WHERE THERE'S A WILL - Various Authors
Kensington/Dafina
June 2004
SYNOPSIS: WHERE THERE'S A WILL is a creative mystery anthology about four sisters forced to solve cases left to them by their deceased father. Four premier writers join forces and deliver a series of page turning mysteries tied together by an equally mysterious narrator.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: (3) Shirion Shropshire
REVIEW: Henry Chambers was Liberty, Georgia’s first black owner of an investigative firm. He and his girls were close when they were kids and every chance he got he’d take them along on his cases. As adults, the Chamber sisters, leave behind small town living for success in the big city and rarely return home. When Henry passes away he leaves them each with one request… Return home long enough to solve one of his open cases. Murder, incest, pornography, and family secrets await them and Henry’s hidden agenda is revealed.
In Curtains, by Margie Walker we meet Maxine Chambers. She returns to Liberty, Georgia for one week to review her father’s business records. When someone takes a shot at her and vandalizes the offices, Sgt. Lucious Kimble comes to her aid. Together they uncover a twisted grudge that may have caused her father’s death. The Bad Penny, by Shirley Hailstock, presents the case of a missing woman. Taylor Chambers has to find a woman that simply disappears without a trace leaving little or no clues as to why. It isn't a case of dead or alive because Taylor sticks to her gut feeling that the woman is still alive. Identity Crisis, by Bridget Anderson introduces us to Samantha Chambers. Samantha’s case is simply to perform a background check on a suspected con man about to marry one of Liberty, Georgia’s elite. She stumbles on something much bigger than conning rich women out of their cash. The oldest sister Morgan’s case is revealed in Redemption, by Shelby Lewis. Morgan refuses her father's request until students from her ballet class start dying and someone threatens her life. She suspects that the murders are related to her father’s death so she returns to Liberty and uncovers a deep family secret.
Overall the stories in WHERE THERE'S A WILL were interesting and the plots had potential but they were too short. Some cases were easily solved and felt rushed. Although there were highlights, for the most part, key scenes were glossed over too quickly causing me to lose the sense of intrigue that is prevalent in most mysteries. Normally stories by these premier writers have a romantic ingredient. With the exception of Margie Walker’s contribution, this was truly a mystery anthology.
WHERE THERE'S A WILL contained a good mix of writing styles and stories. The reader gets to experience a wealth of emotions from laughter, with the fiery dialog between Lucious and Maxine in Curtains, to shock at the appalling circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the socialite in The Bad Penny. Mystery lovers will enjoy the captivating twists and turns in Redemption and the creative detective work in Identity Crisis. The narration was well written and provided another layer of interest.
WHERE THERE'S A WILL will do well to introduce traditional fiction and romance readers to the world of mystery, but the true mystery connoisseur will be left wanting more.
shirion@romanceincolor.com (17th June 2004)