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An Angel to Die For |
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A n Angel to Die For byMignon F. Ballard St. Martin’s Minotaur 320 pages, October 2000 ISBN 0312241747 Reviewed by Phillip Tomasso III [Reviewed from Galleys] Mignon F. Ballard has created an original idea for a mystery series and An Angel to Die For is the second in this series. Prentice Dobson finds herself living in her mother’s old house after the abrupt and violent death of her sister and brother-in-law. With her mother not home, she thinks she will have the comforts of childhood to keep her safe and warm. But while on a walk through the family cemetery, she finds her uncle’s grave empty. After calling the police, one of the officers finds the remains of a female body in the barn. What could make matters more spirited? When Prentice wakes up the next morning, someone is in the house with her. Augusta Goodnight, Prentice’s guardian angel, has made breakfast, and Prentice cannot believe what she is hearing or seeing. There is enough in the opening scenes alone to carry this book with suspense, mystery and intrigue, yet Ballard does not stop there. Prentice learns accidentally that her late sister had a child, and she must do all she can to track down the baby. The task of finding her nephew does not seem too daunting, until she realizes that not many people knew about the boy. Prentice’s brother-in-law comes from a dark and shady, perhaps mob-related, family. Could they be hiding the child? Does the babysitter have the boy tucked away, out of sight and out of reach? Why didn’t her sister ever tell anyone about the baby? Prentice Dobson and Augusta Goodnight have their work cut out for them as they explore the past, and risk the future to find answers. An Angel to Die For is a highly enjoyable mystery. Humor, wit and intelligence characterize Augusta, and rooting for Prentice is easy and fun. The suspense is unrelenting, as Ballard knows how to build up tension to intense levels. |
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