"Candy Apple Red (Jane Kelly Mystery)" by Nancy Bush
- William Estep
- Club reading
- April 29, 2009
If you enjoy light, easy mystery books, then this book is for you. Jane Kelly followed a boyfriend from California to Washington state. She stayed; he didn’t. She studied criminology because he was, and now she’s using that in serving eviction notices. But things get complicated when her ex-boyfriend shows up. And eventually the body of a man who has been missing for four years. There’s our mystery.
I wasn’t thrilled with this mystery, but Jane has some wonderful possibilities. Her twin brother could have been called Dick, but Jane’s mother decided that having Dick and Jane as her children would not be a good idea. And one of Jane’s friends talks about fishing, saying that when you get a fish on the end of the line, it’s a wonderful feeling, but sometimes it doesn’t feel right because there’s not enough fight. That’s when you know it’s a hatchery fish on the end. And, Jane’s friend says, that’s what is wrong with his kids: they are hatchery fish.
The hatchery fish and Dick and Jane indicate that this author has great potential, and I hope she fulfills it. I look forward to reading more about Jane.