Review: A lighthearted almost successful mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2014
Barbara Venkataraman, an attorney and mediator specializing in family law and debt collection, has another avocation - writing books directed more for children and young adults and humorous essays for those who enjoy parody mixed with social comment. DEATH BY DIGERIDOO is the debut of a planned series for the sleuth lawyer Jamie Quinn as central character. Jaime Quinn does not fit anyone's concept of a lawyer and that is one reason the character works well. She is easily diverted by topics of passing interest and while that only adds to her likeability as a character, that factor does diminish the impact of a mystery.For those unsure of the title, `the didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread use today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe". Musicologists classify it as a brass aerophone.' That this is chosen as a murder weapon throws a different light on the crime Jamie Quinn jumps into save because the murder in question is supposedly the unbelievable act of her cousin Adam who for some reason has confessed to the murder. Toss in contemporary sidebars such as the victim as a rock star and the fact that Venkataraman obviously enjoys insertions of humor at odd places and out comes a murder mystery with sort of a tongue in cheek tone. The author has style and facility of pen and that should help her mold her next installment of her Jamie Quinn series well. Grady Harp, April 14