I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Two Murders Too Many
by Bluette Matthey
Published by Blue Shutter Publishing on October 21, 2020
Genres: Police Procedurals Mystery
Pages: 168
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
BookBub
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Barn burning in a sleepy farming community is a serious enough matter, but a grisly murder or two in a small midwest town is a showstopper. Throw in a serial blackmailer who has his claws in some of the town’s leading citizens and you have one big recipe for disaster.
Charlie Simmons, newly sworn in as Shannon’s policeman, takes on the challenge of investigating this cauldron of crimes in stride, untangling one thread after another from the fabric of the town of Shannon to find the simple truth.
Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey is a different sort of historical mystery. You never know what you will find in a small town, but Shannon isn’t your normal small town.
Will Charlie figure out who burned down the barns, killed the postman, and where is Katie?
In the 1950s, the town of Shannon, Ohio, had a rash of crimes. Although the crimes are all different in nature, no one seems to know who is behind them. This fictional farm town has quite a bit of characters running around.
Charlie Simmons
Charlie is the local policeman. He is tasked with figuring out who committed these crimes and bringing them to justice. Charlie’s list of suspects in each crime keeps getting longer, and the culprits come from some of the best families. As he investigates lead after lead, Charlie is extremely discreet, which the fine citizens of Shannon find very helpful. Even though Charlie doesn’t gossip, it doesn’t mean that he won’t figure this mystery out.
I think Charlie is a great character. He shows great integrity, honesty, and the ability to see the puzzle. I think how he handles the different citizens is touching, even when the other townsfolk don’t like it.
Three Stars
I enjoyed Charlie’s way of thinking, but I found the way the author worked in the backstories for the other characters odd. It was like, oh, here is a suspect, then, nope, this is why they couldn’t have done the deed. The story is true to the time and the way a farm town would have been; at least, it seemed correct to me. My rating for Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey is three stars. However, if you are looking for a mystery with a different spin, you should check this one out.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Two Murders Too Many by Bluette Matthey.
Until the next time,
About Bluette Matthey
Bluette Matthey is a 3rd generation Swiss American and an avid lover of European cultures. She has decades of travel and writing experience. She is a keen reader of mysteries, especially those that immerse the reader in the history, inhabitants, culture, and cuisine of new places. Her passion for travel, except airports (where she keeps a mystery to pass the time), is shared by her husband, who owned a tour outfitter business in Europe. Bluette particularly loves to explore regions that are not on the “15 days in Europe” itineraries. She also enjoys little-known discoveries, such as the London Walks, in well-known areas. She firmly believes that walking and hiking bring her closer to the real life of any locale. Bluette maintains a list of hikes and pilgrimages throughout Europe for future exploration. She lives in Béziers in the South of France, with her husband and band of loving cats.
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