Dead Man Running

Torie O'Shea #9

by Rett MacPherson

At the request of a local journalist, genealogist Torie OShea sets out to research her Missouri hometowns two mayoral candidates: incumbent Bill Castlereagh and his challenger, Sheriff Colin Brooke, Tories stepfather. With the discovery of a body linked to the Chicago Mafia, Tories research into the mayors genealogy turns up more questions than answers. As the case unravels, the mayor flees town and Torie makes a shocking discovery that might lead to her own demise.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy

Paperback

First published April 18, 2006

About the author

Rett MacPherson was born in Saint Louis, Missouri. She is the author of the popular Torie O'Shea mysteries and helped to pioneer the sub-genre of genealogical mysteries. She is also a bead and fabric artist and loves wineries, cemeteries, genealogy, history and of course, books.

Reviews

[Linda]

Solid entry in the series. I enjoyed the mystery and seeing how everything tied together in the end. Looking forward to seeing what happens next.

[Pamela Mclaren]

Things always go sideways when Torie O'Shea turns to investigation, and in this book, the ninth in the O'Shea series it starts innocently enough: she sees strange men lurking around the mayor's house (and her stepfather, Sheriff Colin Brooke, tells her to leave it alone), and then she is asked to look at the family history of the mayor.

Then things turn deadly during an Octoberfest parade. Torie knows she shouldn't meddle but its like pouring oil on a fire, she just can't help herself. There are strange men in dark suits and shiny shoes in town, a new business owner, and then the mayor himself disappears.

What's a girl supposed to do? For Torie, she turns to digging through family archives, and the solution to what is going on comes when she, not the police, find the vital clues.

The Torie O'Shea stories are cozy mysteries, so there's a lot of silliness and humor along with wacky family life in the tales. They are meant to be taken seriously and the mysteries are not very mysterious. But for light, fun reading, they certainly fit the bill.

[Rhonda Clark]

A few things don't add up for me in this book... why Colin Brooke is being such a jerk, for one. Why the info Sam Hill found on the mayor's family, which said his mother killed a baby boy that didn't even have a name, which later wasn't explained how that information was wrong (for another -- not to mention that that Torie supposedly knew that wasn't the suspicious thing that was going on?); yes, newspapers sometimes get information wrong, but the mother said later that she gave a lot of interviews about it? WAS the mayor's body found (it was assumed that it was going to be, if his wife's body was, but not explained after that)? then, did Colin choose a different sheriff to support after feeling guilty about bad-mouthing Torie, or what?

[Mary]

As usual with a Rett McPherson book, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was good catching up with old friends and the mystery unfolded in such a way that I really was surprised by the resolution. Torie can be annoying but she's smart and her genealogical talents are always a benefit in her crime fighting activities. I love New Kassell, MO and can clearly see each detail of life in this small town. Well written, fun and interesting. All the things I look for in a book. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Recommended!

[Katie Hilton]

Mysterious men in suits and shiny black shoes are infiltrating Torie O'Shea's sleepy Mississippi River town, and there's a mayoral election in full swing. Torie turns genealogy sleuth when one candidate disappears.

[Joan]

good cozy

[Margaret]

Running for mayor, that is. What embarrassments will a study of the incumbent mayor's geneological charts reveal?

[Julie Thomas]

Love me some Torie!

[Michael]

Another great entry in this series. Not quite as much history in this one but more intense drama.

[Milton Fulghum]

This is #9 in a series of mystery stories set mostly in east-central Missouri. The stories are very good to read.

[Margaret]

A library find.
June 2024.
Interesting characters.
Surprises galore.
Intriguing plot.
Written well.

[Katherine]

The first few pages of this mystery were engaging and made me want to read more. Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn't live up to that initial promise. Rather than making me feel welcomed to a down-home small town, I felt irritated by almost everyone in the book, including the main character. Torie O'Shea is loud, bossy, and overbearing...and while the story attempts to give her an arc of change and self-discovery, she ends the same way she starts. She takes a dislike to others for no apparent reason, and then seems shocked when they don't like her. She seems to be on iffy terms with just about everyone in town, and even the appearance of her best friend gave me no clue why anyone would choose to spend time with her.

The mystery itself had a great deal of promise, but it just seemed to fizzle...and that process was helped by an enormous inconsistency in the middle of the book. I don't mind the occasional goof, but this one actually had bearing on the main points of the plot.

This was my first Rett MacPherson book, and while I will probably give her another try, I'm not going to be in a hurry.

[Dharia Scarab]

Not sold on the series, the main character was slightly irritating.


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.

[Patty]

MacPherson consistently delivers a rip-roaring story with a lot of interesting genealogy tips worked into the narrative. The characters in this series are realistic, they aren't perfect and their flaws sometimes cause conflict with outsiders as well as within the family.

Torie is still trying to adjust to having inherited all of Sylvia's money as well as dealing with a husband, three children, a new sister, a step-father who is sheriff, building a new house, one daughter who has started dating and the sudden appearance of a pair of dead bodies.

Normally I don't get much of an idea of "who dunnit" but this one I managed to actually be right in my guess but not the "why".

Really looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Katherine]

This is another fun to read mystery, this one by Rett MacPherson. Since I do genealogy, this one is especially in tune with what I like. The heroine, a genealogist, lives in a small town by the Mississippi River in Missouri. A lot of references are made to places in and near St. Louis, where I live. Sometimes the names are changed a bit, but they are easily recognized. Rett MacPherson js on my list of favorite authors to read when I'm just looking for a light, well-written story. Unfortunatly, she hasn't published anything new for several years.

[Leslie]

I really enjoyed this book. This is part of a series about a local historian in a small town on the Mississippi River south of St. Louis. She's married with three children at home, very normal sort of existence, very down to earth. She can't help being nosy and poking around in mysterious deaths. And we're glad she does. I've enjoyed all of the series. Nice, light reading.

[Wayne Shepherd]

Enjoyed the characters in the book immensely, especially the protagonist Torie. The plot was a cliche, but, this book's strong point is the journey not the destination. It was a light one day read that made me laugh more than a few times. The ending was enjoyable and complete, but, felt a little rushed and anti-climatic.

[Kristin]

This one really was just okay. I love this author and the series, but this has been my least favorite mystery so far.

There were definitely a couple of plot holes, and the beloved narrator seemed to make some decisions that conflicted with her personality. Here's hoping the next book in the series is more like the others!

[Lesley Looper]

I enjoy this series, partly because the protagonist is a local historian and genealogist. It's nice, light reading as well. The story had a good pace, and the characters were pretty interesting as well.

[Kay]

Another light fun reading in the Torie O'Shea series. Really wish I could have read them in order but they are very difficult to find. I'd probably have better luck in the St. Louis area since the author is from there and take place in the area.

[Ann]

I liked the first book I read in this series but this one was not as good. Tori O'Shea is nosy and snoops into things she shouldn't and then acts all hurt when people might not like her - nuff said.

[carrie]

A perfect vacation read. Good for those who like mysteries with funny, curious, determined women characters in small towns without much violence or gore. I am ready to read the series!

[Kitty Tomlinson]

Interesting. Good addition to series.

[Ellen]

Torie #9

[Carolyn E]

Good story. I enjoyed it.

[Marti]

Vacation read.

[Lisa]

It was a good book. Now I have to go back and read all the ones before because I just found this book in a random box.