Out of the Ruins

In 1960, Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia is one of last barrier islands to be privately owned by an individual. Charlotte Hill MacKinnon, the owner of most of the land intends to keep it that way. When she dies, she leaves her holdings on Cumberland Island to Hannah Williams Hill, her sister in law. Hannah feels the same way about Cumberland as Charlotte did and she intends to fight off the developers and the Parks Department who want to take it by eminent domain.Even though she is in the end stages of multiple sclerosis, her mind is clear and she asks her nephew, archivist Ben Reese to help her. Ben has one satisfying conversation with Hannah before she dies and he wants to help the new heir, Johanna Elliott, a shy retiring opera singer who intends to carry out her aunt's wishes. Ben isn't sure that Hannah died from natural causes so he starts his own investigation just to make sure that there isn't a killer on the loose ready to strike again.Sally Wright is a very talented, very visual writer who describes Cumberland Island in such detail that readers will feel they have visited the place. The fourth Reese mystery is the best yet, primarily because the audience feels closer to the protagonist. OUT OF THE RUINS is a cerebral brainteaser that will appeal to fans of literary mysteries.Harriet Klausner

Cumberland Island had been in Charlotte Hill MacKinnon's family for over eighty years. She "suddenly" died from an aortic aneurysm, according to the reports. She willed the island to Hannah Hill, a widow suffering from MS, who would continue Charlotte's fight to keep the land from developers. Ben Reese was Charlotte's nephew. He went to the island, visited Hannah, and listened to her tale about a disguised intruder who entered her room during the night to spray some sort of mist and wore a gas mask. Hannah had thought it a dream. Short days later, even though her own doctor thought Hannah doing better, she mysteriously died. Ben suspected foul play and began asking questions. The killer knew of Ben's reputation for snooping whenever his curiosity became aroused. Ben would have to be watched closely. **** Great mystery reading here. It was a bit hard to get into the story at the beginning. The characters kept dying after only being in the story for one or two chapters. However, when Ben Reese entered the story it became engrossing. A sharp man who not only copes with the Cumberland Island problem, but also a problem (sub-plot) at the Alderton University involving an old will and the new president. Recommended for true mystery fans! **** Reviewed by Detra Fitch.