Book 93, 2020

[chez_jae]

Murder on Memory Lake by J.D. Griffo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finished reading Murder on Memory Lake, by JD Griffo, on Thursday night, but I've been too busy to review it until now. Guh. This is the first book in the author's "Ferrara Family" mystery series, featuring widowed Alberta Scaglione and her granddaughter Gina (aka Jinx).

After Alberta's maiden aunt passes, she leaves her money and her home on Memory Lake to Alberta. Alberta takes advantage of her largesse to move to Tranquility, NJ and enjoy her golden years. Her tranquility is shattered, however, when she spies a body floating in Memory Lake and discovers it is none other than her lifelong nemesis, Lucy Agostino. Shortly after the police arrive, so does Alberta's granddaughter, Jinx. Alberta declares that Lucy's death must have been foul play, because the woman would not have been caught dead in the navy blue outfit she's wearing. The police are skeptical, but Jinx, an aspiring journalist, wants to investigate the story. Her editor refuses, so Jinx cooks up a scheme wherein she and Alberta, along with Alberta's sister, Helen, and their sister-in-law, Joyce, will do some sleuthing of their own. Alberta soon finds herself back in the world of gainful employment after landing a job where Lucy used to work. There, she encounters another former school chum, Marion (aka Duke) Klausner, who runs the business.

Jinx dives into the investigation and involves the older women in one madcap adventure after another, including breaking and entering, impersonating a nun, and setting up a sting. Her plan works too well when Alberta is nabbed by a killer, and now the race is on to find her before Alberta winds up floating in Memory Lake.

I'm a bit on the fence with this one. I liked some aspects, but disliked others. I found the excessive use of Italian words and phrases to be somewhat distracting. I would have enjoyed it more if I spoke Italian. Also too (one of Joyce's phrases that drove Helen nuts!), while it was interesting that Alberta knew Lucy would never wear navy blue, when it was revealed just how she came to be wearing that outfit, the explanation...defied explanation. As in, it made no sense whatsoever. The plot featured some nifty twists and turns. I was a trifle dismayed when Alberta started turning into a Mary Sue. First, the police officer, Vinny (another lifelong cohort), seems to take a shine to her, then she met with suave librarian Sloan, and finally, Marion asked her out, too. As for Marion, it seemed that many of the women in his life were obsessed with him, making him out to be a bit of a Gary Stu. Enough!

Favorite lines:
♦ "Good, because tardiness puts a smile on Satan's face."
♦ "This has about as much flavor as a Eucharist without any of the hope."

Waffling here. I think I'm going to give it an average score.