You could tell that this novel was Harris’ first one published. It was ok. A fast read, little to think about. 3 stars. ( )

knowing a murderer is loose in her small Southern town changes Catherine's view of her neighbors. Four die to hide case of leprosy.

Not a bad quick read ... But oddest murder motive in any book I have read to date ( )

Well, this certainly no Sookie Stackhouse book. I was starting to think Harris had lost her touch when I noticed the copyright was from 1981. So I guess it's okay that the book wasn't too impressive ( )

Catherine Linton is back in her home town of Lowfield, Mississippi, after the death of her parents in a car accident. Catherine left her first job after college as a reporter and returned home to try to come to terms with her loss. She is working for the local weekly paper as the society reporter and trying to find her way out of the depression that she fell into when her parents died.

She has never felt that her parents' accident was really an accident but the sheriff who is also a family friend couldn't find any evidence that the car was tampered with. However, when Catherine stumbles upon the body of her doctor father's long-time nurse, her suspicions are aroused again. She begins to investigate and soon learns that her quiet little southern town is filled with buried secrets. Someone is willing to kill to keep their secret hidden and Catherine is in danger.

This book was written in 1981 and is Harris's first book. There is evidence that this story is set in an earlier time. Catherine is quick to light up a cigarette to relieve stress. The sheriff pussy-foots around telling Catherine that her father's office nurse was the local abortionist because that isn't something a man would say to a nice southern young lady. Catherine's attitude toward her family's former housekeeper who is black and her housekeeper's son who is now a sheriff's deputy reflect attitudes that aren't contemporary and were a little uncomfortable for this contemporary reader. The mystery is well done and certainly well written.

Completist fans of Charlaine Harris won't want to miss this story. ( )