Murder at the Blue Owl

Deb Ralston #3

by Lee Martin

While spending a relaxing weekend with her friend's eccentric mother, former screen star Margali Bowman, pregnant police detective Deb Ralston finds herself embroiled in an inheritance scam and murder

Genres: Mystery, Police, Fiction

198 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1987

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Pseudonym of Ann Wingate

Anne Wingate, born in 1943 as Martha Anne Guice, is a mystery writer currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most of her mysteries are set somewhere within Texas. She is an adult convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this sometimes shows in her works. She grew up in the Disciples of Christ Church.

Reviews

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 50’s film star is murdered whilst watching a retrospective of her films. One of the guests is a homicide detective and long term friend of the star’s daughter so the investigation falls to her. This is a very twisty, convoluted mystery involving previous deaths. A good , if dated read.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually found this paperback in the basement as I was cleaning. I read the back cover, and it sounded interesting. So I read it. This is the first time I have read Lee Martin’s writing. Apparently, “Murder at The Blue Owl” is the third in the Deb Ralston mystery series.

Fort Worth detective Deb Ralston, happily pregnant at forty-two, hopes for a relaxing weekend at the house party of faded movie queen Margali Bowman. A relaxing weekend becomes tense as Margali tells her that someone is trying to kill her. It is a strange collection of characters at this party, but as you have already surmised, the party ends with Margali’s murder in the Blue Owl movie theater will all are watching the movie.

I did enjoy the main character, police detective Deb Ralston. Her character was well developed, more so than a few of the characters. Regardless, there is certainly a strange and twisted collection of characters. The plot is nicely done with numerous red herrings; the plot gets more complex as Martin carefully leads us to the climax. Enjoyable.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to follow the logic of mentally unstable people is…challenging…interesting. Whether addled by alcohol or (other?) mental illness. Lesson here: learn to age gracefully & know when it’s time to step down.

Two things bothered me at the end: the statement about which will was the last one is wrong. The wet one was dated March 17; the one the lawyer brought to the police station was dated March 20. Which facts had JUST been gone over a few paragraphs before it says the wet one was the last one! 🤷🏼‍♀️ How could the author get that wrong?! And secondly, what happened to Jimmy?? What was the final outcome?

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Deb Ralston series of books by Lee Martin. The ebook is under anne wingate.

Deb Ralston is a 42 year old police woman mother of three adoptive children. A grandmother. She is also pregnant for the first time.

She goes to house party of a old film star. There is a murder and Deb is in the room so she knows it has to be one of 4 suspects.

There are a lot of weird stuff going on the weekend house party. It is full of mystery and drama.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Deb Ralston is finally pregnant at the age of 42. She's invited to what's supposed to be a relaxing weekend at the home of a friend. But the party ends in a murder.

[Gypsy Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good "in transit" reading. I believe this is the first time I have read this author's writing.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good. I liked the main character, police detective Deb Ralston. Her character was well done - very credible. The ending was a bit complicated, but believable.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would read another in this series. Debra was believable; it was interesting to see how portrayals of female police officers have changed since the 1980's.

[Lynn Calvin]

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