Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (Rushford, Patricia H. Helen Bradley Mysteries.)

Rating:
Summary: Good mystery, empathetic heroine
Review: 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