Rating: 
Summary: Fast, Fun Read
Review: Scumble River, Illinois school psychologist, Skye Denison, knew something was wrong when she went to visit her grandmother after school, that day. Several hawks were circling the farmhouse, something she'd never seen before. The front door was locked, the declawed cat, Bingo, was outside and her grandmother's live-in nurses aid, Mrs Jankowski, had disappeared. But the last thing she ever expected to find was Grandma Leofanti, dead, lying in bed with the sheet pulled up over her face. Though strong as an ox, Grandma had been slowly losing her mind and Skye had taken advantage of these daily visits to talk with her about the past and learn the family's history. Her relatives are more than willing to chalk up Grandma's unexpected death to natural causes, but Skye insists on an autopsy that concludes Grandma Leofanti was murdered. Now as a very determined Skye tries to find out who would kill a "sweet old lady" and why, uncooperative relatives are stonewalling her efforts and long held secrets start popping up in everyone's backyard..... Murder of a Sweet Old Lady is a well paced, entertaining mystery full of twists, turns and surprises that will keep you turning pages to the end. Ms Swanson's writing is crisp, her characters, engaging and her scenes, vivid and realistic. Easily read in one sitting, this is perfect light summer reading, great for the beach or long car and plane rides. For those new to Skye Denison and the Scumble River series, start at the beginning with Murder of a Small-Town Honey. For those of you who are already fans, this second mystery doesn't disappoint.
Rating: 
Summary: My last visit to Scumble River
Review: Since moving back to Scumble River, Skye Denison has enjoyed spending afternoons with her grandmother, learning the family history. On this particular day, Skye arrives to find her grandma dead in her bed. Skye's suspicions kick in since Grandma had just been given a very clean bill of health. When the autopsy comes back showing poison, the finger of suspicion points to her own family. Can Skye find the killer without alienating her family while dealing with the last several days of school?I was highly disappointed in this book. Stereotyping and caricature pass for character development in all but the major series characters. Even here, the characters aren't especially likable. Skye herself comes across as if she still has the "Better then you" attitude she left with in high school. While the plot is better in this book then the first in the series, I had the killer, motive, and location of the final clue figured out by the half way point. There are much better mystery series out there. Save your time and money and look elsewhere for entertainment. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: My last visit to Scumble River
Review: Since moving back to Scumble River, Skye Denison has enjoyed spending afternoons with her grandmother, learning the family history. On this particular day, Skye arrives to find her grandma dead in her bed. Skye's suspicions kick in since Grandma had just been given a very clean bill of health. When the autopsy comes back showing poison, the finger of suspicion points to her own family. Can Skye find the killer without alienating her family while dealing with the last several days of school? I was highly disappointed in this book. Stereotyping and caricature pass for character development in all but the major series characters. Even here, the characters aren't especially likable. Skye herself comes across as if she still has the "Better then you" attitude she left with in high school. While the plot is better in this book then the first in the series, I had the killer, motive, and location of the final clue figured out by the half way point. There are much better mystery series out there. Save your time and money and look elsewhere for entertainment. You'll be glad you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Skye is a smart, funny heroine.
Review: Skye Denison demands truth and honesty, which leads her through various stages of disaster. When her grandmother dies suddenly, she suspects murder, but no one else wants to believe she's right, especially when Skye starts looking into possible motives among devious family members. Family tensions grow, even as Skye's job as a school psychologist adds complications. A fun, fast read.
Rating:
Summary: Skeletons in the family closet
Review: Skye Denison enjoys her daily visits to her grandmother to hear stories of her family's history. On one of her visits she is horrified to find that her grandmother has died. She calls the local coronor, Simon, whom she is dating, much to the disgust of her family, who like to keep family business private. Soon she finds herself investigating her kin and alienating many of them in the process. If this isn't enough, she is in trouble with her school district's superintendant who wants her to falsify her school psychologist's records in order to please an influential parent. A third complication is her love life which now includes two men who vie for her affection. Having been a school employee with a job similar to Skye's, I recognize the problems she encounters with parents and administrators. My only objection to Skye's behavior is that she seems to think nothing of being late for school or trying to take last-minute personal days when she has other things to do. Most school employees are very conscientious about their attendance. This book is the second in the series and shows good progress in plot and character development. All in all, it's an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Skye's grandmother is found murdered
Review: Skye Denison is the school psychologist in Scumble River, IL. Her office is in the Jr. High but she spends time at the high school and elementary schools as well. Skye grew up here. After high school she left planning to never return. Fired, jilted and broke she returned. With the help of her Uncle Charlie she obtained the psychologist job. When Skye arrives at Grandma Leofanti's, she finds her dead and Mrs. Janowski, who took care of her, missing. Most of Skye's immediate and extended family members become suspects. Along with her daily duties at school, Skye begins looking into family members' alibis and motives. She uncovers lots of family secrets. A series of hooligan attacks on Skye's property begin and lead to an outright physical attack on Skye. This is a GREAT series. I feel like I know Skye and her quirky family. Definitely a country family in a small town. The people she has created are so well described; I feel they're real and very believable. I always look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Skye's grandmother is found murdered
Review: Skye Denison is the school psychologist in Scumble River, IL. Her office is in the Jr. High but she spends time at the high school and elementary schools as well. Skye grew up here. After high school she left planning to never return. Fired, jilted and broke she returned. With the help of her Uncle Charlie she obtained the psychologist job. When Skye arrives at Grandma Leofanti's, she finds her dead and Mrs. Janowski, who took care of her, missing. Most of Skye's immediate and extended family members become suspects. Along with her daily duties at school, Skye begins looking into family members' alibis and motives. She uncovers lots of family secrets. A series of hooligan attacks on Skye's property begin and lead to an outright physical attack on Skye. This is a GREAT series. I feel like I know Skye and her quirky family. Definitely a country family in a small town. The people she has created are so well described; I feel they're real and very believable. I always look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome book!
Review: Skye Denison was a school psychologist. This meant many parents got angry at Skye whenever their kids did something wrong at school or their child showed signs of being abused from home. Being quizzical was necessary in Skye's job, so when she found her grandmother dead and a few curious items wrong, she made sure an autopsy was done. The rest of the family balked at the idea until foul play was found. The whole family seemed to be selfish, greedy, and full of secrets. Instead of wanting to find the killer, they all wanted Skye to stop poking her nose where it did not belong so they could hurry up and divide all the land and belongings! The more family secrets Skye uncovered, she more she was amazed! Grandmother Leofanti had kept a lot of the family history silent. She had only recently began telling Skye some of it. There were a few problems going on at the school as well. So when some very cruel pranks are pulled on Skye, no one was sure if it was the work of the killer or a disgruntled parent. ***** This story is AWESOME! Many suspects, many clues, and many problems. This one will test the wits of the best mystery readers, no doubt! It is well written and the plot begins rolling almost immediately. The author captured my attention (as the reader) in the opening sentence. That always impresses me. Personally, I hate to go several chapters and STILL wonder what the heck the book is about or if it will ever get better! This one starts off with a bang and continues non-stop. Even better, the story is complete, but Skye's life is left open and ready for the next mystery. (In fact, I understand "Murder Of A Sleeping Beauty" will be out around April 2002. ) This looks to be a very promising series of mystery books. Do not start this one until you can settle down comfortably with no interruptions for at least a few hours. Have a drink nearby, because once you begin, you will not want to stop reading. Highly recommended! *****
Rating:
Summary: A delightful read
Review: Skye Denison, who like so many young people fled her small hometown, is back after a bit of bad luck. Working as a school psychologist, she is trying to live down her past and adjust to small town life again. In the second book in the series, Murder of a Sweet Old Lady, Denise Swanson has taken us back to the delightful town of Scumble River, filled with eccentric characters. Skye has developed the habit of going by her grandmother's house each day after work to hear stories of the family history. When Skye finds her grandmother dead in her bed, the family is outraged when Skye suggests it might be murder but since the housekeeper is missing, the family convinces themselves that she is the killer. So they are even more outraged when Skye starts looking at family members. And when Skye finds herself the victim of several acts of vandalism, she isn't sure who is behind them, a family member or the angry parent of one of the children she are counseling. As Skye digs down to the disintegrating roots of her family tree, she is left wondering if destroying the family is worth the price of unmasking a killer. And while she is trying to find her grandmother's killer, she is also having to deal with some very sticky issues at work when her boss asks her to lie on a report, the same issue that got her fired from her last job. Swanson does an excellent job of dealing with some very sensitive issues, while at the same time creating a delightful, fast-paced cozy.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Skye Dennison is still in Scumble Creek trying to get her life back together. Her job as school psychologist is challenging, but just when she makes some progress, a parent, school board member, or administrator messes it up. Her love life is confusing. The one bright spot is her afternoons with her grandmother, who is helping her write the family history. Then, one afternoon, she finds her grandmother dead and the housekeeper missing. Foul play is suspected. Her relatives are the suspects. Then, her tires are slashed, her windows are broken, she is threatened by both her own relatives and the parents of the students she sees. Who really killed Grandmother Leofanti and why? This is an engrossing mystery. Once I picked it up, I read it until I reached the last page. The characters are so real you feel that you know them. Although there are definite clues, the mystery wasn't easy to figure out. I can't wait for the sequel.
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