M.J. Zellnik Reviews

Added February 10, 2007

A Death at the Rose Paperworks

A Libby Seale Mystery

Author: M.J. Zellnik
Publisher: Midnight Ink Books, an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide
Available At: Bookstores everywhere
Publishing Date: October 2006
Genre: Mystery: Historical
Format: Trade Paperback
Price: $13.95
ISBN-10: 0-7387-0897-6
Author Email/Website: www.libbyseale.com
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

History and mystery blend together beautifully in this well written book. Readers are taken back to Portland, Oregon in the 1890s, for a delightful glimpse of this era, complete with vivid details and dashing dialogue.

The character of Libby Seale returns in this novel to crack another case. In this story, she works as a seamstress for the wealthy and powerful Rose family. When it was learned that the patriarch, Hiram Rose, was mangled in one of his company's machines at the paper mill, shock waves ripple through the town. Yet, it was even more shocking when this same Hiram walks through his front door hours later. Who was really killed? Libby's investigative skills search out the truth and lead to even more startling discoveries.

The historical elements of this novel wrap the mystery in a cozy atmosphere. Horse-drawn carriages bring readers to the homes of these wonderful characters, where graceful conversations carry the story along smoothly. The gruesome death in the early pages sets the tone and provides a contrast to the genteel community spirit. The author skillfully marks a trail of clues and red herrings, allowing the spotlight of suspicion to hover over several key people.

Libby Seale is an enchanting combination of old fashioned propriety and modern day thinking. As she teams up with her love interest, Peter Eberle, to solve this mystery, the attraction between them adds a delicate touch of romance and desire. As they work together to ferret out the truth, significant facts and secret alliances are brought to light, all of which fills this novel with cleverness and creativity. Readers will learn more about this time period as details are smoothly incorporated into the story.

A Death at the Rose Paperworks is an historical mystery worth reading!

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