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HOT SPOT: A Mark Manning Mystery
by Michael Craft
St. Martin's, June 2003
272 pages
$13.95
ISBN: 0312313640


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Most amateur sleuths have no problem with having murders drop into their laps. But for publisher Mark Manning, the victim fell dead practically at his feet. Hosting the wedding of his good friends Roxanne Exner and Carl Creighton, Mark and his partner, Neil Waite, are devastated when Betty Gifford Ashton, beloved elderly matriarch dies at the reception.

Formerly of Chicago, Mark has settled into the small central Wisconsin town of Dumont, where he publishes the local newspaper. Mark lives with his partner and their ward, Thad, in the gracious home on Prairie Street, which Mark inherited from a wealthy relative.

Carl, Roxanne's new husband, is running for lieutenant governor of Illinois. When Roxanne becomes one of the suspects in Mrs. Ashton's death, his campaign manager gives the local authorities a deadline of less than 48 hours to solve the crime, or Carl will be dumped from the ticket. Mark, no stranger to lending a helping hand to his friend Pierce, the local sheriff, decides that he must try to clear Roxanne's name before Carl's career is ruined.

This is the sixth book in the Mark Manning series. The book is well written and a fast easy read. The characters are interesting and well developed and the puzzle is a good one. The book is very much a cozy, but with some sex scenes. Actually, Mark dreams the sex scenes, and they are amusing, especially because of the unlikely participants in the dream.

Lovers of the "gather all of the suspects together" denouement will be pleased with these books as it seems to be the method of choice in unmasking the killer in the series. A light treat that goes down easily; however, with all of the pastries that the characters consume, you might consider a snack on the side while reading.

Reviewed by Lorraine Gelly, June 2003

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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