The Second Mouse

Starred review from October 1, 2006
The death of Michelle Fisher strikes Joe Gunther as a little unusual in Mayor's superb 17th novel to feature the Vermont Bureau of Investigation detective (after 2005's St. Alban's Fire). When Joe calls for her autopsy results, he stumbles on a political snarl that threatens both his investigation and his relationship with chief medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom. Meanwhile, small-time criminal Mel Martin is intent on becoming a big-time criminal with the help of his wife, Nancy, and their friend Ellis Robbinson; for their part, Ellis and Nancy are increasingly disenchanted with Mel and enchanted by each other. Spinning out parallel story-lines and then weaving the strands together with deft precision, Mayor crafts not one but several mysteries and gives nothing away until the very last moment. While there's clearly a lot of history-most notably the recent end of Joe's 20-year romance with politician Gail Zigman, frequently mentioned despite its near-irrelevance to this particular plot-it's entirely accessible to new readers.

Starred review from October 2, 2006
The death of Michelle Fisher strikes Joe Gunther as a little unusual in Mayor's superb 17th novel to feature the Vermont Bureau of Investigation detective (after 2005's St. Alban's Fire). When Joe calls for her autopsy results, he stumbles on a political snarl that threatens both his investigation and his relationship with chief medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom. Meanwhile, small-time criminal Mel Martin is intent on becoming a big-time criminal with the help of his wife, Nancy, and their friend Ellis Robbinson; for their part, Ellis and Nancy are increasingly disenchanted with Mel and enchanted by each other. Spinning out parallel story-lines and then weaving the strands together with deft precision, Mayor crafts not one but several mysteries and gives nothing away until the very last moment. While there's clearly a lot of history-most notably the recent end of Joe's 20-year romance with politician Gail Zigman, frequently mentioned despite its near-irrelevance to this particular plot-it's entirely accessible to new readers.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2006
Has there been a crime? Joe Gunther, head of the Vermont Bureau of Investigation, doesn't know. Michelle Fisher is dead, but her body lies in peaceful repose in her converted nineteenth-century schoolhouse on the outskirts of Bennington. Nothing seems amiss, but Gunther's decades of experience and intuition nag at him. Natural causes? A suicide? Only medical examiner Beverly Hillstrom will be able to make the call, but Hillstrom is being harassed by her supervisor and can't do the requisite tests. At the same time, two of Bennington's smash-and-grab crooks are getting ready to hit the big time. Are they involved in Fisher's death? As a plot, it sounds thin, but in the hands of Mayor, it's a wonderful vehicle for a sweet, sad waltz of a crime novel. Mayor's elegiac tone and his insights into the human condition make " The Second Mouse "a fine addition to one of the most consistently satisfying mystery series going.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)