That Missing Piece Is Killing Me
-
- USD 12.99
-
- USD 12.99
Descripción editorial
Since her divorce, librarian Alice Pepper has had to rethink her golden years. Luckily, she’s always fit in with a group of puzzle-obsessed friends in the Oregon town of West Hazel. And when a local lady goes missing, Alice must put her curious mind to work to assemble a picture of the woman’s life—and determine if she’s a runaway wife or a victim of foul play . . .
The owner of a dance and martial arts studio, 63 year-old Michelle Chong is a well-liked fixture in the West Hazel community, despite being married to the famous—and famously temperamental—artist, Lars Olsen. That’s why when she disappears, people don’t blame her for fleeing her dysfunctional marriage. Still, Alice has her suspicions, especially after learning about Lars’ violent past—and current affair.
When Alice receives a custom-made puzzle as a gift, the artwork seems so familiar that she assumes it’s from Lars as an apology for his bad behavior during a recent visit. As she and her friends get to work on it, they’re stymied by a missing piece.
With evidence pointing to Michelle’s disappearance being planned, Alice turns her attention to her own fractured family. But a shocking chain of events, culminating in a brutal murder, makes Alice question if any piece of the past can ever be put to rest . . .
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Noonan's meandering second adventure for puzzle-obsessed 65-year-old Oregon librarian Alice Pepper (after Puzzle Me a Murder) suffers from jagged pacing. When former action film star Michelle Chong—now the middle-aged proprietor of a martial arts and dance studio in West Hazel, Ore.—disappears, her husband, temperamental artist Lars Olsen, tells police his wife must have been kidnapped. Alice, meanwhile, finds Lars's behavior suspicious: he displays little grief over Michelle's disappearance, and instead exploits the situation to boost publicity for his latest paintings. She decides to investigate with the help of her many friends, including wig retailer Ruby Milliner and senior center manager Stone Donahue. Also joining the hunt is Alice's sister, Violet, who sincerely believes she has psychic abilities, and her granddaughter, Madison, a rookie cop on the West Hazel force. The crew's initially breezy investigation takes a dark turn when someone connected to the case turns up dead. Noonan's rambling plot trips over false leads, red herrings, and interpersonal dramas until it arrives at an unremarkable resolution. This misses the mark.
