Death Climbs a Tree

Joan Spencer #6

by Sara Hoskinson Frommer

"I can't play the concert," Sylvia Purcell said. "I have to sit in a tree."

Joan Spencer, manager of the local Civic Symphony, is up a tree herself when one of her top violinists deserts the orchestra right before a concert. Sylvia is looking for publicity in protest of a local environmentally-unfriendly construction project. But before she can be talked down peacefully, Sylvia crashes to the ground, right at the feet of Joan's son Andrew, and it's clearly no accident.

For Joan, the question of just who knocked Sylvia into the next world becomes far more interesting than making sure the orchestra is ready for the big event. Could Sylvia have been killed by the shifty contractor, who's always nearby? The Earth Freedom Fighters, who defaced his equipment? The source of the mysterious moving lights in the woods late at night? Or does all the evidence point to Joan's son Andrew himself? No one seems to have any answers, but the biggest question of all is particularly close to Joan's heart: Just how much danger Andrew in?

Sara Hoskinson Frommer is a true master of the atmospheric, small-town mystery, and Death Climbs a Tree is another superb entry in a series that continues to please.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy

Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mayda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Climbs a Tree is an interesting cozy that brings up some ecological issues that clash with economical ones. Sarah Hoskinson Frommer's story is well researched and accurate in its details. This latest installment in the series about violist Joan Spenser is entertaining and informative as it winds its way to a satisfying conclusion.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living for days at a time 70 feet up in a tree sounds like hell to me but is the basis for this cozy. The deaths of a conservationist and an environmentalist are resolved by viola playing Joan and her policeman husband with a little help from Joan's tree sitting son.

[Eileen McCauley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable cozy mystery. I particularly like the main character's connection to the local symphony orchestra. She is a violist and the symphony's manager and librarian and other members are key characters. The book was written in 2005 and the author's photo places her in my parents' generation which explained coffee with and after dinner and "hose". I plan to read others in the series

[Mary Nuttelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this small town cozy mystery, 6th in the series. I've read and enjoyed them all. It looks like there's only one left to read. Too bad; I've enjoyed getting to know all the characters and the goings on about the small town of Oliver, Indiana.

[Rob Worth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but nothing OMG.