S. M. Senden

With interesting glimpses into the history of America’s Midwest, S. M. Senden’s Murder at the Johnson House brings together a disparate group of characters, slowly drawing them toward a single place where the victim will die. Reminiscent of old Agatha Christie novels, by the time the murder is the committed, the house is filled with suspects, and now it’s time to sort through who could or couldn’t have done it. Clues are nicely sprinkled into the text, allowing the reader an appropriate chance to guess. And the conclusion is nicely consistent with all the characters’ motivations.

Occasionally wordy, the story is liberally sprinkled with fascinating detail, and the ever-lengthening cast of characters is consistently intriguing, from female bounty-hunter to waiters to traveling players. It’s a cool ensemble with several characters the reader might like to meet again, with secrets yet to be told. Some typos and some odd words might slow things down, but it’s a fun story, and I enjoyed the things I learned.

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I offer my honest review.… (mehr)

The 'Roaring Twenties,' oh, how they roared! But what happens when a young lady finds herself in that roaring, overblown time of release from the Great War, a time of bootleg, ragtime and partying? For Clara, it's both a blessing and a curse. For an overlooked, yet caring person this new life she finds herself in is so far removed from her knowledge or personality it is completely foreign to her. A grand adventure.

Beginning with a wish on a star, catching the bouquet at the wedding the family attends and meeting a young college man at that same wedding seems like a wish granted...or is it? Clara sees herself only as a wallflower, an old maid at the age of twenty-five, the girl from the farm no man wants. When Erdman asks her to dance she is overwhelmed with surprise, joy and not surprisingly, eager but reticent to accept his approaches. After all, no young man has ever shown interest in her before. Be careful what you wish for, Clara!

This book spans several decades populated by many different types of characters. It takes the reader into the era completely. The complete opposites in Clara's life are palpable as the background plot takes place in a rural farming area settled by Swedish immigrants, where little changes through the years, which makes Clara's life outside of home that much more exciting. When Clara suddenly disappears into the night, the community draws together in its sadness and caring for the family. The torch blazes bright and long as the families involved live through the decades with the shadow of Clara's disappearance always there. The author has told the story in keeping with the times, well-researched. A love story, a touch of the paranormal, a mystery and a story of deceit, vanity and mobsters. An interesting look into a world where immorality and trust can sometimes go hand in hand. S.M. Senden, in this trip through some of the most active decades you held my attention as I immersed myself in the mystery and a way of life I never saw.… (mehr)