Five O'Clock Shadow

by Susan Slater

From an author described by Kirkus as ''lively, surprising'' comes Five O'Clock Shadow with its puzzler of a plot tied to colorful New Mexico. As the hot air balloon bearing the image of a clock swoops across the River Grande, Pauly Caton watches her husband of six days fall from the sky. Who is the naked child who scrambles from the gondola when it strikes a sandbar? Did she just imagine it? Why would he have been up with Randy and the pilot on the honeymoon ride she was too chicken to join? Who, in fact, was meant to die? And meant to die it was - her hastily snapped photos of the scene show a masked sharpshooter stationed high up in a tree. As Pauly tries to put her shattered life together, she discovers the lies. The first in the morgue. How else had Randy deceived her? Had he told her anything that was the truth? Were his partners in their get-rich company any more honest? Maybe she'll insist on becoming an active partner. And find out. Pauly knows she hadn't signed any of the documents the lawyer presents to her. Pauly's flamboyant Grams, the much-married carnival queen, offers her only grandchild a place to recover, a retreat on Albuquerque's west side that's home to fifty odd carnival folks complete with clowns, a handsome tattoo man - and the snakes. And then Pauly finds out she's rich - money that she swears could not have been Randy's. But where did he get it? And who was the son he apparently adopted? A trip to El Paso points her towards the truth. But will she live long enough to find it? Susan Slater reveals the same sharp offbeat plotting skills, the zest for language, and colorful scenes that marked her caper Flash Flood where ''troubles build like thunderheads over New Mexico skies.''

Genres: Mystery

454 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Susan has lived in the Southwest for 32 years. The enchantment of New Mexico comes alive in her Ben Pecos series - The Pumpkin Seed Massacre, Yellow Lies, Thunderbird, and A Way to the Manger.

Reviews

[Stephanie Dewey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stand alone book and not part of Susan Slater other mystery series (Ben Pecos and Dan Mahoney). I was mesmerized by this suspenseful story and could not put it down. The subject of human sex trafficking is a main topic. The way that Susan handles this delicate subject is very tasteful and well done... it's an issue going on in our country today and very relevant. The mystery surrounding the death of the main character's husband on their honeymoon is so intriguing that you can not help but keep reading. Is her grandmother in on this? It's hard to know the good guys from the bad guys which intensifies the mystery even further. Who can you trust? I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a great mystery.

[LJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

FIVE O’CLOCK SHADOW (Amateur Sleuth-New Mexico-Cont) - NR
Susan Slater – 2nd book
Poisoned Pen Press, 2004 – Hardcover
Set in New Mexico, Pauly Caton takes refuge at her carnival-queen mother’s house while trying to find out who killed the husband she married four days ago.
*** Between a recent widow lusting after every man she meets, terrible dialogue and absurd characters, I could not get through this book.