When Push Comes To Death

Tommi Poag Mystery #1

by Nancy Gotter Gates

Tommi Poag, dumped by her lawyer husband after 33 years of marriage, works in an insurance office where she meets Nina Sellars who’s come to transfer her husband’s million dollar policy from California to Oak Ridge NC where they now live. The two women discover that Tommi’s ex-husband is a first cousin to Nina’s father Frank, but neither woman knows why the men have not spoken to each other in over thirty years.


A few months later, after Tommi and Nina have become fast friends, Nina is accused of killing her husband when their car is pushed into Lake Brandt and Cap drowns. When Tommi’s ex, Bernard, becomes Nina’s attorney, Tommi decides to surreptitiously do some investigating, not sure Bernard is capable since he practices corporate, not criminal, law. Nina’s father, Frank, becomes involved in the sleuthing with her. Another murder, a fire at Tommi’s condo, and an attempt on her life fail to deter them. Devastating truths are unlocked as they delve into the family relationships.

ebook

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Nancy Gotter Gates grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she began writing poetry almost as soon as she learned to read and write, publishing her first poem at age eight. Marriage, motherhood and positions as public relations director for a school district, Girl Scout council and regional library precluded writing anything but news releases and newsletters for many years.

Series:
* Tommi Poag Mystery
* Emma Daniels Mystery

Reviews

[S Phibber · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Push Comes to Death - A Tommi Poag Mystery
By Nancy Gotter Gates

Continuing with my "reading is food for the mind" premise, I found this work to be a fast food chain ninety nine cent value menu cheeseburger.

There was nothing outstanding about this book at all. I found it extremely formulaic, much like those 'How to Assemble a Cheeseburger Diagrams' they have behind the counter so they all wind up looking like clones.

The story had all the required elements but offered nothing extraordinary to distinguish itself from a million others just like it. It also gave me the strong sense of being rush, not unlike when you unwrap that ninety nine cent burger and everything is slightly askew and looks as if hurriedly slapped together.

Yes I hungrily consumed it (read it). Yes I derived a short lived enjoyment from it. Was it satisfying and hunger fulfilling? Not hardly... I would have required 1 or 2 more of the experience that. However in truth after reading the first one I probably left anymore for the desperate for sustenance reader and gone hungry instead.

For momentary gratuitous craving satisfaction 3 stars.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one disfunctional family. THey kill each other--well. actually just one of them is mentally deranged. A car is shoved into the water--one of two people escape, since the other is drunk. A distant family member tries to help figure out what is going on, and there are two attempts made on her life. A twenty pound cat has to be shoved out a window to ecape being burned to death. Lots of action. The setting is North Carolina--out in the country.

[Sara Bartlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notes tell me it was not a book that made me want to read more of the author. Guess from other reviews I should read another one of her books and it might be better.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fair read. I liked the main character, Tommi and the ending had a little twist.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say the average of just less than three stars on this book, is a fair rating. A decently written book, fairly enjoyable.