Dead in the Water by Jeannette de Beauvoir

by Chewie the Mouse

There's something special about Jeannette de Beauvoir's books, and "Dead in the Water" is no exception. It contains everything you expect in a cozy mystery (heroine with a fun job, law-enforcement boyfriend, quirky best friend, cute pet), but brings SO MUCH MORE to the table. This time around, Sydney is dealing with a kidnapping, as the ransom note was delivered to Glenn at the inn. And as it turns out, she has some past experience with kidnapping/missing persons, as her sister Alex was abducted (and never found) when she was young. I didn't know this about Sydney before, and it made me admire her even more...the way she's so strong and capable despite her childhood trauma.

The main reason I love Sydney Riley, though, is her sense of humor! Sydney is truly hilarious. She says some funny things, but her internal dialog (filled with trademark Sydney snark) is even funnier. If she were a real person, I'd LOVE to hang out with her and enjoy her wit and personality. This sense of humor is especially helpful this time around, as Sydney's parents are in town for a visit, so she has them to deal with along with trying to solve the mystery. And speaking of out of town guests....someone else makes an appearance as well. I won't say more to avoid spoilers, but you WON'T be disappointed!

As always, the author brings Provincetown to life for the reader through her writing. This time around, we learn about an abandoned military base on the outskirts of town. (In the author's note, it is explained that the version Sydney experiences is a former version, and a description of the changes is provided.) We also get to tag along on a couple of whale watching excursions, and learn more about that aspect of life in P'Town, as well as about whales. Did you know that the whale/dolphin watching industry originated in that area? I didn't before, but I do now! I love it when I learn something from a story! Each book I read in this series makes me want to take a trip to Provincetown even more.

The mystery itself, as always, was detailed, well-plotted, and interesting. There were plenty of clues and red herrings, and once Sydney figures everything out, it all fell into place and made perfect sense. I did NOT guess the culprit, and never even suspected this person until something that happened very near the end. Looking back, all the clues pointed in that direction, if only I were a better detective!

Overall, as always for the Provincetown books, five out of five slices of spicy Pepper-Jack!