Small Delightful Murders

Ranger McIntyre #2

by James C. Work

Small Delights Lodge in Rocky Mountain National Park seems to be under siege. Shots fired at the owner, vehicles set on fire, boats sabotaged, electrocution booby traps, and deadfalls set up--and finally arson and murder. RMNP Ranger Tim McIntyre has plenty of suspects, including the owner of a neighboring resort, a rogue park ranger, and some Chicago mobsters who want Small Delights as a prohibition speakeasy. McIntyre's boss wants the situation resolved. The only help McIntyre can depend on consists of two attractive women, one a highly competent take-charge-and-do-it kind of gal named Polly and the other an FBI secretary with great legs and a Thompson submachine gun.

227 pages, Library Binding

Published April 17, 2019

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Park ranger Tim McIntyre knows that when Rocky Mountain National Park was formed, owners of property within the confines of the park had to pledge themselves to obey park rules. But the widowed owner of Grand Harbor Lodge can't help feuding with the owner of neighboring Small Delights Lodge. True, her lodge was bigger and more successful, but think how much money she could make if she owned both places! When four men arrive in a long, black sedan and suggest to her that she could work with them to set up a speakeasy in her back room, she's strangely tempted. McIntyre is assigned to settle the feud and find out who--and why--Small Delights Lodge is being targeted by vandals. He calls in the help of lovely Vi Coteau, who works for the Denver FBI office and is a whiz with a Tommy gun. I liked the first episode of this series, and look forward to the third.

[Will G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the funniest I've read this year. It's a whodunit mystery, a pretty good one at that, but the gem is in the delivery, character interactions, and the world-painting, literally.

The setting is a pristine National Park in Colorado... in 1920's. The author uses simple words with clever references to period -believable (if not -accurate) slangs and concepts to tell the story against gorgeous backdrop of a Rocky Mountain National Park.

Also the main character is Ace, not only because he's a tall and handsome park ranger, also because he has a character flaw, a self-serving tendency, but in a way that we all can relate to and laugh about, whimsically woven into the story.

One last suggestion: Read the Glossary. You're welcome.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in the series and as enjoyable as the first. Ranger McIntyre solves the crime, goes fishing, begins what will become a romance, and creates some discomfort in the park Superintendent. There is an eloquent description of what a national park stands for and the glossary at the back explains a bunch of terms those readers who aren’t lucky enough to live in Colorado will need to understand as they read the book.

[Karen Ditsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly liked it. The setting was interesting. I just didn't love it. Something about the writing style didn't completely draw me in.