Keep Still

Marti MacAlister #5

by Eleanor Taylor Bland

Crime veteran Marti MacAlister has put her husband's killer in jail and her heart on hold while she juggles life with two teenagers and eighteen-hour days as the only black woman cop in a Chicago suburb.

In a summer of drugs, gangs, guns, and weirdos, two new homicides seem unrelated-a lonely old woman's fall down her basement steps casts suspicion on her bickering heirs and an ex-teacher drowns in a motel pool with no one to mourn her.

Then a collection of newspaper clippings and an eruption of brutal murders propel Marti back seven years to an abused child's disappearance-and into a fierce need to pull the threads together. Slowly, skillfully, she draws closer a killer out to bury a family horror only Marti can lay to rest.

Genres: Mystery

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Eleanor Taylor Bland was an African American writer of crime fiction. She was the creator of Lincoln Prairie, Illinois (based on Waukegan, Illinois) police detective Marti McAllister.

Reviews

[Robin Mandell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor Taylor Bland was an excellent writer and storyteller. People who enjoy police procedural really should check out the series. The mystery twists and unspools really nicely in this installment.

[Child960801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book at random and so didn't realize it was the middle of a series. However, that didn't affect the story at all. I could tell that there had been previous stories by the way it was written, but it didn't get in the way of this story and I didn't feel like I was missing something the whole time.

Because I had picked this book at random, I hadn't actually read a description first and so I wasn't prepared when the case was one about child abuse. I did not appreciate that part of it and I'm not sure yet if it's affected me too much or not.

I did like the mystery and the detectives and the writing. I might read another of these.

An old lady is pushed down some stairs. Another one drowns while swimming. Then a connection to the unsolved disappearance of a little girl surfaces. Mystery follows.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid outing that seamlessly blends the main character's professional and personal life--which is rare in mystery/crime novels where the personal is ignored or trite and forced.

If I have a complaint about these books it is that some of the dialogue is stiff and doesn't always track with the previous sentence. The latter usually happens when two people are rapid-fire talking back and forth, but it often comes off as confusing!

[Jazmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. For some reason, I never thought to read a mystery novel even though I love watching crime shows. After reading this novel and having so much fun trying to catch the killer, I have found a new genre to enjoy.

[Marilynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to read the descriptions of child abuse, but the twists and turns of the mystery were good. I even managed to buy into the psychic’s dreams.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good mystery series.Marti Macalister is a great protagonist.