Meadowlark

Lark Dodge #4

by Sheila Simonson

Assisting at a weeklong workshop for journalists at an experimental organic farm, Lark Dodge and her ex-police detective husband turn sleuth when one of the farm managers ends up dead and it becomes clear that one of the mismatched farm residents is a killer.

Genres: Mystery

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Ms. Simonson writes mysteries and romantic fiction, and lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Denise Spicer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lark is busy with her new bookstore but gets talked into helping with a writer’s conference at a local organic farm. A missing person case turns into a homicide.

[Leta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up because it's a prop in the show I'm rehearsing, so my expectations were pretty minimal. That said, I enjoyed it and read it in three days which tells you that it's fun and not very deep.

The main character, and narrator, is Lark Dodge, the owner of a bookstore which requires amazingingly little of her time (sometimes she or her friend Bonnie dust a shelf or two, maybe a book is ordered). I enjoyed both Lark's narrator's voice and her as a character, so I'd be willing to read another of her adventures.

The central mystery was generally well constructed although it seemed to wrap up rather abruptly. Sort of "and now we know this fact, and now we know this fact, and now --- problem solved!!" I actually thought for a moment that this was a fake, first ending for a bigger reveal, but it wasn't. On the other hand, many mysteries reveal the villain and then end, so it was nice to have some thoughtful play out.

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a superior read for a cozy mystery. The heroine, Lark, was intelligent and caring, and actually had a reason to be on the scene. The author didn't have to spend half of the book explaining why anyone would willing involve herself in a murder investigation. Lark's husband is a consultant for the local police, and Lark is working at the farm where the murder takes place. Extra points for the fact that I didn't guess who the murderer was. Only quibble: one character, Del, was so obnoxious that it was hard to believe he wouldn't get fired, or murdered himself. I'll look for more in this series.

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast-paced, entertaining mystery.