Killer Tied by Lesley A. Diehl-Great Escapes Tour-Review

About the book 

Eve Appel Egret is adjusting to married life with Sammy and their three adopted sons in Sabal Bay, Florida. While still running her consignment stores, she is going pro with her sleuthing by becoming an apprentice to a private detective.

Until her marriage, Eve’s only “family” was her grandmother Grandy, who raised her after her parents died in a boating accident. Now, in addition to her husband and sons, she has a father-in-law who clearly dislikes her. Sammy’s father, a full-blooded Miccosukee Indian long presumed dead, has emerged from the swamps where he’s been living like a hermit, and he isn’t happy about Eve’s marriage to his half-Miccosukee, half-white son.

As for Eve’s family, are her parents really dead? A woman named Eleanor claims to be Eve’s half-sister, born after her mother faked a boating accident to escape her abusive husband, Eve’s father. Then Eleanor’s father turns up dead in the swamps, stabbed by a Bowie knife belonging to Sammy’s father, Lionel. Strange as Lionel Egret is, Eve knows he had no motive to kill this stranger. In order to clear him, Eve must investigate Eleanor’s claims, and she might not like what digging around in her family’s past uncovers.

Character guest post

Character of Madeleine Boudreau Wilson, Eve Appel’s

friend and business partner

My name is Madeleine Boudreau Wilson, and I have been Eve Appel’s friend since middle school. I’m a tiny person and was a shorter than average child. I also have red hair, a lot of curly red hair. Kids loved to tease me about my height and my hair. One bully got his friends to call me “Shrimp” and made my transfer to my new school miserable. That’s when I encountered Eve. She’s the opposite of me. She’s tall and thin and has a mouth that would make a lumberjack blush. She knew teaching me to talk like her wouldn’t back off the bullies, so she recommended I get in close and use a right uppercut aimed at the guy’s stomach. Because I’m so short it landed somewhere south of the abdomen. It took him by surprise, scared him and his buddies, and made my life a lot easier from that day on.

I look like a lady and talk like one, too. Where Eve annoys people, I smooth things over. We make a great couple of pals. She often speaks without thinking first. I’m her diplomatic liaison. I do have my problems, however. For some reason, I am the clumsiest person. For years I couldn’t get a date because I usually hurt them. I didn’t mean to, of course, but I was so clumsy the men I went out with ended up with bruises or lacerations because I stepped on their toes while dancing or slugged them in the nose when I was gesturing while speaking. At the local rodeo I once stepped back and bumped into the latch that opened the bull pen. The bulls raced out and had to be rounded up by the pick-up riders. It was lucky no one was injured, not even the bulls. I’m not allowed back into the annual rodeo, something I have a difficult time explaining to my kids who are always excited each year to attend. Their father must take them. And I’ve had few problems with china and glassware in a few of the local shops.

I haven’t had the opportunity to help Eve much with her sleuthing work since she began her apprenticeship for her private detective’s license. In the past we’ve shared some adventures. It was through her help that my husband David, accused of killing one of his clients at the game ranch he owns, was cleared of those charges. The last case I took an active part in was one where Eve and I demonstrated against mud bog racing (it destroys natural habitat, and Eve and I protested that as far back as our college days). At the demonstration Eve caught a flying object which turned out to be someone’s head. I just stood by and watched, then threw up. I think that was the moment when I decided I’d rather stay in the background when it came to chasing killers.

Eve has plenty of help in her detective work. Her husband encourages her because he understands he can do nothing to prevent her snoopiness. We also have a mob boss friend, Nappi Napolitano, who loves to accompany Eve when she tracks down the bad guys, although, when you think of it, he could be considered one of them. I feel a little guilty about his presence in our lives because she met him through me. I was in a local store buying Eve some new cups (I’d broken them) and he came up to me and asked if I knew her. I said yes, so he finagled an introduction to her out of me.  Eve says he would have found a way to meet her without me, and I’m sure he’s right. The man usually gets his way. I don’t entirely trust him, but he’s never failed to come through for Eve when she gets in a jam, so maybe I’m wrong about how bad he is.

I’m pretty tied up with raising my twins, a boy and a girl. David and I named the boy after him and the girl after Eve. I now understand what a mistake that was. Little Eve is a clone of Eve. She’s a bundle of energy, is mouthy, loud and snoopy. Her brother is just the sweetest little guy. How can two kids be so different I wonder. Could it be the name that did it? I should have left the name for Eve to use with her kids.

Our consignment shop is right next door to Crusty McNabb’s detective agency. Crusty is the guy with whom Eve is apprenticing. The proximity means I usually find out what cases Eve takes on like the one in Killer Tied. I met this young woman who looked enough like Eve to be her younger sister. It was weird. I told Eve she was her doppelganger. Everyone thought they were sisters, but I knew that couldn’t be the case because Eve didn’t have any siblings, well, not that I knew about. Eve’s grandmother seemed very upset over this young woman’s presence. Then the woman’s father was killed, and the authorities were certain Eve’s father-in-law was the guilty party. Of course, he ran off into the swamps to hide. He’s done that before. He’s a very odd man. I’m sue he’s capable of killing someone, but I’m not at all convinced he had any reason to kill this man. Of course, Eve got involved in the case. She’s off to the Northeast chasing down clues. Life is never dull when you’re the best friend and the business partner of Eve Appel.

Oops. Gotta run. It sounds as if little Eve had done something to make her brother cry. Like her namesake, my daughter likes to keep things happening.

And I thought

I enjoyed Killer Tied but then again I enjoy all the Eve Appel 

series books!

I have to admit right up front I had a hard time figuring this one out.  I just couldn't keep Sammy's father and grand father straight. 

To help you out Sammy's grandfather runs the fishing business and Sammy works there and helps out.  Sammy and Eve have adopted 

three young nephews that lost their parents.  They spend alot of time with their grandfather.  Who is actually the great grandfather. 

and then Sammy's dad returns to the fold (in the previous book) after having lived years in the swamps.  

And then when all the drama picks up he goes back to the swamps where he feels safe. 

He has a connection with Eve and wanders in and out and talks to Eve sometimes in circle leaving her confused about what he is saying or not saying. 

All the questions surround Eve's family this time.  

The plot is full of twists and turns that might have you a bit a

confused from time to time.  As the story goes from Florida to 

Connecticut to New York and then back to Florida.

You might be kept guessing with this twisting and turning plot. 

If your a fan of Cozy Mysteries you'll love Killer Tied  and 

all the Eve Appel series books. 

I received a complimentary copy.

This review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads. 

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