Maze in Blue

by Debra H. Goldstein

A COURSE IN MURDER

A new tenure position has opened up in the English department at the University of Michigan and rivalries are fierce. Literature student Denney Silber and her friends find themselves caught up in the gossip, drama—and secrets. Worse, one of her most difficult professors is acting strangely, and Denney fears her grades will suffer. But her work becomes the least of her problems when she finds a good friend dead on the floor of the English department offices.

Now Denney isn't sure whom she can trust: not her professors, not even her closest friends. Everybody's got something to hide. The plot thickens as the drama and backstabbing lure Denney to a treacherous conclusion. If she wants to survive the killer's plot, she'll need to rewrite its deadly ending.

Genres: Mystery

232 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2011

About the author

Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of Kensington’s Sarah Blair cozy mystery series (Five Belles Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, One Taste Too Many). She also wrote Should Have Played Poker and 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories, including Anthony and Agatha nominated “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place” and Derringer finalist "Pig Lickin' Cake," have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and Mystery Weekly. Debra served on the national board of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and was president of the Southeast region of MWA and SinC's Guppy Chapter. Find out more about Debra at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com .

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little slow for me to get into but I enjoyed the story once I did get hooked. It was easy to read but I didn't go to college so some of the subject matter I didn't understand. I did enjoy the group of friends and the sorority life. This was more of a 3.5 rating for me. I rounded up to 4 stars because I did like this book more than some of my usual 3 star books. Of course I did love the Michigan setting.

[Janice Workman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read - will try another of her books. Parts seemed to drag - not much white knuckle, have to keep on reading to the story, but I finished the book.

[Debbie Heaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Goldstein’s mystery novel, the University of Michigan has just opened up a new tenure position in the English department and there is a flood of applicants making their bid. Literature student Denney Silber and some of her friends find themselves overwhelmed with gossip, drama and secrets. Soon a difficult professor starts acting differently and before long she finds a good friend dead. Not knowing who she can trust, Denney finds the plot thickening as attempts are made to lure her into the web of deceit. To stay alive her only option is to remain one step ahead of the killer.

Fast-paced, hard to put down story.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have spent time on the University of Michigan campus or lived in Ann Arbor, you will especially be interested in this cozy mystery with a 70s vibe. Professors, students, tenure, fraternities, concerts and murder. What more could one ask for? I suspect our heroine Denney Silber may encounter murder again in the future!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery was a little slow going for me. It seemed to take forever to gather enough information for the main character to solve it and even then it seemed like she solved it by getting attacked by the murdered.

[Michelle Adamo #EmptyNestReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maze in Blue takes place on the campus of the University of Michigan in the 1970s. Senior Denney Silber is struggling through a poetry class taught by Dr. Suzanne Harris, a professor who seems to constantly be in a bad mood. She becomes aware that there is a lot of tension in the English department as there are 4 or more professors vying for a recently opened tenure position and, the competition is fierce. Worse, the department head seems to be enjoying playing one against the other.

When Helen, a friend of Denneys who worked for one of the professors, is found dead in the office of that same ornery poetry professor, Denney is certain that Harris is guilty. Still, her friends urge her to withhold judgement. Denney, who can be quite impatient, decides that she is going to find out who killed Helen. Along the way she learns that not only does the English department have secrets, but so do her friends.

A fun who-dun-it novel with plenty of twists. The book did start out a bit slow but the story line does pick up. It was fun to follow along and see where the clues would lead. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was recommended to me because it takes place in Arbor, MI - a place near and dear to my heart. It was definitely fun to relive 70s Ann Arbor. 💙💛

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[April Suter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder mystery in Michigan in the 70's.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorosis?

For an Ohio State resident and Buckeye fan to read this might be considered treasonous. While I enjoyed the book immensely, naming a sorority “Sorosis” seems weird. Just saying the name makes me cringe. It sounds like a liver disease, unless that was the point... I was in college close to this timeframe and some aspects of campus life brought back some memories! The dialogue is well written and the plot has some twists that work well. All -in- all enjoyable!

[Vicki Gooding · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1971 a young woman is a literature student at a College in Michigan. Her best friend working part time in the English department when a new tenure opens. Applications immediately begin to come in with jealousy and malice. Her friend is found murdered. The friends who surround her are quite a bit different than those I knew at the same age. The main character is immature and angers at nearly any little comment or behavior quickly. Gossip and mistrust are every where. A Professor who is petty and hands out bad marks is lurking everywhere but somehow becomes one of the group. She's everywhere with them, and is a strain to the imagination that she actually has the inferred qualities she's suppose to have. The story line does pick up a bit more when the main character has a dangerous attempt at her own life which no one believes, and another Professor is found murdered. This is about 2/3 into the book. Finally the author brings it back to the issue at hand and the book begins to have the excitement one receives with a good mystery. It probably would have been better if it were High School rather than College. I'd give it half a thumbs up.

[Polly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I particularly liked about Maze in Blue was that the main character, Denney, was far from perfect. She could be testy and wrong-headed, but she was loyal and caring and duty bound--to herself--to do the right thing. A good mystery in a college setting. Recommended.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy read - but not a literary masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. Predictable and a bit elementary.

[T.K. Thorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery set on the University of Michigan campus in the 1970's. Goldstein will keep you reading...and guessing!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little read set in Ann Arbor in the 70's....when I was a student there :-)! The author keeps the mystery going all the way to the end.

[Chris Eagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a great mystery but fun to read because it takes place in 1971 on the Michigan campus in Ann Arbor.