Wrong Hill to Die On

Alafair Tucker #6

by Donis Casey

Nineteen-sixteen was not shaping up to be a good year for Alafair Tucker, and finding Bernie Arruda dead in a ditch wasn’t going to help matters.  
She had not wanted to come to Arizona in the first place. But her daughter Blanche was suffering from a stubborn ailment of the lungs, and her best chance for a cure was dry desert air. So Alafair and her husband Shaw had bundled their sick child onto the train and made the nightmare trip from Oklahoma to Alafair’s sister in Tempe, Arizona.
Yet as soon as they arrived on that bright March day, Blanche began to improve. 


But Alafair and Shaw soon discover that all is not well in sunny Arizona.  Elizabeth’s marriage is in tatters, tensions are high between the Anglo and Latino communities following Pancho Villa’s murderous raid on Columbus, New Mexico, and Alafair suspects her sister is involved in an illegal operation to smuggle war refugees out of Mexico and into the U.S.
And now here lies Bernie Arruda on his back in a ditch, staring into eternity.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

DONIS CASEY was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A third generation Oklahoman, she and her siblings grew up among their aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents on farms and in small towns, where they learned the love of family and independent spirit that characterizes the population of that pioneering state. Donis graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in English, and earned a Master’s degree in Library Science from Oklahoma University. After teaching school for a short time, she enjoyed a career as an academic librarian, working for many years at the University of Oklahoma and at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

Donis left academia in 1988 to start a Scottish import gift shop in downtown Tempe. After more than a decade as an entrepreneur, she decided to devote herself full-time to writing. The Old Buzzard Had It Coming is her first book. For the past twenty years, Donis has lived in Tempe, AZ, with her husband.

Reviews

[Judith Starkston · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wrong Hill to Die On is a gentle, gracious mystery, yet it takes on the hate-filled issues of racism and anti-immigration phobias. It also focuses on the themes of family strength, mother-child bonds, and the makings of durable marriages. All that but it isn’t the least bit heavy or preachy—Donis Casey manages to slip worthwhile ideas into her engaging plot without weighing down the tale. You’ll be turning the pages quickly.

The story opens with Alafair, the mother of ten and “sleuth” of Casey’s mystery series, traveling with her daughter and her husband Shaw from Oklahoma to Tempe, Arizona to cure their daughter Blanche’s respiratory illness. Alafair’s younger sister Elizabeth lives there with her lawyer husband. Unlike today, when the air in Tempe is a miasma of trouble for the respiratorially challenged, the air in 1916 offered genuine help, as it does for Blanche, who quickly begins to recover. That’s the good news.

The bad news shows up in an irrigation ditch outside Elizabeth’s house. Alafair comes upon the dead body of a young handyman of Mexican origins. Everyone knew the handsome ladies’ man, but no one knows why he’s dead. Sorting out who killed him poses many challenges, especially in a year when Pancho Villa is raiding the border, raising fears of Mexican spies in the small community of Tempe. Can the Anglos trust their long time neighbors? What about the Yaqui Indians who have escaped the violence in their homeland and settled in their own community of Guadalupe—not such a far drive in terms of miles from Tempe in Elizabeth’s Hupmobile, but as Alafair discovers, as far away as another world.

Then there’s the famous movie actor Hobart Bosworth and a “cast of glamorous actors and actresses” who film a movie right there in Tempe—in Elizabeth’s opinion, the most exciting thing that ever happened in their sleepy town. But the dead man had been working as an extra on the set. Did he inspire a killer?

Evidence related to the murder shows up at the house of Elizabeth’s best friend Cindy whose husband has been treating her with singular insensitivity. Is he a murderer as well as a first rate cad?

Alafair is drawn in to the mystery whether she wants to be or not—though as Shaw knows, she can’t resist. She turns her innate understanding of human nature and her sharp mind and powers of observation to the problem. Elizabeth may find the puzzle an interesting distraction from her boring life, but Alafair knows the stakes are tragic and profound. That won’t keep you from smiling as you enjoy this book.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1916 Alafair and Shaw Tucker's ten year-old daughter Blanche is suffering from a disease of the lungs. No matter what Alafair or the doctors tried Blanche did not improve. Alafair's youngest sister Elizabeth lives in Tempe, Arizona. Alafair cannot pass up the opportunity to see if the dry air will cure Blanche's health problems while visiting her sister. Shaw decides that the older children are capable of handling the farm and all the responsibilities while he accompanies his wife and daughter on their trip.

Blanche begins improving almost immediately when they arrive in Arizona. Elizabeth is married to a lawyer and has a six-year-old son Chase. Chase is a terror and Elizabeth seems to have no control over him whatsoever.

Elizabeth plans a welcome party for Alafair and Shaw. The Tucker's are introduced to Elizabeth's neighbors and friends. The party is okay, but Alafair soon realizes that all is not well with her sister. Elizabeth's marriage does not appear to be in the best of shape, the community is talking constantly of Pancho Villa's raids, and tensions are high between the Anglo and Latino communities.

The morning after the party Alafair discovers a body in a ditch. Most of the community knows the victim but no one knows or will admit to knowing the reason for his murder. Alafair's detective instinct moves into high gear and in spite of warnings from Shaw she immediately begins her own investigation. The fact that there is a movie company from Hollywood in Tempe making a film adds another element to the puzzles Alafair is trying to solve.

Wrong HIll to Die On is a great addition to the Alafair Tucker series. It is not necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this current novel.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think I've read this author before. This book was a quick easy read. I liked the New Mexico setting with the Yaqui Indians and the turmoil between the U.S. and Mexico. I found that very interesting. I also liked the characters. They were very likable. I just wanted them in a little more detail...but maybe there is back story from the previous books that I haven't read yet. But I did like the strong women represented in this book.

One last thing was that I liked was the title. It made me smile when it was explained in the book.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good story in this series that takes place in Oklahoma and the early part of the twentieth century. In this story, part of the family goes to Arizona for the health of one of the children. The main character Alafair has a sister in Tempe,Az and of course there is a murder and resolution. I have throughly enjoyed reading all these books.

[Lisa Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tried to capture my attention from the start but it in my opinion did not live up to the previous Alafair Tucker stories. I was very glad to finish it, so I could quit trying to finish it. Honestly parts of this story put me to sleep. Glad it’s complete, on to the next one, which will hopefully be more interesting to me.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery set in Arizona in the WWI era has various convoluted shenanigans involving Mexican immigrants, infidelity, Hollywood movie productions, keeping women "in their place", etc. An okay read but I was disappointed with the ending, which really didn't ring true for me.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. It is always lovely to get back in touch with Alafair Tucker and her huge family. I'm never disappointed, and it's the best way I know to get rid of a book hangover. In this outing, Alafair and Shaw and their 10-year-old daughter Blanche have made the trip to Arizona to visit Alafair's younger sister, Elizabeth, and to give Blanche a respite from the wet, cold weather in Arkansas. The book is set in early 1916, and already there are rumours of war in Europe that have reached all the way to Arizona. While taking the morning air at her sister's house, Alafair finds the body of a man in the ditch close by. Shaw wonders how these things seem to follow her around. . But Alafair, with her usual good sense, determines to find out what happened to the young man. Working with her sister and her sister's neighbour Cindy, they uncover a whole bunch of things about the man, which only widens the list of suspects and uncovers many community secrets. Things get dicey for awhile, but the search is so much fun for me to read as I loved the change in scenery--a little away from the hubbub of Alafair and Shaw's busy household in Arkansas. This is number 6 in the series, and I can't wait to go onto #7. I highly recommend this series. It's well-written and the mysteries are always tricky with lots of real characters to sink your teeth into with each book.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wrong Hill to Die On by Donis Casey is the sixth book of the Alafair Tucker mystery series, set in 1916 Tempe Arizona. Shaw and Alafair Tucker make an arduous trek from Boynton Oklahoma to Tempe Arizona, in order for Alafair's daughter Blanche to recover in dry air from a lingering chest ailment. They stay with Alafair's sister Elizabeth. It's the first time in years the sisters have been reunited.

Blanche does improve in the new climate, even more after a local curandera determines the root cause of her illness, and provides healing tea.

Soon after arrival, Alafair finds a dead body. Although her primary focus is on Blanche, she teams up with Elizabeth to solve the mystery. Plot twists provide red herrings galore.

Another distraction is the movie company in town filming. Most residents flock to watch, and even to participate as 'extras' in crowd scenes.

Law enforcement is far less interested in the murder than in discovering if Pancho Villa spies have infiltrated Tempe.

To add additional human interest, a few marriages are on the rocks. Overall, an entertaining as well as educational read. Author's historical notes detail how closely the story events fit into recorded history.

Of course, traveling to a new Southwest culture means recipes! Back home in Oklahoma after their adventure, Alafair adapts the treats she sampled in Tempe to the ingredients readily available.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alafair Tucker and her husband Shaw bundled Blanche, their asthmatic daughter, onto the train and made the trip from Oklahoma to Alafair's sister in Tempe, Arizona, hoping the dry desert air would help their daughter. But Alafair and Shaw soon discover that all is not well. Elizabeth's marriage is in tatters; tensions are high between the Anglo and Latino communities following Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico; and Alafair suspects her sister is involved in an illegal operation to smuggle war refugees out of Mexico and into the U.S. And Bernie Arruda is dead on his back in a ditch. Not a fan of her books. The only reason I read it was it was part of a gift for attending an authors program.

[Nancy Cook-senn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A new, intriguing setting and cast of characters for the Tucker family adventure in 1916 Arizona, but, while the story has great import, the denouement seems more deadline-imposed than logical and satisfying.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

History and mystery ... good combination.

[Patricia Curren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy this author's books. This one was particularly fun because it was set in Tempe, Arizona, a stone's throw from where I live.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Line: He was as handsome a man as Alafair Tucker had ever seen.

It's March 1916, and Alafair Tucker is exhausted. Winter in much of the West has been the wettest on record, with bridges, roads, and railroad tracks being washed out. This weather means that Alafair has been nursing one sick child after another-- and with ten children, that's a lot of nursing. Only one child hasn't recovered: ten-year-old Blanche whose lungs are so bad that the family doctor tells Shaw and Alafair to take her someplace warm and dry if she's to have any chance of getting well.

Fortunately Alafair's youngest sister Elizabeth lives in Tempe, Arizona, so Shaw, Alafair and Blanche endure an arduous ten-day train ride to the dry sunny skies and balmy temperatures of the Sonoran Desert. When they arrive, they discover that they narrowly missed Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico, but they really don't have time to digest that news because Elizabeth wants to show them off to all her acquaintances. In no time flat, she organizes an open house and even hires a mariachi band to play throughout the evening.

The next morning Alafair goes outside to bask in the sunshine and marvel at the scent of orange blossoms in the air but instead finds the body of one of the mariachi players in an irrigation ditch. Emotions are high in Arizona because, due to the political unrest in Mexico, many people are fleeing that country and escaping to Arizona. A U.S. Marshal comes to question everyone and to search the area because rumors are flying that the dead man was a spy for Pancho Villa. As members of Alafair's family come under suspicion it's not long before she begins a little investigating of her own.

This book has much to say about several topics, and Casey tells her tale in such a gentle, thoughtful way that not one whiff of heavy-handedness or sermonizing is to be found. All the books in this series are very personal-- the world as seen through the eyes of an Oklahoma farm woman in the 1910s, a woman who really isn't affected by a war in Europe, the politicking in Washington, D.C., or the latest Paris fashions.

The things that affect this woman almost always have something to do with her family. Thus Alafair experiences racism and anti-immigration issues in Arizona through her sister and her sister's family by witnessing how they've formed friendships with Hispanic people in town. She ponders family unity and strength through observing the troubles her sister Elizabeth is having. There's also a lot to be learned about the bond between mothers and their children by comparing Alafair's relationship with Blanche to the relationship between Elizabeth and her young son, Chase. Even the elements that go into the making of a strong marriage flow into the natural progression of this story.

Yes, there is a lot in this book, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I enjoyed experiencing life in Arizona shortly after it became a state and traveling down unpaved roads that bear absolutely no resemblance to the streets they are today. The inclusion of Hobart Bosworth and his crew who were filming a movie called "The Yaqui" on the streets of Tempe was a very special treat.

I also enjoyed the mystery because Casey very skillfully led me astray a time or two along the way. Of all the things there are to like in The Wrong Hill to Die On, I think the one I appreciate most is the fact that, within each book, we're given the opportunity to get to know one of Alafair's ten children. Each one of these children has a different personality, and that is reflected in the relationship between child and mother. More than once Blanche made me smile because this little girl was relishing the opportunity of being an only child... if only for a little while.

The author is also adept at bringing in bittersweet moments and feelings of dread when the date for America's entry into World War I draws ever closer, or when Shaw begins planning the things he and Alafair can do when the children are all grown. I've become quite attached to all the Tuckers, and I care about what may happen to any one of them in the future.

If you enjoy historical mysteries that have strong characters and that really give you a feel for life in America during the 1910s, I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Even though this book can stand well on its own, you really shouldn't miss any part of the life and investigations of Alafair Tucker.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donis Casey achieves the remarkable feat of making the reader want to be part of a farmer’s family in 1916 Oklahoma. She does it by anchoring the story in the emotional bonds of Alafair Tucker’s clan and the sensory details of the period. Alafair, the mother of ten children, cooks, cleans, nurtures, and solves crimes. Her personality infuses the plot with energy: Alafair’s compassionate curiosity about others connects the reader to the characters. Alafair has a strong sense of justice and will not rest while her world order is out of joint.

In this sixth entry in the series, Alafair, her husband Shaw, and their ten-year old daughter Blanche travel to Arizona to stay with her sister Elizabeth. Blanche needs the dry heat of Arizona to clear up her lungs. Although Blanche’s health quickly improves, tension abounds when a Yaqui Indian is found bludgeoned to death in front of her sister’s house. Exploring the countryside around the frontier town of Tempe, Arizona (now the site of Arizona State University), Alafair encounters throat cutting, adultery, rumors of war, espionage, smuggling, and racial prejudice. Solving the murder forces characters to confront the biases and fears simmering below the surface of a pioneer society.

Amidst all the turmoil, Alafair keeps grounded with her love of family and her sense of humor. It is good to have a normal person face all these issues and emerge whole. Being in Arizona opens Alafair up to new experiences—Mexican food, driving around rutted roads in a Hupmobile (kind of a Model T), and the medicinal herbs of an Hispanic healer. The murder resolved, Alafair returns to Oklahoma, like all travelers, changed by her experience.

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of books set in turn-of-the-century Oklahoma features Alafair Tucker, rancher's wife, mother of 10 who runs her home like an Army General. She has 8 girls and 2 boys. She lost 2 other boys when they were babies. Alafair is loved and adored by her family and respected by her neighbors but she thinks "none of your business" has nothing to do with her. Everything is her business. Through each book, and this one is #6 a death or murder happens and Alafair will not rest until she figures out what happened. This time, her 12 year old daughter Blanche is recovering from pneumonia, but slowly. A doctor suggested she send Blanche to stay with friends in Colorado for less damp air. Alafair decides to take her to visit her sister in Tempe, Arizona. He husband Shaw decides he should go with them. The older children can run the ranch and care for the younger children in their absence.

They arrive and Alafair's sister is so happy to see her and she wants to introduce Alafair and her husband to her friends and neighbors. After the highly successful Open House, Alafair arises early and walks outside to see the sunrise and comes across the body of one of the Mariachi band members laying in a ditch with the back of his head bashed in. And so begins the investigation. The stories are simple but engaging, historically accurate. My family came from Texas and lived there during this time period so I feel a kinship with the characters. Is this great literature? No. Is it an enjoyable quick read? Yes.

[Karen Himestra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donis Casey writes historical mysteries, usually set in early 20th century Oklahoma. With this novel, however, the action moves to Tempe, AZ where Alafair and Shaw have taken their daughter, Blanche, to recover from a lung infection while the rest of the large family remains on the farm. Alastair's long-unseen sister, Elizabeth, lives in Tempe, and the three Tuckers move into her spare room. Almost as soon as they arrive, Alafair finds a body in the drainage canal in front of Elizabeth's house. It is a Yaqui Indian who played in the mariachi band at the welcome party that Elizabeth threw for the Tuckers the previous night. Of course, the rest of the book involves finding out who did the dreadful deed. It gives the reader a wonderful chance to peek at life in the newly-minted state of Arizona. Also, a movie was shot in Tempe at this time (in real life), and Casey works that into the story, too. It's a fun book that has lots of red herrings. I for one was sure I knew who did it, and I was certainly wrong. Enjoy!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oklahoma farmers didn't usually travel much in 1916, but Shaw and Alafair Tucker had a ten-year-old daughter who needed dry, clean air. Since Alafair's younger sister Elizabeth was married to a prosperous lawyer in Tempe, they left the grown-up kids in charge of the little ones, and took an arduous train trip to Arizona with Blanche. Perceptive Alafair immediately saw that something was wrong with her sister's marriage. After a neighborhood party, Alafair found the body of a man she recognized in front of her sister's house. Soon she was to learn much more about the man and his relationship with others in the area. Of course, it was none of Alafair's business, but the local marshal was clearly suspecting the wrong people.

[Eileen Charbonneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

The latest in the Alafair Tucker mystery series, finds the 1916 Oklahoma mother of ten a fish out of water in Tempe Arizona. Alafair and husband Shaw have followed doctor’s advice and brought ten year old Blanche to a dry climate to stay with Alafair’s sister Elizabeth’s family. Their welcoming party is barely over before a body turns up in a ditch and a cracking mystery is off and running.

Full of great characterization, warmth and folk wisdom. What U.S. Marshal Dillon wonders is how mayhem seems to follow Alafair Tucker around. Faithful readers won’t: the woman maintains her splendid talent for both mothering and mysteries.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alafair is far from home in Oklahoma in Arizona in this latest book by Donis Casey. This is an excellent series that captures a time in history perfectly. I loved learning about Arizona's early history in this book.

Wrong Hill to Die On is an excellent read. And fascinating to understand the term Wrong Hill to Die On! I'm going to have to work that into a conversation somehow! Great mystery as well. Lots of twists and turns to keep the readers interest.

Highly recommend this latest entry in the Alafair Tucker series by Donis Casey.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donis Casey writes interesting mysteries centered on a family in early 20th century Oklahoma, particularly on the mother in the family, Alafair Tucker. This book is very entertaining. The issues of race relations, immigration policy, and women's roles are central to the plot, but the enlightened views held by Alafair and some other characters make them seem at times a little like characters from the 21st century who had traveled back in time. There are at least two typos in the book that I saw. I look forward to reading more of Donis Casey's books.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoping to find a better climate to combat their daughter’s chronic illness, Alafair and her husband Shaw visit her sister Elizabeth in sunny Arizona. But Alafair has hardly arrived before she discovers a body in a ditch. This just the beginning of many things that go wrong during this visit. Secrets abound, and Elizabeth and her close friend are smack dab in the middle of it. An intricate tale of mystery, murder and more, this novel is but one book in a wonderful series.

[Pat Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Donis Casey is a good storyteller but I found this one less interesting than her other novels. I continue to enjoy the recipes and historical notes at the end. This book takes place in New Mexico and touches on some of the early history of Tempe, the Yaqui Indians, and a famous actor of the times, Bosworth

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a great series. Now up to 1916, Alafair and Shaw Tucker take their 10 year old daughter, Blanche, to Arizona, looking for relief for her bad lungs. Alafair (of course) stumbles across a dead body. Trying to find the killer uncovers a lot of secrets.

[Heidi Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of Donis Casey's books. I picked up the first one in this series, "The Old Buzzard Had it Coming" just because of the title. Donis never disappoints. She provides a good mystery, a main character to keep on loving, and just a good, entertaining read overall.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect. Loved the new short chapters and getting to meet Alafair's sister, Elizabeth. Hope this author keeps writing many more.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are lively and entertaining. Easy reads with like able characters.

[Karen]

I had to return this to the library unread. Will try again.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book set in 1916 in Arizona. It was interesting and gave a new perspective to live in the early 1900's.

[Deborah aka Reading Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-- a nice solid addition to this cozy series

[Tuck]

abandoned