A Bond with Death

November 1, 2004
In Crider's third Sally Good mystery (after 2002's A Knife in the Back
), the funny, pedantic, unlucky-in-love English professor, whose late husband was related to 17th-century Salem "witch" Sarah Good, must prove she's innocent of the murder of Harold Curtin, a small, dirty, bearded sot nicknamed the Garden Gnome, who'd been fired from his tenured position at Hughes Community College. Universally despised and the only teacher ever to fail his student evaluations, Curtin was out to make trouble over a much needed bond issue for the college. He had enlisted the "Mothers against Witchcraft" to bring down Dr. Good, whom he blamed for his dismissal. Extracts from the transcripts of the 1692 trial of Sarah Good for witchcraft provide a fascinating counterpoint to the present-day action. Suspects include a whole school of red herrings. Unfortunately, the actual murderer turns out to be a minor character barely mentioned until the denouement—which will disappoint puzzle solvers engaged in an otherwise amusing, well-written and inventive tale. Agent, Jimmy Vines at the James C. Vines Agency. (Nov. 18)

FYI:
Crider is also the author of
Red, White, and Blue Murder (Forecasts, Sept. 15, 2003) and other titles in his Sheriff Dan Rhodes series.

October 15, 2004
Dr. Sally Good, English department chair at Hughes Community College, is called to the president's office to explain an e-mail sent to the entire college community and town accusing Sally of being a relative of a witch hanged at Salem more than 400 years ago. With a bond issue in the works, President Fieldstone is worried about the reputation of the college. Deciding no one will take the e-mail seriously--and besides, the accused witch was her husband's relative, not hers--Sally returns to her office, where she learns that former English professor Harold Curtin is dead, maybe murdered. Unfortunately, the incompetent, unlikable Curtin blamed Sally for his enforced "retirement," so Sally is one of a long list of possible suspects. Sally solves the crime, but not before her job is threatened, Mothers against Witchcraft picket her house, and she almost loses her life. This third book in genre veteran Crider's series contains interesting bits of history, a likable and sensible heroine, and details of community college life and politics that effectively support the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)