Yancy Park housewife Martha Dodson has spotted some very strange goings-on in her neighborhood.
Three doors down, oddball Kent Kirkland has completely destroyed his compulsively-tended begonias – so Martha, suspecting that there may be more going on than meets the eye, has called in McGill Investigators. Perched on Martha’s sofa, private investigator Molly McGill jots down the facts of the case while the housewife talks about all the peculiar happenings she’s spotted from outside the Kirkland house. Aside from the horticultural homicide, Martha’s seen an odd package arrive on Kent’s doorstep, and noticed that he keeps a room in his house completely papered over. But this is no story of curtain-twitching suburban suspicion. Something sinister lies beneath the surface of this neighborhood, and Molly’s determined to figure it out.
Martha’s also told Molly all about two young boys who have recently disappeared: neglected Calvin Witt, missing from a dilapidated house populated by uncared-for foster kids, and Jhonny Ramos, who everyone assumes was kidnapped by Venezuelan family members. A hassled single mom of two herself, Molly’s heart goes out to the missing boys – although now she’s got to juggle her intriguing new case with her usual parenting and domestic drudgery. The cops aren’t any help, with gruff but rather interesting officer Art Judd refusing to allocate police resources to investigate the case any further.
Determined not to let Martha down and desperate to crack the case of the missing boys, Molly knows she’s got to get creative. Posing as a horticultural enthusiast, she knocks on suspect Kirk’s door. As she talks her way into his home, she starts to wonder: has she found herself inside the belly of the beast?
THE BEGONIA KILLER is Molly’s first standalone adventure after appearing in Jeff Bond’s Third Chance Enterprises series. Told from Molly’s perspective, Bond’s female protagonist is likeable and relatable, meaning that readers will most likely engage and empathize with her struggles and her strong desire to help the vulnerable. As a novel, it’s well constructed and well edited, and will keep readers turning pages with its interesting and deftly paced story.
Short, fun, and easy to read – from its pulp-inspired cover to its dramatic ending, THE BEGONIA KILLER is an entertaining escapade with a good narrative flow, quirky but believable characters, and plenty of intrigue – perfect for fans of crime fiction, female protagonists and intriguing mystery stories.
~Emily Jessica Turner for IndieReader