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Charlotte LaRue owns a successful maid service in New Orleans. When one of her best clients, a woman she also considers a friend, asks her to help out at the home of a woman she helped raise, Charlotte takes on the temporary but very well-paid job. When she arrives at the address, she's surprised that it turns out to be the home of an infamous mob boss, one Robert Rossi. Rossi is rumored to have killed his father and murdered his first wife and their children in order to gain the position of power in his mob family. Charlotte is not happy to be working there. Since she said she would do it, and the money is needed, she goes about her business in a professional way and does her best not to notice the tension in the house amongst the relatives living there, the violent men surrounding her and the bruises on the woman she is helping out, Mrs. Rossi. The temp job soon extends to her working a pre Mardi Gras party and the mob boss is killed in the library during the festivities. His wife is found standing by the body with a bloody knife and she's instantly the first suspect. Not believing the poor woman could have done the deed Charlotte wants to make certain that the right person is arrested. She's soon on the job as a sleuth in addition to cleaning up as the maid. MARRIED TO THE MOP is a first-rate cozy. This is the fifth in the Charlotte LaRue series and as a newcomer to them, I found this one a fine standalone story. There's just enough side story to let the readers know that Charlotte has a well-rounded life and a history, but the fact that you might have missed the other installments of the series is added with a light touch. The result is that, though nothing seems left out, you still have the urge to read more about the main character. It's written that well! The reading is smooth and well-paced and Charlotte is a formidable and extremely likeable character. There are enough turns and twists in the mystery to keep you guessing and glued to the book. Writer Barbara Colley is a skilled and talented writer. I recommend MARRIED TO THE MOP and the Charlotte LaRue mystery series. It's fine reading.
Reviewed by Sharon Katz, January 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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