Poison Heart

Claire Watkins #5

by Mary Logue

Fall comes to Pepin County with a vengeance as Deputy Sheriff Claire Watkins confronts a new evil festering beneath the placid surface of the Wisconsin farm community. A refugee from the Twin Cities, Claire has slowly adapted to small-town life–especially now that she loves and lives with Rich Haggard. But in this rural area, other folks are dangerously restless.

One is Daniel Reiner, a wealthy part-time resident who’s been buying up too much land–at least as far as the locals are concerned. Another is gambling addict and aging gold digger Patty Jo Tilde, who recently married a widower twenty years her senior. Patty is itching to inherit her husband’s property, sell it to Reiner, and leave the countryside behind. The only stumbling block–her husband must die.

Add to the mix a suspicious goat-herding daughter-in-law and a wounded elk, and things quickly reach a boiling point. As Claire Watkins delves deeper into the mystery, she believes she’s uncovered a deadly history of lies, deceit, arson, and poison. Her problem is to prove it–and then she learns what happened to Patty Jo’s last husband. . . .

Evoking the strong community values and the natural beauty of the Mississippi River Valley, this new Claire Watkins novel is Logue’s most exciting yet. Poison Heart is a riveting tale of those who live off the land–and those who end up six feet under it.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Procedural

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rural cop Claire Watkins and Wisconsin make for an interesting combination. I enjoy this basically cozy mysteries, but don't consider them must-reads. Found this on the shelf while doing some collection maintenance at work, hadn't read it, and knew that I couldn't resist.

Quick reading and enjoyable, Poison Heart examines greed and families. You know who is evil and needs arresting, but how will they prove it?

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d read a couple of this series some years ago, including this one it turns out. Recently I decided to start at the beginning and read them all through. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the series. It feels real in a way a lot of mysteries don’t, possibly because I’m familiar with the area.

This book though didn’t grab me as much as the others. Partly it was because Claire was so angry with the bad person in a way she didn’t display in the earlier books. It didn’t make sense. I was happy to see the progress with her family.

[Sabrina Hofkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book on CD randomly at the library and listened to it on a road trip. This is the first book I've read/listened to by this author and I didn't know it was a series. I felt the suspense was limited. Since a few characters have their own points of view, the reader knows who the arsonist / killer is quickly, although the deputy sheriff, Claire, does not. It would be better if the reader only knew as much as the deputy.

[Jan Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely cover.
The guilty party is known throughout the book to the reader and is suspected by Claire early on but she needs to prove it.
I really liked Margaret's ending. She came into her own. I was also okay with Patty Jo not having to stand for all of her crimes. Not in a sense of justice sort of way, but in a realism sort of way.

[Vicki Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast read with intrigue

[Vontel · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book I've read by this author. Definitely suspense as well as mystery. Good read.

[Karla Huebner]

Set in small-town Wisconsin near the Minnesota border, this is sensitively written (according to the dust jacket, the author is also a poet) and a decent read, but as other commenters have observed, it is not all that mysterious or suspenseful. That's okay--the book works in its own way--but don't expect a traditional whodunnit.

[Laura Salas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Claire Watkins series is complex and rich. In this one, you pretty much know who the bad guy is throughout the entire book; it's just a matter of how Claire will prove it. I like Claire and Rich and Meg so much. They feel like real people; complicated, realistic, relatable people. I just wanted more of a mystery and less of a suspense novel.

[Thart2002 · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing was terrible! I got so tired of hearing "Clare remembered", "Clare thought", "she said". I felt like it was the work of a high school girl that did well in English but didn't have any writing talent. No more Mary Logue novels for me.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good local gal. love whoever did her dust jacket...:)

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Bone Harvest but better than Glare Ice...

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd in series featuring Deputy Sheriff Claire Watkins; I liked Bone Harvest more. Thoughtful, family component--think Libby Hellmann, e.g. Moderate/low violence.

[Slim · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole first half was slow, but once we crossed the midway point everything picked up nicely. Overall not a bad read for the car rides. Another dollar bin success.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok story, predicable though, which does not make for a great mystery.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, this book was okay. It wasn't as engaging as her previous, but it still held my attention.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as previous books. No mystery here. A known sociopath who finally gets caught.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't go through with it eve on the 3rd try.

[Carol]

Elcho Book Club computer notes

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book!