Lorena McCourtney Reviews (2)

To learn about Lorena McCourtney, click here.

(2006) Stranded

Author Lorena McCourtney has created another winner with her latest Ivy Malone mystery. Little old lady Malone (LOL!) does seem to attract dead bodies wherever she travels and travel for her is a must. There seems to be a growing list of those who want her dead so she avoids staying in one place long and becoming known by the populace. When her motor home breaks down in Hello, Colorado, it's going to take a little time to get things fixed up and Ivy and her companion Abilene are forced to find a place to stay -- at the home of a suspected killer, of course. Kelli is the dead man's niece and inherited everything when he died, thus the locals have all pinned the murder on her.

Ivy is determined to find out who really killed Hiram McLeod and there is a host of suspicious people that could fit the bill. She is also fending off amorous advances from Norman (Hiram's old buddy and sparring partner), helping with the local musical revue and watching a romance emerge between Abilene and Dr. Sugarman, the local vet. Will she have time to find the killer, too?

Don't miss Stranded by Lorena McCourtney. Billed as Christian fiction, you won't find a lot of preaching in Ms. McCourtney's books but they are definitely cozy reads!

By Ceil. First published in the Cozy Library March 5, 2007.

(2006) On the Run

If you are not familiar with Ivy Malone, then you are in for a rare treat in this series about a super sleuth LOL (yes, that's a little old lady) whose inquisitiveness tends to get her into tight spots, including murder. In this the third book of the series, On the Run, Ivy is hiding out from the Braxton brothers, bent on revenge for the part she took in convicting their brother of murder. Our heroine hops in her motor home and attempts to outrun the thugs. Small towns are best for hiding out and Ivy takes refuge in one of the smallest, Dulcy, Oklahoma. When she receives a tip that the eccentric Northcutts, raisers of emus, are looking for a caretaker, she sets out for their place, along with Abilene, a young woman, bruised in body and spirit, but also looking for a place to hide. What they discover at the ranch is two dead bodies, the Northcutts, and a bloodied suicide note. Not convinced of the suicide, Ivy and Abilene set out to trap the killer and solve the mystery.

Ivy Malone is an engaging character with a youthful outlook on life despite being a senior citizen. On the Run is a mystery with components that are just not run-of-the-mill. This is fun for avid mystery readers who are often looking for something a little different. The book reads as a stand alone for although I had not read the first two in the series, I was completely able to follow along and easily get to know the characters. Ivy's faith in the Lord is evident in the book but never pushy and never preachy. Cozy mystery readers will enjoy this book and be checking their library database for more!

By Ceil. First published in the Cozy Library (March 17, 2006)

To learn about Lorena McCourtney, click here.