A Door in the River (Hazel Micallef Mystery, Book 3)
Canadian police detective Hazel Micallef may be in her sixties, but she has the drive and energy of coppers half her age. In this third in the series, the death of hardware-store-owner Henry Wiest has Micallef wondering what’s become of the once sleepy Ontario enclave she calls home. When, mere days later, Wiest’s widow is attacked, Micallef can no longer deny that something sinister is afoot. Clues lead the detective and her team to an underground casino on the local Indian reservation, which, on the surface, seems like a typical betting establishment. But the gambling here is done with human lives. Was Henry Wiest engaged in illicit activities or just trying to help victimized young women escape their fate? The answers could lie with a young prostitute named Larysa, whose self-preservation instincts may have cost Wiest his life. Meanwhile, Micallef must contend with her cantankerous 87-year-old mother, whose health is failing. Pseudonymous novelist Wolfe serves up plenty of action and a likable protagonist in sexagenarian Micallef, who is equal parts cleverness, gumption, and grace. --Allison Block