Bet Your Bones

A Dinah Pelerin Mystery #2

by Jeanne Matthews

 

A wedding on the lip of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride’s best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she’s found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. A group of Native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land the groom plans to sell and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him. Claude Ann’s ex-husband is stalking her and rigging booby-traps. A blackmailer is conspiring to cash in on the groom’s suspicious past. And Pele, the local fire goddess, is rocking the island with a series of earthquakes. It seems as if the stakes can’t get any higher. And then somebody shoves a member of the wedding into a flow of molten lava and all bets are off. True friendship is never easy and Dinah and Claude Ann have had their misunderstandings. But when danger threatens, Dinah is determined to protect her friend and repay the loyalty Claude Ann has shown to her if she has to walk through fire to do it. Hawaii is a hotbed of ancient myths and modern conflicts over who should control the land so cherished by its native people. If Dinah and Claude Ann are to get out alive, they’ll have to face down an angry goddess and a ruthless killer.    

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Jeanne Matthews graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism and a yen to write. Born with an insatiable wanderlust, she travels whenever she can and if she likes a place, writes a book about it - almost always including a dash of the local mythology and a murder.. Currently, she lives in Renton, Washington with her husband and a Norwich terrier named Jack Reacher.

Reviews

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read in this series. Both deal with anthropology in different geological locations with history, lore and myths. It is a historical novel in mystery form as she always adds a good deal of information. A tad much, but she is an excellent story teller. I like the way the main character thinks, humor a touch of intrigue, honesty and humor. The way she gathers facts is different in many ways than qualified authorities, but the results are better, other than leaving herself vulnerable. If you enjoy information from different areas, times and customs you'll find her mysteries a delight.

[Karen Dunaway · Rating 2 out of 5]

She hemorrhages question marks. It's her primary method of moving the plot forward. Hawaii was nice, but not much more.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like learning a little about different cultures. The descriptions of myths are the only thing I like about this series. I think I'll stop after two.

[Julie Akeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting kinda tired of reading mysteries but this book is good, got some surprises there. I really love learning about a Hawaiian word Kapu, because I saw it on the bedroom door of Lilo in Disney's Lilo and Stitch, I always thought it keep out, it actually is a heavy part of the Hawaiian culture, Kapu is what is taboo and if you cross it it means death. So of course Lilo puts that sort of a warning on her door. This book mentions a lot about Hawaiian myths and legends. That's what I like about this series.

[Karen Machin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good mystery for a while but anticlimactic. By the end when everything has been sorted out, it’s just so boring. I think it was meant to be gripping but it’s not. Not bad but not great

[Belle]

I wanted to like this, as this author is one of our locals. I enjoyed the Hawaiian mythology, but the characters didn't grab me. She writes so well, but it just didn't work for me.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received from Netgalley.

Summary: A wedding on the lip of a Hawaiian volcano sounds risky to Dinah Pelerin, the bride’s best friend and maid of honor. The bride, Claude Ann Kemper, has bet her heart that she’s found the right man at last. The groom has gone all in on a real estate deal he believes will set him and his new wife up for life. A group of Native Hawaiians claims that the sacred bones of an ancestral king are buried on the land the groom plans to sell and one of them has vowed do whatever it takes to stop him. Claude Ann’s ex-husband is stalking her and rigging booby-traps. A blackmailer is conspiring to cash in on the groom’s suspicious past. And Pele, the local fire goddess, is rocking the island with a series of earthquakes. It seems as if the stakes can’t get any higher. And then somebody shoves a member of the wedding into a flow of molten lava and all bets are off.

My review: I loved the setting of Hawaii. The book was well written and an easy read. I always love a good mystery. It keeps you on your toes and wanting more. I think the main character is a bit flaky, but that doesn't take away from who she is in the book. She's a loyal friend even if her and her best friend aren't on the best of terms, and she enjoys doing what she does for her job, even though she's constantly running around, and not set on one path. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bet Your Bones was well written and a good read. I loved the setting of Hawaii...who doesn't love Hawaii! I did find the main character Dinah to be flaky. Flaky in that she seemed to be drifting around and not settling on a career path. And that she even went to Claude Anne's wedding in Hawaii in the first place when she and Claude Anne had a falling out years ago.

Besides being flaky, Dinah is a student of cultural anthropology. This allowed for the recounting of a number of very interesting Hawaiian myths. The belief system of native Hawaiians also figured into the plot of the book. A lot of what was happening in the present was based upon events that had occurred in the past between the partners in a land development deal that was central to the story line.

All in all a good, enjoyable mystery. Perfect beach read!!

[Ronda Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bet Your Bones is a fun mystery. Anthropologist/amateur sleuth Dinah Pelerin’s second adventure takes place in Hawaii, where her long-time friend’s wedding is disrupted by many interesting complications, not the least of which is murder. Author Jeanne Matthews does a great job weaving Hawaiian myths and local flavor into the plot. The story’s pacing is atypical because the main “dead body” arrives well into the book, but I thought this allowed for the characters to be more fully developed. As a former resident of Hawaii, I particularly appreciated the story’s setting which felt authentic to me.

All-in-all, it’s a sure bet you’ll be intrigued by Bet Your Bones.

[Debbie Heaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Matthews’ mystery novel, budding anthropologist Dinah Pekerin goes to Hawaii for her best friend’s wedding. The wedding is too held on the rim of a volcano, the same volcano that the fiancé is involved in a controversial land development deal over. The myths and legends fascinate Dinah but the locals are upset and protesting the desecration of sacred burial grounds. When a murder takes place, Dinah follows a trail of blackmail, secrets, and risky business all the while walking a thin line between getting burned and getting killed.

A great addition to the A Dinah Pelirin Mystery series.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aspiring anthropologist Dinah Pelerin flies to Hawaii to act as maid of honor--for the second time--to her childhood friend Claude Ann, trying to repress her unease that Claude is marrying an older man, Xander, whom she met only weeks before. Xander is closing a big real estate deal, and there are protestors who oppose his development plan. Are they behind the ugly trick played on Claude Ann at the celebratory party? The wedding party leaves Oahu for the Big Island, where the ceremony is scheduled, only to find even more disaster.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like these stories and the characters but, as I've said before, the author is a little too caught up in the myths that she inserts into the storyline. I know that this is her "niche," but just a little into to myths would be fine and appropriate -- I think she just puts too much of it into her books and it takes away a little for me (resulting in three stars instead of four). I often find myself skipping forward.

[Deborah aka Reading Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice 2nd story in the Dinah Pelerin series. Due to the background of the protagonist being cultural anthropology, each book deals with a different area of the world and introduces us to some of the myths and legends of the indigenous people. Throw in a murder to two for solving and the books are quite fun to read.

[Susan Schreyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Wonderful writing, great wit, well drawn characters and a tight plot. Highly recommend anything Jeanne Matthews writes. She's a high quality writer who always entertains.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this sequel a bit more than the first on the series. I felt like the mystery was a little more solid. I also came to like Dinah a lot more as a character. I look forward to reading the next one.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice mystery by Jeanne Matthews, set in Hawaii, and giving lots of interesting insights into Hawaiian myths and legends, and a murder at a wedding to which our hero has been invited as best maid. I'd have said there were too many characters to keep tabs on, but it was good anyway.

[Donna Martemucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

another fun mystery. Liked hearing about the history of Hawaii

[Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to the next in this series. I enjoy the blend of local lore, humor, and mystery.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: A Dinah Pelerin Mystery

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

too contrived. dinah takes too many absurd risks. her choices of actions were unrealistic