Lorine McGinnis Schulze

Reviewing a book written by someone you know can be a daunting task. I avoided reading this even though I owned it because I feared I might not like the book. Janie Riley, genealogist, travels to Salt Lake City where she meets Clarissa. Janie observes Clarissa's soon-to-be-ex-husband giving Clarissa a difficult time. Then she notices someone watching Clarissa. When Clarissa turns up dead, and her papers turn up missing, Janie feels the need to make sure the murderer does not get away. She begins investigating Clarissa's case with memories of stolen glances at her work as they researched side-by-side. Will she remember enough to help bring a murderer to justice?

I found the book a fun and surprisingly pleasurable read. The ancestral story resonates with the reader. The modern plot as the story unfolded seemed implausible, particularly in regards to the way the police handled the case. In fact questions regarding this remain with the reader after the mystery's solution. Most genealogists will enjoy this adventure, particularly if heading to Salt Lake City for a research trip.… (mais)

When I discovered that one of my favorite genealogy bloggers, Lorine McGinnis Schulze, of the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog, was the author of a new series of genealogical mysteries, I had to read it right away. I wasn't disappointed. Janie Riley, an avid genealogist just happens to stumble on a mystery while researching at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Those of us who manage to get to Salt Lake fairly often immediately know where she is when she goes out the back door of her hotel and turns right down the alley on her way to the library next door. The story moves swiftly with some suspense and a little touch of danger but mostly a lot of clever and meticulous research. The time setting for the novel is not clear but it must have been some years ago because it does seem a little strange that she is always carting her laptop in a wheelie while nowadays most people just slip an iPad into their shoulder bags and they are good to go. I'm really looking forward to reading more books in the series.… (mais)