Arly returns from a camping trip with boyfriend, Jack, to find the Maggody town folk stirred up. The local nursing home has been sold to a snarky diet doctor who plans to transform the building into an upscale rehab center called the Stonebridge Foundation. His plans begin to fall apart when the Stonebridge receptionist is found drowned in the courtyard fountain. The atmosphere of the place take on a even more sinister air when a second body is discovered in the staff quarters. Dragged into the investigation by the county sheriff, Arly struggles to keep her mother, Ruby Bee, and Ruby's best friend, Estelle, away from the scene and out of the way of the investigation. As usual, this proves to be impossible. There are several other sub plots going on involving the other zany characters of the town. Kevin's mother, Eileen, has decided to run away from home. Mrs. Jim Bob and Brother Verber decide to conduct an investigation of their own of the facility causing Arly even more trouble. Main problem with this book is it isn't a stand alone mystery tale. In order to understand the relationships between the main characters, the reader really needs to have read the other books in the series. In my opinion, this is not one of the the best books of the series. This one dragged a bit.
Joan Hess has written another installment of life in Maggody, Arkansas, with all the usual quirky characters--mostly Buchanons who through much intermarriage have extremely limited their gene pool. Arly Hanks is the entire police force of Maggody, and she has her hands full, as usual. The old folks home is closed; the state cannot finance it any longer so they sell the property to a private concern. Not a word leaks out as to what the purpose of the business will be, but they have torn down much of the old building and added more buildings, an outdoor pool, a gym, and surrounded the land with a high fence with razor wire at the top and a guard with guard dog at the gate.For a small town like Maggody everybody knows everything about everybody else so the mystery at the former old folks home is driving them to try any and everything to find out the answers.Joan Hess continues to mixes humor and mystery quite nicely for a good read.
What do You think about Malpractice In Maggody (2006)?
Always fun reading about Arly Hanks.Hints throughout that she is pregnant, only Ruby Bee and Estelle know by the end of the book.A sleezy doctor sets up a rehab clinic in Maggody and mischief and murder come with it.Enjoyed it.
—Pat
The old people's home is torn down and a new facility is erected under great secrecy, until finally at completion is revealed to be The Southbridge Foundation, a celebrity rehab. The denizens of tiny Maggody, Arkansas, are fascinated and frightened by the new 'lunatic asylum', and Police Chief Arly Hanks gets involved when a murder occurs there. This is supposed to be humorous in its portrayal of the characters in Maggody, but I found it somewhat heavy handed in its satire of the hill folk. I believe the book did not elicit even the smallest peep of laughter out of me. The plotting was fine. Apparently there are quite a number of books about Maggody.
—Victoria
#17 02/07/06 MALPRACTICE IN MAGGODY by Joan HessRATING: 4.5/B+GENRE/PUB DATE/ # OF PGS: Mystery, 2006, 258 pgsTIME/PLACE: Present, Maggody, ArkansasCHARACTER: Arly Hanks/police chiefCOMMENTS: 15th in the series. Still fresh & amusing. The local Senior Home is sold to an exclusive rehab center. The 1st patients are a former child star, a senator, a football star & diet dr. When the receptionist at the center is killed at the center all the patients are highlysuspect as well as the doctors and partners.
—Pam
