Beneath the Surface

Lake George Mystery #2

by Anne White

Out for her morning jog, Loren Graham, the newly elected mayor of the sleepy Lake George community of Emerald Point, discovers the grisly answer to the town's year-old mystery: whatever happened to Tammy Stevens, the teenage bad girl who disappeared without a trace? But Tammy's badly decomposed body provides little clue as to who killed her...or why.

Asking the right questions of the wrong people leads Loren to the shocking realization that Tammy had certain abilities way beyond her tender years when it came to playing with men's heads, hearts and wallets. A hidden journal reveals pages of encrypted notes and dangerous secrets, Loren believes, someone committed murder to hide. But in retracing Tammy's final days and nights, Loren wakes up a sleeping killer ready to get away with murder...again.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Anne lives in Glens Falls, NY and is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, the Lake George Arts Project, the Adirondack Center For Writing, and the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council. In conjunction with her novels, she writes articles for Mystery Scene, Mystery Readers Journal and local and regional publications. She is married and the mother of six children.

Series:
* Lake George Mystery

Reviews

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading "Beneath the Surface" even more than "An Affinity for Murder." In the 1st novel in the series, I was captivated by the intrigue of the possibility of a "secret cache of paintings which may have been the work of Lake George's most famous summer resident, Georgia O'Keeffe."

In this novel, Loren Graham has become the mayor of Emerald Point having lived in the small town for four (4) years after taking her grandfather's house -perhaps more aptly described as a cabin- off the market. As I loved Nancy Drew mysteries when I was in the 4th grade, Loren Graham reminds me of an adult version of Nancy Drew.

There is an interesting cast of characters that surface as the mysterious question is answered as to what happened to the young teenage girl, Tammy Stevenson, that disappeared about a year ago. As the question is answered, the reader learns more about Emerald Point's economic state and the perils of a resort town that is dependent on good weather for a tourist trade that only visits for a few short weeks each year.

I'm looking forward to the next novel in the series.

[Jennifer Vogel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked this book up because it is about my home town written by a local author. Liked recognizing the geography, town info, etc. However, the book is about a fictional town. This book could've been written by someone in middle school. The vocabulary is very basic and at times annoying. The book is told from the mayor's point of view, Loren. She dwells on the insignificant and like a girl in a scarry movie (wearing high heels and falling as she's being chased by a bad guy with a knife), heads right into the danger acting as if it's completely appropriate. Anne White has other Lake George books and I actually bought them all, but after reading this book, I won't read the others. I'd rather read one of my children's Cabin Creek Mysteries!!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very evocative of the local region! I do wish the mayor would have more care when she's concussed, though. At least it makes more sense for her to be involved in all aspects of an investigation than most small-time sleuths!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loren Graham, the Mayor of Emerald Point on LG is taken to a car in the Lake by Todd Lewis. As Loren is walking back up the embankment from the Lake, she discovers the body of a teenager. It winds up that Brian Webb, from NYC lent money to some of the motel/hotel owners to start a consortium that would bring a casino up here. When some couldn't pay it back, he killed them. He also killed Tammy Stevenson because she was blackmailing Tom Bailey by saying that she would spread the word about the casino. He tried to kill Loren during a horrible storm/tornado. She was able to disable him with a fallen tree limb. He was arrested and Don took Loren to GFH and then back to his house to recouperate from the near death.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good who-done-it with a likable main character. A quick read. Would make a good beach book!

[Fay C Page]

I can't remember purchasing this book, but I must have bought it while in Lake George. The book is even a signed autographed book. What a senior moment I'm having!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read set in Lake George area. The new mayor finds herself involved in a murder mystery of a young girl.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

small town murder. Mayor solvesit