A Touch of Panic is one of the best mysteries I've ever read. L.R. Wright shows her skill to create a tense crime - as well as a tense private world.

I came across the third book in this mystery series at a used book sale but wanted to read all of them in order in case they turned out to be good. I'm glad I did. This book is not so much a murder mystery as it is a character study of individuals touched by murder: the perpetrator, his friend, and the cop intent on solving the crime. All are involved in an uneasy relationship and Wright does a wonderful job of conveying the emotions and thoughts of all of them as they lead themselves to the inevitable discovery of why the murder happened.

I've started the second book and it is equally as absorbing. Wright is a wonderful storyteller.

A friend just recently introduced me to RCMP Staff Sergeant Karl Alberg and the lovely librarian Cassandra Mitchell. I love mysteries so I was disappointed when in the first chapter I learned the identity of the murderer. But the characters are so well crafted that I was hooked. The setting on the sunshine coast of Canada is unique. The plot is not so much of a 'who done it' but rather a 'why'. The motive is doled out a crumb at a time. This first book in the series has me hunting for the others.

This is a wonderful, near perfect crime novel: a beautifully crafted story about murder, and evil that is perhaps worse than murder. The characters are all memorable. You will not find a more sympathetic murderer in all of literature. The author expertly leads you to a conclusion that is both satisfying and disturbing. Top notch, this ranks among my favorite mystery novels. A must read.

This is my first taste of Edgar Award winner Ms. Wright's fiction and, if this book is any indication of her talent, then I am certainly going to seek out her other novels. Her spare yet descriptive prose perfectly evokes the gothic tone of the deeds that connect the various characters. The surprises come not in the plot but in the motives and backgrounds of the characters. If there is any criticism, it is that she holds back too much, so that some scenes don't have quite the impact that they should, but this is a minor peeve. I read this right after reading McGrath's SPIDER, and the two novels share a vague similarity in tone and subject matter. Worth checking out.

Since you know who committed the murder and why (as described in the editorial review and very early in the book) there is neither a mystery or very little suspense here. But like her other books in the series, Wright focuses more on character study and the relationships among those affected by the murder rather than lay out a typical who-dunit.

I frankly found the main character, Zoe Strachan, to be the most fascinating feature of the book because her gross inner imperfections contrasted sharply with her outward stunning beauty. The one fault I find with this book, however, is that Zoe is perceived by others and perhaps Wright herself as evil, when in fact many of her actions are driven by acute mental illness. The former has you rooting for the character's demise; the latter has you hoping she gets treatment.

All-in-all, a very good read.

this was an excellent book. i enjoyed reading this book so much. it was supsense full if you like mystery books you'll enjoy reading this.

I kept waiting for this book to develop something: a character that seemed real, a situation with depth, a conversation with substance. And to no avail--I finished the book without any of those things happening

L.R. Wright moves us with the intelligent portrayal of a life wasted. Her central characters of Karl Ahlberg and his fiancee Cassandra are well rounded, likeable, and all too human. You will find your heart aches for the boy in this book, and at the same time he will frighten you. Wright has the gift of eliciting emotion from her readers. Her supporting characters (Sid & Bernie) flesh out the story such that you want to read more about them as well. Altogether a great read!

Mother Love by L.R.Wright Seal Books 1995

I have read several other L.R.Wright mysteries and liked them very much. This one was not up to the high standards set by the others.

In this Karl Alberg mystery, a murdered woman had left husband and 13 year old daughter seven years previously with only a smidgen of a note that told hardly anything of why she left. Karl will not rest until he has solved the puzzle relating to her death and disappearance. The story is a bit contrived and moves at a very slow pace.

The long standing romance of Karl and Cassandra Mitchel has picked up finally and they have decided to get married and have begun house hunting. As always, L.R.Wright's description of Sechelt is vivid and evocative and adds immeasurably to the story.