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Carve a Witness to Shreds |
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 Carve a Witness to Shreds byCathie John Journeybook Press 259 pages, 1999 ISBN 096341836X Reviewed by PJ Nunn Read another review by Lisa Eagleson-Roever After surviving breast cancer, solving two murders and inheriting the title of The Amazon Chili Heiress Detective, Kate Cavanaugh is ready for a more challenging professional life. She loves her catering business but maybe it’s time for a change. Approached by a local blueblood to do a little background investigation, Kate agrees with some reluctance. The woman seems overly concerned that an upcoming marriage will mar her daughter’s life at a time when Kate is worried about her own future. But what starts out as a straightforward assignment deteriorates rather rapidly into accusations of mob connections, illegal gambling and gangster activity. What’s worse, in the process of uncovering someone else’s unsavory roots, Kate finds skeletons buried in her own family closet. Carve a Witness to Shreds is not a typical culinary cozy, if there is such a thing. Although Kate’s catering business is featured throughout, it has little to do with the mystery at hand. Cathie John is a pseudonym for the husband and wife writing team of Cathie and John Celestri who have produced two previous installations of this series. This particular offering is an interesting attempt to combine the harsh realities of surviving breast cancer with an amateur sleuth tale that is of the lighter variety. It features a lively cast of supporting characters and, although the pace starts off a little slow, it picks up and moves along at a good clip toward the middle. The ending has a few surprises that are cause for introspection on Kate’s part. For those who like insight into a protagonist’s personal struggles, it’s an excellent window into Kate’s soul - with a pretty darn good mystery thrown in for good measure. |
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