One of Us by Lorie Lewis Ham - book review by Terry Ambrose

From the publisher of One of Us

At 35, children’s book author Roxi Carlucci finds herself starting over again after her publisher drops her book series. With no income, she has to pack up her life on the California Coast, along with her pet rat Merlin, and move in with her cousin, P.I. Stephen Carlucci, who lives in Fresno, CA. The one redeeming factor is that Stephen lives in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno.

Stephen talks Roxi into helping with a community theatre production, which is also a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. Little did she know that someone would be murdered during a rehearsal, and that she and Stephen would be hired to find the killer. The killer has to be one of Roxi’s new acquaintances since the theatre was locked at the time of the murder, but no one seems to have a motive. How can they solve a murder without a motive? Could the local gossip website hold any clues? Can they stop the killer before they strike again?

My review

A solid debut mystery with a likable protagonist and a great setting. From the smooth writing to the intricate plot, there are a lot of things to like about One of Us. I loved how the author maintained a consistent focus on the plot. After a brief introduction to the protagonist, the plot starts to move and never stops until the end.

I also found the protagonist, Roxy Carlucci, to be a nice addition to the female PI genre. She’s easy to like and fits well into the story. The Tower District in Fresno sounds intriguing and was an integral part of the story. With little profanity, violence, or sex, this light mystery should appeal to a variety of readers across the genre.