Review: Memories and Murder
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 31, 2014
Ashlee Mallory has written a delightful cozy mystery. When Allie McBride sees her old high school crush, she doesn't realize that her life will be turned upside down. Sam Fratto has returned to Salt Lake City to care for his mother who is seriously ill. He takes a temporary teaching job at St. Andrew's Academy. Sam attended school there as did Allie. She is not happy when she realizes that they'll be working together. Tension escalates when the body of Jackson Williams, is found on school property. He taught English at the school. He disappeared fifteen years ago but no one suspected he was murdered. Allie and Sam form an uneasy partnership. They are determined to find who killed their favorite teacher, but someone doesn't want them to succeed. Allie becomes their target. Will Sam be able to protect her? This story is a nice combination of mystery and romance. The book is well plotted and the characters are skillfully crafted. Allie is a gentle, caring person who won't stop until she finds the truth. Sam is strong willed, stubborn and very attracted to his former classmate. Their romance is filled with misunderstanding and memories of the past. The secondary characters add additional depth and humor to the story. The ending was unexpected. I didn't know who committed the murder. This is the debut novel by Ashlee Mallory. I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to reading more.