Deadly Advice
Roberta Isleib
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
Dr. Rebecca Butterman is a single woman, busy as both a psychologist
and an advice columnist. But her personal life and her jobs come
crashing together when two events collide into one. Her neighbor is
found dead and the police believe it is suicide. But the girl's mother
is convinced her daughter would never kill herself. She asks Rebecca to
investigate it further. Then she is asked to write a column on current
dating trends. Since her neighbor was active in different dating
activities Rebecca can look into her death at the same time she
researches her article. But nothing is ever as it seems when it comes
to modern dating. Rebecca must solve the mystery of her neighbor's
death before the dating circuit kills her.
Deadly Advice was the debut of the Adventure Column Mystery series. It
has since been joined by Preaching to the Corpse. Isleib is also the
author of the Golf Mystery series starring woman golfer Cassandra
Burdettte. Islieb's experience writing cozies if very evident in Deadly
Advice. She writes a taut, well formed story with enough suspense
deftly plotted to maintain interest and enthusiasm. Rebecca Butterman
is an appealing main character; she is strong, intelligent and human.
Her reactions are not forced, she comes across as realistic and
complete. The mystery is fully formed, with a plot full of
corners, dips and detours. The climax is a nicely lurid contrast to the
cozy concept.
It will be fun to see her in future books in the series. Readers will
want to read the series just to keep in touch with Rebecca. That a good
mystery is included is a nice treat too. On Isleib's Amazon
posting she states that she is working on a third entry into this
series. Fans will look forward September '08 for that one.