Review: Heartwrenching, Yet A Must Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 25, 2012
In this fourth book in the Savannah Martin mysteries, Savannah is faced with her own health issues and her conflicting relationship with Rafe Collier.  This book is such a profound, emotional venture into Savannah's private life that I found myself so upset for her and at times in tears.  Only a good author can do that.  And Ms. Bennett is certainly just one good author.Savannah is also extremely upset with the news that her sister-in-law, Sheila, has been killed, and she is determined to find out who murdered her and left her two beautiful daughters without a mother. And succeeds she does in unmasking the murderer.  She also succeeds in finding the heir of Elspeth Caulfield, who is an eleven-year old boy, and a Rafe look-alike.  She also becomes involved in helping a young woman who is on trial for killing her son who disappeared two years prior to this trial.  Todd is relentlessly prosecutng, and Savannah is concerned that this young woman may be telling the truth that her child was kidnapped, and she did not kill him.Most important, Savannah comes into her own in this novel, and emerges more independent.  She comes to terms with her own emotions and with her relationship with her oh so self-righteous mother.  Her mother, of course, will never change.  She will always embrace that Old World Southern "charm," which exudes that polite exterior, concealing the bias and prejudices toward anyone who is not of her social strata, especially toward African Americans and biracial individuals such as Rafe Collier.  Rafe is not worthy of her daughter, and she can't understand why Savannah has a friendship with him."Close to Home" is the best of the Savannah Martin mysteries so far.  It tugs at your heart strings.