A Little Neighborhood Murder

Jason Lynx #1

by A.J. Orde

When Jason Lynx's neighbors, George and Betty Whitney, are murdered, Jason discovers the police consider him the number one suspect. But Jason, an addicted puzzle solver, begins to find the case fascinating. Who'd have thought that George Whitney, an employee of a religious radio station, had it in him to attract a killer. Aided by endearing detective Grace Willis, Jason approaches the sinister secret that made the boring Whitneys so deadly dangerous. And if he is not very careful, that terrible secret could coil back and strike him....
"Orde writes with a firm, precise voice and Lynx is a well-drawn and likable characater."
SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Animals, Cozy

219 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1989

About the author

A.J. Orde is a pseudonym of Sheri S. Tepper.

Reviews

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in one of those mystery series that I like so much that I read them over and over again. The author's real name is Sheri S. Tepper, who is better known for her science fiction and fantasy novels. The strength of these mysteries is the well-drawn, engaging, intelligent main characters: Jason Lynx, who deals in antiques and interior design, and his love interest, police detective Grace Willis. There's also a good, twisty mystery plot involving murders and bombs, and the writing is excellent.

Tepper's mysteries have less of the preachiness that is often found in her science fiction, which is one reason why I prefer them. I'm looking forward to rereading the second book in this series, because Grace's big Maine coon cat, Critter, is introduced in it. If you enjoy this series, you might also want to give Tepper's Shirley McClintock whodunits, written under the name B.J. Oliphant, a try. Since both series are out of print, you'll have to look for used copies, which apparently are not too hard to find.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

🍷🍷🍷🍷
Highly recommended. Not only did I enjoy the mystery, but it was enough off-beat and different from most mysteries that I was quite captivated by the whole reading. First of a short series (6 in total), I’m sure to read them all.
Jason Lynx lives above his antique and interior decorating business in a quiet Denver neighborhood. The quiet is disturbed when Jason finds a strange package left at the neighbor’s door which turns out to be a bomb. The bomb squad arrives and disposes of it, but soon after the neighbors are found shot to death. Curious about why the director of a religious radio station would be the object of such hate, Jason tries to learn more about about who this couple really was. And the game is afoot, the story carries one along effortlessly, and as with all good stories seems to end too soon. This was a terrific read!

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jason and Grace together solving this mystery was a fun read. It kind of reminds me of the Nancy Drew books I loved as a child. Except, these are grown up ones where it is a bit more thought provoking. I enjoyed how the little pieces all came together.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable and intricately plotted. But I thought the ending was too tidy; all the loose ends were wrapped up, including those unrelated to the murder, within a couple pages of each other.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

deeply moving

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting first book in a cozy mystery series. The main character was abandoned at a Home for Children when he was a small child, with severe burns on his ear and head. He knows nothing about his past. The people at the Home named him. He was caught stealing as a kid, and the man who caught him took him in, taught him about antiques, sent him to college, and turned his life around. Jason is now a successful interior designer who specializes in antiques.

Jason was married. He and his wife had a child. Then, about eight years ago, her car was found wrecked, with the baby inside. His wife has never been found, and the baby suffered brain damage and has been in an institution ever since. Jason has a lot going on inside, and when his neighbors are murdered and the murders seem connected to the disappearance of his wife, trauma is stirred up.

A Little Neighborhood Murder reminded me of the Gabriel Ash series by Jo Bannister. The main character is someone just trying to hold on while dealing with trauma and mental health issues. I'm looking forward to moving on to book 2.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally like mysteries that were written in another age. Usually they are books from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. This one is from the 1980s so more recent than most of my favorites. The actual story is kind of a spy thriller but mainly sets up the characters for a series I now want to read.

After reading a later book in the series from my mother-in-law's extensive collection of mysteries, I checked to see what my library had in this series. This is the only one. It clearly dates from the original publication as it is still has the pocket in front to hold the library check out card. It has been decades since the Eugene library used those cards, but fun to see one again.

Now how will I find the rest of the series?

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

[1997]. This author also writes science fiction. This one is a first-in-series with the detective as an antiques dealer who was an orphan raised in a foster home, and is haunted by his own ghosts. I liked him—Jason Lynx—and I liked how he dealt with his life, neighbors, and work while trying to figure out the murder of his next-door neighbors—which in turn proves to involve the tragic disappearance of his wife years ago. Good.

[2020]. I’ve re-read this book and the series several times at least since I wrote this review, and I stick by the rating.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up "Little Neighborhood Murder" by the late A. J. Orde in the discard pile at the Winona, Miss., library recently and just finished reading it Tuesday. I believe it was the first in a series featuring Jason Lynx -- I would enjoy reading more of Lynx's fictional experiences. Not heavy duty with strings of nasty words...so that is to recommend Orde's writings so far as I've seen.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many late ‘80’s/early ‘90’s mysteries just don’t hold up with the passage of time. This one might be the exception! It’s an intriguing tale of package bombs, dog shows, nosy neighbors, a missing wife, antique furniture, unhelpful cops, and murder. Great characters and a great start to a series.

[Judy A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done and moved along smartly

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like these books, the fact that they are set in Denver is a bonus.

[Cindy Bellomy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun for a beach read.

[Deb]

"A good start to a series. I like the character of Jason Lynx, who is not a professional detective of ant kind, merely an antiques dealer who enjoys puzzles. This puzzle starts with the murder of his neighbors, and subsequent investigation by both the police and Jason, in very divergent methods. [return][return]The gradual reveal of the neighbors' activities, the secrets inside their house as well as in their jobs and other activities, is a pleasure to read. The side plot of Jason's relationship with the police detective is a nice touch, not overdone and quite believable. I also enjoy that instead of having a very light and inconsequential tone, as most cozies do, this book managed to convey a quiet melancholy, very suitable to Jason's still grieving widowhood."

[Mary Helene · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in the series, with a hero is an interior designer/antique dealer. Set in Colorado, but not too much local scenery, mores the pity.

[Bev · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actuallly...only half a star. Did not enjoy at all.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

mystery set in the southwest