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SHADOWS ON THE IVY
by Lea Wait
Pocket Books, July 2005
256 pages
$12.00
ISBN: 0743475585


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Maggie Summer is both a college teacher and an antique print dealer. She is also the mentor to six single parents who are enrolled under a special scholarship program. These activities keep her busy but so far she has everything under control. Unfortunately, things begin to go wrong.

One of the students, Sarah Anderson, is poisoned at a dinner party for these special scholarship students. Maggie feels that she needs to help with the investigation because Sarah's treatment cannot be determined under the poison is identified. In addition, Maggie will receive custody of Sarah's daughter if Sarah dies.

While Maggie has always believed that this tiny community college has always been a rather quiet place to live, she quickly learns that she is wrong. Colleagues she thought she knew have ugly secrets that might destroy the community. When another student is murdered, Maggie must become more aggressive if she does not want to end up a victim herself.

A large portion of SHADOWS ON THE IVY deals with parents and parenting. Maggie is a widow but feels her biological clock ticking. The poisoning that occurs in this book forces her to make decisions about what she wants out of life. Not only does this book feature Maggie's thoughts about babies, it also deals with the many varied thoughts and opinions others have as well.

The college has a special program so that single parents can go back to school and get a degree. These students must juggle being a parent with being a student, which can be difficult at the best of times. Each of these single parents also has their own problems and issues with parenting through their own history and the way they are raising their children.

For example, Sarah Anderson is a single parent with a troubled history. Her own experience as a foster child provides a negative view of some people's parenting ability. All of the various opinions about children are the driving force behind the majority of the action in this book.

In addition to a mystery plot, SHADOWS ON THE IVY provides a lot of detail about specific printmakers and the history of printmaking. The class that Maggie Summer teaches in this book is about Currier and Ives who were prominent printmakers in the 19th century.

The only frustrating part about the inclusion of art history is that the book lacks pictures and resources. While this book's intent is to provide entertainment, there is so much information about printmaking that, at times, it feels more like an art history lesson. And as any good art historian knows, pictures are what make a lesson memorable.

SHADOWS ON THE IVY is the third book featuring Maggie Summer and antique prints.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, October 2005

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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