If you are a long time reader of Ms. Albert's China Bayles series, you'll notice a slight change. This book is written from Sheila Dawson's perspective. Sheila is the first female head of the Pecan Springs Police Dept and has recently married the former sheriff, Blackie. He resigned his position and decided to go into business with China's husband as a private detective. Dawson is finding it a little daunting at times to navigate the political ins and outs of a small town as the first female head of the police department. When a local man is found murdered, she assigns the case to one of the detectives. Her next in command (and also the one she bested when she got her job) is taking some well-deserved time off. She also takes the unusual step of assigning herself as second to the detective to whom she has assigned the case. When a local computer shop owner is found dead in his home, it initially looks like suicide. However, things don't add up. The case soon takes quite a few twists and turns. I enjoyed this book, although I have mixed emotions about the book being written from a different character's point of view. It could be that China's character has run its course. She is happily married. She and her husband have adopted her niece, plus his own son is a senior in high school. Both kids call her Mom. There's no more conflict there, whereas there's still plenty of possibility for conflict in Sheila's life. We'll see. I'm not a fan of the author's newer series nor of the other older series she writes. This was an interesting read, but the herbal angle really didn't have much to do with anything in this book. We'll see how the series progresses.
What do You think about Cat's Claw (2012)?
It was interesting to look back on my last China Bayle's mystery review and see that I'd read #19 Mourning Gloria in April of 2012 and at that time said I'd taken a break from the series because they were beginning to feel like reruns. That book was written in 2012 and I must have bought Cat's Claw paperback when it came out and then proceeded to misplace it. So about a week or so ago, looking on Amazon for something new to read, I ordered another copy ( I've since found the first on my nightstand, where I was putting this one each night before turning in.). I'm glad I waited three years to resume the series because not only is it nice to see China and her family, including recently adopted daughter, Caitie, but also to reconnect with Ruby. It is refreshing, too, to see that Susan Albert apparently recognizes that the stories needed a bit of a tweak. This episode focuses on Smart Cookie, Sheila Dawson, the new Chief of Police in Pecan Springs, having kept the job after winning a coin toss with her new husband, Blackie. They decided that they couldn't both work in law enforcement after marriage and could not figure out which of them should resign when both loved their work so much. After the coin toss Blackie joined China's husband in forming a PI company and in this installment the two men are on their way into Mexico to find a young Austin child kidnapped by his non-custodial parent.Not only do I enjoy the stories Albert tells but being familiar with the area of Texas she writes about I enjoy the information she shares such as the dangers around Piedras Negras/Juarez that have developed in the few years since I've crossed the border there with no thought of danger. Sad developments. Also until I read this I had never heard of the dead peasant insurance policies that large corporations take out on their employees. Interesting use of the system. All in all, with the new tweaks focusing on some of the other characters in Pecan Springs, the new crimes being investigated and the breaking news of changes in the Hill Country, I am happily back on board and have a new copy of Widow's Tears ready to go.
—Katherine
I am very disappointed in this book. I am a big fan of the China Bayles series, but I didn't enjoy this one. I had to think about it for a while to figure out exactly what bothered me. It wasn't that some chapters were from China's point of view and others were from Sheila Dawson's point of view as the author did a great job of letting the reader know whose point of view they were reading from. China's chapters were in first person and Sheila's were in third person. Part of my problem was that I missed reading more about China's homelife. There was very little about that. Also Ruby and her sister weren't mentioned much either. The investigation was boring. I didn't get to know enough about any of the suspects to try to figure out who did it. Most of the information was told to us, not by any of the suspects, but by Sheila and it was boring. Also, one of the clues that was hinted to in the prologue, didn't come up again until near the end of the book. It would have been better if the clue would have come up sooner and China would have investigated it for some reason.
—Gerri Balter
Although this is the 20th book in the series it was the first for me. I really enjoyed it. A nice cozy afternoon read with a mystery thrown it. Very everyday and identifiable characters and setting in a small town. I loved the ladies quilting circle. I'm sure I know every one. A nice added feature was the main characters interest in herbs, gardening and cooking. Especially like the recipes at the end for the food mentioned in the book. Not prize winning fiction but an enjoyable read and I will be looking for some of the others in the series.
—Jill
