Trashed: A Murder and the Mayor Mystery

by Diana Morgan

When police chief Will Hardaker calls Whittier NH mayor Victoria Donnelly in the middle of the night and orders her to a crime scene; she's shocked to see the town road agent sitting inside the road grader with a bullet hole in his forehead. Found at the scene, an incriminating invoice and a nine mm slug, point directly to her. Not long ago Vic and Will surprised themselves by starting a passionate middle-aged romance and this murder just might end it. The phony invoice was created on the town's computer network, and though Vic's signature is on it, she proves her innocence to Will. They just might salvage their relationship. Then the nightmare escalates. Whispered telephone threats, an innocent friend's arrest, her dog's murder, and the torching of Vic's beloved 1962 Jag XK-E leave her frightened, angry, and undeterred. Vic and Will trudge up a mountain and delve into the town's computer system chasing clues. Will's sergeant, Rick Putney, uses his forensic skills to study sand. Will uncovers an illegal still hidden in the woods near the town garage. None of it points to a clear suspect. They get a break when Vic's two aldermen, the artistic and extremely odd Boynton brothers, come forward as reluctant witnesses. They live and work near the entrance to the town garage. Someone parked on the woods road across from their shop the night of the murder. It wasn't Vic. Too many probable suspects and several quirky characters abound in this cozy mystery set in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Who killed the road agent? Was it Pete Forbes, the road agent's surly second in command, or maybe the sleazy code enforcement officer who can't keep his hands off Vic. The town administrator's desperately hiding a secret that could blow his career to pieces. Will's sixty-something older sister, Dora, executive secretary to Vic and usually stiffly professional, is suddenly acting like a gum-snapping teenager. To top everything off, Boston mob boss Tony Lambrini has been seen around t

312 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2013

About the author

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Reviews

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery story is the first novel for a woman from New Hampshire. Having spent years of my childhood playing around Lake Winnepausakee, I enjoyed the references to the New Hampshire lifestyle. The mystery itself was good. The story is interesting, fast, and creative. I figured it out a bit earlier than I liked, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless.

The characters in this novel were great. I really liked (and related to) Will and Vic. I appreciated the fresh take on the cliche mystery characters this author provided. She was not afraid to break that mystery mold and I admire her choices.

The only nuances I found, probably due to the fact that this is a first novel, were the difficulties in dialogue. At a few points in the story I had trouble tracking who was speaking in a conversation. There are little or no indications (ie "he said") to help you follow. Occasionally there is even a direction (ie "Will shrugged") that will follow a different character speaking and confuses the reader. It is a small criticism and it honestly didn't ruin the book at all.

Overall, great story and a remarkable first novel. Kudos Ms. Morgan.