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Minda Hobbs has returned to Angel Heights, South Carolina after the death of her husband. She is hoping to finish her mourning and start a new job after Christmas. Upon her arrive, she finds her cousin, Otto, dead in the ladies bathroom at the Minerva Academy museum. In addition, she finds a woman named Augusta Goodnight in the family home. Augusta claims to be her guardian angel. Although Minda does not believe she needs a guardian angel, after all no one saved her husband, she quickly learns that Augusta’s assistance will be necessary. Otto’s murder is the result of something he discovered about the Academy and Minda’s great grandmother. Minda finds herself studying the fire that destroyed part of the Academy years before and her great-aunt Rose, who killed herself when only sixteen. Minda must discover the secret of the past, before she too is murdered. SHADOW OF AN ANGEL was surprisingly enjoyable. The idea of a guardian angel tends to be associated with Catholicism and New Age religions. This book ignored both of these religions. In fact, Augusta was thrown into the story without any real explanation for her existence. The book did have Christian morals; however, the book lacked any overwhelming evangelism. It was disconcerting to realize that a guardian angel primarily cooked amazing foods and sewed. Some how angels are used pictured above menial tasks. Augusta seemed more like a favorite grandmother or neighbor than an angel. She was very subtle with her help and forced Minda to discover everything on her own. She also had amazing platitudes. For example, the idea that everything happens for a reason and that no one can fix everything, not even angels. The mystery itself is solid. Otto was a less than desirable character and managed to use events from the past to attack those in the present. Someone did not want him tarnishing the past and killed him. Now all Minda needs to do is figure out what he found and who would want to keep that information a secret. Minda does a decent job of tracking down clues without really having any information to go on and no help from the police. SHADOW OF AN ANGEL is Mignon F. Ballard’s latest book in her guardian angel mystery series.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, August 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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