A Minor Case of Murder - A Cassie O'Malley Mystery

I don't read many mysteries. They are usually too formulaic to be entertaining. That being said, I am so happy I found this book because it has renewed my faith in mystery writers. Mr. Markowitz is an excellent writer and this particular story captivated me. The characters had such depth--I found myself thinking about Cassie O'Malley all the time! This is a wonderful read, I am looking forward to Mr. Markowitz's next book.

Some good fun at the ballpark turned tragic. A local political race, a psychic, a mysterious cabbie, a disputed wildlife refuge and the intrepid Cassie O'Malley all come together in "A Minor Case of Murder" to guarantee readers a fast-paced scramble to unravel the mystery of a woman's mistaken death on the pitcher's mound. Jeff Markowitz is masterful as he weaves romance, humor and drama together in a tale that escalates to a dramatic---and surprising---finish. Entertaining, and guaranteed to keep readers guessing until the very end!

In Doah, reporter Cassie O'Malley meets minor league baseball owner Andy MacTavish following the funeral of his great-great uncle octogenarian local historian Harrison T. Dicke. They talk over hot cocoa and he soon asks if he could call her for a date. The thirtyish widow says yes, which is a first since her spouse died a few years ago. Andy takes Cassie to watch his baseball team, the Sand Skeeters, play. She enjoys the game and the between innings fun especially the mascot Skeeter. Later she meets Skeeter without the costume, teenager Donna Carter, who is dating Andy's younger brother. At the last game of the season, Skeeter dies on the pitching mound; however, the victim is not Donna, but her pal Heather. Andy wonders if the Birders who opposed his ballpark are behind the homicide so he asks journalist Cassie to investigate even as he continues to date her. This fine sports whodunit pays homage to minor league baseball, which is so much fun (this reviewer born near Yankee Stadium and living a few miles from the Braves loved watching the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons play a game last year - if you have not done so try it; so much fun). The story line is a cozy that looks deep into the soul of the heroine as she begins to unravel the motive behind the murder of the mascot until she finally hits a walk off homerun. Sub-genre fans will want to watch all nine innings of this delightful hometown baseball mystery. Harriet Klausner