Book Review

Murder in the Worst Degree by F.M. Meredith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first book I've read in the series. It is supposed to stand alone but I found it difficult to understand certain characters because the comments made about them did not provide any background to make them understandable. The story takes place in the fictional southern California town of Rocky Bluff, placed near Ventura and Santa Barbara. It unfolds through the experiences of the police officers who work there as they investigate the mysterious death of an elderly man and try to capture a rapist who has viciously attacked two women. The department has a new chief, a black woman. The officers under her command have their own personal problems and worry about how she will make changes that will negatively affect them. The story bounced around. It had many inaccuracies that needed to be edited, such as sentences that were repetitious and the same question asked of a character more than once, with a different answer each time. Probation and parole were treated as though they were one and the same when they are two completely separate functions in California. Officer Ryan, married to Barbara (a widow with three boys) is ready to leave her because she is having a baby with Downs Syndrome. When he forces himself to see the newborn she looks beautiful to him and he is happy that she looks "normal." Barbara can't leave the hospital until the doctor has finished testing the baby to see what her limitations will be. If she has many limitations, will Ryan decide to run? Yet the author never gives us the answer. Gordon, who is constantly referred to as having problems (but never identified) wants to marry officer Lisette. She believes that if she marries another officer she will lose her job. She thinks the new chief frowns on relationships between two officers. However, Doug and Stacey, are both officers and are married. They are not losing their jobs. Why doesn't Lisette notice that? Sorry to say I was not impressed with this book and can't recommend it.


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