thing he needs are the mixed messages Phil seems to be sending out. They’ll need to get back on the same track if they want to make it to their honeymoon together — and alive.
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