Another great book by Patricia Rushford, with her talented keep-you-guessing-to-the-end style! This is the third in the relatively new Helen Bradley Mysteries series. Readers of the Jenny McGrady Mysteries series (originally written for young adults) will recognize Helen Bradley as the retired cop grandmother whom Jenny often went to for advice.

Now with her own series, Helen is a solid, well-balanced Christian woman who exemplifies all that God intended women to be. She's one of those lucky travel writers who just happens to come across mysteries along the way, much in the style of the popular Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote) mysteries.

Readers, Christian and non-Christian alike, will enjoy this great book and the entire series showing good solid family values and women at their best!

I recommend this book and EVERYTHING I've read so far by Patricia Rushford. She'll keep you entertained to the very end!

Another Pat Rushford mystery novel that delivers. Set in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, the author blends features of several points of interest around the islands into one little gem, "Paradise." Helen, the heroine, is called to Paradise by her aging uncle - the wealthy owner of the luxurious resort he has resurected there - to help with a family crisis. The prospect of a reunion weekend with family is first shaken by ghostly happenings then shattered by murder. It's refreshing to have a female lead who isn't either a. trying to be more of a man than the men in the story or, b. constantly looking to take umbrage at anything and everything the males around her are saying or doing. Helen is a main character/sleuth who is at ease with who she is and what she beleives. Solid faith in God and family values are the bedrock of Helen's charactor. The author maintains this consistently in Helen's thoughts and actions - large and small - and the reader never has to overlook glaring faux pas in charactorization. I eagerly look forward to the next release in this series. Pity Mrs. Rushford can't write as quickly as I can gobble up her novels!

While on a spy mission in Lebanon eleven years ago, Helen Bradley's spouse died during a terrorist act.For the next decade, Helen, a former police officer stayed single. However, now she is happily remarried, lives in Oregon, and loves her job as a writer of travelogues. While working on her latest book, Helen receives a call from an Irene Kincaid, asking for her help. Irene believes that her spouse, the renowned gerontologist, Dr. Paul Kincaid, was murdered because of his work on slowing down the aging process.

When Irene is shot to death, Helen decides to investigate by setting herself up as a target. She feels that someone at Kincaid Labs has secrets they want kept buried. To uncover them, Helen checks into Edgewood Manor, one of the top convalescent centers in the nation even as her son pleads with her not to become involved. Inside the idyll home, Helen learns that once she is there, she might not leave the place alive.

The first novel, NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, in the Helen Bradley mysteries is an interesting thriller that is highlighted by an interesting lead protagonist. Even though, the story line is relatively simplistic, to Patricia H. Rushford's credit, it remains a gripping suspense laden tale. This series will be well liked by readers of mystery.

Harriet Klausner