Buried in a Book

January 1, 2012

Just downsized from her newspaper reporting job of 20 years, Lila Watkins nimbly rebounds and takes an intern position at a prominent literary agency. Her mother, a local psychic, sees death in Lila's tarot cards, a prophecy fulfilled on Lila's first day when a local indigent, Marlette, dies on the agency's couch. Marlette, who has been hounding the staff about his submitted manuscript for eons, turns out to have a storied past. Appalled by the staff's indifference, Lila investigates. First of all, where did his manuscript go? As Lila snoops around, she realizes a heist has taken place. Meanwhile, her teen son, Trey, has ensconced himself with the local hippie commune, which Marlette also frequented. An attractive police detective, a gal pal who owns the coffee place, and the mother with special powers ensure Lila a winning team that can beat the odds. VERDICT Cheer up, there's no middle-age malaise for Lila. This cozy debut, written by a pseudonymous duo, excels at describing bucolic North Carolina. Think Kate Carlisle for her intergenerational ensemble style or Mark de Castrique's series for regional Tar Heel flavor.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.