The Murder Pit by Jeff Shelby
The Murder Pit by Jeff Shelby
The Murder Pit is a cozy mystery with a lot of family humor. Jake and Daisy are a [image error]blended family, both divorced and four kids between them living in a 150-year-old house in Moose River, Minnesota. While trying to fix a frozen pipe, they find a body in the coal chute. Olaf Stunderson turns out to be a man Daisy dated once after joining Once Around the Corner dating site before she met Jake and after her divorce. She looks guilty to everyone in town and to Detective Priscilla Hanborn.
Olaf’s sister accuses her of being the killer, and they wrestle in the snow like kids. Daisy homeschools her three youngest and Olaf’s wife Helen confronts her in the library and then on a tour of the recycling plant. Daisy is emotional and reactionary while Jake is cool and calm and they match each other well. There is a lot of family humor, especially with the kids and each other. Parents will enjoy the banter.
Shelby uses the home schooling as a way for Daisy to meet and talk with different suspects. Even though Jake tells her not to pretend to be a detective, she noses around. Her encounters are realistic and help to flesh out who Olaf was and who may have killed him.
Shelby uses lies by one character to mask the truth, and he throws in a red herring to add another suspect. The real killer may be obvious to some sleuths but not to everyone. A little too much talking was done by Daisy in the end when she realizes who the killer is and exposes herself to danger, but what amateur sleuth doesn’t? Overall it was well written and enjoyable to read.
