Gaston Library discussion

Margaret Maron, a prolific North Carolina-based mystery writer whose book series won her major awards and plaudits in the genre, has died at age 82, a family member said on Sunday. Maron died on Tuesday at a hospice center in Raleigh from stroke-related complications, according to her son, John Maron. Maron is best known for the Sigrid Harald series of books, which focused on a New York police lieutenant, and the Knott series, which was about a North Carolina judge. Her first Deborah Knott books won the four major mystery-writing awards, including the Edgar and Agatha, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported. She received the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor, in 2008, and was later inducted into the N.C. Literary Hall of Fame.

Bootlegger's Daughter
"This first novel in Maron's Imperfect series, which won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel in 1993, introduces heroine Deborah Knott, an attorney and the daughter of an infamous North Carolina bootlegger. Known for her knowledge of the region's past and popular with the locals, Deb is asked by 18-year-old Gayle Whitehead to investigate the unsolved murder of her mother Janie, who died when Gayle was an infant. While visiting the owner of the property where Janie's body was found, Deb learns of Janie's more-than-promiscuous past. Piecing together lost clues and buried secrets Deb is introduced to Janie's darker side, but it's not until another murder occurs that she uncovers the truth." (Goodreads)


Three-Day Town
"After a year of marriage, Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant are off to New York City for a long-delayed honeymoon. January might not be the perfect time to take a bite of the Big Apple, but Dwight's sister-in-law has arranged for them to stay in her Upper West Side apartment for a week." (Goodreads)


Winter's Child
"It's one month after their wedding, and the future looks bright for Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff Deputy Dwight Bryant until a disturbing call from Dwight's 8-year-old son Cal calls him back to Virginia.When he arrives, he is shocked to find that his ex-wife has left the boy alone for almost 24 hours. Worse, as Dwight tries to confront her, she takes the child and leaves town without a word. As Dwight embarks on an all-points search, Deborah hurries to his side. But will they be able to work together to decipher the ex-wife's motives and, more importantly, will they find young Cal before he comes to harm?" (Goodreads)


Hard Row
"As Judge Deborah Knott presides over a case involving a barroom brawl, it becomes clear that deep resentments over race, class, and illegal immigration are simmering just below the surface in the countryside." (Goodreads)


Long Upon the Land
"On a quiet August morning, Judge Deborah Knott's father Kezzie makes a shocking discovery on a remote corner of his farm: the body of a man bludgeoned to death. Investigating this crime, Deborah's husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, soon uncovers a long-simmering hostility between Kezzie and the slain man over a land dispute." (Goodreads)


Storm Track
"A Storm of Mystery: Not a lot can ruin the serenity of the lazy, hazy August rhythms of Collection County, North Carolina. Judge Deborah Knott, once again running for election, can count on a round of pleasant softball games, barbecues, and church picnics. But now a hurricane named Fran is gearing up offshore and it looks like the eye of the storm could blow straight through the county. Even worse, the local, scandalous murder of a prominent lawyer's promiscuous wife has shaken up the entire community. As the storm picks up speed, the county gears up with batteries and bottled water -- and a determined killer finds a perfect time to strike again." (Goodreads)


Fugitive Colors
"Fugitive Colors goes beyond the whodunit genre to combine a top-notch mystery with a portrait of a woman cop indelibly changed - able to notice the background details, the subtle shades, and the feelings that ultimately damn or save us all." (Goodreads)


Past Imperfect
"A highly respected detective with the New York City Police Department, Harald is the daughter of a NYPD cop who was killed in the line of duty. Now as she looks into the fatal shooting of an off-duty police officer, Harald realizes that the case may provide a clue to the secret of her father's death." (Goodreads)


Southern Discomfort
"Deborah Knott may have lost the district election, but a bigoted judge's sudden death - and some old-fashioned political horse trading - have won her a governor's appointment. True to Southern form, her swearing-in is followed by a raucous reception that brings out every elderly aunt and cousin in the county. Unfortunately, Lu Bingham, the force behind WomanAid, is at the reception, too. Not only has she come to collect the leftovers for her daycare center, but she's also there to collect on one of Deborah's more extravagant campaign promises." (Goodreads)


Rituals of the Season
"Judge Deborah Knott has a severe case of anxiety in the final days before her late December nuptials to Deputy Sheriff Dwight Bryant. Her calendar i s booked solid with receptions and parties, last-minute details, and family obligations.There is no way she can fit a homicide case into her schedule. Nevertheless, when a friend is shot on the drive home and Dwight becomes t he lead detective on the case, Deborah is immediately involved. Now she is in danger of losing sight of what really matters--the big, brown-eyed man w ho's about to say "I do." But just when she thinks she's finally got order in the court and her life, fate has one more pulse-pounding surprise in store." (Fantastic Fiction)