Out of Circulation: A Miss Zukas Mystery (Miss Zukas Mysteries)

Rating:
Summary: Helma and Ruth go hiking
Review: Helma Zukas' best friend Ruth talks her into going on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to celebrate Ruth's 40th. birthday. Ruth promises that two hiking experts will accompany them, but when the day arrives, Ruth's friends are unable to join them. They set out on their own, and to their horror they discover a dying man. Before he dies, he is able to tell them that he had a companion who may be in trouble, so Helma and Ruth decide to look for him. A blinding snowstorm forces them into an emergency cabin, along with a group of other hikers. This setting allows Jo Dereske to introduce a whole new set of characters who are an interesting change from Miss Zukas' usual co-workers ath the library. This is a well-written and entertaining "cozy".

Rating:
Summary: Helma and Ruth go hiking
Review: Helma Zukas' best friend Ruth talks her into going on a hike in the Cascade Mountains to celebrate Ruth's 40th. birthday. Ruth promises that two hiking experts will accompany them, but when the day arrives, Ruth's friends are unable to join them. They set out on their own, and to their horror they discover a dying man. Before he dies, he is able to tell them that he had a companion who may be in trouble, so Helma and Ruth decide to look for him. A blinding snowstorm forces them into an emergency cabin, along with a group of other hikers. This setting allows Jo Dereske to introduce a whole new set of characters who are an interesting change from Miss Zukas' usual co-workers ath the library. This is a well-written and entertaining "cozy".

Rating:
Summary: Librarian's view of librarian's adventure
Review: Perhaps because I am a retired librarian and my father was a librarian, I was able to see the little bits of irony and the take-off in Ms. Dereske's discription of Miss Helma Zukas. Helma almost fits "the typical librarian" in the libraries of the past. She is over-organized, dedicated to knit-picky details, dresses in such a way as to seem almost invisible, and (possibly her worst character defect)she has no sense of humor.Ms. Dereske has written tongue-in-cheek about most librarians' favorite stereotype. The idea that Miss Zukas enjoys adventures that few people get involved in, much less staid and sober librarians is part of the fun. I have enjoyed all the murderous events that Miss Zukas has become enmeshed in and I'm hoping for many more. Go, Miss Zukas. The Dewey Decimal System, though inadequate, will lead us out of the vale of ignorance.

Rating:
Summary: The best of the series!
Review: This is my favorite of all of Helma's adventures. Great mystery/thriller story interspersed with Helma's very inspiring examples of being properly prepared to be on a mountain in a blizzard surrounded by some not very civilized people. I love this series. Always look forward to Helma's interactions with Boy Cat Zukas too (I love cats but this is hilarious!).

Rating:
Summary: The best of the series!
Review: This is my favorite of all of Helma's adventures. Great mystery/thriller story interspersed with Helma's very inspiring examples of being properly prepared to be on a mountain in a blizzard surrounded by some not very civilized people. I love this series. Always look forward to Helma's interactions with Boy Cat Zukas too (I love cats but this is hilarious!).