Scarecrow

Jo Banks #1

by Robin Hathaway

Briefly departing from her Doctor Fenimore stories, Robin Hathaway brings readers Dr. Jo Banks, a young female doctor practicing in Manhattan. When a little patient dies, Banks blames herself. Unable to face her life, she runs—leaving her lover, driving away from New York and through New Jersey without a destination on the highway or in her life. She stops at a motel, and that evening is called upon to treat a woman taken suddenly ill.

The episode leads the motel owner to present Jo with a deal. Neither he nor the other motel owners can afford to keep a doctor on hand, but it is sometimes difficult to get one to come out from the nearest city. What they need is a cooperative house doctor—someone who can quickly get to any of the nearby motels. How about it? Jo takes the deal—without knowing that it will involve her in a series of gruesome murders of itinerant farm workers.

Full of the wit, charm, and lively settings that have made Hathaway’s Doctor Fenimore series so popular, Scarecrow is sure to please.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Medical, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Contemporary

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Robin graduated from Germantown Friends School and Smith College (BA/English). While her two daughters were young she owned and operated a printing/advertising firm Barnhouse Press from her home (there was a printing press in the barn and one in the house) and did freelance writing and photography. One daughter claims she was lulled to sleep by the methodical beat of a printing press in the kitchen and a close friend claimed she once found ink in her mashed potatoes!

But Robin had always wanted to write, and on her 50th birthday her husband told her, "It's now or never." So she began. She wrote three mystery novels in three years featuring Dr. Andrew Fenimore, an old-fashioned cardiologist who still made house calls. Robin's amateur sleuth was patterned after her husband, who just happened to also be a cardiologist.

When Robin isn't writing, she does free lance editing, teaches mystery writing, and lectures on the mystery novel at schools, libraries, and other institutions. Her short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Arthur Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and Death Knell.
Robin divides her time between Philadelphia and New York City.

Reviews

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Drew for grown-ups! 5 stars for a cozy, wholesome mystery, no sex, obscenities, violence, abuse or torture!

For once I started with Book 1 in a series, looking forward to reading the rest. 😁

[Elena Santangelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a re-read. This isn't the best plot in the world of mystery lit, but I still give it 5 stars because I love the characters, especially the protagonist, Jo. She's a motel doctor, which is a refreshing change from all the usual cozy mystery characters.

I also absolutely LOVE the setting. I've spend many great weeks down in this part of South Jersey, which can be called The Land That Time Forgot very easily. Hathaway's rendering of the setting is authentic.

A very fast read. I found it enjoyable.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery, with the kind of characters that feel like family. It was easy to pin down who the bad guys where, but the crime caught me by surprise. I'll be watching for more and recommend them to my friends who like a quick read.

[Linda Branich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Award winning mystery writer, Robin Hathaway, is a new to me author, and this is the first book in what will be a new series.

The book started off with a bang-- a body is discovered inside a sacaecrow in rural southern New Jersey. Then nothing. A few minor strange things occured that where my appetite, but I was beginning to wonder about the scarecrow and the body-- will it ever be solved? In fact, was the author going to address it again?

I was two thirds through the book when the action FINALLY picked up. Things began to tie together and of course the main character winds up nearly dead.

I felt that the last third of the book was a rush compared to the previous two thirds. It was just a little TOO tied up neatly.

Dr. Jo Banks is a new character for Hathaway; this is the first book in what may become a new series? The author and the blurb were a little unclear, but she has written more about Dr. Banks since this book came out in 2003.

Dr. Banks feels responsible for losing a very young patient. Her relationship with boyfriend leaves something to be desired, so Jo takes off in her car with no set destination. She winds up in a mediocre motel in rural southern New Jersey and ends up leaving the hospital she works in in New York City. She is given a free motel room to live in and a rent free cottage that she fixes up as a Family Practice office to supplement income from being an on-call physician for several motels. Pretty far-fetched, and she makes her calls by motorcycle!

I think Hathaway used a little hint of Bates Motel and the many scarecrow horror films, just trying to lead the reader's mind in those directions, which I found tired and old.

The only character with much development is Dr. Banks, leaving me feeling that the other characters were incomplete.
,

2-1/2 stars rounded to 3, hoping that successive books in the series offer more. Though very disappointed in this book from Mystery Award Winner, I am willing to try the next one.

[Bill Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. leaves NYC and winds up in a small motel in New Jersey,ends up becoming a motel dr.

[S.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo Banks is a doctor who is taking a rest from her profession after a young patient dies. She drives to parts unknown and lets caution be her guide, leading her to a small town and a motel where she plans to spend the night...until her services are needed. This small tourist area has a number of motels all in need of some type of house doctor they can call upon during emergencies. With free room and board and office space, Jo take them up on the offer. But someone is murdering farm workers and leaving their bodies as scarecrows. With the help of a local bowman, Tom, Jo finds reasons other than medical to stay in this small town. Engaging, light cozy.

[Jacob Peled · Rating 1 out of 5]

In most cases the introduction to a book, will cover either the first chapter or the first 10 pages. In that book it seems to cover a quarter of the all book. I mean nothing is really happening. As you may understand, my review is targeting people that love action. I thought this book was from the medical genre, but it seems that I was mistaken, at least for the 30% that I was able to go through. Seems more like maybe Drama mixed with mystery and crime, but in very slow pace. Any way I was reading way beyond the regular 10% I normally give for a book to get my reading attention. Bottom line not my type of book. I like action with fast pace.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#1 in the Jo Banks series. The debut of an unfortunately short series by the late author who also wrote the Dr. Andrew Fenimore series.

Dr. Jo Banks leaves her NYC medical practice after the death of a young patient. Driving aimlessly to South NJ she stops at a motel and circumstances cause her to decide to set up a practice there. She gets involved with an unusual Czech family, a bowman, and some strange goings on that center around the immigrant Milac family.

[Bobbie N · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUMMARY: In this first of the series, Dr. Jo Banks blames herself and flees Manhattan following the death of a young patient. She stops for the night in a motel and, after treating another guest who had suddenly taken ill, is asked to stay on as physician to the motels and residents in the area. She accepts, and soon finds herself embroiled in a series of disappearances and murders. COMMENTS: Excellent, readable, and enjoyable; can’t wait for the next one.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of the three books in the Jo Banks series, Scarecrow, Satan's Pony, and Sleight of Hand. All three make interesting light reading, with a little more depth than that statement implies, and I like Jo's character and the supporting characters. The three stars only are for lack of a "wow" factor, but these are better-than-average little mysteries.

[gilleoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable light read. Predictable as to who the "bad guys" are. A nice way to spend a couple of hours though.

[Rita Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got me thru an insomnia/sciatica attack, but even half-asleep and in pain I noticed a massive use of coincidence in this super-lite mystery. Not impressed.

[Marisa Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Manhattan doctor decides to set up a practice in rural New Jersey as a motel doctor and soon finds herself investigating a mysterious couple. Liked the character - needed better plot.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, really. Liked the heroine and the characters, and had to find out what happened. Also enjoyed the setting of South Jersey, not a place I ever had any knowledge of.

[Valdamerca · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bit bland of a storyline for me. A lot of ground is covered in the novel but not enough is described to truly get a sense of the location and community of characters.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were flaws in this story but it was a fast read and not too bad...I finished it in a day..

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a good read!