JANE DARROWFIELD PROFESSIONAL BUSYBODY

Book 1 in the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries

By Barbara Ross

Jane Darrowfield is a year into her retirement, and she’s already traveled and planted a garden. She’s organized her photos, her recipes, and her spices. The statistics suggest she has at least a few more decades ahead of her, so she better find something to do . . .

After Jane helps a friend with a sticky personal problem, word starts to spread around her bridge club—and then around all of West Cambridge, Massachusetts—that she’s the go-to girl for situations that need discreet fixing. Soon she has her first paid assignment—the director of a 55-and-over condo community needs her to de-escalate hostilities among the residents. As Jane discovers after moving in for her undercover assignment, the mature set can be as immature as any high schoolers, and war is breaking out between cliques.

It seems she might make some progress—until one of the aging “popular kids” is bludgeoned to death with a golf club. And though the automatic sprinklers have washed away much of the evidence, Jane’s on course to find out whodunit . . .

MY REVIEW

As a fan of the Maine Clambake Mysteries, I was beyond excited to hear author Barbara Ross had a new series in the works, and I couldn’t wait to read it. I’m happy to say, this first in the Jane Darrowfield Mysteries was well worth the wait!

In JANE DARROWFIELD PROFESSIONAL BUSYBODY the murder didn’t take place until well into the story, which was a brilliant move by author Ross. I loved having the time to get to know Jane and see her for the strong, intelligent, tenacious character she is.

This was an entertaining, well written, clever mystery. Barbara Ross couldn’t have had better timing. It was on point throughout the entire book. Just when I would get comfortable with thinking I had everything figured out, she would throw in a curveball that had me scrambling for a new theory. Needless to say, the reveal totally surprised me. Well done, Ms. Ross.

If you’re a fan of senior sleuths (heck, even if you’re not), you’re going to love JANE DARROWFIELD PROFESSIONAL BUSYBODY.

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