Where I Shoulda Known

Death in the Off-Season by Francine Mathews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a well written novel. I won't have been the first to report this, but I wanted it on the record.

I'm not surprised, but it's more remarkable than I expected. Apparently, Francine Matthews entered the writing world like Athena, fully formed from day one.

I've read (and really loved) her entire Jane Austen mystery series--written under a pseudonym, Stephanie Barron--but this novel was written before any of those, her first book, and though I thought there might be some sign in the text that she was a new author, I found nothing. No awkwardness; no hesitancy; no overblown language; no undercooked plot. On the contrary, it's mature and confident, with clear prose throughout and a deftly handled mystery. And it's a pleasure to read.

Nice. Right out of the gate.

I have usually overlooked this corner of the mystery world (when I'm not reading fantasy or something else, I mean), choosing mostly historical mysteries, especially Regency types, but I've meant to try these novels for some time. Obviously, it's not the same vibe as the Jane Austen books. Not the same rhythms or arcs. Not even the same voice. But, you know, it is the same, somehow.

I was predisposed to like the main character because I have a sister Merry--so named and so spelled because of her twin sister, Sherry--and though Merry Folger is not much like my sister, I liked her. I appreciated her attitude and her mix of competence and vulnerability. Not a bumbler; not a super-sleuth. Her family and backstory are interesting, giving us something to care about, but they do not overwhelm the story. The other characters are well drawn, too, especially Peter Mason, whose brother dies on his property at the beginning of the novel, and Will, the boy who discovers the body.

I learned a lot about Nantucket, and the setting was an interesting part of the novel. Not hard to teach me something new; I knew virtually nothing about it before. I did learn that I won't be buying a summer home there this life. And the conclusion is satisfying. I see some others predicted the outcome, but I didn't--at least not until I was supposed to.

Anyway, lots to like. I enjoyed it and recommend it for general mystery readers, as well as fans of the author. :)

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