Buried in the Townhouse

Marianna Heusler

1/14/2001

Review by Molly

Christina Branganti and her penchant for choosing the wrong pair of shoes for every occasion is a fun almost heroine in this amusing quirky narrative. From the prologue when a nameless nun is murdered in most gruesome fashion right on to the last page when at last the whole conundrum is revealed the reader is held captive with writer Heusler's intriguing plot twists and turns.

Christina and her brother have bought the aging townhouse with an eye toward turning it into an upscale fitness center. Christina was not aware the structure had been used as a psychiatric hospital in the past and held secrets best left untouched when brother Jake decided this was the building for them to invest Chris' divorce settlement money into.

The perpetually encumbered Christina hobbles from adventure to misadventure as murder, drugs and a cast of intriguing characters fill the pages of the narrative. Chris is a most likeable accidental sleuth. She is the mother of a typical ready for college, "mom's an idiot" son. She is involved in a new love relationship that is not what exactly all that it seems, battling a up hill fight with brother Jake about who should be hired to work on staff in the newly establish Townhouse Gym and spooked by the "comes with the building" caretaker Mike.

Writer Heusler has captured a bit of M. C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet humor with the plot turns and twists found in Ann Bachman's Broken Dreams to produce a most enjoyable work.

The dismay felt by Christina is believable as she totters along on those awful shoes she insists upon wearing. The peculiar toeless Mike is a morbid, frightening character. Bodies begin popping up in the most unusual places much to the consternation of brother Jake. This is a keep you turning the page mystery filled with good description and interesting characters. Christina, in spite of her footwear, rises to the situation to protect her kid when the deranged murderer is finally unmasked.

New York City teacher, wife and mother Marianna Heusler has written a number of short stories in addition to her mystery writing. Buried in the Town House is well recommended for a fun, interesting read! Learn more about Marianna Heusler by visiting her website www.mariannamystery.com