A lively mystery!
A Relative Murder by Jude Deveraux is the fourth book in The Medlar Mysteries. While this book can be read on its own, I wish I had read the series in order (I did not know it was part of a series when I acquired the book). It would have allowed me to get all the background details and it would not have felt like an information overload. There is plenty of family drama in A Relative Murder along with a murder or two. There is a diverse cast of characters. Some I like while others I detested (like Ava). The characters are well-developed. I like Sara, Kate, and Jack. They are all clever, kind, and with extremely curious natures. A Relative Murder is well-written with steady pacing. You can tell that the author carefully plotted out this book as well as the whole series. There are twists and surprises all the way to the conclusion. Some things can be predicted, but there are plenty of surprises. I liked the humor in the story. There are a few times when I ended up laughing out loud (like when Lenny debated on the best way to dispose of a bodyâ�"an alligator or a woodchipperâ�"he wanted to pick the one that was the most environmentally friendly.) The murder investigation takes a backseat to everything else going on. It gets solved in the end (I could have done without the condescending Broward County detective). Jack as a deputy was humorous. He could not wait to be done with that job. Fans of the series will be delighted with this installment. I do want readers to know that there is foul language in the story. A Relative Murder is an entertaining romantic suspense novel (it would not be a Jude Deveraux book without romance). Be prepared to stay up late to finish the story and have a book hangover the next day. A Relative Murder is a lively mystery with a melodramatic mother, surprising secrets, a whole lot of holes, a staycation vacation, conniving uncles, a blast from the past, a mysterious murder, and a determined daughter.
