34) A Watery Death by Joyce & Jim Lavene

The Blurb :

It’s the Fourth of July weekend in Duck, North Carolina and twenty-thousand visitors are on hand to enjoy the parade, the festivities – and learn about the murder of Captain Bill Lucky.
Lucky is the captain of the new gambling ship, Andalusia II, which is modeled after the famous ghost ship that haunts the small town on the Outer Banks.

Whispers of unusual sea creatures surround Lucky’s death. It isn’t the first time that mermaids have been seen in Duck, but it’s the first time one of them has been accused of murder.

Mayor Dae O’Donnell has her hands full with setting up the parade, convincing her friend Trudy she shouldn’t call off her wedding, and getting her shop, Missing Pieces, ready for the summer crowd.

Dae doesn’t ask to be involved in Lucky’s death, but she can’t ignore it. If someone from the sea isn’t his killer, who is? And will he or she strike again to lay the blame on the town’s watery visitors?

My Thoughts :

This book was picked for me to read by a book friend as part of a little 'Pick it for me' reading challenge we are having each month.  A Watery Death is the seventh installment in the Missing Pieces cozy mystery series that I have been throughly enjoying up until now.  I have to start this review by saying that this was my least favourite of the bunch and it makes me sad to think that this could have been the last.

I really liked the concept of this series, being able to touch items and see their past and being able to find items by touching the owner.  There were lots of possibilities and the authors even spread their wings a little by adding some ghost like aspects and some other psychic twists.  However this seventh story took a huge leap from the small little paranormal going-ons by jumping to mermaids.  Something that definitely wasn't on the cards as far as I could tell but if it was coming I didn't expect right now.  As mentioned, it felt like a huge leap.

The location and characters still felt nice and welcoming but there was more off in this book than just the appearance of some mermaids.  Dae was a little annoying, for the first time I can remember and the whole thing with her grandma felt a little off too.  The mystery was weak and wasn't as compelling as the previous ones plus I found the ending/reveal to be too late and too quick.

Despite the less than raving review I have to say I did like the book and enjoyed reading it.  Mainly because I have always been fond of the series as a whole.  Unfortunately the wife of this writing couple passed away and I am not sure if there will be another Missing Pieces story to bring the series to a proper end.  It would be a shame to see the series finish on this book but obviously it is understandable.  I do hold out hope of one more release, maybe there was already an eighth installment written or the husband will finish the series himself.

Whatever happens, this is a lovely cozy mystery series and well worth reading.  I have enjoyed all the books I have read by this writing team and look forward to reading more of their books and hope the husband will continue writing.

Edit : I just found out that Jim Lavene passed away a couple of days ago.  As least they are together again! The cozy mystery genre has lost two of the best!